IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A DEVELOPER DETECTING UNIT
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a developer container unit includingan agitating member configured to rotate and agitate developer,a first electrode,a second electrode disposed to face the first electrode with a gap therebetween such that the gap has a smallest portion located below a rotation center of the agitating member and a remote portion wider than the smallest portion and located above the smallest portion, anda frame body configured to contain the agitating member and the developer and have a first wall surface having the first electrode disposed thereon and a second wall surface having the second electrode disposed thereon; and
a developer detecting unit configured to detect an amount of the developer by using an output value output in accordance with a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the developer detecting unit capable of detecting a first amount of developer and a second amount of developer that is smaller than the first amount of developer,wherein when the output value corresponding to the first amount of developer is defined as a first reference value and a value having a first difference from the first reference value is defined as a second reference value indicating a magnitude of the output value corresponding to the second amount of developer, the first difference varies in accordance with a magnitude of the first reference value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an agitating member, a first electrode, a second electrode disposed with a gap from the first electrode such that the gap has a smallest portion located below a rotation center of the agitating member and a remote portion wider than the smallest portion and located above the smallest portion, and a frame body having a first wall surface having the first electrode disposed thereon and a second wall surface having the second electrode disposed thereon, and a developer detecting unit configured to detect an amount of developer from an output value output in accordance with a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The image forming apparatus performs correction and detects the amount of developer.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a developer container unit including an agitating member configured to rotate and agitate developer, a first electrode, a second electrode disposed to face the first electrode with a gap therebetween such that the gap has a smallest portion located below a rotation center of the agitating member and a remote portion wider than the smallest portion and located above the smallest portion, and a frame body configured to contain the agitating member and the developer and have a first wall surface having the first electrode disposed thereon and a second wall surface having the second electrode disposed thereon; and a developer detecting unit configured to detect an amount of the developer by using an output value output in accordance with a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the developer detecting unit capable of detecting a first amount of developer and a second amount of developer that is smaller than the first amount of developer, wherein when the output value corresponding to the first amount of developer is defined as a first reference value and a value having a first difference from the first reference value is defined as a second reference value indicating a magnitude of the output value corresponding to the second amount of developer, the first difference varies in accordance with a magnitude of the first reference value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a developer container unit including an agitating member configured to rotate and agitate developer, a first electrode, a second electrode disposed to face the first electrode with a gap therebetween such that the gap has a smallest portion located below a rotation center of the agitating member and a remote portion wider than the smallest portion and located above the smallest portion, and a frame body configured to contain the agitating member and the developer and have a first wall surface having the first electrode disposed thereon and a second wall surface having the second electrode disposed thereon; and a developer detecting unit configured to detect an amount of the developer by using an output value output in accordance with a capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the developer detecting unit corrects the output value on the basis of at least one of a rotational speed of the agitating member, an ambient temperature, an ambient humidity, and a deterioration degree of the developer and detects the amount of developer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification