| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately supplying toner by estimating, as correctly as possible, toner quantity consumed by a developing device for printing operation. <P>SOLUTION: The color printer 1 includes a developing device 5, a supply device 7, an estimating section 21a and a supply control section 21b. The developing device 5 has: a container main body 5a containing developer composed of toner and carrier, and divided into at least two sections in the direction of developer conveyance; and conveying rollers 5e and 5f that convey developer in the two or more sections in a circle in the direction of conveyance. The supply device 7 supplies toner to the developing device 5. Based on the print proportion d of image data, the estimating section 21a estimates a quantity of toner consumed in a printing operation for each section. The supply control section 21b controls the supply device 7 so that toner is supplied to one of the two or more sections in the container main body 5a. In this one, a difference between a quantity of toner before the printing operation and a quantity of toner estimated by the estimating section 21b is smaller than a predetermined value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT |
