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. 19, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2003
Kenichi Ashida, Toyohashi, JP;
Takuya Wada, Minamishitara, JP;
Kenichi Ashida, Toyohashi, JP;
Takuya Wada, Minamishitara, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus which can detect the remaining state of a developer even when the developer in the cartridge is biased by the rotation and stirring of a rotary conveyance body. A developer detector arranged outside the toner cartridge has a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, and the toner cartridge has detection windows through which light projected from the light projecting unit is input and output. The optical axis of an optical path from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit intersects the rotary shaft of the rotary conveyance body in the toner cartridge or becomes parallel to the moving direction of the developer. The remaining state of the developer is detected according to whether the optical path going from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit is cut off or not.
Data source: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) public patent records. Weekly synchronization. How IDiyas builds this profile