Abstract: A powder conveying apparatus includes a powder containing unit that contains powder and at least a portion of which is deformable; a discharging unit that discharges the powder from the powder housing unit to an outside; a delivery member that moves toward the discharging unit side while pushing the deformable portion of the powder containing unit inward to thereby convey the powder to the discharging unit; and an oscillation applying unit that applies oscillation to the discharging unit. Driving of the oscillation applying unit is controlled in response to an operation of the delivery member.

Abstract: A powder container includes: a powder containing unit that contains powder and at least a part of which is deformable; a discharging unit that receives the powder supplied from an opening of the powder containing unit via an inlet arranged on the discharging unit and discharges the powder to a supply destination; an elastic member that is arranged on a periphery of the inlet of the discharging unit; and a seal member that is arranged on the powder containing unit and seals the opening. The seal member is sandwiched between the discharging unit and the powder containing unit via the elastic member such that the seal member is removable from between the discharging unit and the powder containing unit.

Abstract: A developing apparatus performs image visualization processing by electrostatically adhering toner carried on a developer carrying member onto an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member. In the developing apparatus, the toner to be supplied to the developer carrying member is directly injected onto the developer carrying members after flying inside an electric field generated immediately before reaching the developer carrying member. The electric field has one of a homopolarity and a reverse polarity to the electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: A developer replenishing device for replenishing a developer to a development device includes a developer housing container configured to house the developer inside the container, a discharge outlet provided on the developer housing container and configured to discharge the housed developer outside the container, a conveying device provided between the discharge outlet and the development device, and configured to convey the developer in the developer housing container to the development device, and a motion providing device configured to provide a periodic motion to the developer housing container. The periodic motion is a circling motion, in which a trajectory of an arbitrary point of the developer housing container on a horizontal plane is at least one of circular and ellipsoidal trajectories, without a fixed rotation center on the horizontal plane.

Abstract: A rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits a driving force from a driving-force source to a rotary body. A rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits the driving force to a rotary inertial body that suppresses a velocity fluctuation in the rotary body. A rotational velocity shift mechanism shifts the rotational velocity. The rotary inertial body, the rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism, and the rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism are provided coaxially with a rotary shaft of the rotary body. A satellite frictional gear mechanism is used as the rotational velocity shift mechanism.

Abstract: A developing apparatus performs image visualization processing by electrostatically adhering toner carried on a developer carrying member onto an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member. In the developing apparatus, the toner to be supplied to the developer carrying member is directly injected onto the developer carrying members after flying inside an electric field generated immediately before reaching the developer carrying member. The electric field has one of a homopolarity and a reverse polarity to the electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: A developing device including a rotating developing roller bearing toner thereon, capable of developing an electrostatic latent image with the toner; a toner layer forming member configured to form a toner layer on the developing roller, and charge the toner of the toner layer at a nip between the developing roller and the toner layer forming member; and a toner supplying device configured to supply fresh toner to the developing device, wherein a charge quantity (q) of the toner on the developing roller varies according to the following equation q(t)=A·{1?exp(?t/tg)} wherein t represents a nip passing time of the toner on the developing roller, tg represents a time constant of charging the toner, and A represents a constant, and wherein the time constant tg is smaller than a rotation time of the developing roller per rotation; and an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge using the developing device.

Abstract: A rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits a driving force from a driving-force source to a rotary body. A rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism transmits the driving force to a rotary inertial body that suppresses a velocity fluctuation in the rotary body. A rotational velocity shift mechanism shifts the rotational velocity. The rotary inertial body, the rotary-body driving-force transmitting mechanism, and the rotary-inertial-body driving-force transmitting mechanism are provided coaxially with a rotary shaft of the rotary body. A satellite frictional gear mechanism is used as the rotational velocity shift mechanism.

Abstract: A developing device includes a carrying roller to carry a developer, a storing section to store the developer, a supplying roller to supply the developer to the carrying roller by contacting the developer to the carrying roller, the supplying roller extending substantially parallel to the carrying roller. A conveying unit is configured to convey the developer stored in the storing section to the supplying roller. The conveying unit includes a pump with a stator having a through-hole, and a rotor disposed in the through-hole of the stator and spirally extended such that a cavity to convey the developer is formed. The rotor conveys the developer in the cavity in an axial direction of the rotor. Air is supplied to the developer, conveyed by the pump to scatter and fluidize the developer.

Abstract: A developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier of the present invention is generally made up of a developing section and a developer storing section. The developing section includes a developer carrier for conveying a one-component type developer deposited thereon, a feeding member for feeding the developer to the developer carrier, and a conveying member for conveying the developer toward the feeding member while agitating it. The developer storing section replenishes a developer stored therein to the developing section in a direction including at least a horizontal direction component. The developing section and developer storing section are formed with a plurality of openings in the lengthwise direction such that the replenishment of developer from the developer storing section to the developing section and the return of the developer from the latter to the former are executed via the openings.

Abstract: A developer supplying device including a developer holding unit configured to hold a developer, a developer transfer device configured to electrostatically transfer the developer from the developer holding unit, and a charging member having holes piercing therethrough from the developer holding unit, to abrasively charge the developer by contacting the developer with walls of the holes while the developer is electrostatically transferred through the holes by the developer transfer device.

