Abstract: A toner supply device includes a supply pipe, a first conveying pipe, a second conveying pipe, a first conveying member, a second conveying member, and a loosening member. The loosening member is arranged in the supply pipe reciprocatably in the extending direction of the supply pipe. The first and second conveying pipes are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting their extending directions so as to join together at a confluence portion to which the supply pipe is connected. The loosening member is coupled with each of the first and second conveying members at the confluence portion and extends inward of the supply pipe.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second conveying members arranged with an axial angle, for conveying toner in first and second containers, and a conveying driving portion. The conveying driving portion includes a motor, a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a swing gear, an idle gear, and a fourth gear. The second gear is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the second conveying member. The swing gear swings on the outer circumference of the first gear rotated by a motor and meshes selectively with one of the second and third gears. The idle gear meshes with the third and fourth gears. The fourth gear has an axial angle between its input and output shafts and is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the first conveying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a first container, a second container, and a toner supplying device. The toner supplying device includes first and second conveyance members that convey the toner in the first and second containers, and first and second sensing shafts that are used to sense the remaining quantities of toner there. The first and second sensing shafts have a first or second light-shielding plate that moves into and out of the optical path of an optical sensor. Of the first and second light-shielding plates, one rotates together with the first or second conveying member selectively driven and makes contact with the other, and thereby makes it move out of the optical path of the optical sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second conveying members arranged with an axial angle, for conveying toner in first and second containers, and a conveying driving portion. The conveying driving portion includes a motor, a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a swing gear, an idle gear, and a fourth gear. The second gear is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the second conveying member. The swing gear swings on the outer circumference of the first gear rotated by a motor and meshes selectively with one of the second and third gears. The idle gear meshes with the third and fourth gears. The fourth gear has an axial angle between its input and output shafts and is fixed coaxially with the rotary shaft of the first conveying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a first container, a second container, and a toner supplying device. The toner supplying device includes first and second conveyance members that convey the toner in the first and second containers, and first and second sensing shafts that are used to sense the remaining quantities of toner there. The first and second sensing shafts have a first or second light-shielding plate that moves into and out of the optical path of an optical sensor. Of the first and second light-shielding plates, one rotates together with the first or second conveying member selectively driven and makes contact with the other, and thereby makes it move out of the optical path of the optical sensor.

Abstract: A container attachment device includes a toner container, an attached part for the toner container and a displacement sensor. The displacement sensor faces to the toner container to detect electrostatic capacity according to the toner. The attached part includes a cover opening/closing an opening of the toner container. The cover closing or opening the opening faces to the displacement sensor, and the cover opening or closing the opening is away from the displacement sensor. The displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity varying among a first condition opening the cover and detaching the toner container, a second condition closing the cover and detaching the toner container, a third condition opening the cover and attaching the toner container, and a fourth condition closing the cover and attaching the toner container. In the third or fourth condition, the displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity according to a toner quantity in the toner container.

Abstract: Toner replenishment units include an upper toner container, a lower toner container, a first vertical conveyance pipe, a second vertical conveyance pipe, a third vertical conveyance pipe, a first horizontal conveyance pipe, a second horizontal conveyance pipe, and a confluence section. A first conveyance screw is included in the horizontal conveyance pipe and a second conveyance screw is included in the second horizontal conveyance pipe. A first inter-axis distance between a first horizontal rotation axis of the first conveyance screw and a third vertical pipe axis of the third vertical conveyance pipe, and a second inter-axis distance between a second horizontal rotation axis of the second conveyance screw and the third vertical pipe axis are set to take a different value.

Abstract: Toner replenishment units include an upper toner container, a lower toner container, a first vertical conveyance pipe, a second vertical conveyance pipe, a third vertical conveyance pipe, a first horizontal conveyance pipe, a second horizontal conveyance pipe, and a confluence section. A first conveyance screw is included in the horizontal conveyance pipe and a second conveyance screw is included in the second horizontal conveyance pipe. A first inter-axis distance between a first horizontal rotation axis of the first conveyance screw and a third vertical pipe axis of the third vertical conveyance pipe, and a second inter-axis distance between a second horizontal rotation axis of the second conveyance screw and the third vertical pipe axis are set to take a different value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image carrier, a developing device, a toner container, a container cover, a driver and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism maintains the locking state if the container body is rotated in the first rotating direction by the driver, and receives a rotational drive force of the driver to switch the state thereof from the locking state to the unlocking state if the container body is rotated in the second rotating direction by the driver.

Abstract: A container attachment device includes a toner container, an attached part for the toner container and a displacement sensor. The displacement sensor faces to the toner container to detect electrostatic capacity according to the toner. The attached part includes a cover opening/closing an opening of the toner container. The cover closing or opening the opening faces to the displacement sensor, and the cover opening or closing the opening is away from the displacement sensor. The displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity varying among a first condition opening the cover and detaching the toner container, a second condition closing the cover and detaching the toner container, a third condition opening the cover and attaching the toner container, and a fourth condition closing the cover and attaching the toner container. In the third or fourth condition, the displacement sensor detects the electrostatic capacity according to a toner quantity in the toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image carrier, a developing device, a toner container, a container cover, a driver and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism maintains the locking state if the container body is rotated in the first rotating direction by the driver, and receives a rotational drive force of the driver to switch the state thereof from the locking state to the unlocking state if the container body is rotated in the second rotating direction by the driver.

