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POWDER-AMOUNT DETECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME

  • US 20180341199A1
  • Filed: 05/21/2018
  • Published: 11/29/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A powder-amount detection device comprising:

  • a first electrode disposed on one side of a powder container to be replaceably installed to an image forming apparatus;

    a second electrode disposed adjacent to the first electrode and having a smaller surface area than a surface area of the first electrode, an influence of an amount of powder in the powder container to a capacitance of the second electrode being as small as negligible;

    a third electrode disposed on a side opposite to the second electrode with the powder container interposed between the third electrode and each of the first electrode and the second electrode; and

    a voltage detector configured to detect voltages of the first electrode and the second electrode,the voltage detector configured to detect charging and discharging behaviors of the first electrode and the second electrode when a voltage is applied between the third electrode and each of the first electrode and the second electrode for a short time, to detect the amount of powder in the powder container.

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