Abstract: A powder storage container is provided. The powder storage container includes a container body, a discharge port, a conveyer, a stirrer, a return port, and a partition wall. The container body is configured to contain powder. The powder contained in the container body is dischargeable through the discharge port. The conveyer is configured to convey the powder to the discharge port. The stirrer is configured to stir the powder contained in the container body by rotating. The return port is disposed outside a rotational locus of the stirrer in a radial direction, and the powder conveyed by the conveyer is returnable through the return port toward the stirrer. The partition wall is disposed between the stirrer and the return port with at least a part of the partition wall positioned above the return port.

Abstract: A feeding screw for feeding a developer includes a rotation shaft, and first, second, and third blade portions helically formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft to feed the developer in one direction. The first blade portion and the second blade portion overlap with each other, the second blade portion and the third blade portion do not overlap with each other, and the third blade portion and the first blade portion overlap with each other, all with respect to the rotational axis direction of the feeding screw. A gap is provided between a downstream end of the second blade and an upstream end of the third blade portion in the one direction, and the gap is disposed within a region where the first blade portion is formed with respect to the rotational axis direction of the feeding screw.

Abstract: A vibration-type actuator capable of suppressing reduction in holding torque or holding force under influence of humidity. A vibration-type actuator 10 includes a vibrating body 2 and a driven body 1. The vibrating body 2 has a piezoelectric element 2c and an elastic body 2b. The driven body 1 is in contact with the vibrating body 2. The vibration-type actuator 10 moves the vibrating body 2 and the driven body 1 relatively to each other by vibration excited to the vibrating body 2. At least one of a first contact portion of the vibrating body 2 and a second contact portion of the driven body 1 includes a stainless-steel sintered body with pores and at least some of the pores are impregnated with a resin.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material in an image forming mode, includes: a photoreceptor rotatable in a predetermined rotation direction; a developer that forms a toner image on the photoreceptor using a two-component developing agent including toner and a carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the transfer material; a carrier collector that applies an electric field corresponding to a collecting bias to a carrier adhering to the photoreceptor to collect the carrier; a carrier detector that detects a carrier remaining on the photoreceptor after collecting the carrier by the carrier collector; and a hardware processor that sets the collecting bias in the image forming mode on the basis of the amount of carriers detected by the carrier detector when a carrier adhesion detecting mode for forcibly causing a carrier to adhere to the photoreceptor is executed.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container, a transporting member, and a passage portion. The container holds a developer. The transporting member includes a shaft, rotatably supported by the container, and a transporting portion that is supported by the shaft and that transports the developer in the container when the shaft rotates. The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable-body receivable member and a container member. The removable-body receivable member removably supports a removable body containing a developer. The removable-body receivable member has an opening at a near portion in an insertion/removal direction in which the removable body is inserted into or removed from the removable-body receivable member. The container member is connected to the opening to contain the developer.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a toner receiving portion configured to contain toner and a movable part moveable at a first speed and a second speed, the moveable part at least partially disposed within the toner receiving portion, a temperature sensor disposed adjacent to the developing device, and a control unit operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the developing device, wherein the control unit controls the movable part to move at a first speed when the temperature sensor detects a temperature less than a first temperature and controls the movable part to move at a second speed lower than the first speed when the detected temperature is less than a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: A toner collecting device includes an exhaust path and a catching installation. Through the exhaust path, air containing a floating toner is passed. The catching installation is configured to catch the floating toner from the air passing through the exhaust path. The catching installation is formed by overlapping a plural of filters each having a different mesh size.

Abstract: A toner storage device includes a toner storage case that stores toner, and a stirring paddle rotatably supported in the toner storage case and includes at least one stirring blade that stirs the toner stored in the toner storage case, and a rotating shaft that rotates the at least one stirring blade, wherein the toner storage case includes a first supporting portion that rotatably supports an end of the rotating shaft of the stirring paddle, a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an other end of the rotating shaft, and a tapered portion that is tapered toward the first supporting portion.

Abstract: A cleaning device in accordance with the present disclosure includes a cleaning member to clean toner on an image bearer, a toner conveyor that rotates to convey toner cleaned by the cleaning member, and an agitator that includes a bent portion that is in contact with the toner conveyor, and the agitator vibrates due to the rotation of the toner conveyor. The agitator includes a plurality of arm members, and a first end of a first arm member of the plurality of arm members is attached to a second end of a second arm member of the plurality of arm members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image bearing body on which a latent image is formed; a lubricant supplying unit configured to supply lubricant to the latent image bearing body; a developing unit configured to develop the latent image as a toner image by supplying the lubricant taken in from the latent image bearing body to the latent image bearing body together with charged toner; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image to an image bearing body at a transfer position by applying a transfer voltage to the toner image; and a control unit configured to control application of the transfer voltage, wherein the lubricant is charged to a polarity opposite to a charging polarity of the toner, and based on an area ratio of a transferred image and the number of transferred sheets, the control unit controls the transfer voltage to be applied.

Abstract: A developing device includes a supplying chamber, an agitating member, a toner carrier, a retaining part and a detecting part. The supplying chamber accommodates a toner replenished from a toner container. The agitating member agitates the toner in the supplying chamber. The toner carrier supplies an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with the toner from the supplying chamber. The retaining part recovers and retains the toner dispersed in the vicinity of the image carrier and the toner carrier. The detecting part detects an amount of the toner in the retaining part. The retaining part is moreover configured to replenish the recovered toner from the retaining part to the supplying chamber when the detecting part detects an amount of the toner in the retaining part more than a predetermined amount in a state where the toner is needed to be replenished to the supplying chamber.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer, a first developer compartment from which developer is supplied to the developer bearer, a second developer compartment from which developer is sent to the first developer compartment, and first and second communicating portions through which developer is circulated between the first and second developer compartments. The second communicating portion to send developer from the second developer compartment to the first developer compartment is constructed of multiple openings.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a main body having an opening; a developing cartridge, detachably installed in the main body through the opening in a first direction, which includes a photosensitive drum and a cleaning member for removing a toner remaining in the photosensitive drum; and a toner recycle unit, detachably installed in the developing cartridge through the opening in the first direction, which recovers the toner removed by the cleaning member, filters the recovered toner, and supplies the toner again to the developing cartridge.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a toner storage portion for containing toner and a development portion for containing the toner supplied from the toner storage portion. The development portion includes a developing roller for supplying the toner to a photosensitive body, a supply roller and an auxiliary supply roller. The supply roller and the auxiliary supply roller rotate while facing each other to supply the toner to the developing roller. In the developing unit, an inequality that |D?(R1+R2)|?1.0 mm is satisfied, where a distance between the centers of the auxiliary supply roller and the supply roller in a region where the auxiliary supply roller and the supply roller face each other is D, a radius of the supply roller is R1, and a radius of the auxiliary supply roller is R2.

Abstract: A sieving device including a hollow cylindrical body, a filter disposed at a bottom portion of the hollow cylindrical body, and a blade configured to rotate in close proximity to the filter around a rotation axis thereof crossing the filter to thereby stir powder supplied to the hollow cylindrical body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon; a developing device to render the electrostatic latent image visible with a developer including toner and a carrier; a developer container to contain the developer collected from the developing device; a developer conveyance path through which the developer discharged from the developer container is conveyed to the developing device; a coolant conveyance path to convey a coolant; and a cooling device to cool the developer contained in the developer container when the coolant is contacted to an external surface of the developer container, in which the developer container and the coolant conveyance path are made of different materials and a thermal conductivity of the developer container is higher than that of the coolant conveyance path.

Abstract: There is provided a developer container, which is divided into a first containing part and a second containing part that are communicated with each other at communication parts on the opposite end sides, which has a discharge port at the second containing part, and in which a developer is contained; a developer carrying member that carries the developer within the developer container to adhere it to the image carrying member; a first conveyance member that conveys the developer in the first containing part of the developer container while agitating it; a second conveyance member that conveys the developer in the second containing part of the developer container while agitating it, and supplies the developer to the developer carrying member; a third conveyance member that is arranged between the second conveyance member and the discharge port; a first driving member that rotary-drives the first conveyance member and the second conveyance member; and a second driving member that drives the third driving member

