Electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Details Electrophotographic image forming apparatus Electrophotographic image forming apparatus

2000-12-29

2002-06-18

Chen, Sophia S. (Department: 2852)

Electrophotography

Diagnostics

Consumable

C399S081000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06408143

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by the use of the electrophotographic method, such as a printer, a copier or a facsimile apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for acting on this electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge, which is made detachably mountable on the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, operability could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
Among image forming apparatuses of such a cartridge interchange type, there is one having the function of detecting that the toner remaining amount in the cartridge has become equal to or less than a predetermined value, and informing the user of it, as the standard when the user effects the interchange of the cartridge.
There has also been put into practical use one having the function of successively detecting the remaining amount of toner, indicating the remaining amount of toner by a gauge corresponding to the amount of toner as shown in
FIG. 12
of the accompanying drawings and informing the user of it, for an improvement in usability.
In a toner remaining amount indicating device
140
as developer remaining amount indicating means shown in
FIG. 12
, the users is informed of the toner remaining amount by which portion of a gauge
142
a pointer
141
movable in conformity with the toner remaining amount is pointing to.
In this indicating device
140
, all toner amounts from “Full” to “Empty” shown in
FIG. 12
are indicated by a single gauge
142
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a further development of the aforedescribed art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can indicate the remaining amount of developer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can obviously indicate the remaining amount of developer.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which, when the remaining amount of developer has become smaller than a predetermined remaining amount, can indicate it by increasing the width of graduations for indicating the developer remaining amount.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5095335 (1992-03-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5151734 (1992-09-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5208634 (1993-05-01), Ikemoto et al.
patent: 5223893 (1993-06-01), Ikemoto et al.
patent: 5294960 (1994-03-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5331372 (1994-07-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5345294 (1994-09-01), Nomura et al.
patent: 5404198 (1995-04-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5455665 (1995-10-01), Baba et al.
patent: 5463446 (1995-10-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5465136 (1995-11-01), Watanabe
patent: 5470635 (1995-11-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5475470 (1995-12-01), Sasago et al.
patent: 5475471 (1995-12-01), Kisu et al.
patent: 5488459 (1996-01-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5500714 (1996-03-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5510878 (1996-04-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5534344 (1996-07-01), Kisu et al.
patent: 5541711 (1996-07-01), Kisu et al.
patent: 5543898 (1996-08-01), Shishido et al.
patent: 5561504 (1996-10-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5583613 (1996-12-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5585895 (1996-12-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5602623 (1997-02-01), Nishibata et al.
patent: 5608509 (1997-03-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5617579 (1997-04-01), Yashiro et al.
patent: 5623328 (1997-04-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5640650 (1997-06-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5659847 (1997-08-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5669042 (1997-09-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5689774 (1997-11-01), Shishido et al.
patent: 5749027 (1998-05-01), Ikemoto et al.
patent: 5765077 (1998-06-01), Sakurai et al.
patent: 5768658 (1998-06-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5768660 (1998-06-01), Kurihara et al.
patent: 5774766 (1998-06-01), Karakama et al.
patent: 5790923 (1998-08-01), Oguma et al.
patent: 5794101 (1998-08-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5802420 (1998-09-01), Garr et al.
patent: 5809374 (1998-09-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 5812909 (1998-09-01), Oguma et al.
patent: 5828928 (1998-10-01), Sasago et al.
patent: 5878304 (1999-03-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5878310 (1999-03-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5884124 (1999-03-01), Karakama et al.
patent: 5890036 (1999-03-01), Karakama et al.
patent: 5899602 (1999-05-01), Noda et al.
patent: 5903803 (1999-05-01), Kawai et al.
patent: 5920752 (1999-07-01), Karakama et al.
patent: 5937242 (1999-08-01), Yokoyama et al.
patent: 5943528 (1999-08-01), Akutsu et al.
patent: 5966566 (1999-10-01), Odagawa et al.
patent: 5966568 (1999-10-01), Numagami et al.
patent: 6006058 (1999-12-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6016413 (2000-01-01), Yokoyama et al.
patent: 6029032 (2000-02-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6070028 (2000-05-01), Odagawa et al.
patent: 6075956 (2000-06-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6097908 (2000-08-01), Uchiyama et al.
patent: 6097909 (2000-08-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6101354 (2000-08-01), Nakagawa et al.
patent: 6032007 (2000-09-01), Yamaji et al.
patent: 6118960 (2000-09-01), Nakagawa et al.
patent: 6128454 (2000-10-01), Kawai et al.
patent: 6144398 (2000-11-01), Yokoyama et al.
patent: 6160976 (2000-12-01), Karakama et al.
patent: 6163665 (2000-12-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6169866 (2001-01-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6175706 (2001-01-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6330402 (2001-12-01), Sakurai et al.
patent: 01-209466 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 10-047948 (1998-02-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Electrophotographic image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrophotographic image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2919612