Patent ID: 8929754
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a waste toner box that collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor; a base for placing the waste toner box thereon, a position of the base changing with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon; a detection sensor that detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base; a counter that counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon; and a controller that determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter; wherein the detection sensor can detect an operable state, a near-end state and an end state of the waste toner box, the operable state where the waste toner box is placed on the base and an amount of toner in the waste toner box is a predetermined amount or less, the near-end state where the waste toner box is placed on the base and an amount of toner in the waste toner box is almost full capacity and the end state where the waste toner box is placed on the base and an amount of toner in the waste toner box reaches the full capacity, and when the detection sensor detects the near-end state, the controller starts counting of a value of the counter, when the detection sensor detects the operable state during a time duration before the value of the counter reaches a first predetermined value, the controller resets the counter without determining the near-end state and without generating a notice signal to a user, and only when the detection sensor continuously detects the near-end state during a time period that elapses while the counter is counting and until the value of the counter reaches the first predetermined value, the controller determines the near-end state and generates the notice signal to a user.