Abstract: A supply passage assembly arranged under a toner bottle for conveying toner supplied from the toner bottle to a developing unit arranged below, includes: a toner passage having a toner input port at top and a toner discharge port at bottom and incorporating rotators for agitating the toner supplied from the toner bottle and is constructed so that the toner passage includes a first swing member for agitating toner near the toner input port and a second swing member for agitating toner near the toner discharge port.

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: A developing apparatus includes an image receptor and a developing unit having a developing roller facing the image receptor. New toner can be added to the developing unit when existing toner in the developing unit is consumed. The added toner and existing toners are formed of cores and external additives. At least one of the cores or the external additives of the added toner is different from that of the existing toner. When the charge amount of the two toners are Q1 and Q2, respectively, the ratio Q1/Q2 is greater than 0.6 and smaller than 1.7, and the absolute values of Q1 and Q2 are 10 ?C/g or greater, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which includes a developing apparatus configured to form a developer image; a supply apparatus configured to supply developer to the developing apparatus; a detector configured to detect an amount of developer consumed during an image forming process; and a controller configured to perform an addition calculation for the amount of developer consumed, and for employing a value obtained by the addition calculation and a supply threshold value to determine whether developer should be supplied to the developing apparatus, wherein the controller sets the supply threshold value in accordance with an operating state of the developing apparatus.

Abstract: In a trickle developing device that uses a two-component developer, a simple configuration is adopted to prevent carrier from being discharged without being used. The developing device having stirring members for conveying and stirring developer and a developer holder, comprises a developer replenishing tank for replenishing developer to a developer tank and a trickle discharging mechanism, wherein the initial filling amount of the developer-tank-contained developer to be filled initially into the developer tank is less than a full filling amount.

Abstract: A control unit separately drives an image carrier driving unit that drives an image carrier motor, a developing roller driving unit that drives a developing roller motor, a developer stirring member driving unit that drives a developer stirring member motor, and a fan driving unit that drives a fan motor. The control unit causes the fan driving unit to operate if the image carrier driving unit or the developer stirring member driving unit is operating.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developing device including a carrying member for carrying a one component developer and for developing an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer; a rotatable developer supplying device, contacted to the carrying member, for supplying the developer to the carrying member; a developer regulating device for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the carrying member; a developer stirring device for stirring the developer a developer supply device for supplying the developer to the developing device; and a controller for controlling supply of the developer to the developing device from the developer supply device. A lower end of the developer stirring device is disposed at a position which is vertically above an upper end of the developer supplying device and which is vertically above a contact portion between the carrying member and the developer regulating device.

Abstract: A casing of a developing apparatus defines a developing chamber and a developer accommodating chamber, that accommodates developer, therein. The developing chamber and the developer accommodating chamber are arranged side by side. The casing is formed with a replenishing port for supplying new developer from a developer replenishing unit into the developing chamber. The supply roller is disposed in the developing chamber. The replenishing port is located right above the supply roller when the developing apparatus is disposed in an orientation in which the developing apparatus is intended to be placed in a main casing of an image forming apparatus. The control unit controls the supply roller to rotate when the developing apparatus is mounted in the main casing. The supply roller stirs old developer that have already been located in the developing chamber and the new developer, and transports the old developer and the new developer from the developing chamber into the developer accommodating chamber.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a developer agitation member has a mechanism to vary its driving force, and the driving force of the developer agitation member is changed by a control unit according to the information of the number of times of image formation from a counter.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a housing for accommodating developer, a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the housing and passing across an inside of the housing, a supply opening formed in a wall of the housing opposite in a diameter direction of the rotation shaft, a return opening formed in the wall of the housing at a position displaced from the supply opening in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, a first agitation blade supported by the rotation shaft and passing through a position opposite the return opening along an inner surface of the housing, and a second agitation blade supported by the rotation shaft and passing through a position opposite the supply opening along an inner surface of the housing, wherein the first agitation blade is configured to allow the developer returned through the return opening to flow into the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; and a developing device including a developer bearing member, a developer containing portion, a developer supplying passage supplying the developer to the developer bearing member while feeding the developer in a direction, and a developer agitating passage feeding a mixture of the developer fed through the developer supplying passage without used for developing, and the developer used for developing, in the opposite direction. The developer supplying passage, and developer agitating passage are separated from each other except for at least both the end portions. The developer includes a toner and a carrier having a cover layer thereon, which includes a binder resin and a particulate material. The ratio of the volume average particle diameter of the particulate material to the average thickness of the resinous portion of the cover layer is greater than 1 and less than 10.

