Method of and apparatus for determining developer level in an image forming apparatus and toner cartridge
US6882803B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 19, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0894
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner cartridge for an image forming apparatus which can detect the remaining state of a developer even when the developer in the cartridge is biased by the rotation and stirring of a rotary conveyance body. A developer detector arranged outside the toner cartridge has a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, and the toner cartridge has detection windows through which light projected from the light projecting unit is input and output. The optical axis of an optical path from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit intersects the rotary shaft of the rotary conveyance body in the toner cartridge or becomes parallel to the moving direction of the developer. The remaining state of the developer is detected according to whether the optical path going from the light projecting unit to the light receiving unit is cut off or not.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.