Patent ID: 7809288
Filing Date: 2010-10-05
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A color image-forming device comprising: a plurality of developer cartridges, each accommodating developer and having a pair of windows; a drawer section that accommodates the developer cartridges in a linearly juxtaposed relationship; a casing that accommodates the drawer section, wherein the drawer section is configured to be withdrawn from the casing in a direction that the developer cartridges are juxtaposed; a plurality of sensors that corresponds to the plurality of developer cartridges, each of the sensors having a light-emitting unit that emits a-light and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit, the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit being disposed one on either side of the windows of a corresponding one of the developer cartridges accommodated in the drawer section when the drawer section is accommodated in the casing; a toner-amount detecting unit that detects the amount of developer remaining in each of the developer cartridges based on detection results of the sensors; and a withdrawal-amount determining unit that determines a withdrawal amount in which the drawer section was withdrawn from the casing based on a combination of detection results of the plurality of sensors.