Patent ID: 9541890
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: G03G

Claim:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier on a surface of which a toner image is developed; a transfer device transferring the toner image from the image carrier onto paper; a cleaning device removing a toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier and discharging the toner from a toner exhaust port; a toner container of a detachable type having an opening part formed of a transparent member, receiving, through the opening part, the toner discharged from the cleaning device, and storing the toner therein; an optical sensor having a light emission section and a light reception section arranged at position sandwiching the opening part of the toner container from both sides when the toner container is attached; a shutter sliding in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the toner container, the shutter having a top surface member opening and closing the toner exhaust port of the cleaning device and a side surface member transmitting and blocking light of the optical sensor; and a control section, based on a signal outputted from the optical sensor, performing detection of fullness of the toner stored in the toner container and detection of the attachment and detachment of the toner container, wherein a slit extending in a direction orthogonal to a sliding direction of the shutter is formed at the side surface member of the shutter, and the control section performs the detection of the attachment and detachment of the toner container based on a waveform pattern of light transmitted through the slits which pattern appears in the signal of the optical sensor.