# US 11,112,723 B1 · Image forming apparatus and control method for collecting waste toner in a waste toner collection container > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,723 B1 - Document ID: US11112723B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/094,911 - Filed: 2020-11-11 - Published: 2021-09-30 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-25 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ken Iguchi; Kazuhiko Kikuchi; Tadashi Sugiyama; Tokihiko Ise - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112723B1 ## CPC - G03G 15/0856: {Detection or control means for the developer level} - G03G 15/556: {for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement} - G03G 21/12: Toner waste containers - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus of an embodiment includes an image forming unit, a waste toner collection container, a paddle motor, a memory unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms a toner image on a sheet using a toner replenished from a toner cartridge containing the toner. The waste toner collection container contains a waste toner generated in the image forming unit. The paddle motor rotates a stirring paddle provided in the waste toner collection container. The memory unit stores a coefficient for each type of toner. The control unit acquires a count value, which is a value related to a replenishment amount, corrects the count value with the coefficient corresponding to the type of toner, updates a cumulative count value with the corrected count value, and drives the paddle motor according to the updated cumulative count value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming component configured to form a toner image on a sheet using a toner replenished from a toner cartridge containing the toner; a waste toner collection container configured to contain a waste toner generated in the image forming component; a paddle motor configured to rotate a stirring paddle provided in the waste toner collection container; a memory component configured to store a coefficient for a plurality of types of toner; and a controller configured to acquire a count value, which is related to a replenishment amount, when the image forming component is replenished with the toner from the toner cartridge, to correct the count value with the coefficient corresponding to a type of toner, to update a cumulative count value with the corrected count value, and to drive the paddle motor according to the updated cumulative count value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient is determined according to a position of a waste toner introduction port having an opening portion, through which the toner is introduced from the image forming component to the waste toner collection container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient is determined according to a position of a developing device using the toner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coefficient is determined according to whether or not the toner is a toner used in combination with another type of toner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of toner comprise at least one of yellow toner, magenta toner, cyan toner, and black toner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of toner comprise at least one of a decolorable toner, a colorable toner, a fluorescent color toner, and a decorative toner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the waste toner collection container is further configured to be attachable and detachable to/from the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the waste toner collection container comprises a detector to detect a level of toner within the waste toner collection container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the waste toner collection container comprises a plurality of waste toner introduction ports. ### Claim 10 A control method for an image forming apparatus including an image forming component configured to form a toner image on a sheet using a toner replenished from a toner cartridge containing the toner, a waste toner collection container configured to contain a waste toner generated in the image forming component, a paddle motor configured to rotate a stirring paddle provided in the waste toner collection container, and a memory component configured to store a coefficient for a plurality of types of toner, the method comprising: acquiring a count value, which is related to a replenishment amount, when the image forming component is replenished with the toner from the toner cartridge; correcting the count value with the coefficient corresponding to a type of toner; updating a cumulative count value with the corrected count value; and driving the paddle motor according to the updated cumulative count value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: determining the coefficient according to a position of a waste toner introduction port having an opening portion, through which the toner is introduced from the image forming component to the waste toner collection container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: determining the coefficient according to a position of a developing device using the toner. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: determining the coefficient according to whether or not the toner is a toner used in combination with another type of toner. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising: detecting a level of toner within the waste toner collection container. ### Claim 15 A toner processing apparatus, comprising: a waste toner collection container configured to contain a waste toner generated from an image forming component; a paddle motor configured to rotate a stirring paddle provided in the waste toner collection container; a memory component configured to store a coefficient for a plurality of types of toner; and a controller configured to acquire a count value, which is related to a replenishment amount, when the image forming component is replenished with a toner from a toner cartridge, to correct the count value with the coefficient corresponding to a type of toner, to update a cumulative count value with the corrected count value, and to drive the paddle motor according to the updated cumulative count value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The toner processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the coefficient is determined according to a position of a waste toner introduction port having an opening portion, through which the toner is introduced from the image forming component to the waste toner collection container. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The toner processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the coefficient is determined according to a position of a developing device using the toner. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The toner processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the coefficient is determined according to whether or not the toner is a toner used in combination with another type of toner. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The toner processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of types of toner comprise at least one of yellow toner, magenta toner, cyan toner, black toner, a decolorable toner, a colorable toner, a fluorescent color toner, and a decorative toner. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The toner processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the waste toner collection container comprises a plurality of waste toner introduction ports.