Patent ID: 7869731

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a photoconductive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section for developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the photoconductive drum, a transfer-fixing section for transferring the toner image from the photoconductive drum to a recording sheet and fixing the toner image on the recording sheet; a waste toner particle collecting portion for collecting toner particles remaining in the developing section into a collection container; a toner amount detecting portion for detecting a toner amount of toner particles collected in the collection container; a notifying portion for notifying a user of a reach of a toner amount detected by the toner amount detecting portion to a predetermined observing amount; and a collection amount setting portion for setting a reduced collection amount for the collection of waste toner particles in the developing section by the waste toner collecting portion in accordance with an increase in the detected toner amount after the detected toner amount reaches the observing amount that preserves a predetermined remaining volume of the collection container to be filled.