Patent ID: 9025209
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: G03G,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form an image with developer on the image carrier, and transfer the formed image onto a recording material; a removal unit configured to remove remaining developer that was not transferred from the image carrier onto the recording material; and a control unit configured to cause developer to be supplied to the removal unit by causing the image forming unit to form a supply image that is not to be transferred onto a recording material on the image carrier and causing the removal unit to remove the supply image, wherein the image forming apparatus is adapted to form an image according to a multi-color mode using developer of a plurality of colors, or a monochrome mode using developer of one color, the control unit is further configured to: after an image is formed in the multi-color mode, if an integrated supply amount, which is an integrated amount of the developer supplied to the removal unit, is larger than or equal to a reference supply amount determined in accordance with an amount of usage of the removal unit, cause a supply image with a first amount of developer to be supplied to the removal unit, and if the integrated supply amount is smaller than the reference supply amount, cause a supply image with a second amount of developer to be supplied to the removal unit, the second amount being larger than the first amount; and, after an image is formed in the monochrome mode, cause a supply image with a third amount of developer to be supplied to the removal unit, the third amount being smaller than the first amount, and the control unit is further configured to make an interval between a recording material and a subsequently-conveyed recording material when the supply image with the third amount is formed shorter than an interval between a recording material and a subsequently-conveyed recording material when the supply image with the first amount or with an amount that is larger than the first amount is formed.