US 12,443,127 B2
Image forming apparatus having odor sensor for detecting odor diffusing from odor generator on toner container
Tamotsu Shimizu, Osaka (JP); Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Osaka (JP); Kazuki Nakai, Osaka (JP); Shiori Kihara, Osaka (JP); and Shinya Sakaoka, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Oct. 9, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/910,584.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-178682 (JP), filed on Oct. 17, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0123578 A1, Apr. 17, 2025
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0863 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0872 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0665 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0695 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming portion that includes an image carrying member and a development device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member into a toner image, the image forming portion forming the toner image based on image data;
a toner storage container that stores toner for forming the toner image, the toner storage container being removably mountable in a main body of the image forming apparatus;
an odor generator that is provided on the toner storage container, the odor generator carrying an odor substance;
an odor sensor that is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the odor sensor sensing the odor substance diffusing from the odor generator; and
a control portion that identifies a type of the toner storage container based on the odor substance sensed by the odor sensor,
wherein
the toner storage container is rotatable, with the odor generator provided at a position where the odor generator is rotatable together with the toner storage container, and
the control portion rotates the toner storage container after the toner storage container is mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus before toner supplying operation is started, and senses the odor substance at a sensing position at which the odor generator is closest to the odor sensor.