| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable determination with a simple configuration requiring no determination means for a toner bottle, as to whether a toner bottle has been replaced with the new one for an image forming apparatus supplying toner to a sub-hopper from the toner bottle and to a development device from the sub-hopper using a common drive source. <P>SOLUTION: When an empty-sensor 705 disposed in a sub-hopper 70 is turned ON (S1), a set value of a toner concentration in the development device 43 is set at a value smaller than a normal value (S2). If a toner bottle 72 has possibly been detached (S7), a drive source 721 is driven (S8). When the empty-sensor 705 is turned OFF from ON (S9), it is determined that the toner bottle has been replaced with the new one, thereby changing the set value of the toner concentration in the development device 43 back to the normal value (S10). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
