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:
Nov. 16, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2008
Rumi Konishi, Osaka, JP;
Shuuichi Nakagawa, Osaka, JP;
Ryuji Inoue, Hyogo, JP;
Shin Murayama, Hyogo, JP;
Kazushige Oonishi, Tokyo, JP;
Shintaro Yamada, Tokyo, JP;
Rumi Konishi, Osaka, JP;
Shuuichi Nakagawa, Osaka, JP;
Ryuji Inoue, Hyogo, JP;
Shin Murayama, Hyogo, JP;
Kazushige Oonishi, Tokyo, JP;
Shintaro Yamada, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image developing method is disclosed that is able to efficiently remove degraded toner on a developing agent carrier, prevent formation of abnormal images, ensure good image quality over time, and increase the service life of the device. The developing method includes a step of calculating an amount of consumption of the developing agent during image formation and an amount of consumption of the developing agent in a compulsory toner consumption mode under different calculation conditions between the image formation and the compulsory toner consumption mode. In the compulsory toner consumption mode, a developing bias different from a developing bias used during image formation is applied for a predetermined time period to discharge residual developing agent on a developing agent carrier to a latent image carrier.