JP2016050958A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately manage the amount of toner remaining in a toner bottle.SOLUTION: There is provided an image forming apparatus that forms images by using developer, the image forming apparatus including: a supply container that can be removably attached to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus for supplying a developer to the apparatus body; a hopper that retains the developer supplied from the supply container; a developing unit that supplies a developer to an image carrier; first supply means for supplying the developer from the hopper to the developing unit; and control means for determining, from an operation time when the first supply means supplies a predetermined amount of developer, the relationship between the operation time of the first supply means and the amount of the developer conveyed, and controlling the operation of the first supply means on the basis of the determined relationship.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that receives replenishment of a developer and forms an image using the replenished developer.

  In the image forming apparatus, the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier is developed with toner carried by the developer carrier to form a toner image, and the toner image is transferred and fixed on a recording medium. Is forming.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses have been downsized, and there are cases where a plurality of developing units are provided in a limited space in the apparatus or the developing units are downsized, and the developer storage capacity in the developing unit is also large. It is running low.

  The toner on the developing roller, which is a developer carrier, is thinned by a developing blade and conveyed to a region facing the photosensitive drum, which is an image carrier, to develop a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. To do.

  In addition, an image forming apparatus that replenishes toner directly from a toner bottle filled with toner to a developing device is used. In such a configuration, if the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle is different, the amount of toner discharged into the developing device becomes non-constant, and the ratio of new / old toner in the developing device becomes non-uniform, which may cause image quality defects. There is.

  On the other hand, an image forming apparatus that provides a stable toner replenishment by providing a hopper that is a toner replenishing unit that temporarily stores toner between the toner bottle and the developing device, and replenishing the developing device via the hopper. There is.

  In some image forming apparatuses, the toner in the toner bottle is configured to be supplied into the hopper as the toner bottle rotates. The amount of toner supplied into the hopper is controlled by rotating the toner bottle according to the detection information of the toner remaining amount detection sensor provided in the hopper, and the amount of toner in the hopper is kept constant.

  The toner supplied into the hopper is conveyed to the developing device by a conveying screw provided in the hopper. The amount of toner conveyed is controlled in accordance with detection information from a toner remaining amount detection sensor provided in the developing device, and toner is replenished to the developing device at an appropriate time.

  By repeating such an operation, it becomes possible to replenish the toner from the toner bottle to the developing device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses the following configuration for displaying the amount of toner remaining in a bottle based on a user's toner usage status. First, in order to calculate the toner usage status of the user, the cumulative operating time of the hopper motor that rotates the hopper screw is detected and counted. Since the amount of toner transported from the hopper to the developing device by the screw is constant, it can be used to calculate the toner amount. It is also disclosed that the toner amount is calculated by counting the number of rotations of the hopper motor.

  Further, in the initial state where the toner is not substantially present in the developing device, such as when a new image forming apparatus is purchased or when the developing device is replaced, the toner is replenished so that the developing device can be developed. In many cases, the toner initial setting mode for initial toner setting is executed.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique related to toner replenishment control in the toner initial setting mode. In Patent Document 2, toner replenishment is started from the toner bottle into the developing device via the hopper simultaneously with the start of the toner initial installation mode, and the toner replenishing means is continuously driven for a predetermined time, and thereafter, the hopper drive ON and drive OFF intermittently. Toner is replenished in the developing device by replenishment. In this way, the time until image formation becomes possible is shortened.

  Further, there are some which have the following steps in order to output a good image at the time of the first image formation after the toner is supplied into the developing device. That is, in the toner initial setting mode, there is a method that includes a step of rotating the developing device idly while supplying toner to the developing device, and a step of rotating the developing device idly after the toner is replenished in the developing device. .

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional toner initial setting mode.

  When the toner initial setting mode is started, the developing roller is driven (step S1001). When the toner sensor of the developing device detects “no toner” (step S1002), the hopper motor is driven (step S1003). Further, when the hot partner sensor detects “no toner” (step S1004), the bottle motor is driven (step S1005). Further, when the developing device toner sensor detects “toner present”, after two minutes have passed (step S1006), the driving of the developing roller is turned off (step S1007).

  As described above, toner replenishment is started from the toner bottle into the developing device via the hopper.

