Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
Image forming apparatus and method for obtaining appropriate toner density
 An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a latent image forming device that forms a latent image on the image bearing member, a developing device that develops latent image on said image bearing member to a toner image with a two-component developer, and a toner density detecting device that detects toner density of the two-component developer in which the toner image is formed and outputted as a visible image onto a transfer member. A control device is provided for agitating the developer for a predetermined time period during an initial setting is performed for the developer, detecting a toner density of said developer after the predetermined agitation, and performing an abnormal process when a result of the detection is out of the predetermined range. A corresponding method recovers from a deterioration of an amount of charge of the toner and decreased bulk of the developer, and includes the steps of detecting a developer amount with an unused-state detection switch, detecting an output value of a toner density detecting sensor, agitating the developer, measuring an agitating time period, stopping the agitating operation indicating warning, and indicating error message. 
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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inventional inventional inventional
Haruji Mayumi Masaru Kenzou Toshitaka Hiroshi Ken Shigeru Takeo
Mizuishi Oh-Hori Tanaka Tatsumi Yamaguchi Yoshinaga Amemiya Watanabe Suda