US 11,874,612 B2
Image forming apparatus and developer replenishment thereof
Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Kawasaki (JP); Kenichi Iida, Tokyo (JP); Masahiro Hayakawa, Odawara (JP); Masaaki Sato, Yokohama (JP); and Haruyuki Hotta, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/590,172.
Application 17/590,172 is a division of application No. 16/943,189, filed on Jul. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,269,266.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-143919 (JP), filed on Aug. 5, 2019; and application No. 2020-029731 (JP), filed on Feb. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0155705 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0862 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0808 (2013.01); G03G 15/0855 (2013.01); G03G 15/0856 (2013.01); G03G 15/0879 (2013.01); G03G 15/0889 (2013.01); G03G 15/553 (2013.01); G03G 15/556 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0678 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0682 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image;
a developing container;
a developer carrier configured to carry a developer stored in the developing container and to develop the electrostatic latent image carried by the image carrier into a developer image;
a stirring member configured to convey the developer stored in the developing container;
a mounting unit configured to mount a replenishment container in which the developer is stored;
a detection unit configured to detect an amount of developer stored in the developing container and to output remaining amount information corresponding to the amount of developer which was detected; and
a control unit configured to cause the stirring member to operate after a replenishment of the developing container with the developer using the replenishment container is instructed, wherein
the control unit is further configured to,
in a case where the remaining amount information which indicates a first remaining amount is outputted by the detection unit when detecting a user operation related to replenishing the developing container with the developer using the replenishment container, cause an operation of the stirring member to stop when, after starting the replenishment, a first remaining stirring time elapses from when the remaining amount information indicates a third remaining amount which is larger than the first remaining amount is outputted by the detection unit; and
in a case where the remaining amount information which indicates a second remaining amount larger than the first remaining amount and smaller than the third remaining amount is outputted by the detection unit when detecting the user operation related to replenishing the developing container with the developer using the replenishment container, cause an operation of the stirring member to stop when, after starting the replenishment, a second remaining stirring time elapses from when the remaining amount information indicates the third remaining amount is outputted by the detection unit, the second remaining stirring time being longer than the first remaining stirring time.