JP 2009-116011 A JP-A-8-15984

  However, the conventional configuration described above has a problem that output variations due to individual differences in the hopper motor are large. Due to individual differences in the hopper motor, a large error occurs when the toner usage status of the user is calculated from the accumulated operation time of the hopper motor and the remaining amount is displayed.

  If the toner usage status of the user is calculated from the cumulative number of revolutions of the hopper motor, the error becomes smaller than when the remaining amount is displayed from the cumulative operation time. However, since an encoder or the like that detects the number of rotations of the hopper motor is installed and encoded, the cost reduction and space saving of the image forming apparatus are hindered.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to calculate the user's toner usage status from the accumulated operating time of the hopper motor, and to correct the conveyance force difference due to individual hopper motor differences in order to display a highly accurate indicator, An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of accurate management.

  In order to achieve this object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a developer, and includes an image carrier that carries the formed image, and an apparatus of the image forming apparatus. A replenishment container that is detachable from the main body and replenishes developer to the apparatus main body, a hopper that holds the developer supplied from the replenishment container, and a developer that supplies the developer to the image carrier; The first supply means for supplying the developer from the hopper to the developing device, and the operation time of the first supply means and the development from the operation time when the first supply means supplies a predetermined amount of developer. And a control unit that obtains a relationship with the transport amount of the agent and controls the operation of the first supply unit based on the obtained relationship.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to calculate the toner usage status of the user from the operation time regardless of the individual difference of the hopper motor, and manage the remaining amount of toner with high accuracy.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of a toner supply device of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a side view. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a developing device 4 of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a toner replenishing device, a developing device, and control hardware for controlling them in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence in an installation mode of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state of toner in a hopper and a developing device corresponding to the steps of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 5 in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the case where correction | amendment by the individual difference of the hopper motor of embodiment of this invention is not performed. FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a graph of the actual toner remaining amount with respect to a prediction display of the toner remaining amount in the toner bottle due to individual differences of the hopper motor. FIG. 7B shows the predicted value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle and the remaining amount of toner actually remaining in the toner bottle when the individual having the hopper motor is used by changing the cumulative driving time of the motor. It is a table | surface which shows the measured result. It is a figure which shows the case where correction | amendment by the individual difference of the hopper motor of embodiment of this invention is performed. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a graph of the actual toner remaining amount with respect to the prediction display of the toner remaining amount in the toner bottle due to individual differences of the hopper motor. FIG. 8B shows an estimated value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle and the remaining amount of toner actually remaining in the toner bottle when an individual with a hopper motor is used, while changing the cumulative driving time of the motor. It is a table | surface which shows the measured result. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement sequence in the correction mode of other embodiment of this invention. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence of an installation mode in a conventional image forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in the following embodiments should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Therefore, unless specifically stated otherwise, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto.

<First Embodiment>
(Overall configuration of image forming apparatus)
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the photosensitive drum 1 (image carrier) carries a developer image and rotates in the direction of arrow R. A charging member 2 for charging the photosensitive drum 1 is provided around the photosensitive drum 1. The exposure device 3 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 with a laser beam L to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 4 supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and develops it to make a visible image. The cleaning device 5 removes transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer. The transfer belt 6 conveys a recording medium such as paper. The transfer roller 7 transfers the toner image developed by the developing device 4 to a recording medium. Further, the toner supply device 8 supplies toner to the developing device 4.

(Image forming operation of image forming device)
Next, an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus will be described. First, the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging member 2, and then the photosensitive drum 1 is exposed with laser light from the exposure device 3 to create an electrostatic latent image. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the developing device 4 and moved to the transfer nip at a predetermined timing. On the other hand, the recording medium is conveyed to the transfer nip at a predetermined timing by the transfer belt 6, and the transfer bias is applied by the transfer roller 7 and the charged transfer belt 6, so that the toner on the photosensitive drum 1. The image is transferred to a recording medium. The transfer means including the transfer belt 6 and the transfer roller 7 is subjected to a transfer electric field so as to have a polarity opposite to that of charging by the charging member 2.

