Image forming apparatus and a method of effectively detecting toner state in the same

An image forming apparatus includes an optical sensor configured to optically detect a density of a reference pattern image, a toner density sensor configured to detect a density of toner in a developing unit, a storing unit configured to store an image area coverage of an output image, a determinin...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author ISHIBASHI MIKIO
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 21.12.2010
Subjects
CINEMATOGRAPHY
ELECTROGRAPHY
ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY
HOLOGRAPHY
MAGNETOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHYSICS
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Summary:An image forming apparatus includes an optical sensor configured to optically detect a density of a reference pattern image, a toner density sensor configured to detect a density of toner in a developing unit, a storing unit configured to store an image area coverage of an output image, a determining unit configured to determine whether a state of toner accommodated in a toner supplying unit is an almost empty state and an empty state or neither based on detection results obtained by the sensors, a controlling unit configured to continuously perform a toner state check when the image area coverage of the output image is greater than a predetermined image area coverage value and the density of the reference pattern image is greater than a predetermined density level after the determination of the state of toner is the almost empty state or the empty state or neither.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20060520804