Patent · US Expired

Toner supply method in picture image forming system and picture image forming system

US6347199B1 · kind B1 · utility

23Cited by
7References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 6, 2000
Grant dateFeb 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2215/0888
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

There is provided a toner supply method in a picture image forming system having a plurality of picture image forming parts, each of which is designed to supply a toner from a toner cartridge to a developing part, the toner supply method having the steps of: detecting a cartridge empty when the level of the toner in the toner cartridge of any one of the picture image forming parts becomes an empty level; introducing a toner, which remains in the toner cartridge of each of the plurality of picture image forming parts, from the toner cartridge of a corresponding one of the plurality of picture image forming parts into a reserve tank portion, which is provided so as to correspond to each of the toner cartridges for housing therein a predetermined quantity of toner, when the cartridge empty is detected in any one of the picture image forming parts; detecting a toner empty when the level of the toner in the developing part becomes an empty level in any one of the picture image forming parts; and inspiring to replace all of the toner cartridges, for which a cartridge empty has been detected, with new cartridges when the toner empty is detected in any one of the picture image forming part…

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