(Configuration of toner supply device)
FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the toner supply device 8. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a side view.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the toner replenishing device 8 temporarily holds a toner bottle 9 (replenishment container) that can be detachably accommodated, and a toner that is supplied from the toner bottle 9. And a hopper 11 for storage. The toner bottle 9 is for supplying toner to the apparatus main body from the outside of the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus.

  The toner bottle 9 and the hopper 11 are connected by inserting the outlet of the toner bottle 9 into the hopper 11 and joining them. A spiral protrusion is provided on the inner wall of the toner bottle 9. When the toner bottle 9 is rotated by the toner replenishing device 8, the toner in the toner bottle 9 is discharged by the action of the spiral protrusion and gravity. The toner is fed to the outlet and the toner is supplied into the hopper 11. As shown in FIG. 2B, a bottle motor 16 (first supply means) is connected to the bottle connecting portion 10, and when the bottle motor 16 rotates, the toner bottle 9 also rotates, and the discharge port The toner is sent out from the hopper 11 to the hopper 11.

  Further, the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 are connected via a conveyance path 14. The toner in the hopper 11 is supplied to the developing device 4 through the conveyance path 14 from an opening provided at the lower end thereof. When the stirring paddle 12 provided in the hopper 11 is rotated, the movement of the toner in the hopper 11 to the conveyance path 14 is urged. An auger 15 as a conveying means is disposed in the conveying path 14, and the toner in the conveying path 14 is conveyed to the developing device 4 by the rotation of the hopper motor 17. In addition, the conveyance path 14, the auger 15, and the hopper motor 17 constitute a second supply unit.

  Next, the configuration of the developing device 4 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the developing device 4.

  As shown in the figure, the developing device 4 has a developing roller 41 that carries a developer and rotates. The developing roller 41 is supplied with a developing bias and supplies the developer to the photosensitive drum 1. That is, the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed by the developing device 4 using toner (developer). Further, in the developing device 4, the toner replenished to the developing device 4 from the toner replenishing device 8 is transported into the developing container 40 by the auger 43 and further transported toward the developing roller 41 while being stirred by the stirring paddle 44.

  The developing roller 41 is a developer carrying member in which a rotatable sleeve is disposed on the outer periphery of a plurality of fixed magnetic poles. The toner carried on the developing roller 41 is transported to the developing area after the layer thickness is uniformly regulated by the developing blade 42 as toner layer thickness regulating means, and is electrostatically latent in contact or non-contact with the photosensitive drum 1. Develop the image. The developing device 4 is driven in conjunction with the developing roller 41, the auger 43, and the stirring paddle 44.

(Toner detection)
As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the hopper 11 is provided with a hopper partner sensor 13 (first developer amount detection means), and the hopper 11 detects the amount of toner in the hopper 11. 2 and 3, the developing device 4 is provided with a developing device toner sensor 45 (second developer amount detecting means), and the developing device toner sensor 45 detects the amount of toner in the developing device 4. doing. In this embodiment, the hot partner sensor 13 and the developing device toner sensor 45 employ a magnetic permeability detection method. If the toner is present on the detection surface of the sensor as a detection result, the presence of toner is present. If not, “no toner” is output. That is, the hot partner sensor 13 and the developer toner sensor 45 detect the presence or absence of toner (developer). In addition to the magnetic detection method, these toner sensors can use a light detection method, an electric detection method, and the like.

(Toner supply control)
Next, control of toner supply from the toner bottle 9 to the developing device 4 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the toner replenishing device 8, the developing device 4, and control hardware for controlling them.

  First, control related to toner supply from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11 will be described.

  The bottle motor 16 is connected to the control device 20 of the main body of the image forming apparatus. The control device 20 includes a processing device such as a CPU 21 and implements necessary processing by reading and executing a control program stored in the memory 22. In response to the detection result of the hot partner sensor 13, the control device 20 controls the bottle motor 16 to repeat the operation for a necessary cycle when toner supply is requested. Here, the rotation driving of the toner bottle 9 for a fixed time (3 seconds in the present embodiment) and the stop of the fixed time (2 seconds in the present embodiment) are defined as one cycle. One cycle of rotation driving may be defined not by time but by the number of rotations.

