Patent ID: 8041239

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image supporting body for having a latent image based on image data formed on a surface thereof; a developing device that applies a developer to the image supporting body to develop the latent image; a cleaning device that eliminates developer remaining on the surface of the image supporting body, after a developer image formed by the developing device has been transferred to paper; an input device that receives a setting input related to a type of paper for use in image forming, wherein the setting input received by the input device indicates a quality of the paper for use in image forming; a recycling mechanism that transports the developer eliminated by the cleaning device to the developing device as recycled developer; a controller configured to selectively operate the recycling mechanism based on the type of paper set by the input device a supply ratio setting portion configured to set a supply ratio, which is a ratio of a supply amount of unused developer to a supply amount of recycled developer for when developer is supplied to the developing device, wherein the developing device includes: a recycled supplier for holding the recycled developer transported by the recycling mechanism; an unused supplier for holding unused developer; and a supply mechanism that supplies developer to a developing tank of the developing device from the recycled supplier and the unused supplier, and wherein the supply mechanism is driven based on the supply ratio set by the supply ratio setting portion; a first storage portion for storing a relation between a total accumulated amount of the recycled developer that has been transported to the developing device and the supply ratio; a second storage portion for storing the total accumulated amount of recycled developer that has been transported to the developing device; and a recycled amount accumulating portion configured to detect an amount of recycled developer produced for each image forming process, and to add the detected amount of recycled developer to the total accumulated amount of recycled developer stored in the second storage portion, wherein the supply ratio setting portion is configured to read the supply ratio that depends on the total accumulated amount of recycled developer accumulated by the recycled amount accumulating portion from the first storage portion.