Patent ID: 6917767
Filing Date: 2005-07-12
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device including a developer bearing member for developing, with toner, an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member; a toner replenishing container including toner for replenishment; a carrying member for carrying the toner from said toner replenishing container to said developing device; replenishing means for executing a toner replenishing operation by driving said developer bearing member and said carrying member; detection means for detecting a remaining toner amount in said developing device; and control means for controlling a main body of the image forming apparatus according to an output of said detection means, wherein after detaching and attaching of the toner replenishing container, after opening and closing of a door of the main body, or after an off/on operation of a power supply of the main body, said control means executes the toner replenishing operation during a time according to the output of said detection means, wherein said control means emits an alarm for prohibiting an image forming operation, in a case that the output of said detection means, which is provided at a time when said toner replenishing operation as executed during the time according to the output of said detection means has terminated, is equal to or less than a first level, and wherein a time for executing a toner replenishing operation in a case that the output of said detection means is equal to or less than a second level, which is a level representing a smaller residual toner amount than the first level, is shorter than a time for executing a toner replenishing operation in a case that the output of said detection means is equal to or less than the first level and is larger than the second level.