Waste Toner Container Patents (Class 399/35)
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Patent number: 8929754Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner box, a base, a detection sensor, a counter and a controller. The waste toner box collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor. The base is for placing the waste toner box thereon, and a position of the base changes with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon. The detection sensor detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base. The counter counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon. The controller determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Toshiki Takiguchi
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Patent number: 8929755Abstract: A plurality of waste toner transport mechanisms convey waste toners per color. A waste toner container receives collectively each waste toner conveyed by each waste toner transport mechanism. An integrated number of pixels memory stores a result of an integration of the numbers of the pixels per color of the image data counted by the pixel counters after the near end detection has been made by the near end detector, the integration being carried out by an integrating number of pixels section each time an image forming is performed. A full end judgment section makes a judgment that full end, at which a quantity of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches fullness, is attained when any one of the integrated numbers of pixels per color stored by the integrated number of pixels memory reaches a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuusuke Itagaki
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Patent number: 8929796Abstract: A toner container detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus body. The toner container includes a recovery container body in which at least one inflow port is formed for inflow of a toner recovered after image formation, and at least one rotating member that is rotatably provided to convey the recovered toner, which flows from the inflow port into the recovery container body, to a downstream side in a recovery toner conveyance direction. The rotating member includes a screw member and a spiral screw member. A discharge port, which is formed at the downstream side in the recovery toner conveyance direction, discharges the recovered toner in the recovery container body. A cover member, which is arranged to be detachably attachable to the recovery container body and has a bearing portion fitted to a downstream end in the recovery toner conveyance direction of the rotating member, covers the discharge port.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Arata Tojo
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Patent number: 8891983Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container, a first calculator, and a second calculator. The first calculator calculates an amount of the developer supplied to the image bearing member from the developer container, on the basis of an amount of the developer measured by a measuring device after an image forming operation, and an amount of the developer initially contained in the developer container. A controller outputs an information signal relating to the developer amount accumulated in the collection container on the basis of the amount of the developer calculated by the first calculator and the amount of the developer calculated by the second calculator.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Tamagaki, Masahiro Yoshida, Koichiro Takashima, Nobuo Oshima, Kohei Matsuda, Takashi Mukai, Jun Miura
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Publication number: 20140321867Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner case, an optical sensor, a cover and a shading member. The waste toner case is attachably/detachably provided in an apparatus main body via an opening part. The waste toner case collects a waste toner ejected from an image forming part forming an image by a toner. The optical sensor detects whether or not the waste toner case is filled with the waste toner. The cover closes the opening part of the apparatus main body. The shading member is arranged between the cover and optical sensor. The shading member covers the optical sensor in a state where the cover is closed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Koichi IMANAKA
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Patent number: 8855511Abstract: A storage container for a developer, includes: a first storage unit in which a collected developer is stored; a second storage unit which is disposed at an end of the first storage unit, in which the developer conveyed from the first storage unit is stored; a detection member which detects the developer stored in the second storage unit; a full-state determining unit which determines whether the first storage unit is a full state or not, based on a detected result of the detection member; and a conveyance member which is disposed in the first storage unit, and is rotated to convey the developer stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit, and the conveyance member has: a first region as defined herein; a second region as defined herein; and a third region as defined herein.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yusuke Kitagawa
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Publication number: 20140270821Abstract: A container for accommodating a developer collected from an image forming apparatus includes a container body for accommodating the collected developer; a closing member, dividingly separable from the container body, for closing the container body; a rotatable feeding member for feeding the developer accommodated in the container body; and a holding portion, provided on the closing member, for holding the feeding member so that when the closing member and the container body are dividingly separated, the closing member and the feeding member are integrally separable from the container body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
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Patent number: 8824905Abstract: A storage container for a developer, includes: a first storage unit; a second storage unit; a detection member; a full-state determining unit; and a conveyance member as defined herein, and one end side of the conveyance member is supported on other end side of the first storage unit in a cantilever state, and other end side of the conveyance member is disposed to have a gap with respect to a wall of one end side of the second storage unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yusuke Kitagawa
