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. 19, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 19, 2012
Masafumi Monde, Yokohama, JP;
Toshikazu Tsuchiya, Susono, JP;
Hidetoshi Hanamoto, Mishima, JP;
Tsutomu Ishida, Suntou-gun, JP;
Masafumi Monde, Yokohama, JP;
Toshikazu Tsuchiya, Susono, JP;
Hidetoshi Hanamoto, Mishima, JP;
Tsutomu Ishida, Suntou-gun, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that contains developer and that is detachable; and a detection member that includes a detected electrode and that moves around a rotation shaft in the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode that is provided on an outer side of the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor that detects an electrostatic capacitance between the detected electrode and the electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode and that outputs data related to the detected electrostatic capacitance, and a CPU that determines an amount of the developer in the developing unit based on the data output from the electrostatic capacitance sensor.