Abstract: Toner contained in a toner container is used for replenishing a developing unit via an intermediate hopper. A toner sensor detects emptiness for the toner on an upstream side of a conveyance screw of the intermediate hopper in terms of the toner conveyance direction. Every time the toner sensor detects emptiness, the controller drives a rotation mechanism so that the toner is ejected from the toner container. Based on a drive history of a conveyance-purpose motor, the controller calculates a toner conveyance amount conveyed from the intermediate hopper between a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness and a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness again. When the calculated toner conveyance amount has been equal to or smaller than a first conveyance amount threshold value successively, the controller determines that the toner container is in a nearly empty state.

Abstract: Toner contained in a toner container is used for replenishing a developing unit via an intermediate hopper. A toner sensor detects emptiness for the toner on an upstream side of a conveyance screw of the intermediate hopper in terms of the toner conveyance direction. Every time the toner sensor detects emptiness, the controller drives a rotation mechanism so that the toner is ejected from the toner container. Based on a drive history of a conveyance-purpose motor, the controller calculates a toner conveyance amount conveyed from the intermediate hopper between a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness and a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness again. When the calculated toner conveyance amount has been equal to or smaller than a first conveyance amount threshold value successively, the controller determines that the toner container is in a nearly empty state.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a developing device; a first toner container; a second toner container; a first vertical transport part; a second vertical transport part; a first horizontal transport part; a second horizontal transport part; a third horizontal transport part; a third vertical transport part, a counting unit; and a consumption amount calculation unit. The consumption amount calculation unit, in accordance with a rotation time accumulated by the counting unit, calculates a flow rate of toner flowing in the third horizontal transport part in each of the first supply state and the second supply state, and thereby calculates a toner consumption amount of each of the first toner container and the second toner container.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a developing device; a first toner container; a second toner container; a first vertical transport part; a second vertical transport part; a first horizontal transport part; a second horizontal transport part; a third horizontal transport part; a third vertical transport part, a counting unit; and a consumption amount calculation unit. The consumption amount calculation unit, in accordance with a rotation time accumulated by the counting unit, calculates a flow rate of toner flowing in the third horizontal transport part in each of the first supply state and the second supply state, and thereby calculates a toner consumption amount of each of the first toner container and the second toner container.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a developing device; a first toner container; a second toner container; a drive controller; and a consumption amount calculation portion. The drive controller switches a first replenishment state of replenishing a toner from the first toner container to the developing device and a second replenishment state of replenishing a toner from the second toner container to the developing device in response to a toner replenishment request from the developing device. The consumption amount calculation portion calculates a consumption amount of a toner in each of the first toner container and the second toner container by calculating a flow rate of each toner flowing through the first horizontal transport portion and the second horizontal transport portion.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a developing device; a first toner container; a second toner container; a drive controller; and a consumption amount calculation portion. The drive controller switches a first replenishment state of replenishing a toner from the first toner container to the developing device and a second replenishment state of replenishing a toner from the second toner container to the developing device in response to a toner replenishment request from the developing device. The consumption amount calculation portion calculates a consumption amount of a toner in each of the first toner container and the second toner container by calculating a flow rate of each toner flowing through the first horizontal transport portion and the second horizontal transport portion.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a sheet feed section, an image forming section, a partition unit, an air inflow portion, a first sheet conveyance section, a second sheet conveyance section, and an air sucking and discharging section. The partition unit partitions an interior of an apparatus casing into a first space in which the image forming section is disposed and a second space in which the sheet feed section, the first sheet conveyance section, and the second sheet conveyance section are disposed. Air outside the apparatus casing is taken into the first space through the air inflow portion. The second sheet conveyance section includes a conveyance guide disposed downstream of the image forming section in a conveyance direction of a recording sheet. The air sucking and discharging section sucks air around the conveyance guide and discharges the air into the second space or out of the apparatus casing.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a control section, a conveyance section, a recording head, a negative pressure applying section, a gap forming section, and a first voltage applying section. The conveyance section conveys a recording medium placed on a conveying surface. The negative pressure applying section applies negative pressure to holes in the conveying surface to suck the recording medium onto the conveying surface. The gap forming section forms a narrow gap, with the conveying surface, further upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording medium than the recording head. The gap forming section is composed of at least a part of a conductive portion. The first voltage applying section applies a voltage to the conductive portion. The control section controls the first voltage applying section to apply the voltage to the conductive portion while the inkjet recording apparatus performs a specific process.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance section, a plate member, and a negative pressure applying section. The recording head ejects ink onto a recording medium. The conveyance section conveys the recording medium to a position of image forming by the recording head and has a conveying surface on which the recording medium is to be placed. The plate member is located upstream of the recording head in a conveyance direction of the recording medium to form a narrow gap with the conveying surface of the conveyance section. The negative pressure applying section applies negative pressure to the narrow gap. A distance across the narrow gap in a direction perpendicular to the conveying surface is set so as to allow air flowing into the narrow gap from surrounding space to have a higher flow velocity in the narrow gap than before flowing into the narrow gap.