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. 01, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 15, 2005
Toner level detection method and image forming apparatus employing such toner level detection method
Applicants:
Nobuhiko Nakano, Nara, JP;
Masato Asanuma, Nara, JP;
Inventors:
Nobuhiko Nakano, Nara, JP;
Masato Asanuma, Nara, JP;
Assignee:
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 15/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Forced supply of toner(s) from toner hopper(s) to developer storage container(s) is executed while interrupting and/or prohibiting image forming operation(s) so as to prevent consumption of toner(s), toner level(s) within toner hopper(s) being determined to be low and low toner level condition(s) being reported to user(s) when temporal change(s) in value(s) detected by toner sensor(s) is/are small.