Abstract: A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit, arranged opposite to each other along a rotating direction of the photosensitive drum in an enclosure that has an opening opposite to a developing roller of the developing unit. An extended line connecting a tangent line to an outer circumference of the developing roller and a wall of a first end of the enclosure in an axial direction of the developing roller does not intersect with a wall of a second end of the enclosure.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is configured by integrally arranging a fresh toner storing chamber and a residual toner collection chamber. Fresh toner is filled in the fresh toner storing chamber through a fresh toner filling opening. Residual toner is conveyed in the residual toner collection chamber through a residual toner conveying opening. Two residual toner discharging openings are created in the residual toner collection chamber through which the residual toner is discharged.

Abstract: A toner-collecting device includes a toner-collecting unit, a shaft member, and a guide member. The toner-collecting unit is configured to be detachably attachable. The shaft member is rotatably arranged in the toner-collecting unit. The guide member includes a sliding portion that allows the shaft member to slide while the shaft member is being inserted from one end to an opposite end of the toner-collecting unit.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a latent image writing unit; a development unit; a latent image carrier unit having the latent image carrier; a first positioning protrusion disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the first positioning protrusion being engaged with a groove or a slit of an image forming apparatus body; an abutted portion disposed on the groove or the slit, the abutted portion abutting the first positioning protrusion in order to position the latent image carrier unit in an installation and removal direction; and a second positioning protrusion shifted in the installation and removal direction and disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the second positioning protrusion positioning the latent image carrier unit at a position different from a position of the first positioning protrusion in order to engage the groove or the slit.

Abstract: A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member.

Abstract: A toner conveyer device for use din an image forming apparatus includes a toner conveyer belt conveys waste toner, a screw member that receives the waste toner from the toner conveyer belt and conveys the waste toner to a housing unit, and a scraping member that scrapes waste toner that adheres to the screw member.

Abstract: A toner transport screw that is capable of maintaining a smooth and stable transport function. The toner transport screw, in which a helical blade is disposed on the circumference of a rotating shaft, has at least one spiral direction reversal part formed by connecting the respective ends of a first blade part and a second blade part, the directions of spiral of the first blade part and the second blade part being in opposite directions. A passage, which allows the toner to pass through the blades in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, is formed in the spiral direction reversal part.

Abstract: A toner agitating unit is located in a toner hopper that houses toner used for developing a latent image. The toner agitating unit includes a rotary shaft and an agitating member. The agitating member is a flat plate made of resin. The agitating member has a plurality of slits extending from an outer edge of the agitating member toward the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A developing device includes a main body that is arranged between a pair of supporting members and includes a developing roller. Both end portions of the developing roller are supported by the supporting members in a first direction in which the developing roller is movable toward and away from an image carrier. A groove is formed on each of the supporting members. Either one of an end portion of the developing roller and a bearing that supports the end portion is inserted into the groove. Either one of at least one of the end portions of the developing roller and at least one of the bearings is movable in the groove in a second direction that intersects the first direction.

Abstract: A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member.

Abstract: An insertion passage 104Y for inserting a suction nozzle 73Y fixed to an image forming apparatus is provided on a holder 102Y, and a connecting passage 114Y that connects the insertion passage 104Y and a toner storage section 106Y of the holder 102Y is provided. After the toner sent from bottle 101Y to the holder 102Y falls towards the connecting passage 104Y, the toner flows into the suction nozzle 73Y through the connecting passage 114Y and is then discharged out of the holder 102Y. An airtightness between the insertion passage 114Y and the suction nozzle 73Y inserted into the insertion passage 114 Y is superior than an airtightness between the bottle 101Y and the holder 102Y engaged with the bottle 101Y.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a toner hopper for containing unused toner, a waste-toner hopper for containing waste toner, and waste-toner conveying screws that convey waste toner in the waste-toner hopper. The waste-toner hopper is separated from the toner hopper by a flexible partition made of elastic material. The flexible partition is located near the conveying member, and includes a rigid body.

Abstract: A developing device that can be formed at low cost and without increasing the complexity of a die structure of a casing comprises a development roller, a supply roller, a developing portion having an agitating member, a toner hopper disposed above the developing portion, an agitating member in the toner hopper, a partitioning member provided between the developing portion and the toner hopper and having an opening portion, and a collected developer storage portion forming portion for forming a storage space for collected toner collected from the development roller by the supply roller within a fixed distance of the supply roller such that the collected toner moves to the vicinity of the agitating member in the developing portion in accordance with a developer flow generated by the rotation of the supply roller.

Abstract: A developing device that supplies developer to an image carrier. In a developing device having a developer carrier that is driven in rotation by drive force applied to a gear provided on the shaft section thereof, the developer carrier being pressed in the direction of the image carrier, the effect of the gear drive force on the pressing force of the developer carrier onto the image carrier can be eliminated. The bearing that supports the shaft section is made slidable and the sliding direction of the bearing with respect to the direction of the drive force is set at about 90°.

Abstract: A developing device configured such that the developing device or the like can be easily inserted and removed without increasing the size of the apparatus, and an image forming apparatus that uses this developing device as well as a process cartridge. The developing device is provided with a first rib formed projecting from a first main wall surface, which is the side surface with the maximum area in the chassis of the developing device, and a second rib formed projecting from a second main wall surface, which is the side surface in opposition to the first main wall surface, the first rib being disposed in a position higher than the second rib in the height direction.

Abstract: An insertion passage 104Y for inserting a suction nozzle 73Y fixed to an image forming apparatus is provided on a holder 102Y, and a connecting passage 114Y that connects the insertion passage 104Y and a toner storage section 106Y of the holder 102Y is provided After the toner sent from bottle 101Y to the holder 102Y falls towards the connecting passage 104Y, the toner flows into the suction nozzle 73Y through the connecting passage 114Y and is then discharged out of the holder 102Y An airtightness between the insertion passage 114Y and the suction nozzle 73Y inserted into the insertion passage 114 Y is superior than an airtightness between the bottle 101Y and the holder 102Y engaged with the bottle 101Y.

Abstract: A waste-toner collecting device includes a cleaning unit that collects waste toner remaining on an image carrier; a conveying belt that conveys the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit in a first direction; and a conveying screw that conveys the waste toner conveyed by the conveying belt in a second direction. An end of the conveying screw on a side of the conveying belt is rotatably supported by an inner wall of a body of the waste-toner collecting device in a state where the end of the conveying screw is in contact with the inner wall.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member configured to receive an image, and a first image forming unit including a first image bearing member and a first pair of developing units having developers of colors different from each other, and a second image forming unit including a second image bearing member and a second pair of developing units having developers of colors different from each other and from the first pair of developing units, each of the first and second image forming units configured to slidably move in a direction parallel to a horizontal plane of the image forming apparatus in a manner facing a surface of the transfer member and to be biased toward a desired position with respect to the transfer member when a cover of the image forming apparatus is moved to its closed position.

Abstract: A waste-toner housing device that is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus for housing waste toner includes a waste-toner container and a first conveying member and a second conveying member that convey the wasted toner. The first conveying member and the second conveying member are arranged inside the waste-toner container in such a manner that the second conveying member is located at an elevated level with respect to the first conveying member.