Image forming apparatus and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11846894-B2
Application number	US-202217894216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2022
Priority date	Mar 15, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, to which a replenishment container is detachably attached, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive drum;
a developer container configured to accommodate developer, the developer container being provided with a replenishment port to which the replenishment container is detachably attached and through which the developer is supplied to the developer container from the replenishment container;
a developer roller configured to supply the developer to the photosensitive drum;
a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to a developer amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container;
an indicator configured to indicate a plurality of developer remainder amount levels according to the remainder amount information output from the detection portion, the plurality of developer remainder amount levels including a first level which is a maximum developer remainder amount level of the plurality of developer remainder amount levels, and a second level which is one level below the first level;
wherein the maximum developer amount of the developer the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a developer amount obtained by adding a total amount of the developer accommodated in the replenishment container to a developer amount, which is accommodated in the developer container, corresponding to a boundary between the first level and the second level.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is an LED panel.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a liquid crystal panel.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an opening/closing member configured to move between an open position in which the opening/closing member opens the replenishment port and a closed position in which the opening/closing member closes the replenishment port,
wherein the opening/closing member is immovable from the open position to the closed position in a case where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of developer remainder amount levels further includes a third level which is one level below the second level,
wherein when the developer amount corresponding to the boundary between the first level and the second level is a first developer amount, and when a developer amount corresponding to a boundary between the second level and the third level is a second developer amount, a difference between the maximum developer amount and the first developer amount is larger than a difference between the first developer amount and the second developer amount.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sato Masaaki
• Wada Koji
• Ogawa Tsuyoshi
• Fujinaka Koji
• Sameshima Takao
• Noguchi Tomio
• Toyota Akitoshi
• Nittani Susumu

Classifications

• G03G15/0862 Primary

  the level being measured by optical means · CPC title

• G03G15/0856

  Detection or control means for the developer level · CPC title

• G03G15/0872

  the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis · CPC title

• G03G15/0889

  for agitation or stirring · CPC title

• G03G15/556

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