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:
Oct. 28, 2008
Filed:
Feb. 28, 2006
Hiroshi Watanabe, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Masao Ando, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Matsumoto, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Watanabe, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Masao Ando, Shizuoka-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Matsumoto, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus that forms an image according to an electrophotographic system includes plural developing units provided in a cylinder, which freely rotates a fixed angle at a time around a rotation shaft, to rotate together with the cylinder. Toner levels of toner cartridges arranged in the developing units are detected by rotating the cylinder a predetermined angle to stop the cylinder and measuring a flow-down time of a toner, which flows down inside of the toner cartridge, using an optical sensor.