| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner residual quantity detector which is capable of accurate and easy detection with a simple mechanism without increasing the number of parts. SOLUTION: The toner residual quantity detector 1 is attached to an image forming device provided with a toner cartridge 10 having replenishment toner filled therein and a developing unit 20 having the toner supplied thereto from the toner cartridge 10 and detects the residual quantity of toner in the toner cartridge 10, and a vertical supply path 2 is provided through which the toner is dropped and supplied from the toner cartridge 10 to the developing unit 20, and a light-transmissive expansion part 3 which has faces 3a and 3b opposed to each other expanded outward in a radial direction is formed on the vertical supply path 2, and an upper wall surface 4 inclined downward from the upper part of the expansion part 3 to the vertical supply path 2 is formed, and a light emitting element 6 is attached to one of the faces 3a and 3b opposed to each other, and a light receiving element 7 is attached to the other, and thus it is detected whether toner dropping in the vertical supply path exists or not. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
