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. 30, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2011
Motoyuki Itoyama, Osaka, JP;
Kiyofumi Morimoto, Osaka, JP;
Takeshi Ohkawa, Osaka, JP;
Tomoki Minamikawa, Osaka, JP;
Motoyuki Itoyama, Osaka, JP;
Kiyofumi Morimoto, Osaka, JP;
Takeshi Ohkawa, Osaka, JP;
Tomoki Minamikawa, Osaka, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device having a developing vessel, a developing roller and a toner supply port; a toner supply device; a toner supply detecting sensor for detecting the toner concentration inside the developing vessel; a toner concentration controller for directing toner supply; a toner empty detector; and a sheet conveyance detecting sensor. The toner concentration controller has a toner supply device control function; and a toner supply stopping function of stopping toner supply when the last sheet of image printout being executed has passed by the predetermined position in the sheet conveyance path.