Image forming apparatus and apparatus

An apparatus comprising:

• a storing container that is attachably and detachably provided and that stores powder having been transported;
• a transporting section that includes a storage path storing the powder and that transports the powder along the storage path;
• a first discharging part that is provided so as to be allowed to be shut off, and that discharges, to an outside of the storage path, the powder having been transported by the transporting section;
• a second discharging part that is provided downstream of the first discharging part in a transporting direction of the powder and that discharges, to the storing container from the storage path, the powder having been transported by the transporting section;
• a controller that causes the first discharging part having been shut off to be opened when the storing container is removed, and that causes the powder transported from an upstream of the first discharging part in the transporting direction of the powder to be discharged from the first discharging part;
• and
• a powder storage part that stores the powder located downstream of the first discharging part in the transporting direction of the powder and discharged from the second discharging part when the first discharging part is caused to be opened by the controller,
• wherein the powder storage part has a capacity that is not less than an amount of the powder allowed to be stored in the storage path between the first discharging part and the second discharging part.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium;
• a first storing container that is attachably and detachably provided and that stores waste powder having been discarded and transported from the image forming section;
• a second storing container that is attachably and detachably provided and that stores waste powder having been discarded and transported from the image forming section;
• a transporting part that transports the waste powder from the image forming section;
• a first discharging part that discharges, to the first storing container, the waste powder having been transported by the transporting part;
• a second discharging part that is provided downstream of the first discharging part in a transporting direction of the waste powder and that discharges, to the second storing container, the waste powder having been transported by the transporting part;
• and
• a shutter part that shuts off the first discharging part,
• wherein the shutter part shuts off the first discharging part when a predetermined amount of the waste powder is stored in the first storing container, and opens the first discharging part when a predetermined amount of the waste powder is stored in the second storing container, and
• wherein, when a predetermined amount of the waste powder is stored in the second storing container, the transporting part transports, to the second discharging part and for storage in the second storing container, the waste powder located downstream of the first discharging part in the transporting direction of the waste powder, and transports, to the first discharging part and for storage in the first storing container, the waste powder located upstream of the first discharging part in the transporting direction of the waste powder.