Abstract: A developing device for an image forming apparatus includes a developer carrier such as a developing sleeve having a magnetic field generating device therein which carries and conveys a developer containing toner and magnetic carrier particles. The developing device also includes a first regulating member such as a blade which regulates the developer being carried and conveyed by the developer carrier, and a developer storing section stores developer scraped off the developer carrier by the first regulating member. The developer storing section includes a second regulating member arranged upstream of the first regulating member with respect to a direction in which the developer carrier conveys the developer. The developing device further includes a toner storing section provided adjacent to the developer storing section to supply toner to the developer carrier.

Abstract: A toner supplying device for supplying toner contained in a toner container to a developing device of an image forming apparatus includes a toner container insertion part configured to receive at least two inserted toner containers from a front side of the toner supplying device. A toner container holder detachably holds the toner containers inserted into the toner container insertion part. A toner container selection control device selects an arbitrary toner container from among the at least two toner containers held by the toner container holder and causes the selected toner container to discharge toner from an opening thereof while stopping a discharge of toner from an opening of the other toner containers.

Abstract: A toner supplying device for supplying toner contained in each of a plurality of toner containers attached to the device to a developing device of an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A toner supplying device for supplying toner contained in a toner container attached to the toner supplying device to a developing device of an image forming apparatus. The toner supplying device includes a toner container insertion part configured such that a toner container is inserted therein from a front side of the toner supplying device. A toner container holder that detachably holds the toner container inserted into the toner container insertion part and toner discharged from the toner container held by the toner container holder is exhausted to a toner exhaust path. A toner delivery device delivers the toner, exhausted to the toner exhaust path, to the developing device of the image forming apparatus, by mixing the toner with air. The toner supplying device includes a covering device that covers and uncovers the toner container insertion part. The covering device includes a regulating device that regulates movement of the covering device to cover and uncover the toner container insertion part.

Abstract: A powder pump includes a case, a diaphragm, a working chamber which is partitioned with the case and the diaphragm, a powder inlet formed on the case for flowing the powder into the working chamber, a powder outlet formed on the case for flowing the powder in the working chamber out of the powder outlet, an inlet valve which opens the powder inlet when pressure in the working chamber is decreased by an operation of the diaphragm so that the powder flows into the working chamber from the powder inlet and shuts the powder inlet when the pressure in the working chamber is raised by the operation of the diaphragm, and an outlet valve which opens an outlet when the pressure in the working chamber is raised by the operation of the diaphragm, so as to let the powder flow through the powder outlet outside of the working chamber and shuts the powder outlet when the pressure in the working chamber is lowered by the operation of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A toner sorting device includes a device for taking in used toner conveyed from an image forming apparatus and conveying the used toner in one direction, and a device for sifting the used toner conveyed from the intake device to separate reusable toner from the used toner. The sifting device includes a tubular sieve for separating reusable toner from the used toner and a device for holding the sieve so that the sieve is rotatable. The sieve has an opening for receiving the used toner conveyed from the intake device to be moved into the sifting device and an opening for discharging the remaining toner separated from the reusable toner and remaining inside the sifting device. The toner sorting device further includes a device for collecting the reusable toner separated from the used toner by the sifting device and a device for collecting the remaining toner discharged from the sifting device. The toner sorting device further includes a device for accelerating sifting of the used toner by the sifting device.

Abstract: Image forming equipment having a developing device for developing a latent image electrostatically formed on an image carrier by a developer, and a cleaning device for removing the developer remaining on the image carrier and collecting it in a collecting section. The equipment determines whether or not the developer collected in the collecting section has reached a predetermined amount by determining whether or not a developer has been supplemented to the developing device a predetermined number of times. The number of times that a developer is supplemented to the developing device is counted on the basis of the output of a supplement detector which determines whether or not a developer has been supplemented. The supplement detector determines that developer has been supplied only when a predetermined number of copies have been made after a toner low/empty signal is indicated or the toner concentration is detected to increase after the toner low/empty signal is indicated.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus having two identical toner handling units each functioning as a developing device when located in a developing position or as a cleaning device when located in a cleaning position. The image forming devices are alternately and repetitively set in the developing position and cleaning position.

Abstract: A remaining developer sensing method for an image forming apparatus operable with a plurality of replaceable developing units each storing a developer of different color maintains the amounts of developers of remaining in the individual developing units equal to each other at all times. An exclusive sensor responsive to the remaining amount of toner is mounted on the bottom of a toner hopper of each developing unit and outputs a toner absence signal when the amount of toner remaining in the associated developing unit becomes short. When the toner absence signal continuously appears over a predetermined period time, the operation of the apparatus is inhibited. The predetermined period time differs from one developing unit to another.

Abstract: A rotary multicolor developing apparatus having a plurality of developing chambers defined in a rotatable developing drum, which neighbors and faces a photoconductive drum, and developing units each being disposed in a respective one of the developing chambers to supply toner of a particular color; the developing units being sequentially transported in a rotational motion to a predetermined developing region so that the toner is transferred from each developing unit to an electrostatic latent image provided on the photoconductive drum, thereby developing the latent image. In each developing unit, there are provided a magnetic brush which is sequentially transported between a toner supply region, the developing region, and a toner recovery region, a toner supply roller for transporting toner which is charged in the toner supply region to the magnetic brush, and a toner recovery roller for collecting in the toner recovery region the toner which remains on the magnetic brush after development.

Abstract: A method for developing an electrostatic latent image includes the steps of preliminarily charging a toner, supplying the preliminarily charged toner to a resilient developing brush held in resilient contact with a latent image carrier while electrically charging the toner in a toner supplying region, transferring the toner on the resilient developing brush to an image developing region, developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with the toner by bringing the resilient developing brush into contact with the latent image carrier and the image developing region, transferring the resilient developing brush from the image developing region to a toner recovering region separate from the toner supplying region after the image has been developed, recovering residual toner from the resilient developing brush in the toner recovering region in order to remove toner density irregularities from the resilient developing brush, and thereafter transferring the resilient developing brush to the to

Abstract: A two-component toner is directly supplied to a brush which is cyclically transferred while in resilient contact with a latent image carrier for developing an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier. After the image has been developed by the toner, residual toner is directly recovered from the brush for uniformizing the toner density on the brush.

Abstract: A charge quenching apparatus for quenching unnecessary charges on a latent electrostatic-image bearing photoconductor of an electrophotographic copying machine for making copies with clean margins when the size of the maximum-latent-image area on the photoconductor, corresponding to the size of the original, is smaller than the transfer sheet employed, in the unit magnification and in the variable magnification, and for making copies without applying excess load to a cleaning apparatus of the photoconductor when copies bearing part of the image of the original are made or when copies bearing a reduced-size image of the original are made. In the charge quenching apparatus, the size of the maximum-latent-image area selected and the size of the transfer sheet selected are compared, and charges in the area outside the area corresponding to the smaller size determined by the above-mentioned comparison are quenched.