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:
Sep. 11, 2007
Filed:
May. 27, 2004
Takashi Hama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hidetsugu Shimura, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hidenori Kin, Nagano-ken, JP;
Keiichi Taguchi, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Nakazato, Nagano-ken, JP;
Takashi Hama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hidetsugu Shimura, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hidenori Kin, Nagano-ken, JP;
Keiichi Taguchi, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Nakazato, Nagano-ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
When the remaining toner amount within a developer is relatively large, a control target value of a toner amount is set to Ttgtand a lower limit value of a toner amount which can regarded proper is set to TL. When the density of a patch image formed under a predetermined condition is smaller than a minimum guaranteed density Dma, it is determined abnormality has occurred in the apparatus. Since the characteristic of toner within the developer changes as the remaining toner amount decreases, the control target value is changed to Ttgtand the lower limit value is set to TLin light of this. In this fashion, regardless of whether the toner characteristic has changed, abnormality in the apparatus is detected without fail.