Dual-Toner Replenishment Control with One Drive Source
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses with reduced drive sources for toner replenishment face complexity and cost increase due to the need for sophisticated control mechanisms to balance toner replenishment between development units, hindering cost reduction efforts.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus and method that employs a drive source to selectively control the replenishment of two types of toner using accumulation times and thresholds to manage toner replenishment, ensuring balanced toner supply without complex calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If one drive source is used to perform toner replenishment for two colors, then the number of drive sources is reduced and cost is reduced, but it becomes impossible to simultaneously perform toner replenishment for both colors, requiring complex control mechanisms that increase device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention pre-calculates and stores the necessary replenishment times for each color in a table before actual replenishment operations. During operation, the system simply retrieves these pre-calculated values and executes replenishment according to the stored data, avoiding complex real-time calculations and enabling simple sequential control of the single drive source
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs toner replenishment in periodic sequential intervals for different colors based on pre-calculated necessary replenishment times. The drive source alternates between colors in a structured periodic manner, ensuring each color receives appropriate replenishment while maintaining simple single-source control without requiring simultaneous operation
2Manufacturing precision
If drive time for each developer supply member is allocated according to calculated ratio between amounts of developers, then density variation of developer is reduced, but complex processing (calculation and allocation) is required, increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention pre-calculates the necessary replenishment times for maintaining proper developer density and stores these values in a table. This eliminates the need for complex real-time calculations during operation, as the system simply retrieves pre-determined time values that ensure proper density maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a table to store and replicate the necessary replenishment time information for each color. Instead of performing complex calculations, the system copies and applies these pre-stored time values during replenishment operations, simplifying the control process while maintaining precision
Data Source
AI summary
According to the image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure, when at least one of accumulation necessary replenishment times of two types of toner becomes equal to or greater than a toner replenishment threshold, replenishment of the one toner is performed. The replenishment of this one toner is performed for the accumulation necessary replenishment time of the one toner with a continuous replenishment allowable time as an upper limit. Thereafter, according to the accumulation necessary replenishment time of the other toner and the current accumulation necessary replenishment time of the one toner, the replenishment of the other toner is performed, the replenishment of the one toner is resumed, or the replenishment of both toners is brought into a stop state.