| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely detect that the quantity of toner remaining in a toner hopper is 'small.' SOLUTION: The device is provided with a stirring bar 9 which is rotated around a supporting shaft 8 so as to stir the toner 3 stored in the toner hopper 2, a driving gear 12 for rotating the stirring bar 9, and a magnetic sensor 11 for making the stirring bar raised with rotation by the driving gear 12 fall by gravity with rotation and detecting the quantity of the toner remaining in the toner hopper 2 based on the position of the stirring bar 9 just after the stirring bar 9 falls down, and the device is provided with a projection part 9a having a round tip part facing to a rotational direction on the front side in the rotational direction of the stirring bar 9. |
