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:
Jan. 17, 2017
Filed:
Nov. 19, 2014
Junichi Matsumoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiyonori Tsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Nobuo Takami, Kanagawa, JP;
Yutaka Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaro Mikuniya, Tokyo, JP;
Keinosuke Kondoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Akihiro Kawakami, Tokyo, JP;
Toshio Koike, Tokyo, JP;
Junichi Matsumoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiyonori Tsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Nobuo Takami, Kanagawa, JP;
Yutaka Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaro Mikuniya, Tokyo, JP;
Keinosuke Kondoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Akihiro Kawakami, Tokyo, JP;
Toshio Koike, Tokyo, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a developer conveyance device to transport developer, using a positive-displacement pump to alternately generate positive pressure and negative pressure by changing a volume of an internal space thereof, a destination developer container to which the developer conveyance device transports developer, a sensor provided to the destination developer container, to detect developer in the destination developer container, and a controller to control the positive-displacement pump according to a detection result generated by the sensor. The controller disabled detection of developer by the sensor in a non-detection period that starts from a stop of the positive-displacement pump.