Abstract: An image forming cartridge comprises a developing unit configured to hold toner including a developing section configured to use the toner for developing and a supplying section configured to provide the toner to the developing section and a toner cartridge attachable to the developing unit, wherein the toner cartridge contains toner and supplies toner to the developing unit and the toner cartridge includes a stand-by charging unit configured to perform stand-by charge to the toner in the toner cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon; a developing device to render the electrostatic latent image visible with a developer including toner and a carrier; a developer container to contain the developer collected from the developing device; a developer conveyance path through which the developer discharged from the developer container is conveyed to the developing device; a coolant conveyance path to convey a coolant; and a cooling device to cool the developer contained in the developer container when the coolant is contacted to an external surface of the developer container, in which the developer container and the coolant conveyance path are made of different materials and a thermal conductivity of the developer container is higher than that of the coolant conveyance path.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing tank for containing a powder developer, an agitating member disposed in the developing tank to agitate the powder developer; and a cooling tank attached to the developing tank. The cooling tank contains an endothermic material to absorb heat from the powder developer.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing device main body in which a developer chamber containing a developer is formed; a pressure application area forming unit that is provided in the developer chamber so as to form a pressure application area where pressure is applied to the developer in the developer chamber because of movement of the developer contained in the developer chamber; and a pressure regulating unit that regulates the pressure applied to the developer in the pressure application area in response to temperature of the developer in the pressure application area.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer container internally divided by a partition into a supply path and a recovery path, a developer bearing member, a supply conveyance member to apply force to convey developer to a developer retaining space through the supply path, the developer retaining space retaining the developer to be conveyed by the developer bearing member, a recovery conveyance member, a communication pathway provided between the supply path and the developer retaining space, the communication pathway passing the developer from the supply path to the developer retaining space, and a developer softening member to soften the developer that is present above the partition, provided at least one of at a position in the communication pathway and at a position close to the communication pathway.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for an image forming apparatus. In order to suppress toner scattering that may occur after a development operation has been halted for a long time, the developer is transferred to a developer storage unit on the exterior of the developing machine when the development operation ends. A range in which an angle of a restricting member upstream side central angle ?, which is a central angle of the surface of a developing roller on the upstream side of a restricting member opposing position opposing a developer amount restricting member in a surface motion direction of the developing roller, is not less than 0° and not more than 60° is set as a low magnetic flux density area ? in which the maximum value of a normal direction magnetic flux density on the surface of the developing roller is not more than 30 mT.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image formation portion forming an image onto a recording medium in an electro-photographic process. An acquisition portion acquires image data and a storage portion stores in advance first and second image formation conditions for the electro-photographic process. A condition setting portion sets the first image-formation condition for an image formation operation, if data indicating a bar code is not included in image data acquired by the acquisition portion, and sets the second image formation condition for an image formation operation if image data indicating a bar code is included in image data acquired by the acquisition portion. A control portion allows the image formation portion to execute an image formation operation based on image data acquired by the acquisition portion according to the image formation condition set by the condition setting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a time detection unit, a humidity measurement unit and a controller. The image forming device includes a photoconductive body, a developing device and a transfer device. The time detection unit detects information concerning a stop time period of the developing device. The humidity measurement unit is provided in a casing in which the image forming device is provided and measures a humidity. The controller controls a developer supply member in the developing device based on the information concerning the stop time period detected by the time detection unit and information concerning the humidity measured by the humidity measurement unit, so as to rotate at a lower speed than a rotation speed at a normal time before the developing device starts a first developing operation after the developing device stopped.

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 system, method and device for measuring toner performance by randomly applying a toner sample having toner particles to a substrate, and positioning the substrate such that a force may be applied to individual particles of the measuring toner. A rolling resistance or rotation of the individual particles of the measuring toner is measured. The measurements may be analyzed to determine adhesion and distribution properties of individual toner particles of the measuring toner sample.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a developing device includes: a developing roller configured to supply a developer to a photoconductive drum; a first mixer configured to mix a fresh toner supplied from a toner supply section and the developer; a second mixer configured to supply the developer mixed by the first mixer to the developing roller; and a magnet roller including a magnet on an inside thereof and configured to remove foreign matters from the developer collected.

Abstract: A systems and methods for providing an image forming machine capable of monitoring the absolute charge to mass ratio of toner and dielectric thickness of a photoconductor layer on a photoconductor in an image forming device, and for providing warnings, alerts and process controls when the absolute charge to mass ratio of toner in an image forming device or the dielectric thickness of a photoconductor layer falls outside a predetermined range.

Abstract: A developing device of the present invention has a toner supply opening in a first carrying path and in the upstream of the developer carrying direction of a first carrying screw which is further from a developing roller; and a moquette member having feathers on its surface, and being provided, along the developer carrying direction, on the first carrying path. With this arrangement, it is possible to realize a compact developing device having a simple arrangement in which the supplied toner is speedily mixed with the preexisted developer, and the stable toner which is uniformly dispersed and charged can be speedily supplied for development.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide, in a development apparatus using a two-component developer, a compact development apparatus, image forming apparatus and development method that prevents carrier deterioration and that can carry out good image formation over a long time period. In a development apparatus using a developer in which are mixed a toner, a carrier, and opposite polarity particles that are charged to a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner, the surface charge density of the opposite polarity particles should be in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 times the surface charge density of the carrier.

