| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner supply structure capable of accurately sensing a toner quantity, and to provide an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The toner supply structure includes: a rotary drum type developing unit with the toner stored therein, that rotates in a circumferential direction by taking the rotating shaft as a center; a sensor fixedly arranged independent from the rotation of the developing unit, for detecting the quantity of the toner stored in the developing unit through a detection window provided on the developing unit from outside the developing unit; a toner supply unit having a leading end part that can advance/separate to/from an opening part formed in the circumference of the developing unit; and a driving unit that drives the toner supply unit to move backward from the rotating axis toward nearly the outer circumferential direction. The driving unit brings the leading end part of the toner supply unit in press contact with the opening part of the developing unit, then, the stop position of the developing unit at the toner supply is fixed in a regular position, and also, the sensor detects the quantity of the toner in the developing unit fixed in the regular position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
