Control device, image forming apparatus, and control method

An image forming apparatus including a control device that drives a main driving device, the main driving device being a driving device among a plurality of driving devices each used to discharge recording material from a recording material container filled with the recording material to replenish, with the recording material, a recording material storing unit that stores the recording material, the main driving device having the recording material container connected thereto and being intended to be driven, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a recording material amount setting unit configured to refer to association information in which pieces of state information indicating whether the respective driving devices are malfunctioning are associated with the respective driving devices, and, when any one of the driving devices that have the recording material containers attached thereto is found malfunctioning, set an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the one of the driving devices to a first predetermined value;
• and
• a main driving device switching unit configured to, when an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first predetermined value, stop driving the main driving device and then, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first predetermined value, switch the main driving device to the one driving device.

A control method performed by a control device that drives a main driving device, the main driving device being a driving device among a plurality of driving devices each used discharge recording material from a recording material container filled with the recording material to replenish, with the recording material, a recording material storing unit that stores the recording material, the main driving device having the recording material container connected thereto and being intended to be driven, the control method comprising:

• referring to association information in which pieces of state information indicating whether the respective driving devices are malfunctioning are associated with the respective driving devices, and, when any one of the driving devices that have the recording material containers attached thereto is found malfunctioning, setting an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the one of the driving devices to a first predetermined value;
• and
• stopping, when an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first predetermined value, driving the main driving device and then switching, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first predetermined value, the main driving device to the one driving device.