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Patent number: 8818215Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming portions provided along a movement direction of a recording material conveying member or an intermediary transfer member and including a first portion and a second portion provided downstream of the first portion with respect to the movement direction; a detecting portion for detecting information on a developer deterioration state at the first portion; a storing portion for storing a relationship between a detection result of the detecting portion and an amount of the developer to be back-transferred at the second portion; and an outputting device for outputting a signal relating to an amount of the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion at the second portion on the basis of the detection result of the detecting portion, the relationship stored in the storing portion, and information on the developer used for image formation at each of the first and second portions.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2012Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takayoshi Kihara, Hideaki Hasegawa
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Patent number: 8805216Abstract: This image forming apparatus includes: a waste toner recovery bottle that recovers waste toner; a detection member that is flexible and is loaded in the waste toner recovery bottle, and that bulges upwards in accordance with the recovered amount of waste toner collected in the waste toner recovery bottle; and a recovered amount detection unit that detects the recovered amount using the bulging of the detection member. The recovered amount detection unit detects that the waste toner recovery bottle is full before the bulging of the detection member protrudes beyond a plane that includes an outer wall surface of the waste toner recovery bottle.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Naoki Mizutani
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Publication number: 20140186063Abstract: A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2012Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Andrew Charles Hogan, Peyman Kermanshahi Nejad, James Marion Nimmo, David Anthony Schneider, Christopher Kent Washing
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Publication number: 20140178083Abstract: A detection device for detecting a state of a waste toner container comprises an optical sensor and an actuation member. The optical sensor comprises an emitting unit emitting an optical signal and a receiving unit receiving the optical signal. A space is provided between the emitting and receiving units, and the optical signal travels along an optical path from the emitting unit to the receiving unit. The actuation member is movably disposed between the emitting and receiving units. The actuation member in a first position interrupts the optical path of the optical signal; and the actuation member is moved by the waste toner container to a second position when at least a part of the waste toner container is placed in the space. The actuation member in the second position allows a passage of the optical signal. An image forming apparatus using such a detection device is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2013Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: AVISION INC.Inventor: Chia-Shin LIN
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Publication number: 20140161474Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image output unit that forms an image with developer, a gathering unit that gathers developer not used by the image output unit as waste developer, plural collection containers that store and collect the waste developer, a transport device that transports the waste developer toward one of the collection containers and includes a discharge portion which is connected to the one of the collection containers, a moving device that moves the collection containers together to respective predetermined arrangement positions including a collection position for connection to the discharge portion and an attachment/detachment position, and a full-state detector that detects that the collection container at the collection position is in an almost full state. A selected one of the collection containers is preferentially moved to the collection position when the other collection container detected by the full-state detector is detached.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Inventor: Yasuhiro ODA
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Patent number: 8737852Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a developer recovery container, a detecting section, a power supply, a detection object part, a pair of wires, a conducting section, a drive section, and a determining section. The determining section determines the developer recovery container to have been used in a case where the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part on the basis of information from the detecting section, and in a case where the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part, checks the information from the detecting section again after driving the drive section, and determines the recovery container to have not been used when the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part and determines the recovery container to have been used when the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Taku Aoshima, Tadashi Kiyama, Toshie Nakamoto, Hiroaki Akamatsu
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Patent number: 8731415Abstract: A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Charles Hogan, Peyman Kermanshahi Nejad, James Marion Nimmo, David Anthony Schneider, Christopher Kent Washing
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Patent number: 8725009Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a cleaning device that collects a waste toner attached to the surface of the image carrier using a cleaning member, a waste container that is removable from an image forming apparatus body, a temporary storage unit that is provided in the image forming apparatus body to temporarily store a waste including the waste toner collected in the cleaning device before the waste is transported to the waste container, and a waste transport unit that transports the waste to the temporary storage unit, wherein a discharge speed of the waste from the temporary storage unit by the waste discharge unit is lower than a transport speed of the waste to the temporary storage unit by the waste transport unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Daisuke Tomita, Shinichi Kawahara, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Akio Kosuge
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Publication number: 20140112673Abstract: A fullness detection device includes a waste toner collecting portion, a waste toner container configured to store the collected waste toner, the waste toner container has translucency, a detecting portion including a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion disposed to sandwich the waste toner container, the light receiving portion receiving the light from the light emitting portion, and a determining portion configured to determine whether or not the waste toner container is full based on whether or not an output value of the light receiving portion is higher than a predetermined threshold value. The light emitting portion increases light intensity step by step and emits light at a level of smallest light intensity among light intensity levels at which it is determined that the waste toner container is not full.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Haruki SAYAMA
