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:
Jul. 13, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1991
Hiroomi Motohashi, Tokyo, JP;
Shunji Katoh, Sagamihara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Image forming equipment having a developing device for developing a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier by a developer, and a cleaning device for removing the developer remaining on the image carrier and collecting it in a collecting section. The equipment determines whether or not the developer collected in the collecting section has reached a predetermined amount by determining whether or not a developer has been supplemented to the developing device a predetermined number of times. The number of times that a developer is supplemented to the developing device is counted on the basis of the output of a supplement detector which determines whether or not a developer has been supplemented. The supplement detector determines that developer has been supplied only when a predetermined number of copies have been made after a toner low/empty signal is indicated or the toner concentration is detected to increase after the toner low/empty signal is indicated.