| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of discriminating that consumables are all consumed without confusing it with malfunction such as trouble. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 to which two or more kinds of consumable units 7K having different initial holding amount of consumables and provided with a memory 8 for storing information showing the initial holding amount can be attached has: a residual amount detection means 13 detecting variation correlating with the residual amount of the consumables; and a residual amount estimating means for calculating the estimated residual amount of the consumables based on the action amount of the image forming apparatus. When the estimated residual amount is smaller than a prescribed first estimated amount threshold T<SB>NE</SB>, a user is informed that the residual amount of the consumables is small. When the estimated residual amount is smaller than prescribed second estimated amount thresholds T<SB>EL</SB>and T<SB>ES</SB>and the variation is smaller than a prescribed variation threshold, the user is informed that the consumables are all consumed. The second estimated amount thresholds T<SB>EL</SB>and T<SB>ES</SB>are set to different values for every consumable unit in accordance with the initial holding amount. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
