Optical communication device communicating information between revolving type developing device and image forming apparatus
US6009293A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0177
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus having a revolving type developing device including a plurality of monochrome developing members for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with monochrome developer and a plurality of toner storing members for separately storing different toners. The apparatus includes a plurality of toner supplying members disposed in the revolving type developing device for supplying toner from one of the toner storing members to a corresponding one of the plurality of monochrome developing members. A plurality of density sensors are separately disposed in each of the monochrome developing members for sensing density of monochrome developer and generating a signal indicative of density of the monochrome developer. A light beam generating member is disposed inside the revolving type developing device for generating and irradiating a light beam with a density signal obtained by one of the density sensors. A light beam receiving member receives the light beam from the light beam generating member and is disposed at a portion of a body of the image forming apparatus in which the light beam receiving member faces the light beam generating member. A controller …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.