Image forming apparatus and cleaning of image forming apparatus

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearing members, replaceable development units, replaceable toner replenishing members, toner supply units, and a control unit. The development units are each provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of image bearing members. The toner replenishing members are each provided for a corresponding one of the development units. The toner supply units are arranged between the respective toner replenishing members and the development units. The control unit causes the image forming apparatus to execute a toner supply unit cleaning mode to convey a last-used toner inside the toner supply unit into the development unit which is last used and to be replaced to empty the toner supply unit, when replacement of the development unit and the corresponding toner replenishing member is designated to use a toner of a type different from the last-used toner.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of image bearers; replaceable developing devices each provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of image bearers to render electrostatic latent images formed on respective image bearers visible as toner images based on image data; replaceable toner replenishers each provided for a corresponding one of the replaceable developing devices to replenish toner to respective replaceable developing devices; toner suppliers arranged between respective toner replenishers and the respective replaceable developing devices; and a controller configured to cause the image forming apparatus to perform a cleaning mode by conveying a last-used toner inside a toner supplier arranged between a corresponding replaceable toner replenisher and a corresponding replaceable developing device to the corresponding replaceable developing device to empty the toner supplier, when replacements of the corresponding replaceable developing device and the corresponding replaceable toner replenisher are designated to use a toner of a type different from the last-used toner.