METHOD FOR PROLONGING LIFETIME OF DRUM MAINTAINING UNIT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for prolonging the lifetime of a drum maintaining unit. ;SOLUTION: The ratio of release agent being used is determined based on the percentage of ink coverage of each print. It is integrated for respective prints and every time when the integrated ratio changes in integer value, the maintenance counter of a drum maintaining unit is decremented by 1 from an initial rated number of sheets and the remaining number of print sheets is indicated. When the remaining number of print sheets reaches a designated small value, the maintenance counter decrements by 1 every time when a sheet of print increases, and thereby variation in the consumption of release agent per print sheet from an estimated value can be allowed. Consequently, the lifetime of a drum maintaining unit having rated lifetime of 30,000 sheets of print can be prolonged by 40% or more.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2001,JPO