Patent ID: 6587661
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus equipped with a developing apparatus in which a toner and a carrier constituting a developer material are replenished from a replenishment device to a developer material supply path and an excess part of the amount of developer material to be held in the developer material supply path is discharged from a developer material discharge port as a discharged developer material and received in a discharged developer material receiving part,characterized in that said developing apparatus, for the purpose of replenishing the carrier, comprises: a discharged developer material weighing mechanism which receives the discharged developer material discharged from the developer material discharge port, and discharges the discharged developer material thus received into the discharged developer material receiving part each time the accumulated weight of the received discharged developer material reaches a prescribed weight; a sensor which detects that the discharged developer material weighing mechanism has discharged the discharged developer material into the discharged developer material receiving part; and a control unit which calculates an amount of discharge carrier corresponding to the detection of the sensor, and replenishes the carrier corresponding to the amount of discharged carrier thus calculated from the replenishment device into the developer material supply path.