Image forming apparatus capable of enhancing convenience of image forming apparatus to which plurality of developer containers corresponding to developer of same color can be attached, and image forming method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12487547-B2
Application number	US-202418665316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2024
Priority date	May 22, 2023
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a supply control portion and a setting processing portion. The supply control portion makes a switch between a first mode for supplying developer from a developer container attached to a specific attachment portion that is one of a plurality of attachment portions to which a plurality of developer containers corresponding to developer of a same color can be attached and a second mode for supplying the developer from the plurality of developer containers attached to the plurality of attachment portions sequentially or in parallel. The setting processing portion sets the specific attachment portion based on a user operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a supply control portion which makes a switch between a first mode for supplying developer from a developer container attached to a specific attachment portion that is one of a plurality of attachment portions to which a plurality of developer containers corresponding to developer of a same color can be attached and a second mode for supplying the developer from the plurality of developer containers attached to the plurality of attachment portions sequentially or in parallel; and a setting processing portion which sets the specific attachment portion based on a user operation.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the setting processing portion sets one of the plurality of attachment portions that has been designated by the user operation as the specific attachment portion.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the setting processing portion selects, according to the user operation, either one of a selection condition that a remaining amount of the developer in the attached developer container is largest out of the plurality of attachment portions and a selection condition that the remaining amount is smallest, and sets, according to the selection condition, the attachment portion having the largest remaining amount of the developer in the attached developer container or the attachment portion having the smallest remaining amount of the developer in the attached developer container as the specific attachment portion.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
when a power supply of the image forming apparatus is turned on, the setting processing portion acquires the remaining amount of the developer in the developer container attached to each of the plurality of attachment portions, and sets the specific attachment portion based on the remaining amounts and the selection condition.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising
the plurality of attachment portions respectively corresponding to colors of the developer, wherein the setting processing portion sets the specific attachment portion for each of the colors of the developer.

6 . An image forming method, comprising:
executing, by a processor, a switch step of making a switch between a first mode for supplying developer from a developer container attached to a specific attachment portion that is one of a plurality of attachment portions to which a plurality of developer containers corresponding to developer of a same color can be attached and a second mode for supplying the developer from the plurality of developer containers attached to the plurality of attachment portions sequentially or in parallel; and a setting step of setting the specific attachment portion based on a user operation.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Misu Kazuto
• Kimura Koichi
• Taguchi Masanori
• Fujimoto Seiya

Classifications

• G03G2215/066

  Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material · CPC title

• G03G15/0865

  Arrangements for supplying new developer · CPC title

• G03G15/0879 Primary

  for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit · CPC title

• G03G15/556

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

• G03G15/0856

  Detection or control means for the developer level · CPC title