Image forming apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium storing control program therefor
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus that forms an image with an electrophotographic system, comprising:
- a container unit configured to store toner,a toner detection unit configured to have a plurality of sensor modules that are arranged at positions where the toner is stagnated in the container unit, and that show different electrostatic capacities with respect to the same toner thickness;
an electrostatic capacity detection unit configured to detect the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules; and
a determination unit configured to determine a remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit,wherein the toner detection unit has at least three sensor modules, andwherein the determination unit calculates at least three ratios based on the electrostatic capacities of the at least three sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit, acquires at least three estimated values that presume the remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the at least three calculated ratios, and determines the remaining toner amount based on an average of the estimated values when the maximum difference among these estimated values is below a first threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing an effect of variation of specific inductive capacity of toner due to environmental variation with a small detection error when the remaining toner amount is detected. The image forming apparatus forms an image with an electrophotographic system. A container unit stores toner. A toner detection unit has sensor modules that are arranged at positions where the toner is stagnated in the container unit, and that show different electrostatic capacities with respect to the same toner thickness. An electrostatic capacity detection unit detects the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules. A determination unit determines a remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit.
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21 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus that forms an image with an electrophotographic system, comprising:
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a container unit configured to store toner, a toner detection unit configured to have a plurality of sensor modules that are arranged at positions where the toner is stagnated in the container unit, and that show different electrostatic capacities with respect to the same toner thickness; an electrostatic capacity detection unit configured to detect the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules; and a determination unit configured to determine a remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the electrostatic capacities of the sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit, wherein the toner detection unit has at least three sensor modules, and wherein the determination unit calculates at least three ratios based on the electrostatic capacities of the at least three sensor modules that are detected by the electrostatic capacity detection unit, acquires at least three estimated values that presume the remaining toner amount in the container unit based on the at least three calculated ratios, and determines the remaining toner amount based on an average of the estimated values when the maximum difference among these estimated values is below a first threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a container unit configured to store toner; an image forming unit configured to form an image using the toner stored in the container unit; a first output unit, having a first electrode and a second electrode, configured to output a first signal based on a first electrostatic capacity between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrostatic capacity changes depending on an amount of the toner stored in the container unit; a second output unit, having a third electrode and a fourth electrode, configured to output a second signal based on a second electrostatic capacity between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, wherein the second electrostatic capacity changes depending on the amount of the toner stored in the container unit, and wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are respectively wider than the first electrode and the second electrode; a calculation unit configured to calculate a first ratio between the first signal and the second signal; and a determination unit configured to determine the amount of the toner stored in the container unit based on the first ratio calculated by the calculation unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a container unit configured to store toner; an image forming unit configured to form an image using the toner stored in the container unit; a first output unit, having a first electrode and a second electrode, configured to output a first signal based on a first electrostatic capacity between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrostatic capacity changes depending on an amount of the toner stored in the container unit; a second output unit, having a third electrode and a fourth electrode, configured to output a second signal based on a second electrostatic capacity between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, wherein the second electrostatic capacity changes depending on the amount of the toner stored in the container unit, and wherein an interval between the third electrode and the fourth electrode is larger than an interval between the first electrode and the second electrode; a calculation unit configured to calculate a first ratio between the first signal and the second signal; and a determination unit configured to determine the amount of the toner stored in the container unit based on the first ratio calculated by the calculation unit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification