Abstract: A charging device includes a rotatable screw gear, a motor, a support, and a protruding member. The screw gear is positioned along length of a linear electrode. The motor rotates the screw gear in forward and reverse directions. The support holds the cleaning member mounted so as to be in contact with the electrode, and is mounted unrotatably but reciprocably between a first end and a second end of the electrode. The member extends perpendicular to the length of the electrode from the support, and has a projection for being elastically fitted into a thread groove of the screw gear along a radial direction of the screw gear. The member is configured in such a manner that a distance between a starting point of elastic deformation of the member and a contact point between the projection and a thread of the screw gear differs according to whether the support is moved forward or backward.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming section that forms an image with a recording material on a recording medium to an edge thereof, and a cleaning section that cleans off the recording material adhering to an edge surface of the recording medium after the image forming section forms the image thereon.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds a toner-image; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner-image that has been held on the image carrier is transferred; a transfer unit that transfers onto a recording medium the toner-image that has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, the transfer unit transferring thereon a color-toner-image for checking toner-image, which has been formed in a non-image forming region on the intermediate transfer member; an application unit that applies an adhesion force reducing agent to a surface of the transfer unit before the color-toner-image for checking formed on the intermediate transfer member passes through the transfer unit, the adhesion force reducing agent reducing adhesion force to the transfer unit of the color-toner-image for checking; and a cleaning unit that removes the color-toner-image for checking that has been transferred onto the transfer unit and the adhesion force reducing agent.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier, a cleaning device, a charging device and a shielding member. The image carrier carries a toner image thereon. The cleaning device removes a toner on the image carrier. The charging device charges the image carrier. The shielding member is disposed between the cleaning device and the charging device. The shielding member is in contact with the image carrier in an area where the image carrier is charged.

Abstract: A waste toner collecting device includes: a waste toner collecting bag being stretchable; a toner conveyance part fitted with the waste toner collecting bag, and conveying a waste toner and also discharging the waste toner toward the waste toner collecting bag; and a holding member for the waste toner collecting bag, which holding member is attached to a terminal end part of the waste toner collecting bag, is capable of being fitted to the toner conveyance part by holding the waste toner collecting bag between the holding member and the toner conveyance part while folding the waste toner collecting bag more compactly than in a used state, and is attachable to and removable from the toner conveyance part.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a developing method thereof are provided. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an image carrier body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing roller which faces the image carrier body and supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier body, and an anti-toner-dispersion element which faces an outer circumferential surface of the image carrier body between an exposing section where the electrostatic latent image is formed and a developing section where the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing roller. A collection bias is applied to the anti-toner-dispersion element to collect dispersed toner from the developing roller.

Abstract: A blade engagement apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device associated moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The blade engagement apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism having a blade holder rotated about a fixed pivot point disposed a distance LD from the moving surface. A plurality of metering blades extending from the blade holder each include a blade tip disposed a distance LB from the pivot point such that LB is greater than LD. A replacement blade is brought into a working position in deflected engagement with the moving surface for metering a release agent onto the surface while the used blade is moved into a non-operational suspended position. Various blade replacement strategies are used to initiate a blade replacement operation.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a plurality of developer cartridges, a developer moving member and a conveying belt. Each of the developer cartridges includes a casing, a developing roller and a leakage restraining member. The peripheral surface of the developer cartridge has a first peripheral part to convey the developer accommodated in the casing and a second peripheral part. The leakage restraining member is disposed between the casing and the second peripheral part and slidingly contacts the second peripheral part so as to restrain the developer from leaking out of the first peripheral part. The developer moving member moves developer leaked from between the second peripheral part and the leakage restraining member out of a predetermined region at a position opposing the leakage restraining member.

Abstract: A blade cleaning jig includes a cleaning portion and a gripping portion. The cleaning portion includes a support body of stainless steel or the like and polishing tape provided on the upper face of this support body, and moreover a cushioning material is inserted between the support body and the polishing tape. A protective member for preventing damage to the surface of a developer roller is attached to the entire lower face of the support body. This protective member is attached bent at a circumferential end portion such that the protective member covers from the lower face of the support body via a circumferential edge portion to an upper face circumferential edge portion.

Abstract: A plurality of photosensitive bodies is juxtaposed in a conveying direction, in which a recording medium is conveyed, with confronting the conveying unit. Each of a plurality of developing units is configured to move between a first position where the developing unit is capable of supplying developer to the corresponding photosensitive drum and a second position where the developing unit separates from the corresponding photosensitive drum. A cleaning member is configured to move between a third position where the cleaning member is capable of collecting a waste developer deposited on the conveying unit and a fourth position where the cleaning member separates from the conveying unit. A receptacle is slidably supported on one of the developing units and accommodates the collected waste developer. The cleaning member moves integrally with the receptacle. The receptacle and the one of the developing units are integrally detachably mounted on the main casing.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a transfer sheet conveyance belt, includes: a first brush roll which is provided with voltage with a polarity reverse to a charging polarity of toner particles; and a second brush roll arranged downstream of the first brush roll in a moving direction of the transfer sheet conveyance belt, the second brush roll being provided with the voltage with the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner particles, while rotating in contact with the surface of the transfer sheet conveyance belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a cleaning portion for collecting waste toner, which is the toner that was supplied to form a toner image on a toner image bearer but has not transferred to the recording medium and remains on the toner image bearer after the transfer stage; a waste toner discharger for discharging the waste toner collected by the cleaning portion; a waste toner collecting container; and a detector. The waste toner collecting container includes: a waste toner receptacle for storing the waste toner discharged from the waste toner discharger; a waste toner collector for leading the waste toner collected by the cleaning portion into the waste toner receptacle; and a joint for coupling the waste toner collector and the waste toner receptacle. The waste toner collecting container is removably mounted to the image forming apparatus. The joint has the function of extending and contracting itself to enable the waste toner receptacle to move relative to the waste toner collector.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided with a photoreceptor, a belt, a back member, a front member, and a voltage change device. The belt faces the photoreceptor. The back member is disposed on a back side of the belt. The front member is disposed on a front side of the belt. The front member is disposed adjacent to the belt and faces the back member. The voltage change device is configured to change voltage between the back member and the front member within a range excluding zero. Based on detected conditions such as the number of sheets printed, the replacement of a developer cartridge, or the current between the back member and the front member, the voltage change device change the voltage between the back member and the front member to enhance the ability to clean the belt.

Abstract: A cleaner unit includes a cleaner roller, a cleaner shaft, a blade, a toner container, and a toner squeeze pump. The cleaner roller collects toner adhered to a surface of a belt to a surface of the cleaner roller. The cleaner shaft collects the toner adhered to the surface of the cleaner roller to a surface of the cleaner shaft. The blade scrapes off the toner adhered to the surface of the cleaner shaft. The toner squeeze pump delivers the toner scraped off by the blade toward an opening of a storage space and compresses the toner stored in the storage space. A part of a bottom wall of the toner container which continues from the opening extends in a substantially horizontal direction, when the cleaner unit is attached to an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of a latent image bearing member rotating in one direction with a developer by mixing electrostatically chargeable toner and magnetic carrier, includes: a developing roller; a carrier collecting roller; a cooling portion including a forced draft duct for airflow from a fan and disposed on the bottom side of the developing vessel; a suctioning portion including a suctioning duct for airflow from suctioning ports disposed on the lower side of the carrier collecting roller, disposed under the forced draft duct; a filter for removing the scattering toner from air including the scattering toner suctioned from the suctioning ports; and, an exhaust portion including an airflow exhaust duct for discharging the air passed through the filter and the forced draft duct to an exhaust port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a cleaning member, a backup member, a pressing-force changing mechanism, and a control unit. The cleaning member is disposed in confrontation with the belt. The backup member is disposed to pinch the belt in cooperation with the cleaning member. The pressing-force changing mechanism is configured to change a pressing force acting between the cleaning member and the belt in a state in which the cleaning member is in contact with the belt. The control unit controls the pressing-force changing mechanism to change the pressing force.

Abstract: In a lubricant applying device, a position adjusting member adjusts relative positions of a lubricant and a rotating member. The rotating member rotates while in contact with the lubricant, receives the lubricant, and applies the lubricant to an image carrier in an image forming apparatus.

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.

Abstract: An isolating wall is provided for isolating, from a space outside the isolation wall, a space including: a photosensitive drum; a developing unit; a charging device; a transfer device; and a fixing device. With this configuration, the space in which powder toner (toner which is not fixed on a recording material by the fixing device) is present is isolated from the space outside the isolation wall. Thus, in an image forming apparatus using powder developer, this configuration makes it possible to (i) prevent the floating toner from going out of the image forming apparatus, or (ii) prevent the floating toner from deteriorating a function of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a sheet from the image bearing member; a fixing device for fixing on the sheet the toner image which has been transferred onto the sheet; a cleaning member arranged on a side of the transfer device with respect to the sheet to be transported from the transfer device to the fixing device, for removing a toner stain adhering to the sheet; a biasing device for biasing the sheet against a side of the cleaning member; and a controller for regulating a biasing force of the biasing device according to a type of the sheet.

Abstract: A powder conveyance unit, providable to an image forming apparatus, includes a path forming member configured to form a powder conveyance path including an inner wall to convey powder therethrough and connect first and second powder containers, and a substantially planar plate-like powder remover configured to remove powder adhering to the inner wall of the powder conveyance path. The plate-like powder remover is disposed in the powder conveyance path with both lateral edges thereof in a width direction perpendicular to a powder conveyance direction in the powder conveyance path contacting or nearly contacting the inner wall of the powder conveyance path. Opposed flat surfaces of the plate-like powder remover moves reciprocally between opposed surfaces of the inner wall of the powder conveyance path to remove powder adhering to the surfaces of the inner wall of the powder conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; a toner carrier roller that is provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections and a concave section which surrounds the convex sections, is shaped approximately like a cylinder, is arranged opposed to the image carrier, and rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner on the surface thereof; a bias applier that applies a developing bias voltage to the toner carrier roller; a toner collector that collects the toner carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller at a place downstream to an opposed position facing the image carrier in a rotation direction of the toner carrier roller; a seal member that is interposed between the toner carrier roller and the toner collector, and abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller to prevent leakage of toner from the toner collector; and a controller that is adapted to perform a toner removal operation which removes toner adherent to the

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming parts that form toner images having colors different from each other, the plurality of image forming parts disposed in series to multiply-transfer the toner images of the colors directly to a recording medium to form a color image; a detecting unit that detects a mark on the recording medium formed by the plurality of image forming parts; a print controlling part that controls image forming positions of the plurality of image forming parts based on a detection result of the mark by the detecting unit; and a mark removing unit that removes the mark formed on the recording medium before fixing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device and method for removal of image forming deposits between two contacting surfaces in an image forming device or image forming device cartridge. The method includes positioning an insert between the contacting surfaces which insert is capable of removing the deposits when the insert is inserted or removed from the device. The deposits may include those that may ultimately adhere or weld to the surfaces of the device during shipping and/or storage and upon exposure to differential environmental conditions.

