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:
Aug. 19, 2008
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2006
Hirofumi Sakita, Nara, JP;
Hirokazu Izumi, Nara, JP;
Hideyuki Nishimura, Osaka, JP;
Hisaaki Kobayashi, Nara, JP;
Hirofumi Sakita, Nara, JP;
Hirokazu Izumi, Nara, JP;
Hideyuki Nishimura, Osaka, JP;
Hisaaki Kobayashi, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The image forming apparatus according to the present invention detects the amount of remaining toner by using (i) the result of calculation carried out by a toner supply amount calculation section based on an accumulated rotational time measurement section in a region where the amount of remaining toner is not less than a predetermined amount and toner supply is stabilized, (ii) the result of calculation carried out by a pixel count section in a region where the amount of remaining toner gets small and the amount of toner supply gets uneven, and (iii) the result of ATC carried out by a toner density control section. As a result, it is possible to exactly detect the amount of remaining toner without providing a special remaining toner detection device.