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Patent number: 8687991Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms, on an image bearing member, an image for adjusting operations of the image forming apparatus, a container that contains toner removed from the image bearing member, and a controller that controls formation of the image for adjusting the operations of the image forming apparatus so that after an amount of toner contained in the container reaches a threshold value, an amount of toner removed from the image bearing member and to be contained in the container is reduced to less than before the amount of toner contained in the container reaches the threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2012Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ando, Toshie Nakamoto
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Patent number: 8655205Abstract: A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinya Karasawa, Ken Amemiya, Michiya Okamoto, Takuma Iwasaki, Yuta Azeyanagi, Hiroyuki Uenishi
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Patent number: 8639132Abstract: A developer recovery container includes a first room that stores a recovered developer; a plurality of linearly obliquely arranged recovery ports facing the first room, a developer removed by a cleaning unit for an intermediate transfer unit and a developer removed by a cleaning unit for a black-image bearing member being dropped in the first room respectively through top one and bottom one of the recovery ports; a second room formed below an area between one of the recovery ports located next to the top recovery port and another recovery port located next to the one recovery port, the developer flowing from the first room to the second room; a conveying unit that conveys the developer in the first room to the second room by a quantity of the developer exceeding a storage limit of the first room; and a sensor that detects the developer in the second room.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomonori Sato, Masami Tanase
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Patent number: 8626008Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an image bearing member for bearing a developer image and a cartridge that contains a developer that has a developing roller. A cleaning member is provided for removing developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member, and a removed-developer accommodating container is provided for accommodating the developer removed by the cleaning member.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2013Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ken Kikuchi, Tsutomu Nishiuwatoko, Takashi Akutsu
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Patent number: 8620168Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a weight detection sensor and a CPU (notification control section, weight calculation section and full-capacity amount correction section). The CPU calculates weight of toner in a waste toner container based on image formation history information including the number of image-forming sheets. When weight of toner in the waste toner container detected by the weight detection sensor reaches a semi full-capacity amount, the CPU makes a comparison of a detection value detected by the weight detection sensor with a calculation value calculated by the CPU and corrects a weight value in a full-capacity state with a correction value set based on a result of the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuusuke Itagaki
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Patent number: 8611770Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a storage container which horizontally stores a waste toner; a full detection sensor which detects whether the waste toner reaches a full position; a near detection sensor which detects whether the waste toner reaches a near position; and a conveyance portion which is provided inside the storage container, includes an axial rod, and rotates about the axial rod, wherein the conveyance portion includes: a first spiral protrusion which conveys the waste toner to the near position; a second spiral protrusion which conveys the waste toner from the near position to the full position; and a third range which is provided between the first spiral protrusion and the second spiral protrusion and through which the waste toner passes at a speed lower than the conveyance speed of the first spiral protrusion and the second spiral protrusion.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Naoki Mizutani, Naoki Yamane, Kazuya Yamashita, Kohshiroh Tomimori
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Patent number: 8600246Abstract: A developer recovery device is provided with a recovery container that receives and accommodates developer recovered from an image carrier, an agitator member that agitates the developer inside the recovery container, two shafts, to which mutually engageable cams are respectively provided, transmit rotational force to the agitator member, a spring that biases and causes to move one of the cams such that the two cams mutually engage and that causes a shaft connection between the two shafts to join, a torque limiter that carries out joining of the shaft connection, and disjoining of the shaft connection, in which the two cams are caused to move apart to disjoin the shaft connection, and a full-state determination portion that detects a shaft connection disjoined state and, based on the detected disjoined state, determines that the recovery container has become full of developer.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoaki Kurimoto
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Patent number: 8583026Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body of the image forming apparatus; a component of the image forming apparatus attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus; a medium re-feeding path formed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein a medium is turned over while being conveyed through the medium re-feeding path for a double-sided printing; and a guide provided at the component, the guide being adjacent to the medium re-feeding path and configured to guide the medium along the medium re-feeding path.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Yoshiaki Nakaishi
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Publication number: 20130259495Abstract: A developer storage body includes a developer storage portion configured to store a developer. The developer storage portion has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to each other. A developer ejecting portion is provided in the developer storage portion is located closer to the first end portion than to the second end portion. The developer ejecting portion is configured to eject the developer into the developer storage portion. The developer storage body further includes a developer pushing portion configured to push the developer ejected into the developer storage portion from the developer ejecting portion toward the second end portion. A developer detecting portion is provided in the developer storage portion and is located closer to the second end portion than to the first end portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Inventor: Atsushi OTA
