TONER CONCENTRATION DETECTION SENSOR, IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, AND TONER CONCENTRATION DETECTING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect concentration of toner with high accuracy irrespective of small pattern for detection.

SOLUTION: Each of detection sensors includes: 19 light-emitting parts arranged in a row at equal intervals along the main direction to emit luminous flux toward a transfer belt; 19 condenser lenses for illumination for converging the luminous flux emitted from each of light-emitting parts; 19 light-receiving parts for receiving the luminous flux reflected by the transfer belt or toner pattern; and a processor. The processor of each detection sensor obtains quantity of received light in each of light-receiving parts based on output signals from the 19 light-emitting parts when the toner pattern is illuminated by light for detection and flare light, checks a first reference quantity of received light being the quantity of received light in each of light-receiving parts when the transfer belt 2040 is illuminated by the light for detection and the flare light against a second reference quantity of received light being the quantity of received light in each of light-receiving parts when the pattern for detection is illuminated by only the light for detection, and separates the quantity of received and detected light into quantity of received light by diffused and reflected light and quantity of received light by regularly reflected light.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT