公开(公告)号：US09989885B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-05

申请号：US15450406

申请日：2017-03-06

Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.

Inventor： Kazuhiro Saito ,  Tomohiro Kawasaki ,  Hiroyuki Saito ,  Kei Yuasa

IPC: G03G15/08 ,  G03G21/00

CPC classification number: G03G15/0848 ,  G03G15/0844 ,  G03G15/0896 ,  G03G15/5041 ,  G03G21/00 ,  G03G21/0094

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing unit which supplies a toner contained in a developer to the image carrier; a lubricant supply unit which supplies a lubricant to the image carrier; a lubricant amount detection unit which detects an amount of the lubricant which is supplied to the image carrier from the lubricant supply unit and is thereafter incorporated into the developing unit from the image carrier; and a control unit which controls the developing unit to discharge the lubricant from the developing unit according to the amount of the lubricant detected by the lubricant amount detection unit.