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:
Mar. 07, 2017
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2015
Tadashi Kasai, Kanagawa, JP;
Jun Hitosugi, Tokyo, JP;
Kunio Hasegawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Takamasa Ozeki, Kanagawa, JP;
Emiko Shiraishi, Tokyo, JP;
Wakana Itoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Makoto Yasuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Mutsuki Morinaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Hitoshi Yamamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Tadashi Kasai, Kanagawa, JP;
Jun Hitosugi, Tokyo, JP;
Kunio Hasegawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Takamasa Ozeki, Kanagawa, JP;
Emiko Shiraishi, Tokyo, JP;
Wakana Itoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Makoto Yasuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Mutsuki Morinaga, Kanagawa, JP;
Hitoshi Yamamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a developing device, a toner container, a toner feed connector, a processor, and a notifier. The developing device develops, with toner, a latent image on the latent image bearer. The toner container contains the toner. The toner container is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus. The toner feed connector guides the toner of the toner container to the developing device. The information detector detects identification information including toner type information and maintenance contract information stored in the toner container. The processor determines whether the toner type information of the toner container coincides before and after replacement and whether the maintenance contract information of the toner container is matched with maintenance contract information of the image forming apparatus. The notifier indicates a determination made by the processor.