WASTE TONER DETECTING DEVICE

摘要

PURPOSE:To eliminate an erroneous detection due to the toner stuck onto the wall of a container by detecting that the container is filled with waste toner by the prescribed amount and giving caution when the top surface of the waste toner reaches the focus position of the optical sensor. CONSTITUTION:The reflection type optical sensor 21 is disposed at a position capable of directly detecting the top surface of the toner stored in the waste toner container 1. The optical sensor 21 has the detection focus at a specified distance and outputs the signal for showing that the top surface of the toner stored in the waste toner container 1 reaches the focus position. In this case, the optical sensor 21 is provided adjacently to the discharging port 15 of the device main body side so as to be confronted with the receiving port 18 of the waste toner container 1. The specified signal is outputted by the optical sensor 21 when the top surface of the stored toner reaches its focus position to give caution that the container is filled with the waste toner by the specified amount (full supply) through the appropriate display means to urge the worker to abandon the waste toner.