Abstract: A developing device including a rotating developing roller bearing toner thereon, capable of developing an electrostatic latent image with the toner; a toner layer forming member configured to form a toner layer on the developing roller, and charge the toner of the toner layer at a nip between the developing roller and the toner layer forming member; and a toner supplying device configured to supply fresh toner to the developing device, wherein a charge quantity (q) of the toner on the developing roller varies according to the following equation q(t)=A·{1?exp(?t/tg)} wherein t represents a nip passing time of the toner on the developing roller, tg represents a time constant of charging the toner, and A represents a constant, and wherein the time constant tg is smaller than a rotation time of the developing roller per rotation; and an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge using the developing device.

Abstract: A toner contained in a hopper is fed to an electrostatic conveyance member by a supply roller. With an actuator of the electrostatic conveyance member functioning, the toner is conveyed while being electrically charged at the same time, and is then supplied to a development roller. A thin layer of toner is formed on the development roller under the effect of an electric field. Since the toner is formed and charged without a mechanical layer thickness controlling member such as a doctor blade, mechanical stress acting on the toner is reduced.

Abstract: A developing device configured such that an amount of weakly charged toner in a two-component developer passing through an opening in the device per unit time is not greater than 200 g·mm/min, wherein the amount of weakly charged toner is expressed by an equation, which is the ? ? amount ? ? of ? ? weakly ? ? charged ? ? toner ? [ g · mm ? / ? min ] = total ? ? amount of ? ? the ? ? two ? - ? component ? ? developer ? ? to ? ? be ? ? drawn ? [ g ? / ? min ] × length of ? ? the ? ? opening ? [ mm ] × a ? ? concentration ? ? of ? ? toner ? [ wt ? ? % ] × percentage ? ? of ? ? weakly ? ? charged ? ? toner ? [ % ] .

Abstract: A developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier of the present invention is generally made up of a developing section and a developer storing section. The developing section includes a developer carrier for conveying a one-component type developer deposited thereon, a feeding member for feeding the developer to the developer carrier, and a conveying member for conveying the developer toward the feeding member while agitating it. The developer storing section replenishes a developer stored therein to the developing section in a direction including at least a horizontal direction component. The developing section and developer storing section are formed with a plurality of openings in the lengthwise direction such that the replenishment of developer from the developer storing section to the developing section and the return of the developer from the latter to the former are executed via the openings.

Abstract: A developer supplying device including a developer holding unit configured to hold a developer, a developer transfer device configured to electrostatically transfer the developer from the developer holding unit, and a charging member having holes piercing therethrough from the developer holding unit, to abrasively charge the developer by contacting the developer with walls of the holes while the developer is electrostatically transferred through the holes by the developer transfer device.

Abstract: A developing device includes a carrying roller configured to carry a developer. A storing section is configured to store the developer. A supplying roller is configured to supply the developer to the carrying roller by contacting the developer to the carrying roller, the supplying roller extending substantially parallel to the carrying roller. A conveying unit is configured to convey the developer stored in the storing section to the supplying roller. The conveying unit includes a pump with a stator having a through-hole, and a rotor disposed in the through-hole of the stator and spirally extended such that a cavity to convey the developer is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the rotor and an inner peripheral surface of the through-hole of the stator, the rotor being configured to convey the developer in the cavity in an axial direction of the rotor by eccentrically rotating.

Abstract: A developing device configured such that an amount of weakly charged toner in a two-component developer passing through an opening in the device per unit time is not greater than 200 g·mm/min, wherein the amount of weakly charged toner is expressed by an equation, which is the ? ? ? amount ? ? ? of ? ? ? weakly ? ? ? charged ? ? ? toner ? ? [ g · mm ? / ? min ] = total ? ? ? amount of ? ? ? the ? ? ? two ? - ? component ? ? ? developer ? ? ? to ? ? ? be ? ? ? drawn ? ? [ g ? / ? min ] × length of ? ? ? the ? ? ? opening ? ? [ mm ] × a ? ? ? concentration ? ? ? of ? ? ? toner ? ? [ wt ? ? ? % ] × percentage ? ? ? of ? ? ? weakly ? ? ? charged ? ? ? toner ? ? [ % ] .

Abstract: A toner contained in a hopper is fed to an electrostatic conveyance member by a supply roller. With an actuator of the electrostatic conveyance member functioning, the toner is conveyed while being electrically charged at the same time, and is then supplied to a development roller. A thin layer of toner is formed on the development roller under the effect of an electric field. Since the toner is formed and charged without a mechanical layer thickness controlling member such as a doctor blade, mechanical stress acting on the toner is reduced.

Abstract: A developing device capable of obviating carrier deposition on an image carrier and uniformly distributing toner on a developer carrier is disclosed. A developer deposited on the developer carrier and moved away from a metering member rises in the form of a magnet brush, falls down, and again rises in accordance with the movement of the developer carrier. The toner of the developer is efficiently agitated in the axial direction of the developer carrier in a narrow zone between the first metering member and a developing zone.