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, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 01, 2004
Soh Hirota, Aichi-ken, JP;
Masaki Tanaka, Toyohashi, JP;
Masahiro Kouzaki, Toyohashi, JP;
Kazuomi Sakatani, Toyokawa, JP;
Mitsuru Obara, Toyohashi, JP;
Soh Hirota, Aichi-ken, JP;
Masaki Tanaka, Toyohashi, JP;
Masahiro Kouzaki, Toyohashi, JP;
Kazuomi Sakatani, Toyokawa, JP;
Mitsuru Obara, Toyohashi, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developer reservoir for accommodating a mixed developer. The mixed developer includes a plurality of types of toner having a generally identical hue and different reflection densities. The apparatus also includes a replenishment device having a plurality of toner containers each accommodating one of the plurality of types of toner for replenishing the plurality of types of toner to the developer reservoir; a first detector for detecting whether each of the toner containers is completely empty of toner; and a second detector for detecting whether the developer reservoir is nearly or completely empty of mixed developer. A controller controls the replenishment device and allows or prohibits a printing operation based on the detection result of the first and the second detectors.