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:
Apr. 18, 2000
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1998
Yoshiyuki Komiya, Mishima, JP;
Atsushi Takeda, Mishima, JP;
Fumiteru Gomi, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Kouichi Hashimoto, Numazu, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a charging unit having magnetic particles that are contactable with the image bearing member. An electrostatic image forming unit forms an electrostatic image on the charged image bearing member. A developing device develops an electrostatic image on the image bearing member with toner that includes toner and magnetic carrier. A detecting unit detects the toner content of the developer and a toner supply unit supplies the toner into the developing unit when the detected toner content is lower than a predetermined level. A calculating unit calculates the changing rate of the toner content from an output of the detecting unit and a warning unit warns that a changing rate of the toner content is larger than a predetermined level.