JP2005121952A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of enhancing the degree of freedom in terms of the arrangement of a light emitting element and a light receiving element and design on the shape of a toner container. <P>SOLUTION: The arrangement of an incident light transmitting part 18 making light incident on the toner container 9b loaded in an apparatus main body 1 from the light emitting element 21b of a photointerruptor 20b and an exiting light transmitting part 16 making light exit to the light receiving element 22b outside the toner container 9b from the toner container 9b is freely designed excepting a restriction that either or both of them are provided on the bottom part 17 of the toner container 9b, and the arrangement of the light emitting element 21b and the light receiving element 22b is more freely designed than the above-mentioned one. The toner container 9b is freely designed excepting a restriction that the inner surface of the incident light transmission part 18 and the inner surface of the bottom part 17, for instance, cleaned by a wiper 19 are made the same plane. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using electrophotographic technology, and more particularly, a toner container that contains toner is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, and the toner container is not loaded and is loaded. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a photo interrupter for detecting the amount of toner remaining in the toner.

  A loading chamber in which a toner container for storing toner is loaded is formed in the main body of the apparatus, the toner chamber is not loaded in the loading chamber, and the remaining amount of toner in the toner container loaded in the loading chamber is determined. An image forming apparatus provided with a photo interrupter for detection is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707.

In this prior art, two recesses are formed in the bottom of the toner container, the light-emitting element of the photo interrupter is stored in one of the two recesses, and the light-receiving element is stored in the other, and the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are opposed to each other. And detecting that the toner container is not loaded by detecting that there is no light-shielding object (toner) between the two, and based on the state where the light traveling straight from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element is shielded by the toner It is determined whether the remaining amount of toner has reached a predetermined warning value (near empty).
Japanese Patent No. 3058008

  However, according to this prior art, the arrangement of the light emitting element and the light receiving element is limited to the recess formed in the bottom of the toner container, and it is necessary to make the light emitting element and the light receiving element face each other. There is a problem that the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement of the elements and the light receiving elements and the shape of the toner container is significantly limited.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of solving the problems of the prior art and significantly increasing the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement of the light emitting element and the light receiving element and the shape of the toner container. Objective.

  In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, it is possible to detect that a toner container is not loaded in the apparatus main body using a photo interrupter, and to determine the remaining amount of toner in the toner container loaded in the apparatus main body. In the image forming apparatus configured to be able to detect, an incident translucent portion for allowing light to enter the toner container from the light emitting element of the photo interrupter and / or the toner container from the toner container to the bottom of the toner container An outgoing translucent part for emitting light to the light receiving element of the photo interrupter arranged outside is provided so that the inner surface thereof is flush with the inner surface of the bottom part, and is supported by the stirring shaft in the toner container. Further, a technical means is provided in which a wiper for cleaning the incident light transmitting portion and / or the outgoing light transmitting portion provided at the bottom of the toner container is provided.

  In the present invention, the light-emitting element of the photointerrupter is not particularly limited, but in order to make the outgoing light efficiently enter the incident light-transmitting part of the loaded toner container, that is, the position facing the incident light-transmitting part, that is, the light-emitting element. It is preferable to arrange at a position where the outgoing optical axis of the first side faces the incident translucent part.

  Here, it is not essential for the present invention that the outer surface of the incident light transmitting part is orthogonal to the outgoing optical axis of the light emitting element, but the light emitted from the light emitting element is dissipated by reflection at the incident light transmitting part. In order to prevent this, it is preferable to make the outer surface of the incident light transmitting portion orthogonal to the outgoing optical axis of the light emitting element, and it is more preferable to make the inner surface orthogonal to the outer surface.

  In the present invention, the light-receiving element of the photointerrupter is not particularly limited, but is emitted from the light-transmitting portion of the loaded toner container in order to efficiently receive the light emitted from the light-transmitting portion of the loaded toner container. It is preferable that the light receiving element is disposed so that the incident optical axis of the light receiving element coincides with the outgoing optical axis of the outgoing light transmitting part.

  However, it is not essential in the present invention that the light emitting element and the light receiving element are opposed to each other, that is, the light emitting element is aligned with the light receiving optical axis of the light receiving element. In order to detect the value, i.e., the user has recommended that the toner container be replaced, the amount of the incident light-transmitting portion and the light-emitting light-transmitting portion is arranged at the bottom of the toner container. It only has to be done.

  Here, in order to deepen the understanding of the present invention, the principle of detecting that the toner container is not loaded in the present invention (hereinafter referred to as non-loading) and the remaining amount of toner in the loaded toner container are warning values. The principle of detecting that the amount has been reduced will be described below.

  First, the present invention is applied to a case where a part or all of the light emitted from the light emitting element is directed directly to the light receiving element and a case where the light emitted from the light emitting element is directed to a direction other than the light receiving element. .

  When a part or all of the light emitted from the light emitting element is directed to the light receiving element, the amount of light received by the light receiving element when there is no toner container (unloaded) between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. Is different. That is, the toner container filled with toner blocks the optical path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element when loaded, and thus the light receiving amount of the light receiving element continues to be zero, and when not loaded, the optical path from the light emitting element to the light receiving element Since there is nothing to block, the state where the amount of light received by the light receiving element reaches the maximum value continues.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when a part or all of the light emitted from the light emitting element is directed to the light receiving element, the state in which the amount of received light reaches the maximum value is a predetermined time, for example, the time for which the stirring shaft rotates once. A method of detecting unloading by detecting the continuity as described above is adopted.

  When the light emitted from the light emitting element is not directed to the light receiving element, when a toner container filled with toner is loaded, a part of the light emitted from the light emitting element is absorbed by the toner in contact with the incident light transmitting portion. The remaining portion is irregularly reflected from the toner and is received by the light receiving element, and when the toner container is not loaded, the light receiving element is continuously not received, or the light reflected by the wall surface of the loading chamber is reflected. The state of receiving light continues.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when the light emitted from the light emitting element is not directed to the light receiving element, the state where the light receiving element does not receive light or the state where the light reflected by the wall surface of the loading chamber is received for a predetermined time, for example, Unloading is detected by detecting that the agitation shaft continues for more than one revolution.

  Of these detection methods, the most efficient is a method of detecting unloading by directing all of the light emitted from the light emitting element to the light receiving element and detecting the state in which the light receiving element continuously receives light.

  In the present invention, in order to carry out one method selected from these detection methods, the toner container is loaded by detecting that the light receiving state of the light receiving element continues uniformly for a predetermined time or more. A configuration characterized in that a non-load detection unit for detecting absence is provided.

  In the present invention, if necessary, the operation time of the non-load detection unit can be limited so that detection of non-load is performed only for a predetermined time after the maintenance cover is closed, for example.

  In the present invention, if necessary, when the non-load detection unit detects non-load, a non-load alarm means for notifying the user or a manager entrusted by the user, or image formation It is also possible to provide image formation prohibiting means for prohibiting the image forming operation of the apparatus.

  In the present invention, the principle of detecting the remaining amount of toner is the same whether a part or all of the emitted light from the light emitting element is directed or when the emitted light from the light emitting element is not directed to the light receiving element.

  In other words, the light emitting element acts as a light source for illuminating the inside of the toner, the light receiving element receives light emitted from the light transmitting portion of the illumination light in the toner, and the toner in the toner container is transferred from the light emitting element to the toner. It functions as a shutter that opens and closes an incident light path into the container, a shutter that opens and closes an outgoing light path from the toner container to the light receiving element, or a shutter that also serves as these shutters.

  The shutter action of toner will be described in more detail as follows.

  When the wiper supported by the stirring shaft cleans the inner surface of the translucent part provided at the bottom of the toner container, the toner density is maintained above a certain level in the direction in which the wiper is facing. The toner density is sparse. When the remaining amount of toner decreases below a predetermined value, a portion where the toner is interrupted appears where the wiper passes.

  Therefore, when the remaining amount of toner becomes less than a predetermined value, light can be transmitted from a portion where the toner is formed after the wiper passes, and the light is blocked by the toner and the toner is interrupted and the light is transmitted. The state is repeated alternately at the same cycle as the rotation cycle of the stirring shaft.

  The light that has passed through the toner shutter is received by the light receiving element, and the light receiving element generates a pulse signal. The waveform of the pulse signal varies depending on the remaining amount of toner. For example, the pulse height increases as the remaining amount of toner decreases until the remaining amount of toner is reduced to a certain value after the pulse signal is output, and eventually stabilizes at a predetermined value. Further, after the pulse height is stabilized at the predetermined value, the time during which the predetermined pulse height continues (high time) becomes longer as the remaining amount of toner decreases. In addition, the falling characteristic of the pulse signal changes in accordance with the remaining amount of toner.

  In short, the period of the pulse signal that appears when the remaining amount of toner becomes a predetermined value or less is constant, but the waveform changes corresponding to the remaining amount of toner, so the waveform at the time of the warning value is stored in the storage means. In addition, it is possible to detect that the remaining amount of toner is below the warning value by comparing the waveform of the pulse signal actually generated by the light receiving element with the stored waveform at the warning value.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the storage means for storing the waveform of the signal generated by the light receiving element when the remaining amount of toner is a predetermined warning value, and the waveform of the signal generated by the light receiving element and the waveform of the storage means are compared. Thus, a configuration is adopted in which a warning value detection unit for detecting that the remaining amount of toner in the loaded toner container is equal to or less than the warning value is provided.

  In the present invention, one or both of the incident translucent part and the outgoing translucent part are disposed at the bottom of the toner container, that is, the toner shutter is disposed at the bottom of the toner container. In addition to being suitable for detection of the remaining amount of toner, the warning value is set small, and the amount of toner remaining in the toner container at the time of replacement is reduced, which is extremely advantageous in reducing waste of resources.

  Of course, in the present invention, the remaining amount warning means for notifying the user and the administrator entrusted by the user that the warning value detecting means has detected non-loading, and the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus are prohibited. Image formation prohibiting means can be provided.

  By the way, in the present invention, the light emitting element only has to act as a light source for illuminating the inside of the loaded toner container. Therefore, the light emitting element is directed to the light receiving element, that is, the light emitting element is opposed to the light receiving element. It is not necessary, and when the light emitting element and the light receiving element are opposed to each other, there is no problem even if there is a stirring shaft that prevents the light from going straight between them.

  This is because the light detected by the light receiving element is this illumination light, and the history of the light received by the light receiving element is not a problem other than the history that the light receiving element receives light from the outgoing light transmitting portion.

  However, in the present invention, the fact that the light emitting element and the light receiving element do not need to face each other does not exclude the fact that they face each other with the incident light transmitting part and the output light transmitting part sandwiched therebetween. In both the detection of unloading and the detection of the remaining amount of toner, it is preferable that the two are opposed to each other with the incident light-transmitting portion and the output light-transmitting portion sandwiched between them in order to reduce the loss due to light dissipation between them. It is said.

  By the way, in the present invention, the incident translucent part and / or the outgoing translucent part are arranged at the bottom of the toner container. The incident translucent part is arranged at the bottom of the toner container and the outgoing translucent part. This means that there are cases where both the incident and exit translucent parts are arranged. When both the incident and exit translucent parts are provided at the bottom, both the incident and exit translucent parts are provided. May be continuous with each other.

  In the case where both the incident translucent part and the outgoing translucent part are provided at the bottom of the container, it is preferable to synchronize the incidence of light from the light emitting element to the toner container and the emission of light from the toner container to the light receiving element, For this purpose, both light-transmitting parts are arranged in the axial direction of the stirring shaft, and a common wiper that cleans both light-transmitting parts simultaneously or two wipers that clean both light-transmitting parts individually and simultaneously are provided. It is preferable to provide two wipers for individually and simultaneously cleaning the translucent portions whose positions are different in the rotation direction.