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Publication number: 20130223859Abstract: A collection device including: an accommodation part configured to accommodate therein collected adhering substance; and a detection part configured to detect an amount of the adhering substance in the accommodation part and including, a moving member configured to move from a first position to a second position, the accommodation part being capable of accommodating therein the adhering substance when the moving member is arranged at the first position and being full of the adhering substance when the moving member is in the second position, and a restraining member configured to restrain the moving member from moving from the first position to the second position when the moving member is arranged at the first position, and restrain the moving member from moving from the second position to the first position when the moving member is arranged at the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mayu Wakamatsu, Hiroshige Hiramatsu, Yoshiyuki Okazaki, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takamasa Tsukada
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Patent number: 8521043Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on a recording sheet by transferring toner onto the recording sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a container having an inlet configured to receive waste toner, the container defining a storage area having a horizontal dimension greater than a vertical dimension. Also, the image forming apparatus may include a first pump disposed adjacent to the inlet of the container on an inlet side, the first pump configured to feed waste toner from the inlet to an outlet side of the first pump, and a second pump disposed adjacent to the outlet side of the first pump, the second pump configured to feed the waste toner fed by the first pump to an outlet side of the second pump on a side opposite the inlet in the storage area.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2007Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Nakano, Hirotaka Mori
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Publication number: 20130183050Abstract: A waste container is detachably mounted on an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to electrophotographically print an image by using a developing agent formed by mixing a carrier and a toner and receives therein a waste during the printing. The waste container includes a first inlet through which a first waste is introduced, a second inlet through which a second waste is introduced, a first region in which the first waste is stored, and a second region that is separated from the first region and in which the second waste is stored.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Oh-deug KWON, Myung-kook AHN
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Publication number: 20130164003Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a developer recovery container, a detecting section, a power supply, a detection object part, a pair of wires, a conducting section, a drive section, and a determining section. The determining section determines the developer recovery container to have been used in a case where the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part on the basis of information from the detecting section, and in a case where the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part, checks the information from the detecting section again after driving the drive section, and determines the recovery container to have not been used when the developer is determined to be not present in the detection object part and determines the recovery container to have been used when the developer is determined to be present in the detection object part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Taku AOSHIMA, Tadashi KIYAMA, Toshie NAKAMOTO, Hiroaki AKAMATSU
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Patent number: 8452199Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image former forming a toner image on an image bearer; a transferer transferring the toner image onto a recording medium; a cleaner collecting a waste toner remaining on the image bearer after transfer of the toner image; a waste toner collection container accumulating the waste toner therein; a detector detecting whether the container is properly set in the image forming apparatus; and another detector detecting that the container is nearly full of the waste toner, wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a determiner determining a quantity of the waste toner in the container; another determiner determining whether the container is properly exchanged with a vacant container; and a limiter limiting a printable quantity after the container is detected to be nearly full of the waste toner, based on the another determiner.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2009Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company LimitedInventor: Naohiro Kumagai
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Patent number: 8428475Abstract: A waste toner container that collects waste toner that is not used to form an image in an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus, and includes a waste toner collection opening to receive the waste toner output from the image forming unit, a toner amount detector to detect toner amount in the waste toner container, and a waste toner conveyance member disposed inside the waste toner container to convey the waste toner in the waste toner container. The waste toner conveyance member defines a waste toner conveyance direction exchange point, which is a boundary between two different toner conveyance direction regions in which the waste toner is conveyed in opposite directions, and the waste toner conveyance direction exchange point is disposed closer to the toner amount detector than is the waste toner collection opening.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LtdInventors: Daisuke Tomita, Shinichi Kawahara, Takeshi Shintani, Nobuo Kuwabara, Akio Kosuge
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Patent number: 8417172Abstract: A powder collecting container includes: a first chamber that is configured to store collected powder; a conveying unit that has a rotary shaft, and a powder conveying blade formed to be wound around the rotary shaft, the conveying unit being arranged along an upper-limit zone for accommodating powder in the first chamber and configured to convey powder which is contained in the first chamber and located at a position exceeding the upper-limit zone. A hollow member has an opening portion formed in a peripheral wall so that a powder conveying end of the conveying unit is located in the opening portion, and that the conveying unit passes through the hollow member. A second chamber has an inlet provided to face the opening portion so that powder conveyed by the conveying unit enters the second chamber from the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomonori Sato, Fumiaki Maekawa, Hiroki Ando, Satoshi Honobe, Toshiyuki Matsui, Tsuneo Fukuzawa
