| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a quantity of remaining toner in a toner container until the toner in the toner container is used up even in a mode in which the rotating speed of the stirring member of the image forming apparatus is low. <P>SOLUTION: Toner T in the toner container 25 is consumed while each stirring member 28a, 28b is rotated at 1/4 of its rotating speed from the beginning. When the passage time required for the detection light L of the remaining developer quantity detecting device to pass through the toner container 25 reaches the maximum value (= when it enters an area Z), the rotating speed of each stirring member 28a, 28b is altered to the normal speed from 1/4 of the rotating speed in a post-rotating process which is performed after a multicolor image forming apparatus outputs an image. The rotating speed of stirring member 28a, 28b used up to the present time is switched from a remaining toner quantity detection sequence for 1/4 of the speed to a remaining toner quantity detection sequence for a normal speed, thereby measuring a quantity of toner T remaining in the toner container 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO |
