Toner bottle having rib away from discharge port
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G03G-015/00
G03G-015/08
출원번호
US-0816921
(2010-06-16)
등록번호
US-RE45513
(2015-05-12)
발명자
/ 주소
Umezawa, Noriyuki
Nishi, Takayuki
Taniyama, Yoshiharu
Itoh, Shinichi
출원인 / 주소
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
대리인 / 주소
Foley & Lardner LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
101
초록▼
A method and apparatus for discriminating bottle types, for stirring the toner, and for detecting the amount of toner remaining in the toner bottle. A toner bottle is adapted to fit the apparatus for discriminating toner bottle types, and a toner bottle is adapted for the apparatus for stirring tone
A method and apparatus for discriminating bottle types, for stirring the toner, and for detecting the amount of toner remaining in the toner bottle. A toner bottle is adapted to fit the apparatus for discriminating toner bottle types, and a toner bottle is adapted for the apparatus for stirring toner. The genuineness of the toner bottle product is checked by sensing a rib assumed to be formed with a predetermined length on the outer surface of the toner bottle. Toner is stirred by continuously rotating the toner bottle in forward and reverse directions. The toner bottle can be easily rotated in the forward and reverse directions by sensing the rib of the toner bottle by using the sensor. Since the load of rotation of the toner bottle changes in accordance with the amount of remaining toner, the rotational speed of the toner bottle is sensed by using the sensor to check whether toner is close to empty.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of discriminating toner bottle types, comprising: the object sensing step of rotating a toner bottle, sensing an object to be sensed formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle and, if said object is not sensed, outputting information indicating abnormality; andthe ratio discriminati
1. A method of discriminating toner bottle types, comprising: the object sensing step of rotating a toner bottle, sensing an object to be sensed formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle and, if said object is not sensed, outputting information indicating abnormality; andthe ratio discrimination step of checking, if said object is sensed, whether said object is formed at a predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle, outputting information indicating abnormality if said object is not formed at the predetermined ratio, and outputting information indicating normality if said object is formed at the predetermined ratio. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object ratio discrimination step comprises the steps of: detecting a first time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses one end portion of said object of said toner bottle in rotation to the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion;detecting a second time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion of said object to the timing at which said sensor senses the one end portion; andchecking whether said object is formed over a predetermined length on the outer surface of said toner bottle by using the first and second time intervals. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object ratio discrimination step is performed with reference to the timing at which a first end portion of said object of said toner bottle in rotation is sensed and the timing at which a second end portion of said object is sensed. 4. An apparatus for discriminating toner bottle types, comprising: a motor for rotating a toner bottle;a motor driver for driving said motor;a sensor for sensing an object to be sensed formed in a predetermined portion of said toner bottle and outputting a sensor signal; anda CPU for controlling said motor driver and discriminating said toner bottle by using the sensor signal,wherein said CPU rotates said toner bottle by controlling said motor driver, senses said object assumed to be formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle by using said sensor, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed,checks, if said object is sensed, whether said object is formed at a predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not formed at the predetermined ratio, and outputs information indicating normality if said object is formed at the predetermined ratio. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in order to check whether said object is formed at the predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle, said CPU detects a first time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses one end portion of said object of said toner bottle in rotation to the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion,detects a second time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion of said object to the timing at which said sensor senses the one end portion, andchecks whether said object is formed at the predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle by using the first and second time intervals. 6. A toner bottle adapted to fit an apparatus for discriminating toner bottle types, wherein said toner bottle type discriminating apparatus comprises: a motor for rotating a toner bottle;a motor driver for driving said motor;a sensor for sensing an object to be sensed formed in a predetermined portion of said toner bottle and outputting a sensor signal; anda CPU for controlling said motor driver and discriminating said toner bottle by using the sensor signal, andsaid CPU rotates said toner bottle by controlling said motor driver, senses said object assumed to be formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle by using said sensor, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed,checks, if said object is sensed, whether said object is formed at a predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not formed at the predetermined ratio, and outputs information indicating normality if said object is formed at the predetermined ratio. 7. A toner bottle according to claim 6, wherein in order to check whether said object is formed at the predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle, said CPU detects a first time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses one end portion of said object of said toner bottle in rotation to the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion,detects a second time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion of said object to the timing at which said sensor senses the one end portion, andchecks whether said object is formed at the predetermined ratio on the outer surface of said toner bottle by using the first and second time intervals. 8. A method of stirring toner and discriminating toner bottle types, comprising the steps of: rotating a toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a forward direction, sensing an object to be sensed assumed to be formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle and, if said object is not sensed, outputting information indicating abnormality; androtating said toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a reverse direction, sensing said object by using said sensor and, if said object is not sensed, outputting information indicating abnormality,wherein toner is stirred by rotating said toner bottle through the predetermined angles in the forward and reverse directions. 