IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• Main Author: TANIGUCHI RYO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 12.05.2022
• Subjects: CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS

To provide an image forming apparatus capable of reducing a frequency of vibrating a supply path with a vibration motor.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: a vibration device 57 for vibrating a supply path 51; first means for acquiring a toner residual amount of a toner container 27; second means 59 for detecting a toner concentration of a developing device 33; a conveyance member 55; and a control unit. The control unit executes normal supply if a toner concentration detected by the second means 59 is lower than a threshold value but not lower than a target value that is lower than the threshold value. However, if a toner concentration detected by the second means 59 is lower than the target value, and a toner residual amount acquired by the first means is larger than a residual amount for which it is determined that exchange of the toner container 27 is required, the control unit executes first forced supply during which the conveyance member 55 is driven to convey toner from the toner container 27 to the developing device 33, and during which the vibration device 57 vibrates the supply path 51 using a force stronger than at the time of normal supply.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A 【課題】振動モーターで補給路を振動させる頻度を少なくできる画像形成装置を提供する。【解決手段】画像形成装置は、補給路５１を振動させる振動装置５７と、トナーコンテナ２７のトナー残量を取得する第１手段と、現像装置３３のトナー濃度を検知する第２手段５９と、搬送部材５５と、制御部と、を備え、前記制御部は、前記第２手段５９で検知されたトナー濃度が、閾値よりも低くかつ該閾値よりも低い目標値よりも低くない場合には通常補給を実行し、前記第２手段５９で検知されたトナー濃度が、前記目標値よりも低く、かつ、前記第１手段で取得されたトナー残量が、前記トナーコンテナ２７の交換が必要と判定される残量よりも多い場合には、前記搬送部材５５を駆動して前記トナーコンテナ２７から前記現像装置３３へトナーを搬送すると共に前記振動装置５７が前記通常補給時よりも強い力で前記補給路５１を振動させる第１強制補給を実行する。【選択図】図２Ａ