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:
Apr. 07, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2013
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Kei Onishi, Shizuoka, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developing apparatus includes a development unit configured to supply toner to a photoconductor on which an electrostatic image is formed, a supply unit configured to supply toner to the development unit, a sensor configured to detect a concentration of toner in the development unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to, when the detected concentration of the toner is lower than a first value, control the supply unit to perform a toner supply process, control the sensor to detect the concentration of the toner after the toner supply process, count the number of times the sensor detects the concentration of the toner to be higher than a second value that is higher than the first value, and control the supply unit to repeat the toner supply process, when the counted number is less than a predetermined number that is equal to or greater than two.