US 11,860,556 B2
Image forming apparatus having detection of residual toner amount
Tetsushi Uneme, Kanagawa (JP); Shinichi Nishida, Kanagawa (JP); Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Tokyo (JP); Masahiro Suetsugu, Kanagawa (JP); and Kengo Sakai, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Dec. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/552,604.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-218238 (JP), filed on Dec. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0206410 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0848 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0862 (2013.01); G03G 15/0865 (2013.01); G03G 15/0855 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0891 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0894 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0897 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
an image bearing member on which an image is formed; and
a process unit attached to the apparatus body, the process unit including:
a frame including a storage portion configured to store developer;
a developer bearing member configured to bear the developer and to supply the developer to the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image, the developer bearing member being supported by the frame; and
a circuit board attached to the frame,
wherein the circuit board includes:
a light emitting portion configured to emit light; and
a light receiving portion configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting portion and having passed through an interior of the storage portion, the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion being provided at a center portion of the storage portion of the frame with respect to a longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member.