  The hot partner sensor 13 periodically detects the presence or absence of toner in the hopper 11, and a signal from the hot partner sensor 13 is always output to the control device 20. When the signal from the hot partner sensor 13 indicates “no toner” in the hopper 11, the control device 20 determines that the toner in the hopper 11 is low and instructs the bottle motor 16 to operate for one cycle. Output a signal. As a result, the toner is replenished from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11 and the above cycle is repeated until the hot partner sensor 13 detects “toner present”. At that time, the number of cycles is counted and stored in the memory 22, and the count value is cleared when the hot partner sensor 13 detects "toner present".

  Next, control related to toner supply from the hopper 11 to the developing device 4 will be described.

  As described above, the toner supply to the developing device 4 is performed by the auger 15 in the conveyance path 14 which is a conveyance unit. When the developing device toner sensor 45 provided in the developing device 4 detects “no toner”, the control program stored in the memory 22 is read out and executed by the CPU 21 and the like, as in the replenishment control from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11. By doing so, the necessary processing is realized.

  The developing device toner sensor 45 periodically detects the presence or absence of toner in the developing device 4, and a signal from the developing device toner sensor 45 is output to the control device 20. In this embodiment, the developing device toner sensor 45 detects the presence or absence of toner in the developing device 4 only when the developing roller 41 is driven.

  When the signal from the developing device toner sensor 45 indicates “no toner” in the developing device 4, the control device 20 determines that the toner in the developing device 4 is low and drives the hopper motor 17. Outputs the instruction signal. Thus, toner is supplied from the hopper 11 to the developing device 4 and the hopper motor 17 is driven until the developing device toner sensor 45 detects “toner present”. At that time, the driving time of the hopper motor 17 is counted and stored in the memory 22, and when the developing device toner sensor 45 detects the presence of toner, the counted value is cleared.

  The agitation paddle 12 provided in the hopper 11 described above is driven by a hopper motor 17 that is the same drive source as the auger 15 in the transport path 14 and rotates when the auger 15 is driven. The toner in the hopper 11 is stirred.

  When the image forming apparatus is first used, toner is continuously replenished to the empty developing device 4, and after the replenishment, that is, after the detection of “toner present” is detected, the setting mode in which the developing roller 41 is rotationally driven for a predetermined time. Do.

  In this embodiment, the time when the hot partner sensor 13 detects “toner present” after starting the installation mode is set to “0”, and the time p1 until the developer toner sensor 45 detects “toner present” is measured. . The individual difference variation of the hopper motor is corrected according to the time p1 when a certain amount (first predetermined amount) of toner is sent from the hopper 11 to the developing device 4 through the conveyance path 14. For this purpose, the control device 20 has a toner detection count unit 24 for measuring the above-described time p1.

(Details of installation mode)
Next, the detailed operation of the installation mode will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a sequence in the installation mode.

  As shown in the figure, the installation mode is started, and the drive of the main motor and the idling rotation of the developing roller 41 are started (step S501).

  Next, toner is replenished from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11, and the hopper 11 is filled with toner (step S502). The toner is filled in the hopper 11, and the bottle motor 16 continues to be driven until the hot partner sensor 13 detects “there is toner” (step S503), and the toner is continuously supplied from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11 ( Step S502 to Step S503).

  When the hot partner sensor 13 detects “with toner”, the bottle motor 16 stops driving, and the supply of toner from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11 is stopped. At this time, the inside of the hopper 11 is filled with a certain amount of toner (200 CC in the present embodiment), and the toner detection count unit 24 resets the accumulated operating time of the hopper motor 17 to “0”.

  Then, the hopper motor 17 is driven (step S504). The toner is sent to the conveyance path 14 by the stirring paddle 12 of the hopper 11 and is sent into the developing device 4 through the auger 15. The toner sent to the developing device 4 begins to be filled in the developing container 40 by the auger 43 and is conveyed to the developing roller 41 by the stirring paddle 44. On the other hand, when the hopper motor 17 is driven, the toner detection count unit 24 starts counting the cumulative operation time of the hopper motor 17 (step S505). Then, when toner is replenished from the hopper 11 to the developing unit 4 and a predetermined amount is charged, the developing unit toner sensor 45 detects “toner present” and the driving of the hopper motor 17 is stopped (step S506). Further, the toner detection count unit 24 stops counting the cumulative operation time of the hopper motor 17 (step S507). The cumulative operation time counted by the toner detection count unit 24 at this time is P1.

