| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus wherein a mechanism of cleaning the detection surface of an optical sensor is installed at a low cost while saving the space, and the detection surface can be cleaned at a regular cycle without causing failures. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus 1 having a transfer belt 26 composed of an endless belt, a plurality of image forming units 18M to 18K arranged side by side in a carrying direction by the transfer belt, a plurality of toner supply containers 25M to 25K freely attachably/detachably attached to one end side in a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction by transfer belt so as to correspond to the plurality of image forming units 18M to 18K, respectively, and optical sensors 66, 70 and 74 arranged facing the transfer belt 26, the apparatus 1 is provided with the cleaning member 90 which is energized to one end side in the direction orthogonal to the carrying direction by transfer belt so as to clean the detection surfaces 67, 71 and 75 of the optical sensors 66, 70 and 74 while sliding backward and forward linked with the replacing operation of one specified sensor 25K among the plurality of toner supply containers. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
