Patent ID: 7224915

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section including: a photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer in its surface; a charging unit that gives electric charge to the photosensitive member, the charging unit disposed on the photosensitive member; an exposure unit that exposes the photosensitive layer to light based on image data to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that deposits toner on the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member to form a toner image; and a toner storage unit that stores toner used in the developing unit; wherein the toner image formed on the photosensitive member is transferred onto a recording medium conveyed by a medium conveyance member directly or through an intermediate transfer member to form an image; and a residual toner amount detection unit that detects an amount of toner remaining in the developing unit, the residual toner amount detection unit including a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element; wherein after the toner is deposited on the photosensitive member to form the toner image until electric charge is given onto the photosensitive layer by the charging unit again, the light-emitting element removes electric charge remaining on the photosensitive layer.