Patent · US Expired

Image forming apparatus

US4942431A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 25, 1989
Grant dateJul 17, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 25, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/0893
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a latent image forming device for forming a latent image on the image bearing member; a developing device for developing the latent image, including, a developer container for containing a developer including carrier and toner particles, a toner container for containing the toner particles, a toner supply device for supplying the toner particles from the toner container to the developer container, a developer carrying member for carrying on its surface the developer supplied from the developer container, a sensor for detecting a toner content in the developer; a control device for controlling the toner supply from the toner container to the developer container on the basis of an output of the sensor, wherein when a toner supply signal is not produced within a predetermined period of time, a predetermined latent image is formed on the image bearing member, and the predetermined latent image is developed by the developing device.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.