US 8,285,165 B2Granted

Toner concentration adjusting system and image forming apparatus using the same

AssigneeKonica Minolta Holdings, Inc.

InventorAtsuto Hirai

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention provides a toner concentration adjusting system and an image forming apparatus which can accurately adjust toner concentration by controlling the supply of a concentrated developer even if a production lot of the concentrated developer is different. In the method, for controlling the toner concentration, in which the supply of the concentrated developer and the like to a wet type developer for which a first control target value is set is controlled while detecting a substitute characteristic of toner concentration, the first control target value is corrected depending on a second control target value based on a substitute characteristic of the toner concentration of the lot of the concentrated developer to be supplied, and depending on a cumulative supply amount of the lot of the concentrated developer.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A toner concentration adjusting system, comprising:

a toner concentration adjusting tank configured to store a first wet type developer containing toner and dispersion medium;
a concentration detecting section configured to measure a first control value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of the first wet type developer in the toner concentration adjusting tank;
a concentrated developer supply section configured to supply the toner concentration adjusting tank with a concentrated developer having a toner concentration higher than a predetermined standard toner concentration;
a dispersion medium supply section configured to supply the toner concentration adjusting tank with dispersion medium;
a supply control section configured to control the concentrated developer supply section and the dispersion medium supply section so that the first control value measured by the concentration detecting section gets close to a first control target value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of the wet type developer with the standard toner concentration, the supply control section including:
a supply amount measuring section configured to measure a cumulative supply amount of the concentrated developer;
and
a control target value correction section configured to correct the first control target value based on a second control target value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of a diluted developer in which the concentrated developer is diluted to the standard toner concentration with the dispersion medium, and based on the cumulative supply amount measured by the supply amount measuring section.

5 more elements

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image carrier configured to carry thereon an electrostatic latent image;
a toner concentration adjusting system, the toner concentration adjusting system including:
a toner concentration adjusting tank configured to store a first wet type developer containing toner and dispersion medium;
a concentration detecting section configured to measure a first control value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of the first wet type developer in the toner concentration adjusting tank;
a concentrated developer supply section configured to supply the toner concentration adjusting tank with a concentrated developer having a toner concentration higher than a predetermined standard toner concentration;
a dispersion medium supply section configured to supply the toner concentration adjusting tank with dispersion medium;
and
a supply control section configured to control the concentrated developer supply section and the dispersion medium supply section so that the first control value measured by the concentration detecting section gets close to a first control target value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of the wet type developer with the standard toner concentration, the supply control section having:
a supply amount measuring section configured to measure a cumulative supply amount of the concentrated developer;
and
a control target value correction section configured to correct the first control target value based on a second control target value corresponding to viscosity which is a substitute characteristic of toner concentration of a diluted developer in which the concentrated developer is diluted to the standard toner concentration with the dispersion medium, and based on the cumulative supply amount measured by the supply amount measuring section;
and
a wet type development device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier with the wet type developer, containing toner and dispersion medium, supplied from the toner concentration adjusting tank.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.