Abstract: A developing device including a developer container casing, a developer bearing member to supply toner to a latent image, a supply path to convey developer in an axial direction of the developer bearing member, a supply conveyance member to apply a force to the developer in the supply path to convey the developer, a recovery path to return the developer reaching a downstream end of the supply path to an upstream end of the supply path relative to a direction of conveyance of the developer, and a recovery conveyance member to apply a force to the developer in the recovery path to convey the developer. A bottom surface of the supply path is tilted such that the bottom surface at the downstream end of the supply path relative to the direction of conveyance of the developer is lower than the bottom surface at the upstream end of the supply path.

Abstract: A developing device including a development part for developing latent images to toner images. The developing device also includes an agitation part that agitates developer, and a controller, which controls an agitation strength of an agitator in the agitation part. The developer circulates between the development part and the agitation part.

Abstract: A toner container includes a vessel for storing toner, a toner draining unit having a toner draining passage, and a shutter in the toner draining passage. The toner draining passage includes a horizontal passage and a connection passage. Further, the toner draining unit includes the horizontal passage, a middle part, and an external part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a development device for supplying a developer containing toner and carrier to an electrostatic latent image carrying member for carrying thereon an electrostatic latent image, or a process cartridge for integrally storing the development device and the electrostatic latent image carrying member. The development device includes a conveyance path for charging and conveying the developer, and a developer carrying member for developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image with the use of the developer conveyed through the conveyance path. The conveyance path includes a first conveyance member for receiving replenished toner and generating conveyance force for conveying the replenished toner and the developer in one direction, and a second conveyance member for generating conveyance force for conveying a portion of the developer conveyed by the first conveyance member in the opposite direction to the conveyance direction of the first conveyance member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing unit, a developer agitating unit, a developer conveying unit, and a toner supplementing unit. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer containing toner and carrier. The developer agitating unit agitates the developer. The developer conveying unit connects the developing unit and the developer agitating unit, and conveys the developer from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit. The toner supplementing unit is connected to the developer conveying unit, and supplements toner to the developer conveyed from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit.

Abstract: A developing device of the present invention develops a latent image formed on an image carrier with a two-ingredient type developer made up of toner and carrier. The developing device includes a storing member for storing a fresh developer to be replenished. A conveying device conveys the fresh developer from the storing member to a case, which stores the two-ingredient type developer to be deposited on the image carrier, while fluidizing the fresh developer. An excess developer discharging portion is configured to discharge excess part of the two-ingredient type developer to the outside. The developer storing member is implemented as an at least partly flexible bag.

Abstract: A developing apparatus using a two-component developer constituted by a magnetic carrier and a toner, and an image forming apparatus comprising the developing apparatus. A developing unit and a stirring unit are provided, and in order to suppress toner scattering that may occur after a development operation has been halted for a long time, and thereby suppress contamination of the apparatus interior, the developer in a developing machine is transferred to a stirrer serving as a developer storage unit on the exterior of the developing machine when the development operation ends.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing unit, a developer agitating unit, a developer conveying unit, and a toner supplementing unit. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer containing toner and carrier. The developer agitating unit agitates the developer. The developer conveying unit connects the developing unit and the developer agitating unit, and conveys the developer from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit. The toner supplementing unit is connected to the developer conveying unit, and supplements toner to the developer conveyed from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, includes a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and a conveying unit. The developing unit contains the developer and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member as a toner image with the toner particles. The cleaning unit contains the developer and mixes the developer with the toner particles collected from the image carrying member after transferring the toner image. The conveying unit conveys a mixture of the collected toner particles and the developer from the cleaning unit to the developing unit.

Abstract: A toner container includes a storing body that stores toner, a toner reception opening that receives the toner from the toner storing body, a shutter opening, a cylindrical shutter, and an O-shaped elastic ring disposed at the shutter opening configured to seal a space between the shutter opening and the shutter. The shutter receives a nozzle of an image forming apparatus and the cylindrical shutter opens and closes the shutter opening when moved by a nozzle of the image forming apparatus inserted into the shutter opening. When the nozzle is disposed through the shutter opening, the toner which is received from the toner reception opening is subsequently received by the nozzle of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A developing apparatus using a two-component developer constituted by a magnetic carrier and a toner, and an image forming apparatus comprising the developing apparatus. A developing unit and a stirring unit are provided, and in order to suppress toner scattering that may occur after a development operation has been halted for a long time, and thereby suppress contamination of the apparatus interior, the developer in a developing machine is transferred to a stirrer serving as a developer storage unit on the exterior of the developing machine when the development operation ends.

