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:
Dec. 06, 2011
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2010
Yasumitsu Harashima, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomoaki Yoshioka, Kanagawa, JP;
Yasumitsu Harashima, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomoaki Yoshioka, Kanagawa, JP;
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image holder, a latent image forming unit, and a developing unit, the developing unit including a developer holder that is disposed to face the image holder and holds developer. Also included is a developer container, replenishing unit that replenishes new developer to the developing unit, a discharge unit that discharges the developer, a calculation unit that calculates an image area coverage of a toner image formed on the image holder, an obtaining unit that obtains a potential difference between the developer holder and the image portion on the image holder, and a controller that increases a discharge amount of the developer, when the image area coverage calculated by the calculation unit is smaller than a predetermined reference image area coverage, and the potential difference obtained by the obtaining unit is larger than a predetermined reference potential difference.