Image forming apparatus and method of detecting amount of residual developer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member on which a latent image is formed;
a charging member adapted to charge a surface of said image bearing member, to which a charging voltage is applied;
a developing member adapted to develop the latent image formed on said image bearing member with a developer;
a developing voltage applying unit adapted to apply a plurality of different developing voltages to the developing member;
a developer container adapted to contain the developer;
a detector adapted to detect an amount of the developer in said developer container; and
an output part adapted to output information about the amount of the developer in said developer container based on a value of the electrostatic capacity between said developing member and said detector in a state where a first developing voltage is applied to said developing member,wherein said developing voltage applying unit changes the developing voltage applied to said developing member from the first developing voltage to a second developing voltage higher than the first developing voltage in a state where the amount of the developer in said developer container is less than a predetermined amount, andwherein said output part corrects the detected value of the electrostatic capacity after the developing voltage is changed to the second developing voltage, and outputs the information about the amount of developer in said developer container based on the corrected value.
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus has a developer container containing a developer and a developer carrying member for carrying the developer and adapted to switch an AC voltage to be applied to the developer carrying member. The apparatus includes a detecting member for detecting the amount of developer in the developer container and a processing portion for determining the amount of developer in the developer container according to the value output by the detecting member when the AC voltage is applied to the developer carrying member. The processing portion is adapted to determine the amount of developer by executing a process that corresponds to the operation of switching the AC voltage.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image bearing member on which a latent image is formed; a charging member adapted to charge a surface of said image bearing member, to which a charging voltage is applied; a developing member adapted to develop the latent image formed on said image bearing member with a developer; a developing voltage applying unit adapted to apply a plurality of different developing voltages to the developing member; a developer container adapted to contain the developer; a detector adapted to detect an amount of the developer in said developer container; and an output part adapted to output information about the amount of the developer in said developer container based on a value of the electrostatic capacity between said developing member and said detector in a state where a first developing voltage is applied to said developing member, wherein said developing voltage applying unit changes the developing voltage applied to said developing member from the first developing voltage to a second developing voltage higher than the first developing voltage in a state where the amount of the developer in said developer container is less than a predetermined amount, and wherein said output part corrects the detected value of the electrostatic capacity after the developing voltage is changed to the second developing voltage, and outputs the information about the amount of developer in said developer container based on the corrected value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A developer amount detecting method of an image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, on which a latent image is formed, a charging member adapted to charge a surface of the image bearing member, to which a charging voltage is applied, and a developing member adapted to develop the latent image formed on the image bearing member, said detecting method comprising:
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a detecting step of detecting an amount of developer in a developer container as electrostatic capacity information; a first applying step of applying a first developing voltage to the developing member; a second applying step of applying a second developing voltage higher than the first developing voltage to the developing member in a state where the amount of the developer in the developer container is less than a predetermined amount, a correcting step of correcting a value of the electrostatic capacity information which is detected in a state where the second developing voltage is applied to the developing member; and an outputting step of outputting information about the amount of developer in the developer container based on the corrected electrostatic capacity information. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification