Patent · US Expired

Toner density control for an image forming apparatus

US5839018A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
12References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 1996
Grant dateNov 17, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2215/00042
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The image forming apparatus of the invention controls the toner density by any one of the following configurations: by correcting the toner density of the developer in association with the agitation total; by controlling a process parameter so that the density of a toner patch formed on the photoreceptor corresponds to a prescribed density value and determining that developing performance of the developer is improved and canceling the toner density correction when the process parameter reaches the prescribed value; by changing the toner density reference value when the variation as to the charger output is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and maintaining the changed toner density reference value until the variation of the charger output again becomes equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; or by prohibiting toner supply for a constant duration to prevent excessive toner supply if time from the end of the last operation of the developing unit to the start of a next operation, inclusive of the power-activation is equal to or longer the a predetermined period when the developing unit is activated to commence agitation of the developer.

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