| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid a situation in which a quantity of remaining toner is erroneously detected or determined due to seeming toner separated or caused to fall within a cartridge, with the result that, even though toner is actually insufficient, printing is continued, leading to printing failure. <P>SOLUTION: After a low-quantity-of-toner determination 24 determines that toner in the cartridge has consumed and decreased by printing, the quantity of toner is below a predetermined quantity and, accordingly, toner is insufficient, toner sticking to the internal wall of the cartridge is separated and caused to fall onto a rising surface [refer to reference numeral 3 in drawings (a) and (b) in FIG. 7 (not shown)] and, as a result, a stir bar 4 is moved onto the rising surface such that the quantity of toner is seemingly increased and the low-quantity-of-toner determination is canceled. To counteract this, print dots are counted by a measuring section 22 to compare it with a predetermined number of print dots, thereby making a redetermination. Through display indicating a low quantity of toner and display indicating toner is empty, a user is informed that printing would be continued by the erroneous detection or erroneous determination due to the seeming quantity of toner. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
