Patent ID: 8649693
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image holding member that holds a latent image formed by exposure and that holds a toner image formed by development with toner; an exposing device that receives image data and that exposes the image holding member on the basis of the image data to form a latent image on the image holding member; a developing device that develops the latent image on the image holding member with toner to form a toner image on the image holding member; a transfer device that transfers the toner image on the image holding member to a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the transferred toner image to the recording medium; a container mounting portion that is demountably mounted with a toner container containing toner; a toner supply unit that supplies the toner to the developing device from the toner container mounted on the container mounting portion; a first estimation unit that estimates an amount of toner used on the basis of the image data; a second estimation unit that estimates the amount of toner used on the basis of a toner supplying operation of the toner supply unit; and an emptiness determining unit that determines emptiness of the toner container mounted on the container mounting portion on the basis of only the amount of toner used estimated by the first estimation unit in a first state where it is unclear that the toner container is mounted on the container mounting portion and that determines the emptiness of the toner container mounted on the container mounting portion on the basis of both the amount of toner used estimated by the first estimation unit and the amount of toner used estimated by the second estimation unit in a second state where it is clear that the toner container is mounted on the container mounting portion.