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. 13, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 24, 1996
Tamotsu Sakuraba, Toyokawa, JP;
Hirofumi Hasagawa, Toyokawa, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A voltage that has a difference in potential in the polarity direction opposite to the charge of the developer relative to the voltage applied to the sleeve by power supply 34 is applied to the control member by power supply 36. By this use of power supply 36, when the amount of remaining developer has fallen to a prescribed level, the conveyance of the developer to the photosensitive member by the sleeve is prevented, preventing image formation. Therefore, the image formation operation does not continue where the amount of remaining developer is small, which in turn eliminates the scattering of developer and maintains the cleanliness of the interior of the apparatus.