Apparatus and method for sensing waste toner in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus
US7356269B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 2003 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 6, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G21/12
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrophotographic forming apparatus includes a light-emitting portion, a light-receiving portion, a waste toner sensing unit which is pivotably installed in a main body where the waste toner container is attachably and detachably mounted between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion, intercepts light irradiated from the light-emitting portion when the waste, toner, container is not mounted in the main body, and does not intercept light when the waste toner container is mounted in the main body, such that a voltage output from the light-receiving portion is compared with a preset voltage and whether the waste toner container is mounted, the replacement time of the waste toner container can be sensed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.