A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.

An image forming apparatus of an embodiment includes an image forming unit, a waste toner collection container, a paddle motor, and a controller. The controller acquires a replenishment amount for each toner cartridge, when the image forming component is replenished with the toner from the plurality of toner cartridges, sets a coefficient for each replenishment amount of the toner cartridges, at least one of each set coefficient is different from the others, each of the replenishment amount is corrected by each coefficient, and drives the paddle motor according to a cumulative amount of each corrected replenishment amount.

An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.

An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion. The maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.

A remaining toner amount detection device includes four electrodes and a controller. Each electrode has an arc shape along an outer circumferential surface of a toner bottle, and the four electrodes are spaced a certain distance apart in a circumferential direction so as to surround the toner bottle. The controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle by using the four electrodes. The controller determines whether at least one of a first electrostatic capacity value between one pair of adjacent electrodes and a second electrostatic capacity value between the other pair of adjacent electrodes falls within a threshold range. In response to determination that at least one of the electrostatic capacity values falls within the threshold range, the controller detects a remaining toner amount inside the toner bottle based on an electrostatic capacity value, and outputs the detected remaining toner amount.

A printer includes: an installation case to which a cartridge having a first memory is installed, a printing unit which performs printing by using a print material supplied from the cartridge, a sensor which outputs a detection value according to an amount of the print material stored in the cartridge, a cartridge interface communicable with the first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The first memory stores cartridge information including: cartridge identification information and residual amount information according to the amount of the print material stored in the cartridge. The controller acquires the cartridge identification information and the residual amount information from the first memory, stores history information in the second memory, and updates the residual amount information of the history information based on information according to the amount of the print material discharged by the printing unit.

An image forming apparatus, including: a housing; a photoconductor; a developing unit configured to form a developer image on the photoconductor; a developer cartridge storing developer, the cartridge being removably mountable on the housing, a supplier configured to supply the developer from the developer cartridge to the developing unit; and a controller configured to execute a first printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer supplied from the developer cartridge, when the developer cartridge is being mounted on the housing, and a second printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer remaining in the developing unit, when a usage amount of the developing unit is not less than a predetermined value and the developer cartridge is not being mounted on the housing, wherein the controller does not execute the second printing process when the usage amount is less than the predetermined value.

An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.

The present disclosure provides a toner cartridge, a method for detecting a remaining toner amount, and an image-forming apparatus. The toner cartridge, installed on an image-forming apparatus, includes a toner hopper, configured to hold toner; a stirring unit, disposed in the toner hopper and configured to stir the toner in the toner hopper; and a detection unit, disposed on the stirring unit and configured to be in contact with the toner during a process of stirring the toner by the stirring unit and output a current signal. A housing of the toner cartridge is disposed with electrical connection contacts, and the detection unit is electrically connected to the image-forming apparatus through the electrical connection contacts. Whether the toner cartridge is short of toner before printed images are defective due to lack of toner is realized, and the detection process is relatively convenient with low detection cost.

A control device may obtain, at each of a plurality of sets of date-and-time, a current value related to a current remaining amount of a print material used by the print performing unit. The control device may calculate N1 change values by using a plurality of current values obtained at the plurality of sets of date-and-time, each change value being related to a change per unit time of a remaining amount of the print material. The control device may specify a first greatest change value among the N1 change values. The control device may perform a first prediction process that includes calculating a first future value by using the first greatest change value, the first future value being related to a future remaining amount of the print material, and a first output process using the first future value in a case where the first prediction process is performed.