Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charger for charging an image bearing member. The charger includes a charging member contacted to the image bearing member and supplied with a voltage. The charger functions both as discharging device and charging device by switching a voltage applied thereto. The apparatus is made smaller, simpler and less expensive in cost.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a charger for electrically charging the image bearing member, latent image forming device for forming a latent image with use of the charger, a developing device for developing the latent image formed by the latent image forming device with toner electrically charged to a polarity the same as a polarity to which the image bearing member is charged by the charger, image transfer member contactable to a back side of a transfer material to transfer a toner image provided by the developing device from the image bearing member to the transfer material, a voltage application device for applying a voltage to the transfer member, the voltage application device applying a voltage having a polarity the same as that of the toner to the transfer member during non-transferring operation, and a device for providing different potentials for a portion of the image bearing member to be opposed to the image transfer device during the non-transfer action by sai

Abstract: A charging device for charging a moving member to be charged includes charging device for being contacted to the member to be charged to charge the member; a voltage source for applying a vibratory voltage to the charging device; wherein the charging device includes a first layer contactable to the member to be charged, a second layer adjacent thereto wherein the first layer is a dielectric layer having a volume resistivity larger than that of the second layer.

Abstract: A charging device for contact-charging a member to be charged. A charging device for charging a movable member to be charged includes a contacting member adapted to contacting the member to be charged, and means for forming a vibratory electric field between the member to be charged and the contacting member, the vibratory electric field forming means applying between the members a vibratory voltage having a peak-to-peak value not less than twice an absolute value of charge starting voltage to the member to be charged. The member to be charged can be uniformly charged.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer supply container, having an opening, for containing a non-magnetic developer and magnetic particles, an endlessly movable developer carrying member of a non-magnetic material for carrying a developer, which is movable between an inside of the developer supply container and an outside of the developer supply container through the opening, a magnetic particle confining member, provided to an outer surface of the developer carrying member with a gap, a magnet for generating a fixed magnetic field, having a magnetic pole disposed inside of the carrying member and upstream of the confining member with respect to movement of the carrying member, and a magnet, disposed outside of the carrying member and downstream of the confining member with respect to movement of the carrying member, for forming a line of magnetic force extending therefrom to the confining member.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a container for containing a non-magnetic developer and magnetic particles, a developer carrier for carrying the non-magnetic developer toward an image bearing member, a regulating member located adjacent to the non-magnetic developer discharge opening of the container to form a gap between the surface of the carrier and the regulating member, and a magnet positioned adjacent to the carrier at the side of the carrier opposite to the regulating member and causing the magnetic particles to form a magnetic brush upstream of the regulating member adjacent to the developer discharge opening of the container with respect to the direction in which the developer carrier is moved, whereby a thin layer of the non-magnetic developer can be formed on the developer carrier.

Abstract: A developing apparatus, including, a developer supply container, having an opening, for containing a non-magnetic developer and magnetic particles, an endlessly movable developer carrying member of a non-magnetic material for carrying a developer, which is movable between an inside of the developer supply container and an outside of the developer supply container through the opening, a magnetic particle confining member, spaced from outer surface of the developer carrying member with a gap, a magnet for generating a fixed magnetic field, having a magnetic pole disposed inside of the carrying member and upstream of the confining member with respect to movement of the developer carrying member, and a magnet, disposed outside of the carrying member in proximity with the confining member at an upstream side thereof with respect to movement of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A method of development including the steps of forming a thin layer of developer on a surface of a developer carrying member; opposing the surface of the developer carrying member to a latent image bearing member bearing a latent image to be developed with a clearance therebetween which is larger than the thickness of the thin developer layer at a developing position; and intermittently forming an alternating electric field, as a developing bias, across the clearance.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing a latent image includes a container, a developer carrying member movable along an endless path from inside the container to the outside, a magnetic field generator inside the carrying member, a partition member in the container for separately supporting, before operation, a first developer of magnetic particles and a second developer of non-magnetic particles, and a regulating member cooperable with the magnetic field generator. Upon release of the partition member, the first developer forms a base layer on the carrying member and the second developer forms on the base layer and then, upon circulation of the carrying member the second developer is moved past the regulating member.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a container for containing a non-magnetic developer and magnetic particles, a developer carrier for carrying the non-magnetic developer toward an image bearing member, a regulating member located adjacent to the non-magnetic developer discharge opening of the container to form a gap between the surface of the carrier and the regulating member, and a magnet positioned adjacent to the carrier at the side of the carrier opposite to the regulating member and causing the magnetic particles to form a magnetic brush upstream of the regulating member adjacent to the developer discharge opening of the container with respect to the direction in which the developer carrier is moved, whereby a thin layer of the non-magnetic developer can be formed on the developer carrier.

