Image forming apparatus with improved capabilities for toner supply
US6775503B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/0865
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner supply unit powder pump of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is driven by an exclusive motor independently of a main motor driving major parts of the image forming apparatus. Thereby, the toner supply unit can implement responsive supply of toner unaffected by operation mode changes with a simpler construction. A toner supply system can use plural powder pumps for plural color developing stations. By considering distance and elevation of toner transport paths to respective stations, appropriate pump revolutions can be determined for respective stations, to achieve desirable toner transport amounts to respective stations in relatively short time with a simpler construction supply unit. A method precisely controls toner transport amounts by intermittently driving the powder pump with an arbitrary unit driving time. When the arbitrary unit driving time is changed to another unit driving time, the pump is driven transiently with the still another unit driving time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.