Abstract: A powder container includes a body and a pair of walls that blocks one longitudinal end of the body and the other longitudinal end of the body. Powder is accommodated within the powder container which is mounted to an apparatus using the powder in a posture where a longitudinal direction of the body is a transverse direction of the apparatus. The powder container has an opening, through which the powder is supplied to the apparatus, formed in a lower position of the body in a posture where the powder container is mounted to the apparatus. The powder container includes a shutter and a shield. The shutter is, prior to mounting the powder container to the apparatus, in a closed location to block the opening and, when the powder container is mounted, is moved along an outer peripheral surface of the body to an opened location to open the opening.

Abstract: A powder container includes a body and a pair of walls that blocks one longitudinal end of the body and the other longitudinal end of the body. Powder is accommodated within the powder container which is mounted to an apparatus using the powder in a posture where a longitudinal direction of the body is a transverse direction of the apparatus. The powder container has an opening, through which the powder is supplied to the apparatus, formed in a lower position of the body in a posture where the powder container is mounted to the apparatus. The powder container includes a shutter and a shield. The shutter is, prior to mounting the powder container to the apparatus, in a closed location to block the opening and, when the powder container is mounted, is moved along an outer peripheral surface of the body to an opened location to open the opening.

Abstract: A powder container includes a body and a pair of walls that blocks one longitudinal end of the body and the other longitudinal end of the body. Powder is accommodated within the powder container which is mounted to an apparatus using the powder in a posture where a longitudinal direction of the body is a transverse direction of the apparatus. The powder container has an opening, through which the powder is supplied to the apparatus, formed in a lower position of the body in a posture where the powder container is mounted to the apparatus. The powder container includes a shutter and a shield. The shutter is, prior to mounting the powder container to the apparatus, in a closed location to block the opening and, when the powder container is mounted, is moved along an outer peripheral surface of the body to an opened location to open the opening.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite color image forming method. The method includes electrically charging a latent image-holding member; exposing the charged latent image-holding member to light to form an electrostatic latent image; developing the electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer containing toner particles of one color and a carrier to form a toner image on the latent image-holding member; primarily transferring the toner image from the latent image-holding member to an intermediate transfer member; repeating the electrically charging, the exposing, the developing, and the primarily transferring, while the toner particles are replaced with toner particles of different color, to form a composite color image on the intermediate transfer member; and secondarily transferring the composite color image from the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium.

Abstract: A powder container includes a body and a pair of walls that blocks one longitudinal end of the body and the other longitudinal end of the body. Powder is accommodated within the powder container which is mounted to an apparatus using the powder in a posture where a longitudinal direction of the body is a transverse direction of the apparatus. The powder container has an opening, through which the powder is supplied to the apparatus, formed in a lower position of the body in a posture where the powder container is mounted to the apparatus. The powder container includes a shutter and a shield. The shutter is, prior to mounting the powder container to the apparatus, in a closed location to block the opening and, when the powder container is mounted, is moved along an outer peripheral surface of the body to an opened location to open the opening.

Abstract: A powder container includes a body and a pair of walls that blocks one longitudinal end of the body and the other longitudinal end of the body. Powder is accommodated within the powder container which is mounted to an apparatus using the powder in a posture where a longitudinal direction of the body is a transverse direction of the apparatus. The powder container has an opening, through which the powder is supplied to the apparatus, formed in a lower position of the body in a posture where the powder container is mounted to the apparatus. The powder container includes a shutter and a shield. The shutter is, prior to mounting the powder container to the apparatus, in a closed location to block the opening and, when the powder container is mounted, is moved along an outer peripheral surface of the body to an opened location to open the opening.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier for replenishment including an associated particle in which single particles each having a core material and a resin layer covering the core material, are bound via the resin layer, the carrier being used in a developer for replenishment of a trickle development system, and the system including performing development while the developer for replenishment is replenished, upon development of a latent image on a latent image holding member using a development unit.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a powder transporting unit include: a first powder transporting cylindrical member in which a powder reception port for receiving a powder from a powder storage container storing the powder is opened in an upper portion of the first powder transporting cylindrical member; a second powder transporting cylindrical member whose inner diameter is formed to be larger than an inner diameter of the first powder transporting cylindrical member and in which a powder discharge port for discharging the powder; a link member which is made from an elastic material and which displaceably couples the first powder transporting cylindrical member and the second powder transporting cylindrical member with each other; and a powder transporting member which is rotatably disposed inside the first powder transporting cylindrical member and the second powder transporting cylindrical member and which transports the powder.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing carrier is provided which comprises a core particle and a resin coating layer containing conductive particles dispersed therein, the carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 25 to 60 ?m and an average degree of circularity of 0.975 or more, wherein the core particle has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 0.3 m2/g and an internal void ratio of 10% or less.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a powder transporting unit include: a first powder transporting cylindrical member in which a powder reception port for receiving a powder from a powder storage container storing the powder is opened in an upper portion of the first powder transporting cylindrical member; a second powder transporting cylindrical member whose inner diameter is formed to be larger than an inner diameter of the first powder transporting cylindrical member and in which a powder discharge port for discharging the powder; a link member which is made from an elastic material and which displaceably couples the first powder transporting cylindrical member and the second powder transporting cylindrical member with each other; and a powder transporting member which is rotatably disposed inside the first powder transporting cylindrical member and the second powder transporting cylindrical member and which transports the powder.

