| 摘要 |
PURPOSE: To accurately detect the end of toner, without using a sensor by comparing toner consumption with the initial toner capacity of a storage means and detecting the end of the toner, when the toner consumption exceeds the initial toner capacity. CONSTITUTION: A CPU 51 allows an exposure device controller 54 to output a lighting instruction signal for controlling the lighting time of a light source in every dot to an exposure device, based on a multi-level image pattern extended in a RAM 53. Thus, the exposure device controls a pulse width, that is, the lighting time of the light source, based on the multi-level image pattern. Then, the pulse width of the light instruction signal in each dot is integrated. After that, an integrated time is converted into the toner consumption from the correspondence relation of the time of the pulse width and the toner consumption. In other words, the toner consumption is calculated. Further, the initial toner capacity previously set in a ROM 52 is compared with the toner consumption. In this comparison, when the toner consumption exceeds the initial toner capacity, the end of the toner is detected to inform an operator of it. |
