Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image bearing member, a developing unit, a power supply, and a contact portion. The developing unit includes a developing container configured to store developer, a developer bearing member configured to rotate while bearing the developer stored in the developing container, and a developing magnet provided within the developer bearing member and comprising a plurality of magnetic poles in a circumferential direction. The developing unit is removably provided to the apparatus body. The contact portion electrically is connected with the power supply. The developing unit comprises a conductive member which is made of a conductive resin comprising a fixing portion fixing the developing magnet so that the magnetic poles of the developing magnet are fixed unrotatably with respect to the developing container. The conductive member is provided to electrically connect the contact portion with the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developing member configured to carry a developer containing toner and a carrier to a developing position, a first frame configured to accommodate the developer, a second frame mounted on the first frame and configured to cover part of an outer peripheral surface of the rotatable developing member, and a cover portion provided opposite to the rotatable developing member. The following relationship is satisfied: L1?L2+L3, and L2?L3, where with respect to the radial direction of the rotatable developing member, L1 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the second frame and the rotatable developing member, L2 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the rotatable developing member and the cover portion, and L3 is a minimum of the clearance formed between the second frame and the cover portion.

Abstract: A developing device is usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which include respective image bearing members movable at different rotational speeds during an image forming operation, and includes a rotatable developer bearing member that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member, a developer container that accommodates a developer, and a feeding member to feed the developer in the developing container. In addition, a discharge opening is provided in the developer container and permits discharging of the developer from the developer container, and a covering member is movable relative to the developer container and capable of changing a lower end of the discharge opening between a first level for discharging toner and a second level for discharging toner, depending on which image forming apparatus the developing device is used with, wherein the first and second levels are different from each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image bearing member, a developing unit, a power supply, and a contact portion. The developing unit includes a developing container configured to store developer, a developer bearing member configured to rotate while bearing the developer stored in the developing container, and a developing magnet provided within the developer bearing member and comprising a plurality of magnetic poles in a circumferential direction. The developing unit is removably provided to the apparatus body. The contact portion electrically is connected with the power supply. The developing unit comprises a conductive member which is made of a conductive resin comprising a fixing portion fixing the developing magnet so that the magnetic poles of the developing magnet are fixed unrotatably with respect to the developing container. The conductive member is provided to electrically connect the contact portion with the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developing member carrying a developer containing toner and a carrier to a developing position and a magnet provided fixedly inside the rotatable developing member and including first and second magnetic poles. A cover portion opposes the rotatable developing member. A most upstream end of the cover portion is positioned downstream of an uppermost position of the rotatable developing member and upstream of a most upstream position of a half-width of magnetic flux density of the first magnetic pole, and a most downstream end of the cover portion is positioned downstream of a first peak position and upstream of a position where the magnetic flux density of the first magnetic pole is a minimum on a side downstream of the first peak position and upstream of a second peak position where magnetic flux density of the second magnetic pole is a maximum.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a rotatable developer carrying member, and a magnetic field generator. Magnetic members are provided at end portions of the developer carrying member with a gap to an outer peripheral surface of the developer carrying member, and magnet members are provided opposed to the magnetic members so as to magnetize the magnetic members. The outer peripheral surface of the developer carrying member includes a first region including a developing region corresponding to an image forming region and a second region outside and adjacent to the first region and having lower developer feeding power than the first region or having substantially no feeding power. The first region is larger than a region between outside surfaces of the magnetic members and is smaller than a region between inside surfaces of the magnet members.