  A constant amount of toner stored in the hopper 11 is sent to the transport path 14 by the stirring paddle 12, and the toner transport amount per unit operation time sent into the developing device 4 through the auger 15 is calculated (step S508). .

  Then, the individual difference of the hopper motor 17 is corrected from the calculated toner conveyance amount per unit time (step S509).

  Variations in the transport amount per unit time due to individual differences in the hopper motor 17 are corrected as follows. That is, the toner transport amount per unit rotation time of the reference hopper motor is Qr (g / sec), and the rotation time (cumulative drive time) of the reference hopper motor is Tr (sec). Then, let Qi (g / sec) be the toner conveyance amount per unit rotation time of a certain individual hopper motor, and Ti (sec) be the rotation time of a certain individual hopper motor.

  At this time, the variation in the transport amount is corrected by the following equation.

Qi (g / sec) = Qr (g / sec) × Ti (sec) / Tr (sec)
That is, the reference transport amount Qr (g / sec) and the rotation time Tr (sec) are measured in advance, and the rotation time Ti (sec) of a certain hopper motor 17 is equal to the cumulative drive time P1. Therefore, by substituting these values into the above formula, the toner transport amount Qi (g / sec) per unit rotation time, which is a correction value, is obtained.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the state of toner in the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 corresponding to the steps of the flowchart shown in FIG.

  FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a state of toner in the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 corresponding to step S502 in FIG. FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the state of toner in the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 corresponding to step S503 in FIG. Further, FIG. 6C is a diagram showing the state of toner in the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 corresponding to step S505 in FIG. FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating the state of toner in the hopper 11 and the developing device 4 corresponding to step S507 in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, when the toner bottle 9 is driven to rotate, the toner 200 is supplied from the toner bottle 9 into the hopper 11. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, when a predetermined amount of toner 200 is supplied into the hopper 11, the hot partner sensor 13 detects “toner present”. Further, as shown in FIG. 6C, during the period in which the toner 200 is supplied from the hopper 11 to the developing device 4 by the auger 15, the cumulative driving time of the hopper motor 17 is measured. Further, as shown in FIG. 6D, when the “toner present” is detected by the developing device toner sensor 45, the toner detection counting unit 24 stops counting the cumulative operation time of the hopper motor 17.

(Prediction of the amount of toner remaining in the toner bottle)
Next, prediction of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 will be described.

  The toner remaining amount W (g) in the toner bottle 9 is the full filling amount Qf (g) of the toner bottle 9, the corrected toner transport amount Qi (g / sec) per unit time of the hopper motor 17, and the rotation time. Using T (sec), the calculation is as follows.

W (g) = Qf (g) −Qi (g / sec) × T (sec)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a case where correction due to individual differences of the hopper motor 17 according to the present embodiment is not performed. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a graph of the actual toner remaining amount with respect to the prediction display of the toner remaining amount in the toner bottle due to the individual difference of the hopper motor 17. FIG. 7B shows a predicted value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 when the motor A and motor B, which are individual individuals of the hopper motor 17, and the remaining toner actually remaining in the toner bottle 9. It is a table | surface which shows the result of having measured quantity and changing the cumulative drive time of a motor. In FIG. 7, the full amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 is 100%, and the remaining amount is displayed as a percentage. In this way, the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 is managed. The predicted value of the remaining amount of toner is displayed on the gas gauge meter.

  In FIG. 7A, g0 is a graph showing a central product of the hopper motor 17, and g1 and g2 are a graph of a field hopper motor having a larger conveyance amount per unit time than the central product, and a unit from the central product, respectively. The graph when the conveyance amount per time is small is shown.