Abstract: An image forming device including: an image holding member; a charging member; a latent image-forming unit; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image holding member with a developer including a toner and a carrier, the toner comprising an external additive having first inorganic particles with a volume average particle diameter of 80 nm to 300 nm, and the carrier including a core material having a magnetic powder dispersed in a resin and a resin covering layer that covers the core material; a transfer unit; a removal unit; and an aggregation-forming unit that, by contacting a surface of the charging member and rotating in accordance with rotation of the charging member, removes adherents on the surface of the charging member, including the first inorganic particles, from the surface of the charging member, and forms aggregations in which the removed first inorganic particles are aggregated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier for replenishment including an associated particle in which single particles each having a core material and a resin layer covering the core material, are bound via the resin layer, the carrier being used in a developer for replenishment of a trickle development system, and the system including performing development while the developer for replenishment is replenished, upon development of a latent image on a latent image holding member using a development unit.

Abstract: An image forming device including: an image holding member; a charging member; a latent image-forming unit; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image holding member with a developer including a toner and a carrier, the toner comprising an external additive having first inorganic particles with a volume average particle diameter of 80 nm to 300 nm, and the carrier including a core material having a magnetic powder dispersed in a resin and a resin covering layer that covers the core material; a transfer unit; a removal unit; and an aggregation-forming unit that, by contacting a surface of the charging member and rotating in accordance with rotation of the charging member, removes adherents on the surface of the charging member, including the first inorganic particles, from the surface of the charging member, and forms aggregations in which the removed first inorganic particles are aggregated.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image carrier having core particles and a resin coating layer that coats the surface of the core particles, wherein the surface roughness of the core particles exhibits a surface roughness Sm that satisfies the expression Sm?2.0 ?m and a surface roughness Ra (compliant with JIS B0601) that satisfies the expression Ra?0.1 ?m, the surface roughness Ra (compliant with JIS B0601) of the electrostatic latent image carrier satisfies the expression Ra?0.5 ?m, and a sphericity of the electrostatic latent image carrier is 0.975 or higher. In addition, an electrostatic latent image developer that includes a toner and a carrier, wherein the carrier is the electrostatic latent image carrier described above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite color image forming method. The method includes electrically charging a latent image-holding member; exposing the charged latent image-holding member to light to form an electrostatic latent image; developing the electrostatic latent image with a two-component developer containing toner particles of one color and a carrier to form a toner image on the latent image-holding member; primarily transferring the toner image from the latent image-holding member to an intermediate transfer member; repeating the electrically charging, the exposing, the developing, and the primarily transferring, while the toner particles are replaced with toner particles of different color, to form a composite color image on the intermediate transfer member; and secondarily transferring the composite color image from the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing carrier is provided which comprises a core particle and a resin coating layer containing conductive particles dispersed therein, the carrier having a volume average particle diameter of 25 to 60 ?m and an average degree of circularity of 0.975 or more, wherein the core particle has a BET specific surface area of 0.1 to 0.3 m2/g and an internal void ratio of 10% or less.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing dry toner and the like are provided, in which toner remaining after transfer can be recovered during developing with or without having a blade cleaning stage for promoting friction of an electrostatic latent image holding member. The electrostatic latent image developing toner contains toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant and monodisperse resin particles having a volume mean diameter of 80 to 300 nm, a gel ratio of 60% or more by weight, and a standard deviation of D50×0.20 or less. A method of producing the above toner first mixes monodisperse resin particles, which have a volume mean diameter of 80 to 300 nm, a gel ratio of 60% or more by weight, and a standard deviation of D50×0.20 or less, with toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and adds an inorganic compound having a diameter smaller than that of the resin particles with a shear lower than the first mixing.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing dry toner and the like are provided, in which toner remaining after transfer can be recovered during developing with or without having a blade cleaning stage for promoting friction of an electrostatic latent image holding member. The electrostatic latent image developing toner contains toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant and monodisperse resin particles having a volume mean diameter of 80 to 300 nm, a gel ratio of 60% or more by weight, and a standard deviation of D50×0.20 or less. A method of producing the above toner first mixes monodisperse resin particles, which have a volume mean diameter of 80 to 300 nm, a gel ratio of 60% or more by weight, and a standard deviation of D50×0.20 or less, with toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, and adds an inorganic compound having a diameter smaller than that of the resin particles with a shear lower than the first mixing.

Abstract: An image forming method, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus are provided, with which an electrophotographic image that has superior image quality, superior fixing ability and remains good even in a hot and humid environment is obtainable. The image forming method includes: developing, with a developing agent, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor to form a toner image; transferring the toner image onto an image receiving member to form a transfer image; and fixing the transferred image onto the image receiving member to form an image, wherein the photoreceptor includes a layer that contains a siloxane compound having charge-transferability and a crosslinking structure, with a compound having acid-adsorbing ability being supplied to the surface of the photoreceptor. The process cartridge and the image forming apparatus are used in the image forming method.

Abstract: An electrophotographic black toner comprising a colorant and a binder resin, wherein the toner has a metal oxide as the colorant of 20% by weight or less, said metal oxide having magnetization of 40 emu/g or smaller, and said toner has color coordinates such that L* has a value of 10 to 25, a* has a value of −3.0 to 3.0, and b* has a value of −3.0 to 3.0 as determined by a fixed image formed with the toner, as well as an electrophotographic developer and an image forming method using said electrophotographic black toner are provided. According to the present invention, the electrophotographic black toner having a high volume-specific resistance value, achieving a sufficient degree of blackness, less likely to cause high background and providing a high quality image can be obtained.