| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To detect a residual toner quantity by constituting a toner stirring member of a flexible material, detecting the distortion of the toner stirring member while toner is stirred and outputting a warning signal when the distortion is smaller than a prescribed value. CONSTITUTION:When a developing device 1 is filled with the toner, a load applied to the toner stirring member 7 is large, the toner stirring member 7 is largely bent, a distance from a magnet 8 to a coil 9 is long, the electromotive voltage of this coil 9 is low, and the warning signal is not outputted from a warning device 10. The toner in the developing device 1 is gradually consumed and the load applied to the toner stirring member 7 is gradually decreased, the distortion of the toner stirring member 7 is gradually reduced, the distance from the magnet 8 to the coil 9 is reduced and the electromotive voltage of the coil 9 is boosted. When the electromotive voltage becomes higher than a prescribed value, the warning signal is outputted from the warning device 10. Thus, the warning signal can be outputted when a usable toner quantity becomes smaller than a prescribed quantity. |
