The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 1989
Filed:
Feb. 29, 1988
Tomio Tada, Osaka, JP;
Junichi Hirobe, Osaka, JP;
Junichi Takamatsu, Hannan, JP;
Kazuto Hori, Sakai, JP;
Yukihiro Aikawa, Osaka, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A device for detecting the life of a process unit which is detachably mounted in an image forming apparatus includes a sensor for detecting the density of the toner in the developing device and a signal detector receiving an output from the sensor and operable to determine whether the output exceeds or is less than a predetermined value during a predetermined time period which starts after a developing roller of the process unit starts rotating. A control is connected to the signal detector and is operable to effect different operating conditions depending on whether the output exceeds or is below the predetermined value, one of the operating conditions being an indication that the life of the process unit has expired and another of the operating conditions being an indication that the life of the process unit is unexpired.