Abstract: A developing device that forms a toner image on an image carrier, including: a cleaning device that recovers a toner that remains on the image carrier; a recovered toner supply port to which a recovered toner is returned; a toner transporting section that transports the toner supplied from the recovered toner supply port within the developing device; a capturing section including a plurality of capturing members formed on a path along which the toner is transported by the toner transporting section, and capturing a foreign material; and a foreign-material removal member that moves along an elongating direction of the plurality of capturing members, and removes the foreign material captured by the plurality of capturing members.

Abstract: The toner cartridge is provided with: a toner storing container of a rectangular shape having a toner feeding opening in an angular portion of the toner storing container; a stirring conveying member that is disposed so as to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction in the toner storing container and stirs and conveys toner in the toner storing container toward the toner feeding opening; a waste toner storing container that stores reclaimed toner; and a partition member that is held by the toner storing container, partitions between the toner storing container and the waste toner storing containers and has a bearing portion axially supporting a rotating shaft of the stirring conveying member and extending into inside of the waste toner storing container. The toner stored in the toner storing container has an average value of a shape factor (SF1) of about 130 or less.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing tank for containing a powder developer, an agitating member disposed in the developing tank to agitate the powder developer; and a cooling tank attached to the developing tank. The cooling tank contains an endothermic material to absorb heat from the powder developer.

Abstract: A development device including a development roller to bear a development agent including toner, a development agent supplying roller which is provided adjacent to the development roller to supply the development agent to the development roller, a regulation applicator to regulate the layer thickness of the development agent on the development roller and a capture device to capture the development agent finely powdered by the regulation applicator.

Abstract: A developing device includes (a) a developing member; (b) a developer container; (c) a partition member that partitions an interior of the developer container into a primary chamber and a secondary chamber; and (d) a developer-conveying unit that is disposed in the primary chamber, the developing device defining a collected-toner-receiving port through which a collected toner that is collected from a toner image carrier is received into the developer container; and a migration opening through which a developer held in the primary chamber is migratable to the secondary chamber, the developing device further including (e) a capturing unit that is disposed at the migration opening and captures a foreign material which migrates through the migration opening together with the developer; and (f) a foreign-material-removing unit that is disposed at the developer-conveying unit and moves the foreign material out of the developer container in accordance with the rotation of the developer-conveying.

Abstract: A method of changing a color developer in a developer housing of xerographic marking system are disclosed, and may include supplying a chart divided into a plurality of color family sections or quadrants, selecting a new color to be installed in a developer housing corresponding to the color family section, purging old toner from the developer housing until a concentration of old toner is reduced to about 0.1% to 6.0% from its nominal concentration, installing a container of a new color developer in the developer housing, and running the marking system until the required concentration of the new color developer is attained.

Abstract: A developing unit using a two-component developer intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming a high-quality image for a long period of time. A developing unit using a developer contains toner, carrier and opposite polarity particles having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of toner includes separation means for separating the toner or opposite polarity particles, and control mechanism for controlling opposite polarity particle separation ratio in response to the image area ratio and the number of prints.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a developer container is detachably mountable includes a receiving unit configured to receive, via wireless communication, temperature information detected by a temperature detecting unit, which is disposed in a developer container, from the developer container in a state not mounted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a determining unit configured to determine, based on the temperature information received by the receiving unit, whether an oscillating unit disposed in the developer container is to be oscillated, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal for oscillating the oscillating unit to the developer container via wireless communication based on a determination result of the determining unit indicating that the oscillating unit is to be oscillated.

Abstract: In a method for recycling a double component developer that contains a carrier and a toner used for an image forming device such as office automation equipment, an economic value of recycling is increased, thereby allowing a company to carry out an active and sustainable environmental activity. Material components of a carrier are completely utilized, so that a process of removing and disposing part of components of the carrier, which is present in the conventional technology of a carrier recycling, is omitted from a recycling system, and in consequence, a cost of recycling is minimized. Furthermore, as well as a subject of the recycling, i.e. a carrier itself, a more valuable material, i.e. a platinum group metal, is utilized for the recycling.

