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. 04, 2014
Filed:
Jan. 24, 2012
Satoru Shibuya, Chiryu, JP;
Hidetoshi Noguchi, Tahara, JP;
Kazuyoshi Hara, Itami, JP;
Takahiro Kuroda, Toyokawa, JP;
Satoru Shibuya, Chiryu, JP;
Hidetoshi Noguchi, Tahara, JP;
Kazuyoshi Hara, Itami, JP;
Takahiro Kuroda, Toyokawa, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is for transferring a toner image on an image carrier onto a transfer medium, and thermally fixing the toner image by a fixing device, and comprises a cleaner removing residual toner on the image carrier. The apparatus: acquires information relating to a distribution of a density of the residual toner at each position within a section on the image carrier at an end of an image forming job, the section extending from the transfer position to immediately before a cleaning position; determines, based on the information, whether or not the density of the residual toner at the transfer position exceeds a corresponding threshold density pertaining to occurrence of fusion of the residual toner; and causes, if determining negatively, the drive unit to stop when the image forming job is completed and the residual toner at the transfer position reaches a predetermined position within the section.