| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developer container, wherein the state of developer, such as viscosity or the liquid surface level, is detected by a common sensor. SOLUTION: The developer container comprises at least one movable member which is disposed in a predetermined initial position, when the developer is not stirred and constituted so as to be displaced from the initial position by allowing a pressure receiving part to receive the pressure from the developer, while the developer is stirred by a stirring means; a position detection means which is disposed outside of the developer and used for detecting at least whether the movable member is in the initial position; a liquid surface level detection means for detecting the height of the surface of the developer by allowing the position detection means to detect whether the movable member is in the initial position, when the stirring means is diven to rotate by the drive means; and a viscosity detection means for detecting the viscosity of the developer by measuring time needed for the movable member to return to the initial position, after the rotation of the stirring means by the drive means stops, when the movable member has been displaced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
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