| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To prevent the malfunction of an empty detecting sensor and to prevent the wear and damage of a detecting surface by providing a toner removing member which removes the toner deposited on the front of the detecting surface of the empty detecting sensor without contact with the detecting surface. CONSTITUTION:The top end of the toner removing member 12 comes into contact with an agitating member 10 which agitates the toner housed in a toner box 8 as the member 10 rotates. The member 12 is thereby moved to the position of a dotted line. The toner deposited on the front of the detecting surface 11a of the empty detecting sensor 11 is crumbled at the time of the movement of the member 12 to the home position by the elasticity thereof when the member 10 deviates from the top end of the member 12. Deposition of the toner only on the front of the detecting surface 11a is, therefore, prevented and the empty detection of the toner is thus exactly executed without contact with the detecting surface 11a. The wear and damage of the detecting surface are prevented and the generation of noise during the operation is prevented as well. |
