Image forming apparatus having device for detecting concentration of developing agent

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: means (15) for forming a latent image; and means (18) for developing the latent image with a developing agent (D) having a concentration varying as the developing of the latent image proceeds; characterized in that said developing means (18) has an identification data (39B) corresponding to said developing means (18) and said apparatus furhter comprises: data-generating means (70, 127) for generating first concentration data representing the concentration before the latent image is developed, and also second concentration data representing the concentration varied for developing the latent image; comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) for comparing the identification data with a reference identification data before the latent image is develop­ed, and for storing the identification data as a new reference identification data and also storing first concentration data as a new reference concentration data which is generated from said data-generating means (70) and corresponds to the new reference identification data when the identification data is different from the reference identification data; and means (18, 67, 123, 126) for supplying the developing agent to said forming means (15) in order to coincide the second concentration data with the reference concentration data corresponding to the identification data when the identification data is identical to the reference identification data stored in said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126).

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said developing means (18) includes means (64, 65) for stirring the developing agent (D).

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said developing means (18) is detachably mounted in said image forming apparatus and said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) compare the identification data with the reference data after said developing means (18) is mounted in said apparatus and the developing agent (D) is stirred.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said developing means (18) includes means (39A) for generating the identification data.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) includes means (9) for indicating a replacement of said developing means (18) when the developing operation is performed a predetermined number of times.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) stores the identification data when the first concentration data falls within a predeter­mined range.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said developing means (18) is detachably mounted in said image forming apparatus and said storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) accesses the identification data after said developing means is mounted in said apparatus.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122, 124, 126) updates the reference data with the identification data and the first concentration data linked each other when the identification data is different from the reference data.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus comprising: means (15) for forming a latent image; means (18) for developing the latent image with a developing agent (D) having a toner concentration which is detachably mounted in said image forming apparatus, the developing agent (D) being preset to have a predetermined first toner concentration before said developing means (18) is mounted in said apparatus and the toner concentration being varied from the first toner concentration in a developing process: characterized in that said developing means has an identification data (39A) and said image forming appara­tus further comprises; means (70) for detecting the toner concentration of the developing agent (D) to generate first and second concentration signals which correspond to the first and varied toner concentrations, respectively; means (124, 127) for transferring the identification data and the concentration signals; means (9, 120, 122) for storing a reference data and comparing the transferred identification data and concentration signals with the reference data, the identification data and the first concentration signal being stored as the reference data in said storing means when the identification data is different from the reference data; and means (67, 120, 123, 126) for comparing the second concentration signal with the first concentration signal of the qeference data to supply the toner to said devel­oping means (18) and maintained the developing agent (D) to have a predetermined toner concentration range.

Claim 11

An image forming apparatus comprising: means (15) for forming a latent image; means (18) for developing the latent image with a developing agent (D) having a toner concentration which is detachably mounted in said image forming apparatus, the developing agent (D) being preset to have a predetermined first toner concentration before said developing means (18) is mounted in said apparatus and the toner concentration being varied from the first toner concentration in a developing process: characterized in that said developing means has an identification data (39A) and said image forming appara­tus further comprises; means (70) for detecting the toner concentration of the developing agent (D) to generate first and second concentration signals which correspond to the first and varied toner concentrations, respectively; means (124, 127) for transferring the identification data and the concentration signals; means (9, 120, 122) for storing a reference data and comparing the transferred identification data and concentration signals with the reference data, the identification data and the first concentration signal being stored as the reference data in said storing means when the identification data is different from the reference data; and means (67, 120, 123, 126) for comparing the second concentration signal with the first concentration signal of the qeference data to supply the toner to said devel­oping means (18) and maintained the developing agent (D) to have a predetermined toner concentration range.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said developing means (18) includes means (64, 65) for stirring the developing agent.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 126, 123) compare the identification data with the reference data after said developing means (18) is mounted in said apparatus and the developing agent (D) is stirred.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said developing means (18) includes means (39A) for generating the identification data.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122) includes means (9) for indicating a replacement of said developing means (18) when the developing operation is performed a predetermined number of times.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122) stores the identification data when the first concentration data falls within a predetermined range.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said storing means (9, 120, 122) accesses the identification data after said developing means (18) is mounted in said apparatus.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said comparing-storing means (9, 120, 122) updates the reference data with the identification data and the first concentration data linked each other when the identification data is different from the reference data.