Abstract: A liquid removal apparatus which removes liquid on a base material, has: an absorbing member which absorbs and removes the liquid on the base material by making contact with or by approaching to the liquid; an internal rotating body which is disposed inside a hollow portion of the absorbing member and has an opening section in an outer circumferential surface of the internal rotating body; a pressure reducing device which reduces pressure of the hollow portion of the absorbing member; an internal rotating body drive device which causes the internal rotating body to rotate relatively with respect to the absorbing member; a movement device which causes relative movement of the base material with respect to the absorbing member and the internal rotating body; and an internal rotating body drive control device which controls the internal rotating body drive device in such a manner that: number N1 of rotations per unit time of the absorbing member (where N1?0), number N2 of rotations per unit time of the internal

Abstract: An image forming device includes a first device body, a second device body attached to the first device body, a photoconductive body provided in the first device body, an exposure unit provided to the second device body, the exposure unit having an exposure surface that exposes the photoconductive body and forms a latent image on the photoconductive body, the exposure unit being movable between an exposure position and an evacuation position, and a cleaning unit cleaning the exposure surface of the exposure unit. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member cleaning the exposure surface, a supporting member supporting the cleaning member, and a guide member movably guiding the supporting member. The exposure unit is disposed such that the exposure surface is cleaned by the cleaning unit when the exposure unit is moved to the evacuation position.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a sliding plate that slides in contact with an inner wall of a disposed toner duct is oscillated by using rotation of a disposed toner collection auger. As the sliding plate is oscillated, disposed toner falling and fed through the disposed toner duct is oscillated. The disposed toner adhering to the inner wall of the disposed toner duct is removed by sliding of both lateral parts of the sliding plate in contact with the inner wall.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a toner ejection mode whereby toner stored in a black developing container is completely removed from the developing container by rotating a rotary developing unit at a specific timing and using gravity and the centrifugal force that acts on the toner stored in the black developing container due to this rotation, or using the vibration that acts on the black developing container when the rotation is stopped. In this toner ejection mode, the toner is ejected from the developing container of the rotary developing unit, an image for a single sheet of recording paper is formed on the surface of a photoreceptor drum, and the toner constituting the image transferred onto the surface of an intermediate transfer belt by the photoreceptor drum is then recovered by a belt-cleaning unit.

Abstract: A laser scanning apparatus capable of preventing a secondary contamination of light transmitting windows and an image forming device having the same include a light emitting unit to emit light, a cover connected to a laser scanning apparatus body, and having at least one light transmitting window through which light passes, a cleaning member reciprocally disposed on the cover to clean the light transmitting window when on a cleaning path, and a guide unit to guide a movement of the cleaning member, so that the cleaning path is other than a returning path of the cleaning member and have different up and down periods from each other.

Abstract: A used toner conveyance device includes a lateral conveyance member for conveying used toner substantially in the horizontal direction, and a vertical conveyance member for upwardly conveying the used toner transferred from the lateral conveyance member. The vertical conveyance member transfers the used toner to either a collection space or a next conveyance path. The vertical conveyance member stops its operation when a prescribed delay time has elapsed after the lateral conveyance member stops conveyance operation.

Abstract: A toner recovery device, capable of preventing toner from spilling out of the space between protruding sections and an inner wall of a toner-conveying pipe, and process cartridge and image forming apparatus having this device. Residual toner after transfer, which is carried into a carry-in section of the toner-conveying pipe, is held by the protruding sections of a toner-conveying belt and a bottom surface of the toner-conveying pipe, and conveyed to a carry-out section. Accordingly, the residual toner after transfer can be prevented from oscillating while being conveyed to the carry-out section. Therefore, the residual toner after transfer is prevented from spilling out of the space between the protruding sections and the inner wall of the toner-conveying pipe, and the amount of residual toner after transfer to be conveyed to the carry-out section can be prevented from being reduced.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a high releasing electrophotographic photoreceptor exhibiting lubricity and mechanical strength. The photoreceptor possessing a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor comprises a fluorine resin represented by the following formula. wherein each of X, Y and Z represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a halogen-substituted alkyl group or a halogen-substituted alkoxy group; at least one of X, Y and Z represents a fluorine atom; each of R4, R5, R6 and R7 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a halogen-substituted alkyl group; each of R1, R2, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a halogen-substituted alkyl group; at least one of R1, R2, and R3 represents a fluorine atom; n1 represents an integer of 1-8000; and n2 represents an integer of 0-4000.

