| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To keep always a detecting means clean by moving a toner in a developing device with gravity each time when the developing device is shifted to a development position and arranging the toner detecting means in this moving area and removing a moving toner by collision with the toner stuck to the detecting means. CONSTITUTION:A supply toner 15 is moved along the inside wall of a storage vessel 5 in accordance with turning of a supporting body 4, and the moving direction is determined by gravity and is perpendicular to the axial direction of the revolving shaft of the supporting body 4. Detecting elements 10a and 10b facing each other with a prescribed gap between them are arranged in the axial direction of the revolving shaft 3. When the supporting body 4 is rotated once, the toner 15 is dropped or flowed at least once through the gap between detecting elements 10 facing each other by gravity and rubs detecting surfaces of elements 10a and 10b and is stuck and accumulated temporarily on a part of detecting elements 10a and 10b. However, the supply toner 15 penetrates the gap between both elements and collides with the stuck toner 15a to generate a shearing force on the boundary face between detecting surfaces and the stuck toner, and the stuck toner 15a is peeled efficiently. |
