TONER AMOUNT DETECTION DEVICE, TONER AMOUNT DETECTION METHOD, AND TONER AMOUNT DETECTION PROGRAM

To make it possible to improve the accuracy in detecting the amount of toner.SOLUTION: A toner amount detection device detects the amount of toner in toner bottles, and comprises: at least a pair of electrodes that are oppositely arranged across each of the toner bottles; ground members that are provided outside the pair of electrodes and are arranged opposite to the respective electrodes, the members being electrically grounded; control means that executes, while switching between, first detection processing of detecting the amount of toner based on the capacitance between the pair of electrodes, and second detection processing of detecting the positional shift between the electrodes based on the capacitance between the electrode and the ground member; and notification means that, when the positional shift is detected to occur in the second detection processing, notifies the fact.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5 【課題】トナー量の検出精度を向上させることができる。【解決手段】トナーボトル内のトナー量を検出するトナー量検出装置であって、トナーボトルを挟んで対向配置された少なくとも一対の電極と、一対の電極の外側に設けられ、各電極と対向配置された部材であり、電気的に接地した接地部材と、一対の電極間の静電容量に基づきトナー量を検出する第１検出処理と、電極と接地部材との間の静電容量に基づき当該電極の位置ズレを検出する第２検出処理と、を切り替えてを実行する制御手段と、第２検出処理により位置ズレが生じたと検出される場合、通知する通知手段と、を有する。【選択図】図５