Patent · US Expired

System for drive control of toner agitator in image-forming apparatus

US4977428A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
8References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 24, 1989
Grant dateDec 11, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 24, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/0822
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In an image-forming apparatus (1), such as an electro-graphic printer, in which an electro-static latent image formed on an photoconductive drum (5) is reproduced by a toner (15), having a pulse motor (M) for driving an agitator (13) built-in to a developer unit (8), the agitator (13) is controlled during an initialization process of the apparatus (1) by setting the rotational speed of the motor (M) at a lower level (P) upon a start-up thereof, and converting the same to a higher level (N) corresponding to the normal operational speed after a predetermined period (T1) has passed from the start-up, whereby a larger torque is generated from the motor (M) at the start-up stage of the initialization so that the agitator (13) can be smoothly rotated even if the toner (15) has solidified in the developer unit (8).

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