| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tandem type color image forming apparatus that recycles toner from a latent image carrier, the apparatus being configured to prevent a color change without increasing the size of the apparatus even if there are differences between color toners in the frequency of uses. <P>SOLUTION: In the color image forming apparatus of a tandem type, a cleaning means of each image forming unit is provided with recovered toner storage units (Y31, C31, M31, K31) for storing recovered toner, and a remaining quantity detecting means (Y32, C32, M32, K32) for detecting that the recovered toner stored in the recovered storage units has decreased to a fixed quantity. If the remaining quantity detecting means detects that recovered toner has decreased to the fixed quantity in any of the color image forming units (3Y, 3C, and 3M), a solid image is formed and recovered onto the latent image carrier (Y, C, M) during image non-formation, and an insufficient quantity of toner is recovered and stored into the recovered toner storage units. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT |
