Patent ID: 8725011
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A toner transportation device comprising: a first toner case that contains toner; a second toner case including a main body that contains toner transported from the first toner case, a second discharge port located in the main body, and designed to discharge toner, and a second transportation unit rotatably positioned in the main body, and that transports toner to the second discharge port; a second driving unit for the second toner case, and that drives the second transportation unit; a detecting unit that detects the number of rotations of the second transportation unit and outputs a rotation detection signal; a control unit that estimates the amount of toner remaining in the first toner case based on an accumulated number of rotations represented by the rotation detection signal outputted from the detecting unit; a toner level sensor that detects the amount of toner in the main body; a first discharge port located in the first toner case, and that discharges toner; a first transportation unit rotatably positioned in the first toner case, and that transports the toner to the first discharge port; and a first driving unit that drives the first transportation unit, wherein when the toner level sensor is switched from on to off, the control unit transmits a driving instruction signal for driving the first driving unit, and if the toner level sensor is not switched from off to on within a predetermined time after the transmission of the driving instruction signal, the control unit determines that the first toner case is empty.