Patent ID: 8831445

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member for bearing a latent image; a developer carrying member for developing the latent image with a developer; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer; a detecting device, including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, for detecting a remaining developer amount in said developer accommodating portion by receiving light; and a stirring member for stirring the developer by rotating in said developer accommodating portion, wherein said stirring member is rotated in a first period in which said stirring member crosses an optical path of the light from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element and a second period in which said stirring member does not cross the optical path of the light from the light emitting element toward the light receiving element, and wherein said stirring member is rotated at a first rotational speed in the first period and is rotated at a second rotational speed in the second period higher than the first rotational speed, and wherein the first period and the second period are included in one rotation of said stirring member.