  As shown in the figure, in the case of the graph g1, the toner conveyance performance of the hopper motor 17 is better than that of the central product, but the predicted value of the remaining amount of toner is not 0% but actually the remaining amount of toner. There is a problem that is 0 percent. On the other hand, in the case of the graph g2, the toner transport performance of the hopper motor 17 is worse than that of the central product, and the toner remains in the toner bottle 9 even if the predicted value of the remaining amount of toner indicates 0%. Trouble will occur. That is, in any case, there is a problem that the prediction display of the toner remaining amount in the toner bottle 9 does not indicate the actual toner remaining amount.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, in the case of the motor A and the motor B that are actual individual hopper motors 17 in the respective accumulated operation times, the predicted value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 and the toner There is a difference between the toner remaining actually in the bottle 9.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a case where correction due to individual differences of the hopper motor 17 of the present embodiment is performed. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a graph of the actual toner remaining amount with respect to the prediction display of the toner remaining amount in the toner bottle 9 due to individual differences of the hopper motor 17. FIG. 8B shows an estimated value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 when the motor A and the motor B, which are individual individuals of the hopper motor 17, and the remaining toner actually remaining in the toner bottle 9. It is a table | surface which shows the result of having measured quantity and changing the cumulative drive time of a motor. In FIG. 8, the remaining amount is displayed as a percentage with the full toner amount of the toner bottle 9 being 100%.

  In FIG. 8A, g0 is a graph showing the central product of the hopper motor 17, g1 and g2 are graphs when the transport amount per unit time is larger than the central product, and the transport amount per unit time than the central product, respectively. The graph when there is little is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, in both the graphs g1 and g2, as in the case of the graph g0 that is the central product, the predicted value of the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 is the toner in the toner bottle 9. It is the same value as the actual remaining amount.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, for the motor A and the motor B, which are individual hopper motors 17, even when the cumulative driving time is different, the predicted value of the remaining toner in the toner bottle 9 is the toner bottle 9 9 corresponds to the remaining toner amount actually remaining.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the remaining amount of toner in the toner bottle 9 is predicted by correcting the variation in the conveyance capacity due to the individual difference of the hopper motor 17. Therefore, it is possible to accurately predict the remaining toner amount.

(Correction by environmental sensor)
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus is provided with an environment sensor 23. That is, the environment sensor 23 (environment detection means) detects the temperature and humidity in the image forming apparatus and uses them to correct the toner conveyance amount. When the temperature and humidity are high, the toner absorbs the toner, so that the toner is adsorbed, and as a result, the transportability is lowered. On the other hand, at low temperature and low humidity, the toner is kept in a smooth state, so that the transportability is high. For this reason, more accurate correction can be performed by correcting the toner transport postage in consideration of these.

Second Embodiment
Next, an image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the first embodiment, the toner is transported from the hopper 11 to the developing device 4 in the state where the developing device 4 has no toner in the installation mode, and from the time p1 measured until the developing device toner sensor 45 detects “toner present”. The variation of the hopper motor 17 was corrected. After the correction, the remaining amount of toner is displayed.

  However, in the control described in the first embodiment, the state of the toner in the toner bottle 9 and the state of the toner in the image forming apparatus are not properly grasped. In consideration of a decrease in the conveyance force due to the aging of the hopper motor 17, it is desirable that the conveyance force of the hopper motor 17 can be corrected even in modes other than the installation mode.

  For example, depending on the toner bottle 9, the toner is temporarily compressed at the discharge port of the toner bottle 9 at the time of distribution such as transportation, so that the toner can be discharged from the toner bottle 9 in the initial setting mode or in the conveyance path 14. The transportability may deteriorate. On the other hand, although the toner state is deteriorated, a toner jet phenomenon may occur when the toner bottle 9 is driven in the initial setting mode due to temporary improvement in fluidity caused by shaking the toner bottle 9. . In this case, the discharge performance from the toner bottle 9 may be improved.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, when the dischargeability and transportability differ depending on the state of the toner in the toner bottle 9 and the change over time of the hopper motor 17 even in modes other than the installation mode, the transport due to the change in toner fluidity is performed. Gender is detected. For this reason, it is possible to display the remaining amount with high accuracy by the accumulated operation time of the hopper motor 17.

  Specifically, when the correction mode is executed during printing after the image forming operation is started, accumulation is performed in a state where the developer toner sensor 45 detects “no toner” and the hot partner sensor 13 detects “toner present”. Reset the operating time counter. Then, from the cumulative operation time P2 of the hopper motor 17 until the developing device toner sensor 45 detects “toner present”, fluidity correction according to the toner state and conveyance force correction due to aging of the hopper motor 17 are performed.