Abstract: A light scanning module mounted to a main body, the module including a light scanning unit including a light scanning window to scan a light onto a photosensitive body of the main body, a cleaning shutter part including a cleaning part to clean the light scanning window and is coupled to the main body to move between an opening position to open the light scanning window and a closing position to close the light scanning window, and the cleaning shutter part, including a cleaning part accommodating part to accommodate at least one area of the cleaning part to pivotally rotate, and a rotation regulating part provided on one side of the cleaning part and is contact-supported on an internal wall of the cleaning part accommodating part to block the pivotal rotation of the cleaning part if the cleaning shutter part moves from the closing position to the opening position, and is separated from the internal wall of the cleaning part accommodating part to permit the pivotal rotation of the cleaning part if the cleanin

Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a first shaft; a cleaning roller which is operable to come into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum, and is integrally rotated with the first shaft; a pressing member for pressing the cleaning roller against the surface of the photosensitive drum; a second shaft; a spiral roller which is integrally rotated with the second shaft, and is operative to collect toner residues from the surface of the photosensitive drum; a driving force transmitting mechanism for transmitting a driving force of the photosensitive drum to the first shaft and the second shaft; and a pair of arm members which are pivotally interlocked with the second shaft, and are pivotally interlocked with the first shaft. The cleaning device allows for suppressing image jitter or noise resulting from jitter of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a polarity control unit to control a charge polarity of residual toner particles, a cleaning member, a surface of which is movable, to electrostatically remove the residual toner particles, provided on a downstream side from the polarity control unit relative to a surface moving direction of an image bearing member, a toner collecting unit to collect the residual toner particles on the cleaning member, and a neutralizing member to neutralize the image bearing member, provided on a downstream side from the polarity control unit and an upstream side from the cleaning member relative to the surface moving direction of the image bearing member.

