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:
Oct. 14, 2014
Filed:
Jan. 31, 2012
Satoru Suzuki, Kasugai, JP;
Satoru Suzuki, Kasugai, JP;
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya-Shi, Aichi-Ken, JP;
Abstract
An image forming device includes a replaceable cartridge, a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element, and a determining unit. The replaceable cartridge accommodates developer therein and includes an agitator and a developing roller rotatable together with the agitator. The light-emitting element is configured to emit a light toward the replaceable cartridge. The light-receiving element is configured to receive the light emitted by the light-emitting element through the replaceable cartridge to output a signal. The determination value is produced based on the signal. The determining unit is configured to determine whether or not the determination value is greater than a predetermined determination threshold upon the agitator having rotated continuously more than a first prescribed number of times. The determining unit determines that the replaceable cartridge should be replaced with a new one when the determination value is greater than the predetermined determination threshold.