Waste developer collecting device, image forming apparatus, and waste developer collecting method

A waste developer collecting device which collects a waste developer used in and discharged from a developing device which carries out a development process with a developer containing toner and carrier, comprising:

• a collecting container for collecting the developer discharged from the developing device;
• and
• a collecting container fixing section for fixing the collecting container by causing the collecting container to be positioned so that the collecting container is able to collect the developer discharged from the developing device,
• the collecting container including a collecting tank, which is a bag made of a soft elastic body, for storing the developer collected.

A waste developer collecting device which collects a waste developer used in and discharged from a developing device which carries out a development process with a developer containing toner and carrier, the developing device comprising:

• a developer tank for storing the developer;
• a developer discharge opening which is formed at a bottom of the developer tank and is openable and closable;
• a conveying section for conveying to the developer discharge opening the developer stored in the developer tank;
• and
• an interval change section which changes an interval between the bottom of the developer tank and the conveying section.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of developing devices which respectively carry out development processes with developers containing toner and carrier;
• and
• a waste developer collecting device which collects waste developers used in and discharged from the developing devices,
• the waste developer collecting device including:
• a collecting container for collecting the developers discharged from the developing devices;
• and
• a collecting container fixing section for fixing the collecting container by causing the collecting container to be positioned so that the collecting container is able to collect the developers discharged from the developing devices,
• the collecting container being provided at a specific fixed position by the collecting container fixing section so that the collecting container is able to collect the developers discharged from at least two or more of said plurality of the developing devices.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of developing devices which respectively carry out development processes with developers containing toner and carrier;
• and
• a waste developer collecting device which collects waste developers used in and discharged from the developing devices,
• the waste developer collecting device including:
• a collecting container for collecting the developers discharged from the developing devices;
• and
• a collecting container fixing section for fixing the collecting container by causing the collecting container to be positioned so that the collecting container is able to collect the developers discharged from the developing devices,
• the collecting container including a collecting tank, which is a bag made of a soft elastic body, for storing the developer collected.

An image forming apparatus comprising a waste developer collecting device which collects a waste developer used in and discharged from a developing device which carries out a development process with a developer containing toner and carrier, the developing device including:

• a developer tank for storing the developer;
• a developer discharge opening which is formed at a bottom of the developer tank and is openable and closable;
• a conveying section for conveying to the developer discharge opening the developer stored in the developer tank;
• and
• an interval change section which changes an interval between the bottom of the developer tank and the conveying section.

A method for collecting a waste developer used in and discharged from a developing device including:

• a developer tank for storing a developer containing toner and carrier;
• a developer discharge opening which is formed at a bottom of the developer tank and is openable and closable;
• and a conveying section for conveying to the developer discharge opening the developer stored in the developer tank, the method comprising the steps of:
• detecting an amount of the developer in the developer tank;
• and
• changing an interval between a bottom of the developer tank and the conveying section in according with a result of a detection in said detecting step.