Remaining toner amount detecting apparatus, remaining toner amount detecting method, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10775729-B2
Application number	US-202016743421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2020
Priority date	Jan 18, 2019
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus detects a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes; a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes; a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A remaining toner amount detecting apparatus for detecting a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle, the remaining toner amount detecting apparatus comprising:
at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes;
a first estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between the electrodes of the at least one pair of electrodes;
a second estimator configured to estimate the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and
an estimation selector configured to use either one of the first estimator or the second estimator to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

2. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the estimation selector switches an estimator, to be used for outputting the remaining toner amount, from the first estimator to the second estimator, upon detecting that the temperature or the humidity has become greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, and
the estimation selector switches the estimator, to be used for outputting the remaining toner amount, from the second estimator to the first estimator, upon detecting that the temperature or the humidity has fallen below the predetermined threshold value.

3. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation selector delays an operation of actually switching an estimator, to be used for outputting the remaining toner amount, between the first estimator and the second estimator, after determining to switch the estimator to be used between the first estimator and the second estimator based on the temperature or the humidity.

4. The remaining toner amount detecting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes of the at least one pair of the electrodes are plate electrodes.

5. A remaining toner amount detecting method of detecting a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle, the remaining toner amount detecting method comprising:
estimating, as a first estimation value, the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between electrodes of at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes;
estimating, as a second estimation value, the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and
using either one of the first estimation value or the second estimation value to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a remaining toner amount detecting program that causes a computer to execute a process for detecting a remaining toner amount in a toner bottle, the process comprising:
estimating, as a first estimation value, the remaining toner amount based on a capacitance between electrodes of at least one pair of electrodes that are configured to face each other with the toner bottle interposed between the electrodes;
estimating, as a second estimation value, the remaining toner amount by counting a number of pixels in a printed image; and
using either one of the first estimation value or the second estimation value to output the remaining toner amount, based on a temperature or a humidity inside an apparatus in which the toner bottle is mounted.

Assignees

• Hara Tetsuya
• Hommi Masashi
• Ieiri Yuji
• Miyagawa Takumi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hara Tetsuya
• Hommi Masashi
• Ieiri Yuji
• Miyagawa Takumi

Classifications

• G03G21/1875

  provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge · CPC title

• G03G15/5045

  Detecting the temperature · CPC title

• G03G2215/0888

  Arrangements for detecting toner level or concentration in the developing device · CPC title

• G03G15/0856 Primary

  Detection or control means for the developer level · CPC title

• G03G15/556 Primary

  for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement · CPC title