Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Takashi Oida

Mizuna Tanaka

Shoh Tsuritani

Akinori Yamaguchi

Tomohiro Ohshima

Kohji Yoshimura

Yuuya Ozaki

Kazutaka Takeda

Mizuho Ohmura

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form an image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the image bearer onto a sheet, a storage to store the sheet, a sheet feeder to convey the sheet one by one to the transfer device, and a slip amount prediction controller. The slip amount prediction controller calculates a predicted slip amount between the sheet feeder and the sheet before forming the image and, subsequently calculates an interval between images based on the predicted slip amount. The slip amount prediction controller controls the image forming device based on the calculated interval between images to form the image on the image bearer.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

A developing device includes a development unit, a developer amount detector, an accuracy requirement determiner, and a detection count setting unit. The development unit includes a developer container configured to store a developer. The development unit is configured to supply the developer from the developer container to a latent image bearer, on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed according to image data, to form a developer image. The developer amount detector is configured to detect a developer amount in the toner container of the development unit in every detection period. The accuracy requirement determiner is configured to a determine accuracy requirement required as a detection accuracy of the developer amount by the developer amount detector. The detection count setting unit is configured to set a number of times of detection of the developer amount by the developer amount detector based on the accuracy requirement.

Developing device, image forming apparatus, method of detecting developer amount, and non-transitory recording medium storing program

An image forming apparatus includes a toner container; a developing unit; a detection unit detecting toner in the developing unit; a measurement unit measuring as to whether there is a full amount of toner or no toner in the developing unit by using a detection history of the detection unit with regard to the toner; a supplying unit supplying the toner from the toner container to the developing unit; a toner-amount calculation unit calculating, using image data to be printed, an amount of toner consumption needed during printing; an accumulation unit calculating an accumulated amount of toner consumption by accumulating the amount of toner consumption every time printing is conducted; and a fault determination unit determining, using the accumulated amount of toner consumption, whether a measurement result by the measurement unit is normal or not as to whether there is a full amount of toner or no toner.

Image forming apparatus

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Osaka, Japan

Takashi Oida