Patent ID: 6345162
Filing Date: 2002-02-05
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus, comprising:an image bearing member for bearing a latent image; charging means for charging said image bearing member by bringing ears of electrically conductive particles into contact with said image bearing member; developing means for visualizing the latent image formed on said image bearing member as a toner image by using a developer containing toner and carrier after said image bearing member has been charged by said charging means, a permeability of the carriers being different from a permeability of the electrically conductive particles; density control means for controlling a density of the developer within said developing means, said density control means detecting a permeability of the developer, comparing a detected signal value based on the detected result with a reference value, and controlling the density of the developer on the basis of a comparison result; and reference value correcting means for correcting the reference value, said reference value correcting means estimating an amount of the electrically conductive particles that enter within said developing means, and correcting the reference value on the basis of the estimated result.