Image forming device that detects appropriateness of toner used therein
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTomoaki Hattori
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Developing cartridges, each including a developing roller for carrying toner, are detachably mounted in a color laser printer. A drive current of a motor driving the developing rollers is detected as a load applied to a driving motion of the motor. If appropriate toner is being used, then the detected drive current is equal to or less than a predetermined value. However, if inappropriate toner is being used, then the detected drive current is greater than the predetermined value. In this case, printing is canceled so as to prevent formation of images with inappropriate toner and potential damage to the color laser printer.
Claims14
An image forming device comprising:
- a casing;
- a developing device that is detachably mounted in the casing, the developing device including a developing agent carrying member for carrying a developing agent;
- a drive source for driving the developing agent carrying member;
- a detecting unit that detects a driving load placed on the drive source;
- and
- a control unit that determines appropriateness of the developing agent based on the driving load detected by the detecting unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.