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:
Jan. 13, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 08, 1996
Yukihiko Okuno, Toyokawa, JP;
Masaki Tanaka, Toyohashi, JP;
Naoyoshi Kinoshita, Aichi-ken, JP;
Atsushi Kawai, Aichi-ken, JP;
Toshifumi Watanabe, Toyohashi, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image formation apparatus for forming a full color image in the four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black has a optical ATDC sensor attached in a cyan developing device to control the toner density under optical ATDC. A black developing device has the toner density controlled by AIDC. A standard develop efficiency .eta.STD of the cyan developing device obtained as a result of the AIDC is compared with a develop efficiency .eta. of black toner. The toner supply amount of the black developing device is determined according to the comparison result to supply the toner. Thus, an image formation apparatus is provided that can detect at favorable accuracy the toner density of a developing device incorporating a developer of which the toner density cannot be detected using optical ATDC to supply a required amount of toner.