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:
Jun. 20, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2005
Kazukiyo Akashi, Chiba, JP;
Yoshio Mizuno, Chiba, JP;
Atsushi Chaki, Chiba, JP;
Ryo Hanashi, Ibaraki, JP;
Kazukiyo Akashi, Chiba, JP;
Yoshio Mizuno, Chiba, JP;
Atsushi Chaki, Chiba, JP;
Ryo Hanashi, Ibaraki, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In order to prevent a toner residual amount from being erroneously judged as 'toner present' after the toner residual amount has been judged to be insufficient, a toner residual amount detection apparatus includes a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member by a toner, the developing device being provided for movement relative to an apparatus main body, a sensor for outputting information corresponding to the toner residual amount in the developing device, a judging device for comparing the output of the sensor with a reference value to thereby judge the toner residual amount, wherein image forming is inhibited via a predetermined number of times of image forming after the toner residual amount is judged to be not sufficient, and a changing device for changing the reference value to a smaller value with the judgement that the toner residual amount is not sufficient.