Abstract: A development apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of minimizing deterioration of a carrier for a long time, even in a case of continuous formation of images of a smaller image area ratio. The charging of toner is assisted by using a developer composed of a mixture of toner and the carrier, to the surface of which is added a reverse polarity particle having a polarity reverse to that of a charged toner. Separation of the toner or reverse polarity particle of the developer prior to a process of development prevents the reverse polarity particle from being consumed in a developing area, whereby an effect thereof is maintained for a long time.

Abstract: A developing device 2a, which is provided with: a developer tank 16 that houses a developer 24 containing a toner, a carrier for charging the toner and reverse polarity particles that are charged with a polarity reversed to the electrostatic charge polarity of the toner by the carrier; a developer-supporting member 11 that supports the developer supplied from the developer tank on the surface thereof, and transports the developer; and a separating mechanism 22 that separates the toner or the reverse polarity particles from the developer supported on the developer-supporting member, and the reverse polarity particles are collected into the developer tank, is provided, and an image-forming apparatus having such a developing device and an image-forming method applied thereto are also provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an exposure device, a development device, an image density detection device, a supply device for supplying a toner to the development device, a cleaning device for cleaning the surface of an image bearing member, a driving torque detection device for detecting a driving torque of the image bearing member, and a controller which drives the image bearing member while providing a predetermined electric potential difference between a region charged in the image bearing member and a developer support in case of non-image formation conducts a driving torque detecting operation with respect to the image bearing member by means of the driving torque detection device, and changes a reference value in response to the value of the driving torque detected.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing toner for use in electrophotographic imaging members, such as photoreceptor structures. More particularly, embodiments pertain to an apparatus and process for separating toner from toner/carrier mixtures, such as reclaiming toner from waste toner, much more efficiently and with improved yields.

Abstract: This is a magnetic developer purification structure that is used along with other stations positioned in the path of an electrostatic moving belt or drum in an electrostatic marking system. This purification structure may be a separate station or may be part of the development station provided it supplies purified developer to the development station prior to developer contacting the latent image on the drum or belt. The purification structure will agitate the developer mix to form a homogenous mixture of toner and carrier. This mixture is magnetically treated to separate less magnetically attracted contaminants from the remainder of the mixture. The contaminants are removed from the mix and substantially pure developer is then available for contact with the latent image.

Abstract: There is provided a technique in which in a development apparatus to perform replacement of developer, the amount of developer can be stably kept irrespective of a change in a physical property of the developer. There are included a development apparatus that circulates and conveys a developer supplied at a specified timing in a specified conveying chamber and causes the developer to overflow through a discharge port provided in the conveying chamber, a fluidity judgment unit to judge a degree of fluidity of the developer in the conveying chamber, and a speed control unit to control a conveying speed of the developer in a specified range near the discharge port in the conveying chamber to become low relative to an average value of a conveying speed of the developer in a conveying passage except the specified range when the fluidity judged by the fluidity judgment unit is low.

Abstract: A developer transport device includes: a developer containing room for containing a developer; a developer transport member disposed in the developer containing room, the developer transport member transporting the developer in a developer transport direction; and a developer damming member disposed in the developer containing room over the developer transport member, the developer damming member damming up the developer located above the developer transport member.

Abstract: An image-forming method includes a process in which a toner is supported and transported on the surface of a toner supporting member placed face to face to an electrostatic latent image-supporting member, and electrostatic latent images formed on the electrostatic latent image-supporting member is developed by the toner; and a process in which a two-component developer containing the toner and a carrier is supported on the surface of a developer-supporting member placed face to face to the toner supporting member and the toner is supplied onto the toner-supporting member. The developer includes toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant; a carrier charging the toner particles in friction-contact with the toner particles; and reverse polarity particles and homopolarity particles respectively charged to polarity reversed to and the same polarity as polarity of the toner particles charged in friction-contact with the carrier.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing machine of the type in which an electrostatic latent image recorded on a charge retentive surface is developed with toner particles to form a visible image thereof, including: a housing having a supply of toner and developer therein; a donor member for transporting toner from the housing to a development zone; a first manifold, adjacent to the donor member, having an air stream for removing toner emission; a second manifold, adjacent to the donor member, having an air stream for removing toner emission; and a cyclone separator system, connected to the first manifold and the second manifold, for separating the toner from the air stream and returning toner particles of a predefined size back into the housing.