Abstract: A developing device for an image forming apparatus that uses developing agent supplied from a supplying device. The developing device includes a developing roller configured to bear the developing agent thereon and develop a toner image on an image bearing member. The device also includes a supply and circulation system configured to receive developing agent from the supplying device, and being configured to supply the developing agent to the developing roller and circulate the developing agent within the developing device. The system includes an agitate conveying member, and a circulation route having at least a portion that extends upward. The agitate conveying member is provided within the upwardly extending portion of the circulation route, and is configured to convey the developing agent upward through the upwardly extending portion of the circulation route.

Abstract: A developer container storing a developer of the present invention includes a developer outlet formed in the side wall thereof, and a shutter member for selectively opening or closing the developer outlet. The shutter member opens the developer outlet when the developer container is mounted to the body of an image forming apparatus or closes it when the former is dismounted from the latter. The toner container with this configuration surely prevents the developer from leaking when the developer container is dismounted from an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An agent transport unit for transporting an agent from a first container to a second container includes a transport route and a pump. The transport route connects the first container and second container, and includes at least one of a first route, a second route, and a third route. The first route extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the second route extends in a substantially vertical direction, and the third route extends in a substantially inclined direction with a repose angle equal to or less than that of the agent. The pump supplies a gas flow into the transport route to transport the agent in the transport route.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, and a developer conveyance path. The developer carrier carries and conveys developer having a magnetic property. The developer carrier includes a plurality of magnetic poles provided inside the development carrier. The developer conveyance path is provided above the developer carrier and conveys the developer by a flow of air such that the developer is conveyed parallel to the developer carrier. The developer conveyance path is provided with a first developer outlet disposed above the developer carrier and open along a direction of conveyance of the developer to discharge the developer to the outside of the developer conveyance path to directly supply the developer to the developer carrier.

Abstract: A part of a toner supply path is formed in a setting unit (100), and a nozzle (110) coupled to a toner container (20) is provided, wherein the fitting direction of the toner container (20) to the setting unit (100) and the coupling direction of the nozzle (110) to the toner container (20) are different.

Abstract: A decelerator for reducing a speed of rotation of a drive source and transmitting drive of the drive source to an image bearing member of an image forming apparatus includes a drive shaft, a drive transmission member, and a pressure regulator. The drive shaft is rotated by the drive source. The drive transmission member is rotated by the drive shaft and includes a peripheral surface that contacts the drive shaft. The pressure regulator presses the drive shaft against a center of rotation of the drive transmission member and includes an alignment regulator to regulate alignment of the drive shaft in a direction of rotation of the drive transmission member. A drive device for rotating an image bearing member includes a drive source including a drive shaft, and the decelerator. An image forming apparatus includes the drive device and an image bearing member rotated by the drive device.

Abstract: A developing device capable of mixing and agitating toner and a developing agent efficiently and without applying unnecessary stress, efficiently adjusting the amount of charge on the developing agent without being affected by external disturbing conditions, and continuously supplying a developing agent having the appropriate toner concentration and amount of charge in just the necessary quantity. The amount of charge on the developing agent discharged from the developing unit is adjusted (reduced) by an ionized air flow, so that it is possible to improve the dispersability of the replenished toner, and quickly adjust the appropriate amount of charge without applying unnecessary stress. The developing agent that is raised from below upwards by a screw is moved downward by an agitation member, and again gathered in around the screw in a circulating flow. In this way, the developing agent within the whole developing agent agitation unit is uniformly mixed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveying pipe configured to convey a developer and a magnetic field generation mechanism configured to generate a magnetic field inside the conveying pipe to affect the developer. The magnet is formed to have lower magnetic intensities at positions upstream and downstream from a middle position of the conveying pipe along a conveying direction of the conveying pipe than a magnetic intensity in the middle of the conveying pipe.

Abstract: A part of a toner supply path is formed in a setting unit (100), and a nozzle (110) coupled to a toner container (20) is provided, wherein the fitting direction of the toner container (20) to the setting unit (100) and the coupling direction of the nozzle (110) to the toner container (20) are different.