Abstract: The developing apparatus includes a developing container in which a developer containing a toner and a carrier is stored, a developing roller which carries the developer, and agitating transporting members which circulate and transport the developer along a rotary axis line of a developing roller while mixing and agitating the developer. The developer container includes a developing zone portion corresponding to the developing roller and an extended zone portion which is provided adjacent to the developing zone portion in an axial direction of the developing roller. The developer container is provided with a developer blocking member which separates the developing zone portion and the extended zone portion. The developer container is provided with valves which open in a developer transporting direction in a communicating portion of the developer blocking member between the developing zone portion and the extended zone portion.

Abstract: A developing unit is disclosed in which replenished toner is smoothly transported and efficiently agitated into the developing unit by an agitation transport member provided therein having a supply region formed upstream from a transport region. A first agitation transport screw installed in a developing unit includes a developer transport region to transport developer downstream thereof, and a toner supply region that is formed coaxially with the developer transport region and upstream of the developer transport region, and supplies the externally replenished toner to the developer transport region. Moreover, a gap formed between the toner supply region and a region of the housing in the toner supply region is smaller than a gap formed between the developer transport region and a region of the housing in the developer transport region.

Abstract: A developing unit of an image forming apparatus includes a developing member to develop an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium with a developer, a first feed member to feed the developer to the developing member, and a reset member disposed above the developing member to reset the developing member. Accordingly, expenditure for consumables is reduced, because a developer cartridge is separately provided. Additionally, efficient developer agitation is provided. Furthermore, a consistent image quality is achieved, because a plurality of augers move vertically and horizontally to circulate the developer inside the developing unit.

Abstract: A toner container which is mountable and removable at a main body of an image forming apparatus, the toner container comprising: at least one toner filling port provided in a casing body of the toner container; and a sealing member which covers the toner filling port and a predetermined range of surroundings of the toner filling port, from an outer side of the casing body, for sealing toner inside the casing body, is provided.

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 toner dispenser; a donor member for transporting toner from the housing to a development zone; and a cyclone separator system, connected to the toner dispenser, for separating the toner and supplying toner particles of a predefined size into the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first mixer 24a that conveys developer in the first direction while stirring the developer. Recycled toner delivered from a delivery opening 116b of a photosensitive drum cleaner 116 is supplied to an upstream side of the first chamber that contains the toner that is to be supplied to a developing position on a photosensitive drum 103 to which a predetermined potential is applied by a developing roller 27 formed rotatable.

Abstract: The developing apparatus includes developer containing parts and a replenishment portion. The developer containing parts contains a developer circularly conveyed in the developer containing parts. The replenishment portion includes a replenish aperture and a regulation surface. The replenishment portion merges a replenishment agent passing through the regulation surface with the developer in the developer containing part. In the developing apparatus, a wall surface of the replenishment portion, located on a downstream side in a developer conveyance direction in the developer containing part facing to the replenishment portion, is formed by being inclined with respect to the developer conveyance direction.

Abstract: A development apparatus has: a housing in which a developer supplying/collecting unit and a developer stirring unit are arranged with a circular passage for carrying developer; a developer carrying member placed at a front side of the developer supplying/collecting unit; a developer supplying/collecting section for carrying the developer; and two developer stirring sections arranged in the front-and-rear direction so as to face, wherein, a toner supplying opening is formed above a position where the two developer stirring sections face and at an upstream side in a developer carrying direction, the two developer stirring sections are rotated at the facing position to move peripheries in a forward direction, the developer carrying direction by the two developer stirring sections is substantially opposite to one by the developer supplying/collecting section, and developer carrying capability of the two developer stirring sections is set to be made equal to that of the developer supplying/collecting section.

Abstract: A developer replenishing apparatus including a first developer container for containing a developer to be replenished to a developing apparatus, a second developer container for containing the developer to be replenished to the first developer container, a first replenishing mechanism for replenishing the developer in the first developer container to the developing apparatus, a second replenishing mechanism for replenishing the developer in the second developer container to the first developer container, a driving source capable of simultaneously driving the first replenishing mechanism and the second replenishing mechanism wherein, at an operated state of the driving source, a replenishing amount of the developer per unit time from the second developer container to the first developer container is larger than a replenishing amount of the developer per unit time from the first developer container to the developing apparatus.

Abstract: A CPU controls a shutter of a developing device so as to enable movement of a developer between a first chamber and a second chamber that store the developer. The CPU rotates a developing roller and mixers of the first and second chambers for a predetermined time T, and stirs and conveys the developer. Thereby, the developer is moved from the first chamber into the second chamber. The amount of movement of the developer is understandable from the rotational speed and shape of each mixer. Hence, the amount of developer, which is moved from the first chamber to the second chamber, is estimated in advance, and about half the developer in the first chamber is replaced.

