# US 10,310,408 B2 · Image forming apparatus and method for determining usable period of cleaner used for image forming operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,408 B2 - Document ID: US10310408B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/919,616 - Filed: 2018-03-13 - Published: 2018-09-20 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-17 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Momoko Tsujihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310408B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0848: {Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability} - G03G 21/0064: {using the developing unit, e.g. cleanerless or multi-cycle apparatus} - G03G 15/06: for developing - G03G 15/553: {Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job} - G03G 21/0011: {using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus determines the replacement timing of a component of the image forming apparatus and includes: a rotatable body; a cleaner to remove developer adhered to the rotatable body; and a controller determining that a usable period of the cleaner is longer as a charge amount of the developer is smaller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable body; a cleaner to remove developer adhered to the rotatable body; and a controller configured to determine that a usable period of the cleaner is longer as a charge amount of the developer is smaller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor by the developer; and a density sensor to detect a density of a patch image developed by the developing device, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the charge amount of the developer is smaller as the density of the patch image detected by the density sensor is higher. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor by the developer; and a density sensor to detect a density of a patch image developed by the developing device, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the charge amount of the developer is smaller as a developing bias applied to the developing device is smaller, wherein the developing bias is set based on the density of the patch image detected by the density sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner has expired, when the charge amount of the developer is larger than a predetermined value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the usable period of the cleaner after a count value reaches a predetermined value, wherein the count value is incremented as printing is performed, and the count value is initialized when the cleaner is replaced. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor by the developer; and a density sensor to detect a density of a patch image developed by the developing device, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner has expired, when the density of the patch image detected by the density sensor is a predetermined value or less. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor by the developer; and a density sensor to detect a density of a patch image developed by the developing device, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner has expired, when a developing bias applied to the developing device is a predetermined value or more, wherein the developing bias is set based on the density of the patch image detected by the density sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor by the developer, wherein the cleaner is replaceable independently of the developing device, and the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner is longer as the number of the cleaners replaced for the same developing device is larger. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to set a pressure smaller as the number of the cleaners replaced for the same developing device is larger, wherein the pressure is applied to press the cleaner against the rotatable body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner has expired, when a count value reaches a predetermined value, wherein the count value is incremented as printing is performed, the predetermined value is set larger as the number of the cleaners replaced for the same developing device is larger, and the count value is initialized when the cleaner is replaced. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set the predetermined value larger as a coverage rate is higher. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to set the predetermined value larger as an average value of the number of pages printed per print job is larger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the usable period of the cleaner has expired, when the count value reaches the predetermined value and the controller determines that a usable period of the developing device has expired. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable body includes at least one of a photoconductor, an intermediate transfer belt, or a secondary transfer roller. ### Claim 15 An image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a server apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable body; a cleaner to remove developer adhered to the rotatable body; an acquisition unit to acquire a charge amount of the developer; and a communication interface to transmit a result of acquisition by the acquisition unit to the server apparatus, the server apparatus being configured to determine that a usable period of the cleaner is longer as the charge amount of the developer is smaller, based on the result of acquisition. ### Claim 16 A method for determining a usable period of a cleaner used for an image forming apparatus, the method comprising: acquiring a charge amount of developer used for the image forming apparatus; and determining that the usable period of the cleaner is longer as the acquired charge amount of the developer is smaller. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a determination program for determining a usable period of a cleaner used for an image forming apparatus, the determination program causing a computer to perform: acquiring a charge amount of developer used for the image forming apparatus; and determining that the usable period of the cleaner is longer as the acquired charge amount of the developer is smaller.