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US 12,487,541 B2Granted
Image forming device and toner replenishment control method in image forming device
AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShohei Fukumoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to an image forming device according to the disclosure, a required toner amount is calculated based on image data. A toner replenishment device replenishes a development device with toner of a first replenishment amount included in the required toner amount. Toner of the remaining second replenishment amount included in the required toner amount is replenished, based on a toner concentration detection value of a toner concentration sensor. When the image forming device stands continuously unused for a predetermined threshold time or longer, the toner of the second replenishment amount is not replenished during a time period from when an image forming process is started immediately after the unused time, until a specific time elapses.
Claims17
An image forming device comprising:
- a developing device that includes a storage in which a developer including a toner is stored and that uses the toner to perform a development of a latent image formed, based on image data, on an image carrier;
- a toner concentration detector that detects a concentration of the toner included in the developer in the storage;
- a toner replenisher that includes a toner container storing the toner and that replenishes the storage with the toner in the toner container;
- a required toner amount calculator that calculates, based on the image data, a required toner amount, the required toner amount being an amount of the toner required in the development;
- a first replenishment controller that controls the toner replenisher to replenish the storage with the toner in an amount corresponding to a first replenishment amount of the required toner amount;
- and
- a second replenishment controller that controls the toner replenisher to replenish the storage, based on a toner concentration detection value of the toner concentration detector, with the toner in an amount corresponding to a second replenishment amount obtained by subtracting the first replenishment amount from the required toner amount,
- wherein the second replenishment controller does not replenish the storage by the toner replenisher with the toner in the amount corresponding to the second replenishment amount, during a time period from when the development starts until a predetermined specific time elapses, in a case that a standing time, which is a time during which the image forming device continuously stands unused, is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold time.
5 more elements
A toner replenishment control method used in an image forming device, the image forming device including:
- a developing device that includes a storage in which a developer including a toner is stored and that uses the toner to perform a development of a latent image formed, based on image data, on an image carrier;
- a toner concentration detector that detects a concentration of the toner included in the developer in the storage;
- and
- a toner replenisher that includes a toner container storing the toner and that replenishes the storage with the toner in the toner container,
- the toner replenishment control method comprising:
- calculating, based on the image data, a required toner amount, the required toner amount being an amount of the toner required in the development;
- controlling the toner replenisher to replenish the storage with the toner in an amount corresponding to a first replenishment amount that is a part of the required toner amount;
- and
- controlling, after controlling the toner replenisher to replenish the storage with the toner in the first replenishment amount, the toner replenisher to replenish the storage, so that a toner concentration detection value of the toner concentration detector becomes equal to a predetermined reference value, with the toner in an amount corresponding to a second replenishment amount obtained by subtracting the first replenishment amount from the required toner amount.
6 more elements
An image forming device comprising:
- a developing device that includes a storage in which a developer including a toner is stored and that uses the toner to perform a development of a latent image formed, based on image data, on an image carrier;
- a toner concentration detector that detects a concentration of the toner included in the developer in the storage;
- a toner replenisher that includes a toner container storing the toner and that replenishes the storage with the toner in the toner container;
- a required toner amount calculator that calculates, based on the image data, a required toner amount, the required toner amount being an amount of the toner required in the development;
- a first replenishment controller that controls the toner replenisher to replenish the storage with the toner in an amount corresponding to a first replenishment amount that is a part of the required toner amount;
- and
- a second replenishment controller that control, after controlling the toner replenisher to replenish the storage with the toner in the first replenishment amount, the toner replenisher to replenish the storage, so that a toner concentration detection value of the toner concentration detector becomes equal to a predetermined reference value, with the toner in an amount corresponding to a second replenishment amount obtained by subtracting the first replenishment amount from the required toner amount.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.