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. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2000
Haruji Mizuishi, Tokyo, JP;
Masaru Tanaka, Yokohama, JP;
Kenzo Tatsumi, Yokohama, JP;
Ken Amemiya, Tokyo, JP;
Toshitaka Yamaguchi, Ohmiya, JP;
Hideki Zemba, Yokohama, JP;
Noriyuki Usui, Kawasaki, JP;
Mayumi Ohori, Kawasaki, JP;
Hiroshi Mizusawa, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image-forming apparatus includes an image-bearing device that holds an electrostatic latent image and a toner image thereon, and a developer container that contains and agitates a developer having at least a toner. The image-forming apparatus also includes a developer-bearing device that carries the developer to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image-bearing device, and a density sensor that detects an optical density of a surface of the image-bearing device and a toner image on the image-bearing device. Further, the image-forming apparatus includes a developer seal that seals the developer in the developer container, wherein the seal is disposed between the developer container and the developer-bearing device, and an actuator configured to actuate the developer container and the developer-bearing device. The image-forming apparatus still further includes a control device that determines whether the developer seal is removed according to information on the optical density of the toner image output by the density sensor.