| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of uniformly maintaining the quality of a developing material in a developing device. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes the developing device that circulates developer stored inside, carries the circulated developer on a developing roller for transfer, and performs development on an image carrier, and this developing device can discharge some of the stored developer. In the image forming apparatus, when cells C<SB>1</SB>to C<SB>12</SB>is divided into a plurality of developer circulation path, a plurality of bulk counters B<SB>1</SB>to B<SB>12</SB>of the number which is equal to that of the cells C<SB>1</SB>to C<SB>12</SB>, are also provided. A deterioration counter representing the progress of developer deterioration is derived for each cell, and the deterioration counts are added to the corresponding bulk counters B<SB>1</SB>to B<SB>12</SB>, respectively. Bulk counters B<SB>1</SB>to B<SB>12</SB>for adding deterioration counts are moved in order for each time which requires developer to pass one of the cells C<SB>1</SB>to C<SB>12</SB>, and according to the value of the bulk counter, the amount of developer to be discharged from the developing device is adjusted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT |
