| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To perform stable detection of the remaining amount of toner every time, by detecting the variation of torque of members, such as rotary blade, etc., installed in the hopper, at the time of rotation. CONSTITUTION:A hopper 2, in which make-up feed toner 1 is contained, is fitted with a shaft 3 which is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 4 by an external driving source. The shaft 3 is fitted with a driving plate 5 and detecting plate 6, both of which have almost the same diameter, and the plate 5 is fixed to the shaft 3 and the plate 6 is loosely fitted to the shaft 3. On the inner surface of the plate 6 plural blade members 6a are fitted. When the hopper is filled with a sufficient amount of toner, detecting sections 5a and 6a are deviated from each other by the resistance force of the blade 6a, but as the amount of toner decreases they are arranged in one line by the force of a coil- like spring 7. When the detecting sections 5a and 6a are aligned completely, a lever 9 contacting with the plates 5 and 6 is rotated to a position where a lever 11 presses a switch 12. |