9. An apparatus for stirring toner and discriminating toner bottle types, comprising: a motor for rotating a toner bottle;a motor driver for driving said motor;a sensor for sensing an object to be sensed formed in a predetermined portion of said toner bottle and outputting a sensor signal; anda CPU for controlling said motor driver and receiving the sensor signal,wherein said CPU controls said motor driver to rotate said toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a forward direction, senses said object assumed to be formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle by using said sensor, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed,rotates said toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a reverse direction, senses said object by using said sensor, and outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed. 10. A toner bottle adapted to fit an apparatus for stirring toner and discriminating toner bottle types, wherein said toner stirring and toner bottle type discriminating apparatus comprises: a motor for rotating a toner bottle;a motor driver for driving said motor;a sensor for sensing an object to be sensed formed in a predetermined portion of said toner bottle and outputting a sensor signal; anda CPU for controlling said motor driver and receiving the sensor signal, andsaid CPU controls said motor driver to rotate said toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a forward direction, senses said object assumed to be formed on an outer surface of said toner bottle by using said sensor, outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed,rotates said toner bottle through a predetermined angle in a reverse direction, senses said object by using said sensor, and outputs information indicating abnormality if said object is not sensed. 11. A method of detecting the amount of remaining toner, comprising the steps of: rotating a toner bottle and sensing the rotational speed by using a sensor; anddetecting the amount of remaining toner in said toner bottle on the basis of the sensed rotational speed,wherein the step of sensing the rotational speed of said toner bottle comprises: rotating said toner bottle, sensing one end portion of an object to be sensed of said toner bottle by using said sensor, and detecting a first time interval from the timing of sensing to the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion;detecting a second time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion of said object to the timing at which said sensor senses the one end portion; andcalculating the rotational speed of said toner bottle by using the first and second time intervals. 12. An apparatus for detecting the amount of remaining toner, comprising: a motor for rotating a toner bottle;a motor driver for driving said motor;a sensor for sensing an object to be sensed formed in a predetermined portion of said toner bottle and outputting a sensor signal; anda CPU for controlling said motor driver and detecting the amount of remaining toner by using the sensor signal,wherein said CPU controls said motor driver to rotate said toner bottle by said motor and detects the amount of remaining toner in said toner bottle on the basis of the output sensor signal from said sensor. 13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said CPU controls said motor driver to rotate said toner bottle by said motor, senses one end portion of said object of said toner bottle by using said sensor, detects a first time interval from the timing of sensing to the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion, detects a second time interval from the timing at which said sensor senses the other end portion of said object to the timing at which said sensor senses the one end portion,calculates the rotational speed of said toner bottle by using the first and second time intervals, and detects the amount of remaining toner in said toner bottle on the basis of the calculated rotational speed. 14. A toner bottle for use with an image forming apparatus, comprising: an elongated cylindrical bottle body that houses toner, the bottle body having an edge portion and an end portion, the end portion being positioned opposite to the edge portion in an axial direction along the bottle body, and a groove extending spirally around an outer surface of the bottle body between adjacent the edge portion and adjacent the end portion;a toner discharge port provided through a cylindrical wall of the bottle body adjacent the edge portion, the toner being discharged from the toner discharge port when the toner moves toward the edge portion during toner bottle rotation; anda rib being provided on the outer surface of the bottle body, being away from the toner discharge port, having a portion extending circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body, whose length is longer than a diameter of the toner discharge port, and having a top surface higher than the outer surface of the bottle body and the toner discharge port, wherein a portion of the rib is aligned with the toner discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body. 15. The toner bottle according to claim 14, wherein the portion of the rib aligned with the toner discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body is a center portion of the rib. 16. The toner bottle according to claim 14, wherein the rib extends circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body substantially parallel to the groove. 17. The toner bottle according to claim 14, wherein the rib extends circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body substantially parallel to the groove, and the portion of the rib aligned with the toner discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body is a center portion of the rib. 18. The toner bottle according to claim 17, wherein the rib extends partially along a circumference of the bottle body. 19. The toner bottle according to claim 18, wherein the bottle body further comprises a cap disposed on the edge portion, and the toner discharge port is provided on the cap. 20. The toner body according to claim 14, wherein the rib is provided on the outer surface of the bottle body adjacent the end portion. 21. A toner bottle for use with an image forming apparatus, comprising: an elongated cylindrical bottle body that houses toner, the bottle body having an edge portion and an end portion, the end portion being positioned opposite to the edge portion in an axial direction along the bottle body, and a groove extending spirally around an outer surface of the bottle body between adjacent the edge portion and adjacent the end portion;a toner discharge port provided through a cylindrical wall of the bottle body adjacent the edge portion, the toner being discharged from the toner discharge port when the toner moves toward the edge portion during toner bottle rotation; anda rib being provided on the outer surface of the bottle body, being away from the toner discharge port, having a portion extending circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body, whose length is longer than a diameter of the toner discharge port, and having a top surface higher than the toner discharge port, wherein a portion of the rib is aligned with the toner discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body. 22. The toner bottle according to claim 21, wherein the portion of the rib aligned with the toner discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body is a center portion of the rib. 23. The toner bottle according to claim 21, wherein the rib extends circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body substantially parallel to the groove. 24. The toner bottle according to claim 21, wherein the rib extends circumferentially along the outer surface of the bottle body substantially parallel to the groove, and the portion of the rib aligned with the outer discharge port in the axial direction along the bottle body is a center portion of the rib. 25. The toner bottle according to claim 24, wherein the rib extends partially along a circumference of the bottle body. 26. The toner bottle according to claim 25, wherein the bottle body further comprises a cap disposed on the edge portion, and the toner discharge port is provided on the cap. 27. The toner body according to claim 21, wherein the rib is provided on the outer surface of the bottle body adjacent the end portion.
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