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:
Jan. 12, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 21, 2007
Takashi Hirota, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Takashi Hirota, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka-Shi, JP;
Abstract
A toner replenishing device of a toner consumption calculating portion calculates a toner consumption using a gray scale value of each pixel in a multiple-value image inputted from an image data input portion. The calculated toner consumption is corrected by a corrected consumption calculating portion, and is then accumulated by a cumulative consumption calculating portion, and thereby a cumulative toner consumption is calculated. A main replenishing amount control portion controls a replenishing roller driving motor so as to replenish a predetermined first replenishing amount of a toner to a developing tank when the cumulative toner consumption reaches a reference consumption or more. Further, an auxiliary replenishing amount control portion controls the replenishing roller driving motor so as to start to replenish a predetermined second replenishing amount of a toner to the developing tank when a toner concentration obtained by a toner concentration obtaining portion reaches less than a start concentration.