Method and apparatus to control waste toner collection in an image forming apparatus
US7085507B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 25, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 1, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G21/12
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner system that collects waste toner in a waste toner container. An amount of waste toner collected in the container is increased by using a motor-driven toner distributing member that distributes accumulated toner within the container. The waste toner system may detect the accumulation of waste toner by monitoring a motor control circuit while the toner distributing member is being driven. For example, the system may detect excess accumulation by comparing the monitored values of a speed control signal with one or more reference values corresponding to nominal accumulation conditions. Whether or not the motor is speed controlled, the apparatus may use a shared motor that drives one or more image forming process members and the toner distributing member. A drive arrangement may be used to selectively drive the toner distributing member based on motor direction to avoid interfering with image forming operations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.