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US 6,125,243 AGranted
Toner replenishing and developer replacing device for a developing unit of an image forming apparatus
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsHisashi Shoji, Kiyotaka Ohta, Tsukuru Kai, Nobuto Yokokawa, Kiyonori Tsuda, Satoshi Hatori
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a developing unit for forming an image by use of a two-ingredient type developer, i.e., toner and carrier mixture, includes a container for replenishing fresh toner and for replacing carrier deteriorated due to aging or a developer including such carrier. The developer in the developing unit will be collected based on the number of times that a part of the developer has been replenished.
Claims4
A method of replenishing toner, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a toner concentration of a developer existing in a developing chamber;
- (b) replenishing a part of the developer when step (a) determines the toner concentration of said developer equals a prescribed value;
- and
- (c) collecting the developer existing in said developing chamber based solely on a predetermined number of times step (b) consecutively replenishes the part of the developer.
1 more element
A method of replenishing toner, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a toner concentration of a developer existing in a developing chamber;
- (b) replenishing a part of the developer when step (a) determines the toner concentration of said developer equals a prescribed value;
- and
- (c) collecting the developer existing in said developing chamber after a time when step (b) consecutively replenishes the part of the developer a predetermined number of times,
- wherein the collecting step (c) collects the developer into a container of a rotating bottle originally containing the developer, the bottle being rotated in a direction opposite to a direction in which the bottle was rotated to provide the developing chamber with the developer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.