| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To form a device detecting toner residue recurely with a simple constitution by forming a detecting circuit detecting the contact of a fixed electrode with a rotary electrode plate flexibly fitted to a revolving shaft to be rotated in a toner tank on a part of a circular-arcuate inwall side of the toner tank. CONSTITUTION:When the toner tank 1 is filled with sufficient toner 7, the rotary electrode plate 12 rotates together with the rotation of an agitator shaft 10 and is bent by the load pushing away the toner 7 because the plate 12 is flexible, so that toner exists between the plate 12 and the wall side 2 and the plate 12 is not contacted with any one of the fixed electrodes 3-5. As the toner residue in the toner tank 1 is reduced, the leading end of the rotary electrode plate 12 is successively contacted with the fixed electrodes 3-5 by the force pushing away the toner 7 on the basis of the ridigity, so-called ''nerve'' of the plate 12. The detecting circuit 13 detects the contact of the rotary electrode plate 12 with the fixed electrodes 3-5 to conduct and outputs a signal alarming the reduction of the toner residue on the basis of the detection of display the reduction of the toner residue on a toner residue alarm display device on an operation/display part of an electrophotographic copying machine. |
