Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus and toner supply control program for the same

US7657194B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
0References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 2007
Grant dateFeb 2, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 18, 2028

Classification

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

Abstract

A digital color copier includes: a toner concentration storage which stores a detected toner concentration of each developer block of multiple developer blocks across an image forming width; a toner consumption predictor for predicting a first predicted toner consumption of toner consumed from developer of every developer block during a first circulation; a toner concentration estimator for estimating, for every developer block, a toner supply point estimate as the toner concentration at a point where toner is supplied, by subtracting the first predicted toner consumption from the associated detected toner concentration and setting up a toner supply target value of the toner to be supplied from a toner supply device to a developing device in accordance with the predicted toner consumption during a second circulation of the developer inside the developing device that follows the first circulation.

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