Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Consumable
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-29
2003-07-01
Pendegrass, Joan (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Consumable
C399S079000, C399S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06587651
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In image forming apparatuses, such as copying machines, when the print key is pressed, the image of an original document set on the document mount is read optically and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the read image is then formed on the surface of the sensitized drum as an image bearing body.
The electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the sensitized drum is rendered visible by developer, for example, tonor, supplied from a development unit. On the other hand, a sheet of copying paper is taken out of the paper feed cassette and then fed to the sensitized drum. The visualized image is then transferred to the copying paper. The copying paper is then separated from the surface of the sensitized drum and sent to the fixing unit, which in turn fixes the transferred image to the paper by heat. The copying paper having the image fixed is then discharged to the outside of the apparatus.
The users of such image forming apparatuses usually wait, standing at the side of the apparatus throughout the time from when the print key is pressed until the copying paper is discharged to the outside of the apparatus. Busy users may feel the waiting time to be very long.
The tonor is expendable and requires replacement corresponding to its rate of consumption. It is demanded that the cost of these items be minimized.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the apparatus which can make use of the user's waiting time to thereby relive the chore of waiting and, at the same time, permit the user to have exact knowledge of a consumption of developer or the cost thereof.
An image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises:
an image bearing body;
a scanning unit for optically scanning across the surface of the image bearing body to form a latent image on the surface of the image bearing body;
a developing unit for supplying developer to the image bearing body to develop the latent image on the surface of the image bearing body;
a transfer unit for transferring the image on the surface of the image bearing body developed by the developing unit onto an image forming medium;
a detecting unit for detecting the consumption of developer required for development by the developing unit; and
a display unit for displaying the consumption detected by the detecting unit.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5459556 (1995-10-01), Acquaviva et al.
patent: 5850584 (1998-12-01), Robinson et al.
patent: 5864408 (1999-01-01), Kumashiro
patent: 6064838 (2000-05-01), Maruta et al.
patent: 10-105011 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 11-184336 (1999-07-01), None
Fukaya Hideaki
Sadowara Tetsuya
Yamanishi Eiichi
Foley & Lardner
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Pendegrass Joan
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