Abstract: A thin developer layer forming device includes a developer supply container, having an opening, for containing a non-magnetic developer and magnetic particles, an endlessly movable developer carrying member of a non-magnetic material for carrying a developer, which is movable between an inside of the developer supply container and an outside of the developer supply container through the opening, rotatable member for generating a magnetic field, disposed in the carrying member, and a magnetic particles confining member, provided outside of the developer carrying member and cooperable with a magnetic pole of the magnetic field generating means to confine the magnetic particles within the developer container, wherein the magnetic field generating member is rotated in the developer carrier to move the magnetic particles in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for developing images, wherein a moving latent image holding member is opposed to a developer carrying member with a space gap between them at a developing section in an amount greater than the thickness of a developer layer coated on the surface of the developer carrying member, and an alternating electric field is applied across the latent image holding member and the developer carrying member to cause the developer to reciprocatingly move between the developer carrying member and an image portion as well as a non-image portion on the latent image holding member at least at the closest region to the latent image holding member and the developer carrying member, thereby causing the surface of the developer layer carried on the developer carrying member to move in substantially the same direction and at substantially the same speed as the latent image surface at the developing section.

Abstract: A developing device having a developer holding member provided in confrontation to a latent image bearing member and a doctor blade which feeds magnetic developer onto the developer holding member and regulates a layer thickness of the magnetic developer fed onto the developer holding member, wherein the developer thickness regulating doctor blade is in such a configuration that it may converge magnetic lines of force from the magnetic pole provided on the rear surface of the developer holding member and from the other magnetic pole provided in contiguity to the developer holding member surface opposite to the first-mentioned magnetic pole.

Abstract: A developing method which comprises causing a layer of field-dependent developer which is supported on a supporting member and whose volume resistivity is 10.sup.12 .OMEGA..multidot.cm under an electric field of 30000 V/cm to be proximate to the surface of an image bearing member bearing a latent image thereon, and applying an AC voltage to between the substrate of the latent image bearing member and the developer supporting member to thereby effect development, and an apparatus therefor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing method for rendering a latent image supported on an image bearing member visible, and an apparatus therefor, in which a developer supporting member supporting thereon spherical granular developer prepared in substantially spherical form by a flow coater process or a spray drying process is maintained in opposed relation to an electrostatic image bearing member having a backing electrode so that the surface of the image bearing member and the developer on the developer supporting member are maintained in a mutually contact-free state, and an alternating voltage is applied to the developer supporting member to cause reciprocating motion of the developer in the developing area between the developer supporting member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: One of several corona dischargers used in an electrophotographic apparatus is connected to a power source transformer so as to selectively operate these corona dischargers. The power source transformer is provided with a tertiary winding, to which a switching device is connected. When the switching device is turned on, a secondary output from the transformer becomes lower than a corona discharging limit voltage, whereby the corona discharging stops.

Abstract: A developer is composed of colored insulating particles for developing an electrostatic image wherein at least the external surface of each particle comprises two different areas of which one area constitutes a major portion of said external surface and comprises an element which defines the polarity of the triboelectric charge of said particle to a determined polarity while the other area comprises an element capable of being easily separated from said particle, transferred to a surface of a developing device and charged to a polarity opposite to that of said particle.

Abstract: A developing method and apparatus in which a developer supporting member is opposed to a latent image bearing member with a clearance therebetween and developer is caused to be transferred from the developer supporting member to the latent image bearing member to effect development and wherein a first and a second developing portion are provided as the developer supporting member, these effect development in the named order to complete the developing step, a first alternating bias for causing the developer to be transferred so as to mainly develop the image end portion of the latent image is imparted to the first developing portion, and a second alternating bias for causing the developer to be transferred so as to mainly effect the development for reproducing the tone of the latent image is imparted to the second developing portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying developing agent for use in an image forming apparatus, in which a magnetic developer is placed under the influence of a forcing magnetic field, then the developer restrained by the forcing magnetic field is caused to pass through a slit-passageway having a narrowing clearance, thereafter the developer is pushed out into a conveying path by reducing the intensity of the forcing magnetic field to the developer which has passed through the minimum clearance in the slit-passageway below the magnetic field in the minimum clearance section of the slit-passageway, and finally the developer which has been pushed out into the conveying path is moved in and through the conveying path by being further pushed by subsequently transported developer.