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Patent number: 8407109Abstract: A frequency of a residual amount signal which includes the absence of consumables and is issued by a printing apparatus is analyzed, whether new consumables have been attached or not is properly discriminated, and proper stock management is made.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2002Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toru Niki
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Patent number: 8396380Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the apparatus includes a plurality of electrophotographic photosensitive drums; a cartridge which contains a developer and which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a cartridge mounting portion for mounting the cartridge; a plurality of cleaning members for removing the developers remaining on surfaces of the electrophotographic photosensitive drums; a removed-developer accommodating container for accommodating the developers removed by the cleaning members, the removed-developer accommodating container being detachably mountable to the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, wherein the cartridges are disposed along a second direction, and the removed-developer accommodating container are adjacent to the cartridgeType: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ken Kikuchi, Tsutomu Nishiuwatoko, Takashi Akutsu
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Patent number: 8391732Abstract: An image forming device includes: a collecting container that collects a waste toner; a rotation member that rotates and spreads a waste toner inside the collecting container; a torque detection unit that detects torque applied to the rotation member by a waste toner inside the collecting container; and a rotation direction switching unit that switches a rotation direction of the rotation member. When a torque value detected by the torque detection unit is more than a first threshold, the rotation direction of the rotation member is switched by the rotation direction switching unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Kenji Honjoh, Fumihito Itoh, Masahiko Shakuto, Kaoru Yoshino, Takuma Iwasaki
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Publication number: 20130039671Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container, a first calculator, and a second calculator, wherein the first calculator calculates an amount of the developer supplied to the image bearing member from the developer container, on the basis of an amount of the developer measured by a measuring device after an image forming operation, and an amount of the developer initially contained in the developer container, and wherein the controller outputs information signal relating to the developer amount accumulated in the collection container on the basis of the amount of the developer calculated by the first calculator and the amount of the developer calculated by the second calculator.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kuniaki Tamagaki, Masahiro Yoshida, Koichiro Takashima, Nobuo Oshima, Kohei Matsuda, Takashi Mukai, Jun Miura
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Patent number: 8369720Abstract: A powder container apparatus for containing a powder material removed from a cleaned body using a cleaning unit includes a casing having an opening at the top; a collecting bag made of a soft and freely deformable material detachably disposed within the casing, the collecting bag being configured to contain the powder material that is dropped via the opening of the casing; a displaced member disposed between the collecting bag and the casing and configured to be horizontally displaced by the collecting bag when the collecting bag is inflated by the powder material contained in the collecting bag; a displacement amount detecting unit configured to detect the displacement of the displaced member; and a collected amount detecting unit configured to determine a collected amount of the powder material in the collecting bag based on the horizontal displacement of the displaced member detected by the displacement amount detecting unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2009Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuya Ohba, Hidenori Iwanaga
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Publication number: 20130028618Abstract: A waste toner transport system includes a transport unit that has a transport space through which toner removed from a surface of an image bearing member is transported, where the transport space contains a transport member that rotates and transports the toner. The waste toner transport system further includes a container that contains the toner transported by the transport member, and a controller that controls rotation of the transport member so that an amount of toner transported by the transport member per unit time is decreased if an amount of the toner contained in the container reaches a threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki ANDO, Toshie NAKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20130028625Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms, on an image bearing member, an image for adjusting operations of the image forming apparatus, a container that contains toner removed from the image bearing member, and a controller that controls formation of the image for adjusting the operations of the image forming apparatus so that after an amount of toner contained in the container reaches a threshold value, an amount of toner removed from the image bearing member and to be contained in the container is reduced to less than before the amount of toner contained in the container reaches the threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki ANDO, Toshie NAKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20130011148Abstract: An information processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus including an image forming section that forms toner images based on first image data transferred onto a recording medium and based on second image data that is not transferred and a toner recovery section that recovers residual toner to a recovery container is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a first obtaining part that obtains image amounts representing toner amounts used for the respective toner images when a toner amount recovered to the recovery container reaches a first permissible amount, a correction part that corrects the respective image amounts by using correction factors set for the first and second image data, and an output part that outputs notification information indicating that the toner amount in the recovery container reaches a second permissible amount when a cumulative value of the corrected image amounts reaches a first threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Tadashi KIYAMA, Toshie NAKAMOTO, Hiroki ANDO
