US4814823A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1987-03-23
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Granted: 1989-03-21
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Expires: 2007-03-23
Abstract
Abstract An image-forming apparatus is provided with a photosensitive drum rotatably located in a housing, and a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum. A first developing unit of the developing device develops the latent image by a first red developing agent. A second developing unit develops the latent image by a second black developing agent. The first and second developing units are alernatively driven by a switch provided on a control panel which is located on the housing. A copy mode for black is automatically established when the power is turned on or if no operation is performed for a prescribed time after a foregoing copying operation, in a mode for any other color than black, is ended.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuo Abuyama
- 👤 Fumito Ide
- 👤 Osamu Hamanaka
- 👤 Takeshi Sanbayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:48
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/01; G03G15/0105; G03G15/0126; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image carrier disposed in the housing and adapted to carry thereon a latent image corresponding to an original image; developing device for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier, said developling device including first developing means for developing the latent image by means of a first developing agent of a first color, and second developing means for developing the latent image by means of a second developing agent of a second color, said first and second developing means being removably set in said housing; selecting means for selecting the first or second developing means that is to be operated; detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the first and/or second developing means in the housing; and control means for prohibiting the selecting means from selecting that or those means which are found, by the detecting means, to be absent from the housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image carrier disposed in the housing and adapted to carry thereon a latent image corresponding to an original image; developing device for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier, said developling device including first developing means for developing the latent image by means of a first developing agent of a first color, and second developing means for developing the latent image by means of a second developing agent of a second color, said first and second developing means being removably set in said housing; selecting means for selecting the first or second developing means that is to be operated; detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the first and/or second developing means in the housing; and control means for prohibiting the selecting means from selecting that or those means which are found, by the detecting means, to be absent from the housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second developing means include first and second developing rollers, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 2, which further comprises detecting means for detecting the setting of the first and/or second developing means in the housing, and control means adapted to drive the first and/or second developing means to remove the developing agnet or agents from the developing roller or rollers of the developing means when the setting of the first and/or second developing means in the housing is detected by the detecting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second developing means respectively include removing means for removing the developing agent from the developing roller of developing means that is detected by said detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second developing rollers each include a magnet roll and a sleeve surrounding the magnet roll.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing carries a control panel on the top surface thereof, and said selecting means includes a changeover switch on the control panel, whereby the first or second developing means is selected by operating the changeover switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 6, which further comprises interruption selecting means for causing one of the developing means to execute an image-forming process while the other developing means is executing another image-forming process, and control means adapted to cause the interruption selecting means to automatically select an image-forming process by the second developing means, when the interruption selecting means is selected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first developing means can be selected by the selecting means when an interruption mode is established by the interruption selecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means selects that developing means which has been driven before interruption, when the interruption mode established by the interruption selecting means is cancelled.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second developing agent of a second color is black, and said first developing agent of a first color is any other color than black.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects a prescribed one of the two developing means when power is applied to the image forming apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said prescribed developing means is the second developing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects a prescribed one of the first and second developing means, when an interruption of an image forming operation for a predetermined time after and end of the image forming operation is detected.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
188 words
An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image carrier disposed in the housing and adapted to carry thereon a latent image corresponding to an original image; a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier, said developing device including first developing means for developing the latent image by means of a first developing agent of a first color, and second developing means for developing the latent image by means of a second developing agent of a second color, which is different from the first color, said first and second developing means being removably set in said housing; inserting/removing means for inserting at least on e of the first and second developing means to the housing or removing it from the housing; selecting means for selecting the first or second developing means that is to be operated; detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the first and/or second developing means in the housing; and control means for prohibiting the selecting means from selecting that or those means which are found, by the detecting means, to be absent from the housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
188 words
An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a housing; an image carrier disposed in the housing and adapted to carry thereon a latent image corresponding to an original image; a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier, said developing device including first developing means for developing the latent image by means of a first developing agent of a first color, and second developing means for developing the latent image by means of a second developing agent of a second color, which is different from the first color, said first and second developing means being removably set in said housing; inserting/removing means for inserting at least on e of the first and second developing means to the housing or removing it from the housing; selecting means for selecting the first or second developing means that is to be operated; detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the first and/or second developing means in the housing; and control means for prohibiting the selecting means from selecting that or those means which are found, by the detecting means, to be absent from the housing.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-03-20 | 1992-09-19 | 1993-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-03-20 | 1996-09-19 | 1997-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-03-20 | 2000-09-19 | 2001-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |