Patent ID: 9323173
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; a charging apparatus configured to charge the image bearing member; an exposure apparatus configured to expose the image bearing member charged by the charging apparatus to form an electrostatic latent image, the exposure apparatus intermittently performing light irradiation for each unit region of the image bearing member; a developing apparatus provided with a developer accommodation section that accommodates developer and configured to develop the electrostatic latent image by the developer; a signal output unit configured to output an electric signal for instructing the exposure apparatus to perform exposure, the signal output unit outputting a first signal for exposing a printing part of the image bearing member where a developer image is formed and a second signal for exposing a non-printing part of the image bearing member where the developer image is not formed, wherein an exposure time period per unit region of the image bearing member in a case where the exposure apparatus performs the light irradiation according to the second signal is shorter than an exposure time period per unit region of the image bearing member in a case where the exposure apparatus performs the light irradiation according to the first signal; a counting apparatus configured to receive the electric signal output from the signal output unit, count the first signals and the second signals, and output a count value including a count value of the first signals and a count value of the second signals; and a calculation apparatus configured to obtain a use amount of the developer by the developing apparatus by calculating in such a manner that an influence from exposure according to the second signal is removed based on the count value output from the counting apparatus.