Apparatus and method for forming image including controlling supply of new and recycled toner

An image forming apparatus comprising

• a recovered toner hopper which temporarily stores recovered toner;
• a coupling and transfer auger to transfer the recovered toner from a cleaner unit to the recovered toner hopper;
• a recovered toner replenishment auger to replenish the recovered toner stored in the recovered toner hopper into a developing device;
• a new toner hopper which stores new toner;
• a new toner replenishment auger to replenish the new toner stored in the new toner hopper into the developing device;
• a toner save mode setting key to set a toner save mode;
• and
• a controller configured to individually control the recovered toner replenishment auger and the new toner replenishment auger and to execute, when the toner save mode is set, any one or two or more of a step of increasing the ratio of the amount of the recovered toner to be supplied to the amount of the new toner while maintaining the total amount of the recovered toner and the new toner to be supplied into the developing device constant, a step of reducing the total amount of the recovered toner and the new toner to be supplied into the developing device, and a step of stopping the new toner to be supplied into the developing device and supplying only the recovered toner.

An image forming method comprising

• transferring recovered toner from a cleaner unit to a recovered toner hopper which temporarily stores recovered toner;
• replenishing the recovered toner stored in the recovered toner hopper into a developing device;
• replenishing a new toner stored in a new toner hopper into the developing device;
• setting a toner save mode;
• and
• reducing an amount of the new toner replenished into the developing device, if the toner save mode is set.