Abstract: A developing device includes an accommodating casing, a rotatable developer carrying member, a regulating portion, a magnetic flux generating portion including a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole which have the same polarity, and a cover portion provided downstream of the developing region and upstream of a maximum magnetic flux density position of the second magnetic pole with respect to a rotational direction of the developer carrying member. The cover portion is disposed between the casing and the developer carrying member. A first opposing region between an inner surface of the casing and the developer carrying member is in a side downstream of the developing region and upstream of a second opposing region between the cover portion and the developer carrying member with respect to the rotational direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes an accommodating casing, a rotatable developer carrying member, a regulating portion, a magnetic flux generating portion including a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole which have the same polarity, and a cover portion provided downstream of the developing region and upstream of a maximum magnetic flux density position of the second magnetic pole with respect to a rotational direction of the developer carrying member. The cover portion is disposed between the casing and the developer carrying member. A downstream end of the cover portion with respect to the rotational direction is in a side upstream, with respect to the rotational direction, of a minimum magnetic flux density position between the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole with respect to the rotational direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer accommodating casing, a developer carrying member, a regulating portion, a magnetic flux generating portion, and a cover portion. A first opposing region between the casing and the developer carrying member is downstream of the developing region and upstream of a second opposing region between the cover portion and the developer carrying member with respect to a rotational direction. The following relationships are satisfied: L1?L2+L3, and L2?L3, where L1 is a minimum distance between the developer carrying member and the accommodating casing in the first opposing region, L2 is a minimum distance between the developer carrying member and the cover portion in the second opposing region, and L3 is a minimum distance between the cover portion and the accommodating portion opposing the cover portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a collection container for collecting toner discharged from an image forming station, the collection container being movable between a mount position in which the collection container is mounted in the apparatus and a removable position in which the collection container is removable from the apparatus; and a door provided on the apparatus to permit access into the apparatus. A track of the collection container when the collection container is moved from the mount position to the removable position overlaps a track of the door when the door is opened and closed, and when the door is in its open position, the collection container is incapable of being removed from the main assembly, and when the door is in its closed position, the collection container is removable from the main assembly.

Abstract: A developing device, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus which are capable of suppressing inconveniences such as stagnation of a developer at a taking-in portion of the developer and deterioration of the developer due to sliding of the developer with a developer carrying member in the case where a magnetic sealing member is used are provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first feeding path configured to feed toner collected from an image forming station, a collection container detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus and configured to accommodate the collected toner fed through the first feeding path, and a shutter unit including a second feeding path movably connected with the first feeding path and capable of connecting with the collection container. A shutter is configured to open and close a connecting portion between the second feeding path and the collection container by sliding in a direction crossing with the second feeding path in response to mounting and demounting of the collection container.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a first cooling unit sends airflow to cool a first developing unit, and a second cooling unit sends airflow to cool a second developing unit. A control section controls the first and second cooling units in a first mode where image formation is executed using both a first and second image forming section, and in a second mode where image formation is executed such that the first developing unit is suspended but the first image bearing body is driven, using an image forming section. In the first mode the first cooling unit is controlled based on an output of a first temperature sensor regardless of a temperature detected by a second temperature sensor, and in the second mode the first cooling unit is controlled based on an output of the second temperature sensor regardless of a temperature detected by the first temperature sensor.

Abstract: A developing device usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, includes a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in the developer container; a discharge opening provided in the developer container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in the developer container produced with supply of the developer into the developer container; and a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of the discharge opening or a level of a lower end of the discharge opening between a first condition and a second condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first feeding path configured to feed the toner collected from an image forming station; a collection container detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus and configured to accommodate the collected toner fed through the first feeding path; and a shutter unit including a second feeding path movably connected with the first feeding path and capable of connecting with the collection container, and a shutter configured to open and close a connecting portion between the second feeding path and the collection container by slide in a direction crossing with the second feeding path in response to mounting and demounting of the collection container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a collection container for collecting toner discharged from an image forming station, the collection container being movable between a mount position in which the collection container is mounted in the apparatus and a removable position in which the collection container is removable from the apparatus; and a door provided on the apparatus to permit access into the apparatus; wherein a track of the collection container when collection container is moved from the mount position to the removable position overlaps a track of the openable member when the openable member is opened and closed, and wherein when the openable member is in the opening position, the collection container is incapable of removing from the main assembly, and when the openable member is in the closing position, the collection container is removable from the main assembly.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is provided on the outer side of a developing container in an area where toner is filled inside the developing container, so that both toner temperature in the developing container and temperature around a drum can be acquired, and hence the amount of discharge of toner and the air capacity of a fan can be adjusted optimally based on the acquired values.