IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on the image bearing member;
a developing device including;
a container configured to store toner; and
a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image;
an environment sensor configured to detect environmental information related to an environment in which the developing device is placed; and
a controller configured to control switching between a first mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is a first number, and a second mode, in which the number of prints per unit time is a second number, which is smaller than the first number,wherein the controller is configured to perform switching from the first mode to the second mode based on an update value obtained by performing over time one of addition and subtraction of an index value weighted in accordance with the environmental information detected by the environment sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including: a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on an image bearing member; a developing device including a container configured to store toner, and a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image; an environment sensor configured to detect environmental information related to an environment in which the developing device is placed; and a controller configured to control switching between a first mode and a second mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is smaller than in the first mode, wherein the controller is configured to perform switching from the first mode to the second mode based on an update value obtained by adding or subtracting over time an index value weighted in accordance with the environmental information detected by the environment sensor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image bearing member; a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on the image bearing member; a developing device including; a container configured to store toner; and a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image; an environment sensor configured to detect environmental information related to an environment in which the developing device is placed; and a controller configured to control switching between a first mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is a first number, and a second mode, in which the number of prints per unit time is a second number, which is smaller than the first number, wherein the controller is configured to perform switching from the first mode to the second mode based on an update value obtained by performing over time one of addition and subtraction of an index value weighted in accordance with the environmental information detected by the environment sensor. - 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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an image bearing member; a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on the image bearing member; a developing device including; a container configured to store toner; and a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of an environment in which the developing device is placed; and a controller configured to perform, during continuous printing in which images are continuously formed on a plurality of recording materials, switching from a first mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is a first number, to a second mode, in which the number of prints per unit time is smaller than the number of prints per unit time in the first mode, wherein the controller is configured to perform the switching when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor during the continuous printing is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and wherein a time period from start of the continuous printing until the switching is performed is shorter in a case in which an image having a second predetermined coverage rate is continuously formed in the continuous printing than in a case in which an image having a first predetermined coverage rate is continuously formed in the continuous printing, the second predetermined coverage rate being lower than the first predetermined coverage rate. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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17. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image bearing member; a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on the image bearing member; a developing device including; a container configured to store toner; and a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of an environment in which the developing device is placed; and a controller configured to perform, during continuous printing in which images are continuously formed on a plurality of recording materials, switching from a first mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is a first number, to a second mode, in which the number of prints per unit time is smaller than the number of prints per unit time in the first mode, wherein the controller is configured to perform the switching when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor during the continuous printing is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and wherein a time period from start of the continuous printing until the switching is performed is shorter in a case in which a used amount from an initial state of the developing device is a second used amount than in a case in which the used amount from the initial state of the developing device is a first used amount, the second used amount being larger than the first used amount. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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18. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image bearing member; a latent image forming portion configured to form a latent image on the image bearing member; a developing device including; a container configured to store toner; and a developing member configured to supply the toner to the latent image formed on the image bearing member to form a toner image; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of an environment in which the developing device is placed; and a controller configured to perform, during continuous printing in which images are continuously formed on a plurality of recording materials, switching from a first mode, in which a number of prints per unit time is a first number, to a second mode, in which the number of prints per unit time is smaller than the number of prints per unit time in the first mode, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to allow a plurality of types of developing devices to be mounted thereto, the plurality of types of developing devices differing in amount of the toner to be stored in the container in an initial state, wherein the controller is configured to perform the switching when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor during the continuous printing is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and wherein a time period from start of the continuous printing until the switching is performed is shorter in a case in which the amount of the toner in the initial state of the developing device mounted to the image forming apparatus is a second amount than in a case in which the amount of the toner in the initial state of the developing device mounted to the image forming apparatus is a first amount, the second amount being smaller than the first amount.
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Specification