Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus having enhanced management for consumable-supplies

US7831156B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
3References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 27, 2006
Grant dateNov 9, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/553
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a sensor, a notification unit, and a controller. The sensor detects a supply-end condition of consumable supplies. The notification unit notifies a message based on the supply-end condition detected by the sensor, and provides an operation key used for setting a condition for the image forming apparatus. The notification unit includes a print-stop setting and a print-continue setting, settable for a consumable supply and used when a printing operation is suspended due to an occurrence of the supply-end condition. The controller suspends the printing operation based on the print-stop setting and continues the suspended printing operation based on the print-continue setting.

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