Patent ID: 7333739
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A toner near empty state detection method, comprising: detecting a level of remaining quantity of toner in a developing unit; starting toner replenishment from a toner bottle to the developing unit when the toner remaining quantity level is lowered to a replenishment start level; detecting an object to be sensed formed on an outer surface of the toner bottle by a sensor and counting a number of rotations of the bottle based on the number of detection of the object by the sensor; stopping the toner replenishment from the toner bottle to the developing unit by stopping the rotation of the toner bottle when the toner remaining quantity in the developing unit is increased to a replenishment stop level; judging a near empty state of the toner bottle based on a number of rotations of the toner bottle from the toner replenishment start to the toner replenishment stop in one replenishing operation.