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:
Feb. 26, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 14, 2010
Takuma Higa, Yokohama, JP;
Takuma Higa, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming device, an intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer device, a toner adherence detector, a secondary transfer device, and a controller. The toner image forming device forms a toner image and a toner pattern for detection of degradation of toner on the image bearing member. The primary transfer device transfers the toner pattern onto the intermediate transfer member with transfer conditions that deliberately reduce transfer efficiency compared with that for image formation. The toner adherence detector detects an amount of toner adhered to the toner pattern at multiple places. The controller calculates a degree of degradation of toner based on the difference in the amount of toner adhered to the toner pattern detected by the toner adherence detector and adjusts secondary transfer conditions for the secondary transfer device based on the obtained degradation of toner.