Seiko Epson Corporation

Takehiko Okamura

Toshiya Takahata

Hiroshi Ito

Toshihiko Yamazaki

Nobumasa Abe

Tahei Ishiwatari

Tatsuro Osawa

Akira Kubota

Hidenori Kin

Yoshiro Koga

Hidetsugu Shimura

Isao Inaba

Shinsuke Yokote

Takashi Suzuki

Hideki Okada

Yoshihiro Nakashima

Yoichi Yamada

Katsumi Okamoto

Fumio Takagi

Takashi Hama

Hajime Kurihara

Kenjiro Yoshioka

Akihiko Ikegami

Masaki Yuzawa

Shizue Nakazawa

Both the user of an image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus can determine if the consumable cartridge supplied to the apparatus is a refilled product or not at a glance. The consumable cartridge is for supplying a consumable to be used in the image forming process of an image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus. It has an ID tag memory sealarranged at a predetermined position and includes an ID tag memory electrically indicating that the consumable cartridge is supplied by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus and a logo label section, arranged on the surface of the ID tag memory for causing the user to visually recognize that the consumable cartridge is supplied by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus.

Consumable cartridge and image forming apparatus using the same

An image forming apparatus can be so set as to allow or not to allow a low price consumable cartridge to operate with it. It can take a status where '00' is stored in the apparatus status recording memory thereof that allows it to be loaded with an ordinary toner cartridge or a low price toner cartridge supplied by the same manufacturer such that it operates normally when it is loaded with an ordinary toner cartridge but only limitedly when loaded with a low price toner cartridge and a status where 01 is stored in the apparatus status recording memory thereof so that it operates normally regardless if it is loaded with an ordinary toner cartridge or a low price toner cartridge.

Image forming apparatus and method of setting the same

Based on a video signal, a toner dot counter and an off dot counter detect a size of a toner dot portion to carry an adherent toner thereto and a size of an off dot portion not to carry an adherent toner, respectively. Reference is made to a look-up table based on the detection results, so as to retrieve a coefficient Kv corresponding to a combination of the sizes of the toner dot portion and the off dot portion. A count value Cdot given by the toner dot counter is multiplied by the coefficient Kv, while the resultant product is integrated by an accumulator. An integration value for an image of one page is multiplied by a coefficient Kequivalent to a toner adhesion percentage of solid image. Thus is determined a toner consumption TC on the page image.

Image forming apparatus, a toner counter and a calculation method of toner consumption

Based on a video signal, a toner dot counter and an off dot counter detect a size of a toner dot portion to carry an adherent toner thereto and a size of an off dot portion not to carry an adherent toner, respectively. Reference is made to a look-up table based on the detection results, so as to retrieve a coefficient Kv corresponding to a combination of the sizes of the toner dot portion and the off dot portion. A count value Cdot given by the toner dot counter is multiplied by the coefficient Kv, while the resultant product is integrated by an accumulator. An integration value for an image of one page is multiplied by a coefficient K0 equivalent to a toner adhesion percentage of solid image. Thus is determined a toner consumption TC on the page image.

A recording medium carrier system of an image forming apparatus is constituted by independent units as a paper supply cassette, a paper feed unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a paper ejecting unit. An intermediate transfer unit in the transfer unit is provided with an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image formed on a photoconductive drum is primarily transferred at a primary transfer position and which secondarily transfers the toner image on a recording medium at a secondary transfer position, and a driving roller for circulating the intermediate transfer belt. The primary transfer position is arranged close to the driving roller.

Image transfer unit having an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image is applied

A developing device is provided with a developer bearing body for bearing developer that includes a release agent, and a charging member for charging the developer borne by the developer bearing body by abutting against the developer bearing body. The charging member is electrically conductive. The developer, which has been charged by the charging member, is used for developing a latent image borne by an image bearing body.

Developing device, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

It is managed a life of at least one toner cartridge loaded in an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium with toner stored in the toner cartridge. A counter counts a remaining amount of each of a plurality of predetermined parameters. A replacement determinant determines that the toner cartridge should be replaced with another one when the remaining amount of any one of the parameters is a predetermined amount or less. A display is operable to display the remaining amount of each of the parameters as a percentage relative to a full remaining amount thereof. A selector selects one of the parameters indicating the lowest remaining amount as the remaining amount displayed on the display.

Device and method of managing life of toner cartridge, and image forming apparatus using the same

A method of forming an image includes the steps of providing a development bias having a DC component and an AC component superposed on one another and applying the development bias to a developer carrying member. The AC component is provided by superposing a waveform at a second frequency on a waveform at a first frequency in synchronism with each other. The second frequency is an odd multiple of the first frequency.

Method of forming image and image forming apparatus

Intermediate transfer unit having a primary transfer member and a secondary transfer roller

A developer bearing member for bearing toner, the developer bearing member having a multitude of depressions on its surface, and each of the depressions has a multitude of protrusions on its surface. A method for forming the developer bearing member where a surface of the developer bearing member is treated by a blasting treatment, an etching treatment, and electroless plating. Alternatively, the surface of the developer bearing member can be treated with a blasting treatment using particles having a multitude of depressions.

Developer bearing member, method for producing developer bearing member, developing device, image-forming apparatus, and computer system

Intermediate transfer unit having a primary and a secondary transfer member

Toner cartridge

Intermediate transfer unit

A developing device includes a supply member disposed to rotate in contact with a developer carrier to supply developer layer having a predetermined thickness to the developer carrier surface. A layer forming member is disposed to abut against the developer carrier to regulate the layer thickness of the developer so as to form a thin developer layer on the developer carrier. A bias application unit applies an AC-superimposed bias voltage to the developer carrier. A latent image on a latent image carrier is developed with the thin developer layer formed on the developer carrier by the layer forming member. The minimum value of the AC-superimposed bias voltage may be lower than the exposure potential of the latent image carrier, and a maximum value of the bias voltage is to be lower then the charge potential. However, the polarities of the two voltages may be identical.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano-ken, Japan

Takehiko Okamura