  In the present invention, if necessary, the remaining amount for notifying the user or an administrator entrusted by the user when the warning value detecting unit detects that the remaining amount of toner is equal to or less than the warning value. It is possible to provide an alarm unit or an image formation prohibiting unit that prohibits the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus when the warning value detecting unit detects that the toner remaining amount is equal to or less than the warning value. .

  By the way, as described above, in the present invention, the arrangement of the incident light transmitting part and the outgoing light transmitting part is limited due to the incident light transmitting part and / or the outgoing light transmitting part being provided at the bottom of the toner container. Within this limit, the position of the incident light transmitting part, the position of the outgoing light transmitting part, and their relative positions can be freely set both in the axial direction of the stirring shaft and in the rotational direction of the stirring shaft. Therefore, the degree of freedom of design can be remarkably increased as compared with the prior art.

  As for the position and direction of the light emitting element, it is necessary that the position and direction be such that light can be emitted to the incident translucent part, which has a remarkably high degree of design freedom in arrangement as compared with the prior art. There is no specific limitation on the position and orientation with respect to the incident translucent part, except for certain restrictions, and as described above, there is no restriction on the relative position and orientation with respect to the light receiving element. The degree of design freedom regarding the arrangement of the elements is higher than those of the above-described incident light transmitting portions in terms of both the position and the direction, and is further greatly increased as compared with the prior art.

  This also applies to the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement of the light receiving elements.

  Further, the shape of the toner container is not limited except that the inner surface of the bottom portion is flush with the inner surface of the incident light transmitting portion and / or the outgoing light transmitting portion disposed on the bottom portion. The degree can be remarkably increased as compared with that of the prior art. For example, the toner container can be formed in the same shape as a toner container applied to a model that does not use the photo-interrupter, thereby increasing the flexibility of the toner container.

  In particular, in the present invention, if the bottom of the toner container is formed into a shape that is simple and does not have a protrusion that hinders stirring of the toner, such as a bowl having a uniform cross-sectional shape continuous in the axial direction of the stirring shaft, the toner container can be made inexpensive. In addition, the amount of energy consumed for stirring the toner can be reduced.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to detect non-loading with a single photo interrupter, to detect the remaining amount of toner, in particular, to detect that the remaining amount of toner is below a warning value, and to emit light. It is possible to obtain an effect that the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement of the element and the light receiving element is remarkably increased.

  In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the effect that the degree of freedom in designing the shape of the toner container is increased. Due to this effect, the toner container can be formed in the same shape as the toner container used in other models. The toner container can be formed at a low cost by forming the bottom of the toner container into a simple shape such as a bowl having a uniform cross-sectional shape continuous in the axial direction of the stirring shaft. To obtain an effect that can reduce the amount of energy required for stirring the toner by forming the bottom of the toner container into a shape without protrusions protruding into the toner container as in the above-mentioned bowl shape Can do.

  An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal front view of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a tray storage unit 3 for storing a paper feed tray 2 is provided at the lower part in the apparatus main body 1 of the image forming apparatus, and is provided, for example, on the front side (before the paper surface) of the apparatus main body 1. A maintenance cover (not shown) is opened, and the paper feed tray 2 storing sheet-like paper is inserted into and removed from the tray storage unit 3.

  A pickup device 4 that takes out sheets one by one from the sheet feeding tray 2 is provided on one side, for example, the right side, in the tray storage unit 3. Further, for example, a transport device 6 is provided which transports the paper to the opposite side, for example, the left side, and re-inverts it to a paper discharge tray 5 provided at the top of the apparatus main body 1.

  For paper that is transported from one side to the other side in the main body 1 by the transport device 6, a magenta developer 7 m, a yellow developer 7 y, arranged side by side in the transport direction on the upper side of the transport path, A magenta image, a yellow image, a cyan image, and a black image are sequentially superimposed and developed by the cyan developer 7c and the black developer 7b, and a color image composed of these images is fixed by the fixing device 8. .

  Above the developing units 7m, 7y, 7c, and 7b, loading chambers 10m, 10y, 10c, and 10b in which toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, and 9b called toner cartridges are loaded are provided. Opened, toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, 9b filled with toner are loaded in the loading chambers 10m, 10y, 10c, 10b, or toner containers 9m, 9y, 9b, 9c and 9b are taken out.

  The magenta toner container 9m is magenta toner, the yellow toner container 9y is yellow toner, the cyan toner container 9c is cyan toner, and the black toner container 9b is black toner. Filled.

  These toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, and 9b are all configured in the same manner except that they contain toners of different colors. Therefore, the black toner container 9b is taken as an example for these configurations based on FIG. I will explain.

  The toner container 9b includes a stirring shaft 11 for stirring the toner, a shell 12 for storing the toner and the stirring shaft 11, and a supply roller for controlling the amount of toner supplied from the shell 12 to the developing device 7b. 13 is provided.

  The bottom of the shell 12 is formed in a bowl shape in which a semicircular cross-sectional shape is uniformly continuous in the axial direction of the stirring shaft 11.

  The shell body 12 is made of a synthetic resin, and is composed of a groove-shaped entity 14 whose upper surface is open and closed at both ends, and a top portion 15 that is a lid body that closes the upper surface of the entity 14. After the toner 14 is filled with toner, the entity 14 is sealed at the top 15 so that it cannot be easily opened.

  The top portion 15 is provided with, for example, an outgoing translucent portion 16 made of, for example, a transparent acrylic resin at one end in the axial direction, and a portion of the shell 12 opposite to the outgoing translucent portion 16 with the stirring shaft 11 in between. That is, the incident light transmitting portion 18 made of a transparent acrylic resin is also formed on the bottom portion 17 of the toner container 9b.

  Although most of the toner container 9b other than the incident and exiting light transmitting portions 18 and 16 is opaque, the entire toner container 9b may be formed transparent.

  The positional relationship in the axial direction of the agitating shaft 11 of the light transmitting parts 16 and 18 is not particularly limited, and they may be arranged at different positions. In this embodiment, the light due to reflection in the toner container 9b is used. In order to reduce the loss of the toner as much as possible, both are arranged at the same axial position, for example, at the front end of the toner container 9b.

  In this embodiment, the light transmitting portion 16 for emission is provided on the top portion 15. However, as will be described later, it is necessary to make the outgoing optical axis of the light emitting element 21b of the photo interrupter 20b coincide with the received optical axis of the light receiving element 22b. Therefore, the emission translucent part 16 may be provided on the side wall part of the shell 12, or may be provided on the bottom part 17 side by side in the axial direction of the incident translucent part 18 and the stirring shaft 11, for example.

  A wiper 19 made of, for example, a synthetic resin sheet is fixed to the agitation shaft 11. By rotating the agitation shaft 11, the wiper 19 intermittently cleans the inner surface of the translucent portion 18 of the bottom portion 17.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the filling chamber 10b, for example, outside the toner container 9b, in the vicinity of the light transmitting part 18 formed on the bottom 17 of the toner container 9b, A light-emitting element 21b of the photo interrupter 20b is arranged opposite to the light-emitting element 18, and a light beam emitted from the light-emitting element 21b is made incident on the light transmitting portion 18.

  A light receiving element 22b of a photo interrupter 20b is disposed outside the toner container 9b and in the vicinity of the light transmitting part 16 formed on the top 15 of the toner container 9b so as to face the light transmitting part 16. A part of the light emitted from the light unit 16 is incident on the light receiving element 22b.

  Here, the light emitting element 21b emits light toward the light transmitting portion 18 of the bottom portion 17 while the power source of the apparatus main body 1 is on and the maintenance cover provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body 1 is closed. Is emitted.

  FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram showing the form of a signal generated by the light receiving element 22b.

  If the toner container 9b is not loaded, the light receiving element 22b receives the light beam emitted from the light emitting element 21b without any interruption, and generates a DC signal having a high value as shown in FIG. It will be.

  The light receiving element 22b receives not only light linearly incident from the light emitting element 21b but also light emitted from the light emitting element 21b and reflected by the inner surface of the loading chamber 10b. And the incident optical axis of the light receiving element 22b do not need to coincide with each other, but in this embodiment, in order to minimize the light loss between the light emitting element 21b and the light receiving element 22b, they are coincided with each other.

  The light emitting element 21b and the light receiving element 22b are arranged on an extension of a straight line connecting both light transmitting portions 16 and 18 of the toner container 9b loaded in the loading chamber 10b, and the toner container 9b filled with toner is loaded. If so, the light emitted from the light emitting element 21b is blocked by the toner in the toner container 9b, so that the output of the light receiving element 22b becomes zero as shown in FIG.

  When the toner in the toner container 9b is consumed and the remaining amount of the toner becomes a certain value or less, the wiper 19 cleans the inner surface of the bottom light-transmitting portion 18 by the rotation of the stirring shaft 11, and then the toner moves to the light-transmitting portion 18. Since it takes time for the light beam emitted from the light emitting element 21b to be received by the light receiving element 22b until the light receiving element 22b is covered, the light receiving element 22b generates a pulse signal at a cycle in which the stirring shaft 11 rotates once.

  The rise characteristic of this pulse signal is almost constant regardless of the remaining amount of toner, but as the remaining amount of toner decreases, the time during which the high value continues increases and the remaining amount of toner decreases to a predetermined warning value. The waveform is as shown in 3 (C).

  Although not essential to the present invention, the wiper 19 also cleans the outgoing light transmitting part 16 provided in addition to the bottom part.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus is provided with a non-load detecting unit 23b for detecting that the toner container 9b is not loaded based on a signal given from the light receiving element 22b. Storage means (table) 24 that stores a signal waveform generated by the light receiving element 22b when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 9b is reduced to a predetermined warning value, and a signal waveform stored in the storage means 24 And the signal waveform generated by the light receiving element, for example, by detecting that the high time is longer than that of the signal waveform of the warning value, the remaining amount of toner is below a predetermined warning value. A warning value detection unit 25b for detecting the above is provided.

  Further, in this image forming apparatus, for example, when the non-load detection unit 23b detects that the signal given from the light receiving element 22b is continuously a high value signal, it is continuously lit after this detection, and the warning value detection When the unit 25b detects that the remaining amount of toner is below the warning value, it starts blinking, for example, a non-loading / remaining amount alarm means 26b comprising an LED, and a reset switch for stopping the operation of the alarm means 26b 27b.

  When the toner container 9b is incompletely loaded in the loading chamber 10b, the toner container 9b prevents the maintenance cover from being completely closed.

  According to this embodiment, for example, when the black toner container 9b is not loaded and the maintenance cover is closed and the power switch is turned on, the alarm means 26b is turned on, and the operator sets the reset switch 27b. The lighting continues until the alarm means 26b is extinguished by operating.

  When the remaining amount of toner in the loaded black toner container 9b falls below the warning value, the alarm means 26b starts blinking until the operator operates the reset switch 27b to stop the alarm means 26b from blinking. The blinking is repeated.

  By the way, as shown in the circuit block diagram of FIG. 4, photointerrupters 20m, 20y, and 20c including light-emitting elements 21m, 21y, and 21c and light-receiving elements 22m, 22y, and 22c are provided for the other colors. Of unloading detection units 23m, 23y, and 23c.

  The storage means 24 stores the signal waveforms of the light receiving elements 22m, 22y, 22c, and 22b for each color at the warning value for each color.