Abstract: A process cartridge is disclosed which is detachably mounted on an apparatus for forming an image using toner, and which has a process cartridge housing. The process cartridge housing includes: a smoothed surface portion including an inner face and an outer face; at least one protruding portion formed on the smoothed surface portion so as to protrude therefrom; and a structure having a surface configured for physically facilitating removal of the toner from the process cartridge housing, once attached thereto.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus configured to clean a surface of an optical member disposed in the vicinity of an image sensor that photoelectrically converts an object image. The imaging apparatus includes a foreign substance removal mechanism including a capturing portion configured to capture foreign substances by traveling while contacting a surface of the optical member, and a cleaning mechanism including a wiping portion configured to wipe off the captured foreign substance from the capturing portion to clean the capturing portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to clear the accumulation of toner particles from a doctor element by periodically reversing a bias field between a doctor element and a developer member. The developer member may be biased to a first electrical potential while the doctor element may be biased to a second electrical potential. The second electrical potential may be higher than the first electrical potential. The doctor element and the developer member may be biased from a single voltage supply and a voltage dividing circuit. A bias reversing circuit may cause the second electrical potential to fall, at least temporarily, below that of the first electrical potential when power from the voltage supply is removed. The bias reversing circuit may also cause the first electrical potential to fall with a longer time constant than that of the second electrical potential when power from the voltage supply is removed.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a transfer sheet conveyance belt, includes: a first brush roll which is provided with voltage with a polarity reverse to a charging polarity of toner particles; and a second brush roll arranged downstream of the first brush roll in a moving direction of the transfer sheet conveyance belt, the second brush roll being provided with the voltage with the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner particles, while rotating in contact with the surface of the transfer sheet conveyance belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier with an electrostatic latent image formed thereon; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, a developer carrier arranged opposite to the image carrier, for allowing a magnetic field generation member arranged inside the developer carrier, for forming a magnetized area of the magnetic brush in a predetermined area in the axial direction of the developer carrier; and a scatter toner sucking port arranged at a position other than a position opposite to the magnetized area of the developer carrier.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device and method for removal of image forming deposits between two contacting surfaces in an image forming device or image forming device cartridge. The method includes positioning an insert between the contacting surfaces which insert is capable of removing the deposits when the insert is inserted or removed from the device. The deposits may include those that may ultimately adhere or weld to the surfaces of the device during shipping and/or storage and upon exposure to differential environmental conditions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention installs electrodes in the neighborhood of a laser beam emitting window of a laser optical unit (hereinafter, abbreviated to LSU), applies a bias voltage to the electrodes, and forcibly adheres toner, developer, and dust floating in a machine body to the electrodes instead of the laser beam emitting window.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming section that forms an image with a recording material on a recording medium to an edge thereof, and a cleaning section that cleans off the recording material adhering to an edge surface of the recording medium after the image forming section forms the image thereon.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, is provided with an image forming section, an image carrying member, a transferring section to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member to a recording sheet, and a cleaning section including a cleaning blade being in contact with the image carrying member and a toner supplying section located at an upper stream side of the contact point of the cleaning blade in the rotating direction of the image carrying member and to supply toner to the image carrying member; the toner supplying section including a toner storing section to store toner removed by the cleaning blade and a roller member being in contact with the image carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming method begins with a first image transfer step for thermally transferring a first toner image from a first image carrier to a second image carrier contacting it. Subsequently, in a second image transfer step, the first toner image carried on the second image carrier and a second toner image newly formed on the first image carrier are thermally transferred to opposite sides of a recording medium substantially at the same time. Higher image transfer temperature is assigned to the second image transfer step than to the first image transfer step. An impurity collecting device is associated with a pair of registration rollers which stop the recording medium for a moment to thereby synchronize the recording medium to the toner image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a cleaning patch and method thereof for cleaning a residual toner in a developing unit. The cleaning patch is composed of a plurality of cleaning regions. Each cleaning region includes a plurality of cleaning toner point alternately arranged in a row, which may reduce the absorbed toner in each cleaning region to improve the image quality.

Abstract: In a color laser printer, the amount of reversely transferred developing agent on the surface of a developing roller is estimated based on the operating time of the color laser printer, the surface area of an image, and the charging amount of developing agent. When the estimated amount of reversely transferred developing agent reaches a predetermined value, a solid image is formed on a photoconductor drum. By transferring the solid image onto recording paper, a conveyer belt, or an intermediate transfer belt, the reversely transferred developing agent is removed. Alternatively, by rotating the developing roller in a state in which the developing roller is separated from the photoconductor drum, the reversely transferred developing agent on the surface of the developing roller is collected into a developing agent hopper.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cabinet, a cleaning blade, a toner drop preventive sheet, and an auxiliary member. The cabinet has an opening facing an outer periphery of a photosensitive drum. The cleaning blade is operative to scrape down residual toner adhering to the outer periphery of the photosensitive drum. The toner drop preventive sheet is operative to prevent the residual toner scraped down by the cleaning blade from dropping between the photosensitive drum and the cabinet. The auxiliary member is disposed below the toner drop preventive sheet and is movable between a first position for receiving a bulk substance dropping from the toner drop preventive sheet and a second position for dropping the bulk substance received from the toner drop preventive sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing contamination of an image transfer surface in an image transfer device includes a charging device for charging the image transfer surface. An airflow control system ventilates the charging device and restricts airflow adjacent the image transfer surface.

Abstract: A method and developing apparatus are provided. The method and apparatus comprise a developing carrier, spaced apart from an image carrier at a predetermined interval, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier during rotation; and a rotational member, rotatably installed adjacent to the image carrier, for generating an air stream reverse to that generated by rotation of both the image carrier and the developer carrier, thereby inhibiting a developer from being scattered.