POWDER DETECTION DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, POWDER DETECTION METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

A powder detection device includes a detection mechanism including an oscillation unit and a vibrated member, a vibrating member, and a detection unit. The oscillation unit outputs a signal having a frequency according to a state of a magnetic flux passing a space facing the oscillation unit. The vibrated member affecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside a container to face the oscillation unit via the container is vibrated by the vibrating member in a direction of facing the oscillation unit. The detection unit acquires frequency information of the signal at predetermined periods, determines presence/absence of an error of the detection mechanism based on error information associating a type of the error with a state of the signal, detects vibration of the vibrated member based on a change in the frequency information, and detects a remaining amount of powder in the container based on the detected vibration.

主权项

1. A powder detection device comprising:
a detection mechanism including
an oscillation unit to output an oscillation signal having a frequency according to a state of a magnetic flux passing through a space faced by the oscillation unit, anda vibrated member made of a material affecting the magnetic flux, and disposed inside a container to face the oscillation unit via a housing forming the container; a vibrating member to vibrate the vibrated member in a direction of facing the oscillation unit; and a detection unit to acquire signal frequency-related information related to the frequency of the oscillation signal of the oscillation unit at predetermined periods, determine presence or absence of an error of the detection mechanism based on error determination information, detect vibration of the vibrated member based on a change in the signal frequency-related information according to the vibration of the vibrated member, and detect a remaining amount of flowable powder in the container based on the detected vibration, the error determination information associating a type of the error of the detection mechanism with a state of the oscillation signal obtained based on the signal frequency-related information.