Patent attributes
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, comprising: a cleaner portion adapted for recovering toner remaining on an image carrying surface of an image carrier after a toner image formed on the carrying surface of the image carrier has been transferred onto a transfer material; a recovered-toner transporting portion adapted for transporting the toner recovered by the cleaner portion to a developing portion adapted for supplying the toner onto the image carrying surface; a temperature detecting portion adapted for detecting a temperature relative to the cleaner portion; and a controlling portion adapted for additionally operating the recovered-toner transporting portion over a predetermined period of time beyond a predetermined operation termination timing when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting portion exceeds a predetermined temperature. With this configuration, it is possible to stably provide the images without any defect by this image forming apparatus equipped with a toner-recycle mechanism.
