Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover member configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; and a regulating member that faces the developer holder and is configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface. The device also includes a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing which is configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover member. A second exit path connects the first exit path and a filter member provided on the cover member, in which the filter member prevents passage of the developer and allows for passage of air.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover member configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; a regulating member that faces the developer holder and configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface; a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing and configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover member; and a second exit path that connects the first exit path and a filter member provided on the cover member, the filter member preventing passage of the developer and allowing passage of the air.

Abstract: A powder storage height detection device includes: a main body that includes a transport path along which powder is transported; a powder transport unit that is disposed to rotate in the transport path and includes a transporter provided spirally around a rotational shaft; a swinging unit that comes into contact with a surface of the powder transported in the transport path, and swings by following at least a storage height of the surface; a detection unit that detects a state of swinging of the swinging unit; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of the powder based on a detection signal outputted from the detection unit.

Abstract: A powder storage height detection device includes: a main body that includes a transport path along which powder is transported; a powder transport unit that is disposed to rotate in the transport path and includes a transporter provided spirally around a rotational shaft; a swinging unit that comes into contact with a surface of the powder transported in the transport path, and swings by following at least a storage height of the surface; a detection unit that detects a state of swinging of the swinging unit; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of the powder based on a detection signal outputted from the detection unit.

Abstract: A powder storage height detection device includes: a main body that has a transport path along which powder is transported; a powder transport unit that is disposed to rotate in the transport path and includes a transporter provided spirally around a rotational shaft; a swinging unit that comes into contact with a surface of the powder transported in the transport path, and swings by following at least a storage height of the surface; and a detection unit that detects a state of swinging of the swinging unit. The transport unit includes a non-transport portion in which the transporter is not present, and the swinging unit is located and disposed to swing in the non-transport portion, and an upper portion located above a contact portion to be in contact with the powder is configurated by an upward convex curved surface.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container body, a transport unit, a support unit, and a protrusion. The container body includes a cylindrical accommodating space that accommodates a developer, and a discharge port. The transport unit transports the accommodated developer toward the discharge port by a transport blade. The transport blade moves so as to pass closely to an inner wall of the accommodating space. The support unit rotatably supports a rotating shaft of the transport unit. The support unit includes a connecting component that connects to an external element to receive external rotational power. The protrusion protrudes inward from the inner wall. When the transport unit reversely rotates in an opposite direction to a rotational direction in transporting the developer, the transport blade passes in contact with the protrusion and vibrates so as to touch the inner wall of the accommodating space.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container body, a transport unit, a support unit, and a protrusion. The container body includes a cylindrical accommodating space that accommodates a developer, and a discharge port. The transport unit transports the accommodated developer toward the discharge port by a transport blade. The transport blade moves so as to pass closely to an inner wall of the accommodating space. The support unit rotatably supports a rotating shaft of the transport unit. The support unit includes a connecting component that connects to an external element to receive external rotational power. The protrusion protrudes inward from the inner wall. When the transport unit reversely rotates in an opposite direction to a rotational direction in transporting the developer, the transport blade passes in contact with the protrusion and vibrates so as to touch the inner wall of the accommodating space.

Abstract: A powder accommodating device includes: an accommodating portion that has an opening at one end, is installed horizontally to accommodate powder, and transports the powder toward the opening by rotation; a lid portion that has a cylindrical inner wall surface, covers the opening and is held in a non-rotational state; and an agitation portion including: a cylindrical portion that is disposed in the lid portion, communicates with the opening, and rotates integrally with the accommodating portion; and plural agitation rods that each have a rod shape protruding from the cylindrical portion in a rotation axis direction in a direction away from the cylindrical portion and circulate along the inner wall surface to agitate the powder in the hollow portion, wherein at least some of the plural agitation rods are connected to each other via a beam provided at a position out of the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotary member delivering a developer to a latent image on an image carrier while rotating, a supply member disposed in a supply path and including a supply shaft and a helical or substantially helical supply blade, the supply member supplying the developer to the rotary member while rotating, a stirring member disposed in a stirring path, which extends alongside the supply path, and including a stirring shaft and a helical or substantially helical stirring blade, the stirring member stirring and circulating the developer between the supply and stirring paths while rotating, and an ejection path connected to an upstream portion of the supply path in a transport direction of the developer to eject the developer to the outside. The stirring blade's outer diameter is 1.1 or about 1.1 times or more and 1.5 or about 1.5 times or less the supply blade's outer diameter.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotary member delivering a developer to a latent image on an image carrier while rotating, a supply member disposed in a supply path and including a supply shaft and a helical or substantially helical supply blade, the supply member supplying the developer to the rotary member while rotating, a stirring member disposed in a stirring path, which extends alongside the supply path, and including a stirring shaft and a helical or substantially helical stirring blade, the stirring member stirring and circulating the developer between the supply and stirring paths while rotating, and an ejection path connected to an upstream portion of the supply path in a transport direction of the developer to eject the developer to the outside. The stirring blade's outer diameter is 1.1 or about 1.1 times or more and 1.5 or about 1.5 times or less the supply blade's outer diameter.

