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:
May. 29, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2006
Shintaro Yamada, Ibaraki, JP;
Kenji Asuwa, Ibaraki, JP;
Susumu Tateyama, Ibaraki, JP;
Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Ibaraki, JP;
Tomofumi Yoshida, Ibaraki, JP;
Shintaro Yamada, Ibaraki, JP;
Kenji Asuwa, Ibaraki, JP;
Susumu Tateyama, Ibaraki, JP;
Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Ibaraki, JP;
Tomofumi Yoshida, Ibaraki, JP;
Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section and a residual toner amount detection unit. The image forming section includes a photosensitive member, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, and a toner storage unit. The residual toner amount detection unit detects an amount of toner remaining in the developing unit. The residual toner amount detection unit includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. After the toner is deposited on the photosensitive member to form a toner image until electric charge is given onto a photosensitive layer of the photosensitive member by the charging unit again, the light-emitting element removes electric charge remaining on the photosensitive layer.