Image forming apparatus operable in mode that restricts toner supply
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorNoriyuki Okada
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus, which prohibits an image forming operation based on a detection result of a remaining amount detecting unit, thereafter immediately allows the image forming operation based on a detection result of a replacement detecting unit, performs a supply restriction mode which restricts a toner supply amount such that a toner supply amount in a predetermined initial period after allowing the image forming is smaller than that in a normal mode in a case where a detection result of a toner density detecting unit and a target value are under the same conditions, respectively.
Claims7
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member using toner and magnetic carrier;
- a toner supplying device configured to supply toner from a toner bottle storing toner for supply;
- a toner density detecting unit configured to detect information about a toner density inside of the developing device;
- a control unit configured to execute a normal mode which determines a toner supply amount of the toner supplying device on the basis of a difference value between on a detection result of the toner density detecting unit and a predetermined target value, wherein the controller executes the normal mode so that
- (i) when the difference value is a first difference value, the toner supply amount is a first toner supply amount, and
- (ii) when the difference value is a second difference value which is greater than the first difference value, the toner supply amount is a second toner supply amount which is greater than the first toner supply amount;
- a remaining amount detecting unit configured to detect information relating to a remaining amount of the toner bottle;
- and
- a replacement detecting unit configured to detect information for determining whether the toner bottle is to be replaced,
- wherein the control unit prohibits an image forming operation based on a detection result of the remaining amount detecting unit, thereafter the control unit immediately allows the image forming operation based on a detection result of the replacement detecting unit, and the control unit executes a supply restriction mode which determines a toner supply amount of the toner supplying device on the basis of the difference value, and
- wherein the control unit executes the supply restriction mode so that
- (i) when the difference value is the first difference value, the toner supply amount is a third toner supply amount which is less than the first toner supply amount, and
- (ii) when the difference value is the second difference value, the toner supply amount is a fourth toner supply amount which is less than the second toner supply amount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.