Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Image forming apparatus
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Application No.: US16511457Application Date: 2019-07-15
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Publication No.: US10732541B2Publication Date: 2020-08-04
- Inventor: Tomohisa Soda
- Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Applicant Address: JP Osaka
- Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: JP Osaka
- Agency: Studebaker & Brackett PC
- Priority: com.zzzhc.datahub.patent.etl.us.BibliographicData$PriorityClaim@7249f5ff
- Main IPC: G03G15/08
- IPC: G03G15/08 ; G03G15/00

Abstract:
Toner contained in a toner container is used for replenishing a developing unit via an intermediate hopper. A toner sensor detects emptiness for the toner on an upstream side of a conveyance screw of the intermediate hopper in terms of the toner conveyance direction. Every time the toner sensor detects emptiness, the controller drives a rotation mechanism so that the toner is ejected from the toner container. Based on a drive history of a conveyance-purpose motor, the controller calculates a toner conveyance amount conveyed from the intermediate hopper between a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness and a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness again. When the calculated toner conveyance amount has been equal to or smaller than a first conveyance amount threshold value successively, the controller determines that the toner container is in a nearly empty state.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200033753A1 IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS Public/Granted day:2020-01-30
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