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. 16, 2016
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2014
Kohta Sakaya, Hyogo, JP;
Shinichi Arasawa, Hyogo, JP;
Yasuhide Ohkubo, Osaka, JP;
Yasunobu Ogata, Hyogo, JP;
Kohta Sakaya, Hyogo, JP;
Shinichi Arasawa, Hyogo, JP;
Yasuhide Ohkubo, Osaka, JP;
Yasunobu Ogata, Hyogo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer inside a developer container includes a light-emitting element; a light-receiving element; a first light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-emitting element and a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-emitting face; a second light guide including a first end disposed to face the light-receiving element, a second end disposed inside the developer container, covered with a translucent cover including a light-receiving face to face the light-emitting face across a gap; and a cleaner including a sliding portion to slidingly contact the light-emitting face and the light-receiving face. The cover of each of the first and second light guides includes a material lower in chargeability with the sliding portion than a material of a body of each of the first and second light guides.