Abstract: A developing apparatus characterized in being constituted to satisfy Equation (1) shown below when an amount of a developer carried by 1 pitch of a carrying member of an auger or the like is designated by notation W(g), a toner amount supplied by 1 pitch during a time period in which the developer carried by 1 pitch passes a supply region of a toner supply roller is designated by notation M(g), a toner concentration of the developer detected by a toner concentration sensor is designated by notation Tc (%), and a mixing limit toner concentration is designated by notation Tmax (%) (W×(Tc/100)+M)/(W+M)?Tmax/100.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a communicating portion from the first chamber 24 to the second chamber 25, and a communicating portion from the first chamber 24 to the third chamber 26, which are separated from each other. With this structure, an active flow of fresh toner into the third chamber 26, where a developer having a low toner ratio and low toner concentration is stirred together with recycle toner during an image forming operation is suppressed.

Abstract: A container for flowable materials includes a first chamber storing flowable material within the container. A second chamber is separated from the first chamber within the container and contains a stirrer. A metering mechanism permits selective transfer of flowable material from the first chamber to the second chamber.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image on an image-bearing member is developed with a two-component developer comprising a toner and a carrier stored in a developer vessel while supplying as required a replenishing developer to the developer vessel. The replenishing developer comprises 1 wt. part of a carrier and 2-50 wt. parts of a toner, wherein the carrier is a magnetic fine particle-dispersed resin carrier comprising at least inorganic compound particles and a carrier binder resin, and the toner has a weight-average particle size of 3 to 10 ?m and contains 1 to 40 wt. % of solid wax.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a developing unit for developing latent image, and a reserve tank that temporarily stores developer ejected from a first cartridge and a second cartridge and that discharges the developer to the developing unit. The reserve tank is provided with a storage amount sensor for sensing storage amount of the developer in the first reserve tank. The image formation apparatus further includes a controller for controlling ejection of developer from at least the first cartridge and the second cartridge into the first reserve tank in accordance with output from the storage amount sensor.

Abstract: A developing unit is disposed substantially directly under a toner chamber and receives toner through an opening formed in the toner chamber, and includes a developing roller, a supplying roller, and a developing blade. The developing roller supplies toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing body. The supplying roller rotates in contact with the developing roller to supply the toner to the developing roller. The developing blade is in pressure contact with the developing roller to form a thin layer of toner on the developing roller. The developing blade is in contact with the developing roller at a first position spaced at least 5.84 mm from a second position at which the supplying roller is in contact with the developing roller. An agitating member may be added over the developing roller and supplying roller and between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus includes a developer container for containing a developer made up of magnetic particles and a toner; a developer carrier for bearing and transporting the developer; a first agitating and transporting unit provided in the developer container, the first agitating and transporting unit transporting the developer while agitating the developer; a second agitating and transporting unit provided in the developer container, the second agitating and transporting unit transporting the developer transported by the first agitating and transporting unit while agitating the developer, thereby supplying the developer to the developer carrier; and a restricting member provided in the developer container, the restricting member restricting passage of an upper portion of the developer transported by the first agitating and transporting unit, thereby achieving a desired developer surface level.

Abstract: A developing apparatus and an image forming apparatus for agitating a two-component developer throughly in a short time, feeds a developer with an even toner concentration to a developer bearing body and stably forms a high-quality image free from defects at any time. A developer agitating and conveying assembly, which is provided in a developer container agitates and conveys the developer. A toner feed port feeds toner to the developer container. The agitating and conveying members are disposed to be partially exposed out of the developer.

Abstract: A developer includes a toner container divided by a partition into first and second chambers. The first and the second chambers communicate with each other via first and second openings. A third opening is also formed in the partition for passing excessive toner from the second to the first chamber. The first chamber is provided with a first screw for transferring the toner from the first to the second opening, while the second chamber with a second screw for transferring the toner in the opposite direction. A toner scraping blade is arranged above the second screw. The toner scraped in the second chamber is led into the first chamber through the third opening. Adjusting means is provided for controlling the passage of the toner through the third opening, thereby achieving uniform toner distribution in the second chamber.

Abstract: A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus has control means operatively responsive to receipt of an output signal of a first toner density detector means provided in a development unit for driving developing powder delivery means provided in a preliminary mixture/stirring unit to supply developing powder from a stirring chamber toward the development unit, while controlling regulator means so that introduction of the developing powder to the stirring chamber is inhibited at least within a developing powder refilling time period.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a developing apparatus having a supply screw and a recovery screw both of which are arranged vertically to circulate developer, wherein a component in a normal direction of pressure generated by the recovery screw is made larger than that of pressure generated by the supply screw. Thereby, lowering and raising of developer is suppressed and occurrence of fog on the image and the smoke of toner are prevented. Alternatively, a radial member and a centrifugal member are applied to the supply screw and the recovery screw, respectively. Thereby, developer is prevented from moving between screws in the midst of the transportation. Still alternatively, a preliminary stirring portion is provided on extension of a stirring screw at upperstream side. The preliminary stirring portion has a cylindrical body with inlets and outlets. Both inside and outside of the cylindrical body, screws are provided and inclines of screw blades are reversed to each other.

Abstract: An image forming machine, including an image bearing member, a developing unit for developing a latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member into a toner image, a cleaning unit for removing remaining toner from the image bearing member after transfer of the toner image from the image bearing member onto a sheet member, and a toner supply unit for supplying toner to the developing unit. The toner supply unit includes a first toner acceptance region where fresh toner is introduced, a second toner acceptance region where recycled toner, that has been removed from the image bearing member by the cleaning unit, is introduced, a toner discharge region having a toner discharge opening communicating with the developing unit, a first toner conveying member for conveying fresh toner from the first toner acceptance region to the toner discharge region, and a second toner conveying member for conveying recycled toner from the second toner acceptance region to the toner discharge region.

Abstract: A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus is constructed such that a pair of upper and lower auger rollers 35 and 34 are arranged in the vicinity of a toner supply port 21A, thereby to transport toner from the toner supply port 21A through a spiral tooth 34A of the lower auger roller 34 toward both ends of the supply roller 20 and from the both ends through a spiral tooth 35A toward the toner supply port 21A, thus circulating toner above the toner supply roller 20 in its both side directions, and that a position of the toner supply port 21A of a toner cartridge 21 corresponds to respective center positions 35C and 34C of the upper and lower auger rollers 35 and 34.

Abstract: A developing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a toner cartridge for replenishing a fresh toner to the developing device are disclosed. A toner is circulated between a toner cartridge and a hopper so that an additive included in the toner existing in the developing device is adequately distributed throughout the developing device. This prevents the concentration of additive in the toner from differing at the ends of the hopper with respect to the center of the hopper. This ensures that images are produced with constant toner density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes an image bearing member, a developing device for developing a latent image formed on the image bearing member, a toner container for containing non-used toner to be used in development by the developing device, a transfer device for transferring a toner image formed on the image bearing member by the developing device onto the recording medium, a cleaning device for removing residual matter adhered to the image bearing member after the toner image was transferred by the transfer device, a separating device for separating foreign matter from toner removed from the image bearing member by the cleaning device, and a toner from which the foreign matter is removed by the separating device with the non-used toner from the toner container to the developing device.

Abstract: A toner replenishing method for use in a development process of developing latent electrostatic images formed on an electrophotographic photoconductor with a two-component dry developer containing a toner and a carrier, the latent electrostatic images being formed on the electrophotographic photoconductor by uniformly charging the electrophotographic photoconductor to a predetermined potential and exposing the electrically charged photoconductor to light images corresponding to original images, includes the step of replenishing the toner only in a portion of the two-component dry developer as the toner concentration thereof is decreased so as to make up for the used toner in the course of the development of the latent electrostatic images.

Abstract: A developing device having a developing sleeve opposed to a photoreceptor, and a developer transport portion adjacent to the sleeve. The developer transport portion is divided into first and second portions by a partition, and the developer is circulated between the first and second portions. A fresh toner is supplied to the developer in the second portion to be transported to the first portion while being mixed, and thereafter is supplied to the sleeve along an axial direction of the sleeve in the first portion. The second portion is provided with a transport member by which the developer is transported at an upstream side of the second portion with respect to the developer transport direction in the second portion with a speed faster than the toner supply speed and the transport speed of the developer at a downstream side of the first portion with respect to the developer transport direction in the second portion.

Abstract: A developer transporting device for electrophotographic copiers has a pair of walls, a rotating shaft supported between the pair of walls, a first transporting member provided on the rotating shaft, a rotating cylindrical screw concentrically sheathing the rotating shaft and having a second transporting member provided on an exterior surface thereof and apertures provided at both ends thereof, an inflow pipe mounted on one wall of the pair of walls and extending into one end of the cylindrical screw and provided with a developer inflow opening facing an aperture of the cylindrical screw, and an outflow pipe mounted on the other wall of the pair of walls and extending into the other end of the cylindrical screw and provided with a developer outflow opening facing an aperture of the cylindrical screw.

Abstract: A recycle developing method utilizes the steps of (1) providing a developing vessel containing a starting developer composed of an electroscopic toner and a magnetic carrier; (2) transferring toner from the developing vessel to a photosensitive material having an electrostatic latent image formed thereon; (3) transferring a portion of the toner on the photosensitive material to a paper to form a toner image on the paper; (4) recovering toner remaining on the photosensitive material after the aforementioned portion of toner is transferred to the paper to form a toner image thereon; and (5) repeating steps (2)-(4) while replenishing toner in the developing vessel by the sub-steps of: (5a) supplying toner recovered in step (4) to the developing vessel, and (5b) supplying a virgin toner, having a higher chargeability than the electroscopic toner in the starting developer, to the developing vessel, to form a mixed toner in the developing vessel.