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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 16, 2002
Shinichi Itoh, Yokohama, JP;
Other;
Abstract
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus for reusing recovered toner collected after toner is used in a developing device of the image forming apparatus by mixing the recovered toner with new toner. Before the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the developing device is in an evacuated state, and a transfer path of the recovered toner is filled with an initial developing agent. Then, when the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is supplied into the developing device. It is preferable that a recovered toner sub-hopper be filled with the initial developing agent. When the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is promptly supplied into the developing device by increasing an operation speed.