  Further, warning value determination units 25m, 25y, 25c, 25b for other colors, unloading and remaining amount alarming means 26m, 26y, 26c, and reset switches 27m, 27y, 27c are provided.

  The circuit for each of the other colors is configured for each color in the same manner as the black non-load detection unit 23b, the remaining amount determination unit 25b, the non-loading / remaining amount alarm unit 26b, and the reset switch 27b. Each color works independently.

  If comprised in this way, it will detect that the toner container 9m, 9y, 9c, 9b is not loaded with one photo interrupter 20m, 20y, 20c, 20b for every corresponding color, and will give a warning to a user. In addition, a warning can be given to the user by detecting that the remaining amount of toner in the loaded toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, 9b has decreased below the warning value.

  In addition, the light-emitting elements 21m, 21y, 21c, and 21b and the light-receiving elements 22m, 22y, 22c, and 22b of the photo interrupters 20m, 20y, 20c, and 20b are opposed to the incident light-transmitting portion 18 and the light-receiving and transmitting light-transmitting portion 16, respectively. Therefore, an effect of remarkably increasing the degree of freedom of arrangement of the light emitting elements 21m, 21y, 21c, 21b and the light receiving elements 22m, 22y, 22c, 22b can be obtained.

  In addition, since the bottoms of the toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, and 9b for each color are formed in a bowl shape having a uniform cross-sectional shape in the axial direction, the shape of the toner containers 9m, 9y, 9c, and 9b is The toner container 9m, 9y, 9c, 9b can be simplified and the resistance to toner agitation can be reduced, and the energy consumption can be reduced.

It is a block diagram of the present invention. It is a vertical front view of the present invention. It is a signal waveform diagram of the present invention. It is a circuit block diagram of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 9b Toner container 9c Toner container 9m Toner container 9y Toner container 11 Stirring shaft 15 Top part 16 Outgoing light transmission part 17 Bottom part 18 Incident light transmission part 19 Wiper 20b Photointerrupter 20c Photointerrupter 20m Photointerrupter 20b Photointerrupter 21b Photointerrupter 21b Light-emitting element 21m Light-emitting element 21y Light-emitting element 22b Light-receiving element 22c Light-receiving element 22m Light-receiving element 22y Light-receiving element 23b Unloading detection unit 23c Unloading detection unit 23m Unloading detection unit 23y Unloading detection unit 24 Storage means 25b Warning value detection unit 25c Warning Value detection unit 25m Warning value detection unit 25y Warning value detection unit 26b Unloaded, remaining amount alarm means 26c Not loaded, remaining amount alarm means 26m Not loaded, remaining amount alarm means 26y Unloaded, remaining amount alarm means

Claims (4)

In an image forming apparatus configured to detect that a toner container is not loaded in the apparatus main body using a photo interrupter and to detect a remaining amount of toner in the toner container loaded in the apparatus main body ,
Light is incident on the bottom of the toner container from the light-emitting element of the photo interrupter to the incident light transmitting part and / or the light receiving element of the photo interrupter arranged outside the toner container from the toner container. Is provided so that the inner surface thereof and the inner surface of the bottom portion are flush with each other, and the incident light provided in the bottom portion of the toner container is supported by the stirring shaft in the toner container. An image forming apparatus comprising a wiper for cleaning the light transmitting portion and / or the light emitting transparent portion. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the toner container is formed in a bowl shape whose cross-sectional shape is uniformly continuous in the axial direction of the stirring shaft. 3. A non-load detection unit that detects that a toner container is not loaded by detecting that the light receiving state of the light receiving element continues uniformly for a predetermined time or longer is provided. The image forming apparatus described. The storage means for storing the waveform of the signal generated by the light receiving element when the remaining amount of toner is a predetermined warning value, and the loaded toner by comparing the waveform of the signal generated by the light receiving element with the waveform of the storage means 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a warning value detection unit configured to detect that the remaining amount of toner in the container is equal to or less than a warning value.

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