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. 13, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2012
Eichi Koizumi, Kawasaki, JP;
Shinji Kato, Kawasaki, JP;
Eichi Koizumi, Kawasaki, JP;
Shinji Kato, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus that includes a latent image carrier, a latent image forming unit, a developing unit, a toner supplier, a toner concentration detector, a prediction calculator, and a toner supply controller. The toner supplier includes a single driving source and supplies toner to a two-component developer at a predetermined supply position by driving a toner supply member with the driving source. The toner concentration detector detects a toner concentration in the developer at a predetermined detection position located upstream of the supply position. The prediction calculator predicts changes in the toner concentration in the developer over time at a prediction position located at the supply position or downstream of the supply position and upstream of a developer feed position to the developer carrier when toner is not supplied. The toner supply controller adjusts an amount of the toner supplied based on the prediction.