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:
Feb. 25, 1997
Filed:
Nov. 15, 1995
Toru Kikuchi, Ibaraki, JP;
Shuho Yokokawa, Ibaraki, JP;
Isao Watanabe, Ibaraki, JP;
Satoshi Aita, Ibaraki, JP;
Hidenori Takayasu, Ibaraki, JP;
Shigeo Nemoto, Ibaraki, JP;
Osamu Ohuchi, Ibaraki, JP;
Kunitomo Takahashi, Ibaraki, JP;
Youichi Takeuchi, Ibaraki, JP;
Hidenori Iwanaga, Ibaraki, JP;
Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A toner supply control system of the electrophotographic apparatus which includes a developing unit 3 for developing with a developer composed of toner and carrier; a toner hopper 4 for storing the toner; a toner empty sensor 7 for detecting the remainder of toner in the toner hopper 4; and a toner supply drive unit 5 for conveying toner from the outside of the apparatus into the toner hopper 4. Toner is conveyed from the outside into the toner hopper 4 by driving the toner supply drive unit 5 over a predetermined period of time without stopping the operation of the electrophotographic apparatus when the toner empty sensor 7 detects over a predetermined period of time that the remainder of toner in the toner hopper 4 is small. Then the existence of an output signal outputted from the toner empty sensor 7 indicating that the remainder of toner is small is detected, and a previous signal of toner shortage is output while the developing operation of the electrophotographic apparatus is being maintained in the case of existence of the output signal, and the shortage of toner is reported to an operator in accordance with the previous signal of toner shortage.