Abstract: A developing device includes a device housing, a developer holding member, and a supply member. The device housing contains developer. The developer holding member includes a magnetic field generating device and holds the developer. The supply member is rotated so as to lift the developer from below on a developer lifting side in a rotational direction thereof toward the developer holding member. The developing device has an exhaust passage that is provided along an outer circumference of the developer holding member and that allows air in the apparatus body to be exhausted therethrough. An opposite portion is defined on an opposite side to the developer lifting side in the rotational direction of the supply member. The developing device also includes a blocking member that intersects a tangent connecting the opposite portion to the inlet so as to block entrance of the developer into the exhaust passage.

Abstract: A developing device includes a device housing, a developer holding member, and a supply member. The device housing contains developer. The developer holding member includes a magnetic field generating device and holds the developer. The supply member is rotated so as to lift the developer from below on a developer lifting side in a rotational direction thereof toward the developer holding member. The developing device has an exhaust passage that is provided along an outer circumference of the developer holding member and that allows air in the apparatus body to be exhausted therethrough. An opposite portion is defined on an opposite side to the developer lifting side in the rotational direction of the supply member. The developing device also includes a blocking member that intersects a tangent connecting the opposite portion to the inlet so as to block entrance of the developer into the exhaust passage.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer holding member that faces an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and rotating while holding developer; a developing housing with a holding member mount that mounts developer holding member, and accommodates developer; a developer container connected to the developing housing and containing developer that flows into the developing housing; a partition member disposed in the developer container and partitioning an inner space of the developer container; and a loosening member having a loosening portion disposed in the developer container and extending along one side surface and another side surface of the partition member to partition the developer container, and a drawing portion that is connected to the loosening portion and extends from a port formed in the developer container to the outside of the developer container. When the drawing portion is drawn out, the loosening portion moves to loosen the developer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier; an exposure member that exposes the image carrier and forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developing member that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier; and a contact-retracting unit that rotates the developing member taking a predetermined position as the rotational center, and brings the developing member in contact with or proximity to the image carrier or retracts the developing member from the image carrier.

Abstract: There is provided a development apparatus including: a first developer storage container and a second developer storage container that store developer, having a first a and second openings, respectively; a first transport member provided within the first developer storage container, and that causes the developer to move to the second developer storage container via the first opening; a second transport member provided within the second developer storage container, and that causes the developer to move to the first developer storage container via the second opening; a developer holding member that performs development by causing the developer to move to a position facing an image holding body on which a latent image is formed; and a moving member provided so as to fit between an inner wall face of the second developer storage container and an outer edge of the second transport member.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer holding member that faces an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and rotating while holding developer; a developing housing with a holding member mount that mounts developer holding member, and accommodates developer; a developer container connected to the developing housing and containing developer that flows into the developing housing; a partition member disposed in the developer container and partitioning an inner space of the developer container; and a loosening member having a loosening portion disposed in the developer container and extending along one side surface and another side surface of the partition member to partition the developer container, and a drawing portion that is connected to the loosening portion and extends from a port formed in the developer container to the outside of the developer container. When the drawing portion is drawn out, the loosening portion moves to loosen the developer.

Abstract: There is provided a development apparatus including: a first developer storage container and a second developer storage container that store developer, having a first a and second openings, respectively; a first transport member provided within the first developer storage container, and that causes the developer to move to the second developer storage container via the first opening; a second transport member provided within the second developer storage container, and that causes the developer to move to the first developer storage container via the second opening; a developer holding member that performs development by causing the developer to move to a position facing an image holding body on which a latent image is formed; and a moving member provided so as to fit between an inner wall face of the second developer storage container and an outer edge of the second transport member.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier; an exposure member that exposes the image carrier and forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developing member that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier; and a contact-retracting unit that rotates the developing member taking a predetermined position as the rotational center, and brings the developing member in contact with or proximity to the image carrier or retracts the developing member from the image carrier.