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Publication number: 20120328309Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming portions provided along a movement direction of a recording material conveying member or an intermediary transfer member and including a first portion and a second portion provided downstream of the first portion with respect to the movement direction; a detecting portion for detecting information on a developer deterioration state at the first portion; a storing portion for storing a relationship between a detection result of the detecting portion and an amount of the developer to be back-transferred at the second portion; and an outputting device for outputting a signal relating to an amount of the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion at the second portion on the basis of the detection result of the detecting portion, the relationship stored in the storing portion, and information on the developer used for image formation at each of the first and second portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takayoshi Kihara, Hideaki Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20120328306Abstract: A management server stores stock information on a toner collection box in an image forming apparatus and updates, if a notification received from the image forming apparatus indicates that the toner collection box is full or close to full, the stored stock information of the toner collection box.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tsuyoshi Kaneko
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Patent number: 8301043Abstract: A liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level in the developer storing container for storing liquid developer, and includes a first water wheel, a first rotation detection mechanism, and first liquid-level detection device. The first water wheel is disposed in the interior of the developer storing container, and is configured to be rotated by liquid developer to be supplied to the developer storing container. The first rotation detection mechanism is configured to detect a rotation state of the first water wheel. The first liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level of liquid developer based on a result detected by the rotation detection mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Jumpei Hobo, Koji Murase, Hiroyuki Ueda, Nobuhiro Horiuchi, Hidenori Takenaka, Tomoyuki Oda
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Patent number: 8295719Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a collected toner container in which residual toner is accumulated is controlled by: obtaining a supplied toner amount, obtaining a total number of printed sheets, calculating an average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating an average printing ratio based on the supplied toner amount, the total number of printed sheets, and the average number of printed sheets per image forming job, calculating a collected toner amount based on the average number of printed sheets per image forming job and the average printing ratio, and comparing the collected toner amount with a threshold value to generate a comparison result.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Tsuyoshi Nagasu, Sadanori Kobashi
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Patent number: 8280296Abstract: A powder transporting device includes: a dropping path through which developer drops; a loosening member that is arranged in the dropping path, and loosens the developer applied on an inner wall of the dropping path; a supporting portion that is provided on the inner wall of the developing path, and supports the loosening member; a rotary member that includes: a rotary center; and a reciprocation applying portion that is located at a position eccentric from the rotary center, the rotary member being arranged within the dropping path and rotationally driven; and a reciprocation applied portion that is provided on the loosening member, and is brought into contact with the reciprocation applying member, wherein the loosening member is moved along the inner wall of the dropping path by contact between the reciprocation applying member and the reciprocation applied portion while the rotary member rotates.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2008Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoya Ichikawa, Tadashi Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20120237230Abstract: A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shinya Karasawa, Ken Amemiya, Michiya Okamoto, Takuma Iwasaki, Yuta Azeyanagi, Hiroyuki Uenishi
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Patent number: 8270852Abstract: A reclaimed material container includes a container body that is removably mounted to a mounting portion of an image forming apparatus, and that accommodates a reclaimed material existing after forming an image, a receiving portion that is provided at a bottom portion of the container body, and that is supported by a support of the mounting portion from therebelow, and a mounting member that mounts the container body to the mounting portion as a result of rotation of the container body with the receiving portion as a fulcrum while the receiving portion is supported by the support from therebelow. In the container, the container body has a first recess that provides a field of view for the support when the receiving portion is supported by the support from therebelow.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ando, Tomonori Sato, Fumiaki Maekawa, Satoshi Honobe, Toshiyuki Matsui, Tsuneo Fukuzawa
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Patent number: 8265496Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a casing in which toner is accommodated, a toner inflow portion that is provided on a side of one of ends in a longitudinal direction of the casing, a first screw that conveys the toner accommodated in the casing from one end toward the other end, a second screw that conveys the toner accommodated in the casing from the other end toward one end, and a sensor in which a detection portion is disposed at a position facing a side face of the casing provided in the longitudinal direction in order to detect an amount of toner accommodated in the casing. The longitudinal direction of the detection portion is located closer to one end than the other end, and a position in a vertical direction of the detection portion partially overlaps at least a toner conveying region of the second screw.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Mika Sumii
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Patent number: 8254797Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing which comprises a housing side opening through which waste toner passes; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner cartridges which correspond to the plurality of developing units comprising a first containing unit for containing the toner to be supplied to the toner carrier; wherein at least one of the toner cartridges comprises a second containing unit for containing the waste toner, the second containing unit comprises a cartridge side opening for receiving the waste toner having passed through the housing side opening, and wherein the housing side opening and the cartridge side opening are disposed to be opposite to each other along the substantially horizontal direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shougo Sato