  That is, when the developer toner sensor detects "no toner", the remaining amount of toner in the developer 4 is determined, and the developer toner sensor 45 corrects from there until the "toner is present" operation.

  Since the schematic configuration of the entire image forming apparatus in the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, members having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. Hereinafter, only the parts different from the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 9 shows a sequence in the correction mode of the present embodiment and will be described in detail.

When the correction mode is started, the replenishment operation during normal printing is switched to the correction mode. The bottle motor 16 stops driving. The toner supply from the toner bottle 9 to the hopper 11 is stopped (step S902). Since normal printing is in progress, the toner in the hopper 11 disappears as soon as the toner is consumed, and the toner in the developing device 4 also decreases. As a result, the developing device toner sensor 45 detects “no toner” (step S903).
The normal printing operation is interrupted, the bottle motor 16 starts driving, and the toner is supplied to the hopper 11. (Steps S904 to S905) The hopper 11 is filled with toner, and the hot partner sensor 13 detects "there is toner" (step S906). At this time, the bottle motor 16 stops and a certain amount of toner is present in the hopper 11. To do.

  The accumulated operation time of the hopper motor 17 is reset to “0”. As the hopper motor 17 starts to be driven, the toner detection count unit 24 starts counting the cumulative operation time by the hopper motor 17. When the hopper motor 17 starts to be driven, toner is supplied into the developing device 4 from the conveyance path 14 by the auger 15. Then, the developer toner sensor 45 detects the presence of toner (steps S908 to S910). From the toner amount detected by the developer toner sensor 45 as “no toner”, the amount of toner necessary to detect “toner present” is A constant amount regardless of the fluidity of the toner.

  When the developing device toner sensor 45 detects “there is toner”, the transport amount per unit time is calculated from the cumulative operation time of the hopper motor 17 counted by the toner detection count unit 24 (step S911). From the transport amount per unit time, the difference in toner fluidity and the transport force difference due to the change over time of the hopper motor 17 are corrected (step S912). After correction, the normal supply operation is resumed.

<Other embodiments>
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but various modifications and changes other than those mentioned above can be made. For example, the present invention does not limit the developing method to the one-component method or the two-component method.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the developer is supplied from the toner bottle to the developing device via the hopper is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is effective even when the developer is supplied from the toner bottle to the developing device.

  In the above-described embodiments, the printer is exemplified as the image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine, or a combination of these functions. Other image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals may also be used. The same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention to these image forming apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photosensitive drum 4 ... Developing device 8 ... Toner replenishing device 9 ... Toner bottle 11 ... Hopper 13 ... Hopper partner sensor 14 ... Conveyance path 15 ... Auger 16 ... Bottle motor 17 ... Hopper motor 20 ... Control device 21 ... CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 ... Memory 23 ... Environmental sensor 24 ... Toner detection count part 45 ... Developer toner sensor

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus that forms an image using a developer,
An image carrier for carrying the formed image;
A replenishment container that is detachable from the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus and replenishes the apparatus main body with a developer;
A hopper for holding the developer supplied from the supply container;
A developing device for supplying a developer to the image carrier;
First supply means for supplying a developer from the hopper to the developer;
A relationship between the operation time of the first supply unit and the developer conveyance amount is obtained from the operation time when the first supply unit supplies a predetermined amount of developer, and the first supply unit calculates the relationship between the first supply unit and the transport amount of the developer. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls an operation of one supply unit. A first developer amount detecting means for detecting the amount of developer held in the hopper, and a second developer amount detecting means for detecting the amount of developer held in the developing device;
2. The predetermined amount is an amount determined based on a detection result of the first developer amount detection unit and a detection result of the second developer amount detection unit. Image forming apparatus. A second supply means for supplying a developer from the supply container to the hopper;
The first amount of developer is supplied from the supply container to the hopper by the second supply means when the developer is first supplied to the developing device. After the supply until the developer is detected, the first supply means supplies the developer from the hopper until the second developer amount detection means detects a predetermined amount of developer. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit obtains a developer conveyance amount of the first supply unit after the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus is started.   The image forming apparatus further includes an environmental sensor that detects an environmental state of the image forming apparatus, and the control unit corrects the developer conveyance amount of the first supply unit based on a detection result of the environmental sensor. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first supply unit is driven by a motor.

Images