Abstract: Disclosed is a toner supply device including a toner container section (21b), a rotating shaft (31) provided in the toner container section (21b), and a stirring member (32) for stirring and feeding toner T to a supply opening (21d) formed in the toner container section (21b). The stirring member (32) includes an attachment portion (32c) fixedly attached to the rotating shaft (31) and a free end portion (32d) free to the rotating shaft (31). The free end portion (32d) has a stiffness lower than the attachment portion (32c). With this construction, a toner feeding rate can be maintained by the attachment portion (32c) and sound occurring at a release of the free end portion (32d) can be suppressed due to the free end portion (32d).

Abstract: A housing of a developing device has a circulating conveyance passage with a front conveyance passage along a developing roller and a rear conveyance passage parallel to the front conveyance passage. Front and rear spiral feeders are provided in the front and rear conveyance passages for conveying developer particles. The housing has a first developer inlet opening for receiving developer particles from a developer supplier and a second developer inlet opening for receiving recycled developer particles. The rear spiral feeder includes a conveyance power reduction portion at a position downstream from the first and second developer inlet openings and locally reduces conveyance power. The first and second developer inlet openings upstream of the conveyance power reduction portion and are where developer particles are likely to be upwardly surged due to the rotation of the rear conveyer.

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 two-component developing unit having an OPC, a toner supply part supplying toner, and a carrier circulating part including a carrier and circulating the carrier to mix the toner with the carrier and deliver the toner onto the OPC, includes a housing with a hollow body connecting the toner supply part and the carrier circulating part, a rotating shaft inside the housing extending from the toner supply part to the carrier circulating part; a right delivering wing discontinuously formed on the rotating shaft with gaps and which delivers the toner and the carrier from the toner supply part to the carrier circulating part; and a reverse delivering wing in the gaps of the right delivering wing which delivers the toner and the carrier in a reverse direction of the right delivering wing.

Abstract: In the development apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention, a first regulation member for regulating an upper surface of developer is provided on an adjacent and downstream portion with respect to a developer outlet in terms of travel direction of developer. The amount of developer passing below the first regulation member is thus adjusted. On this account, the present invention provides a development apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of maintaining appropriate amount of developer in the developer container by reducing influence of developer fluidity or the like. With stable stirring performance and development performance, the development apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention perform secure development, including the time period until the extra developer overflows and is discharged.

Abstract: The present invention relates to engagement or transfer of an image forming substance within a reservoir of an image forming apparatus. This may be achieved by a device such as a paddle that may include an additional component for engagement or transfer of the image forming substance. The component may be, for example, wire material. The component may also include a body section and an axially aligned projection.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes an agitator including a pair of ribs to effectively force a toner to a center of a flexible agitator film. In the developing cartridge of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a housing containing the toner, a developing roller disposed such that a portion thereof is exposed to the housing, and the agitator which is provided in the housing and feeds the toner to the developing roller, the agitator includes a body, the flexible agitating film including a coupling groove and attached to the body, a hook provided on the body and inserted into the coupling groove, and the pair of ribs provided on the body.

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 member for agitating and conveying a developer, includes: a rotation shaft that rotates in a given direction; a spiral-shaped conveying member that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft; and conveys a developer in a shaft direction of the rotation shaft; a protruded agitation section that protrudes, with a gap from the rotation shaft, from the spiral-shaped conveying member toward an upstream side in a developer conveying direction; and agitates the developer; and a diameter directional conveying section that is disposed between adjacent spires of the spiral-shaped conveying member; is disposed in a downstream side in the developer conveying direction with respect to the protruded agitation section; and gives a diameter directional conveying force to the developer.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotator that rotates around a shaft, and a bearing element that supports the shaft to a housing. A sliding element formed of a composite material that contains self-lubricating thermoplastic olefin resin as a base material is used as the bearing element. The sliding element formed of the composite material has at least a ratio of numerical values of “Rockwell hardness”/“bending elastic modulus” in a range from 25 to 45, and provides a sliding surface of which a frictional coefficient is lower than that of the sliding element formed of the base material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for distributed mixing and transport of toner and powders in an electrostatographic printer containing at least powder and magnetic carrier. The apparatus includes a powder conveying apparatus for transporting powder in a developer station including a development station housing having two or more auger assemblies, each auger assembly including two or more screw augers supported in a channel profile. The two or more screw augers having multiple intermeshed screw blades and controlled by a conveyance controller. The conveyance controller is in communication with the powder the one or more augers, such that each auger preferentially mixes and transports in a first or second direction as the powder conveying device conveys the powder in the developer sump of a print engine.

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 in an image forming device is disclosed which includes a first agitation transport member, a second agitation transport member, a bulkhead, and a housing. The second agitation transport member is arranged to be parallel to the first agitation transport member in the horizontal direction, and configured to simultaneously agitate and transport developer in cooperation with the first agitation transport member and mix developer with the externally supplied toner. The bulkhead has a partition member arranged between the first agitation transport member and the second agitation transport member, and a guide member that is formed to be integrated with the partition member and guide developer peeled off from the developing roller to the first agitation transport member. The bulkhead can arranged in the housing such that there is no space between first and second ends of the bulkhead and the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to form a latent image and a development unit including a development member configured to develop the latent image forming on the image carrier with a developer, and a plurality of conveying members each including at least one spiral vane and configured to rotate around a spiral axis of the spiral vane to revolve and transfer the developer around the spiral axis in a direction along the spiral axis, the plurality of conveying members configured to transfer the developer sequentially from a conveying member to an adjacent conveying member and including a first conveying member arranged at a position closest to the development member to supply developer to the development member, wherein a number of the spiral vanes of the first conveying member are at least two and is also greater than the number of spiral vanes in the remaining conveying members.

Abstract: A roller device for an image forming apparatus includes a rotary roller having a shaft; and a driving gear connected with the shaft to rotate together with the roller and integrally including a gear unit for power transmission and a bushing unit for position control of the roller. The shaft is engaged with a shaft hole formed to the driving gear and having a predetermined depth. The bushing unit of the driving gear is supported by a bushing support unit of a frame.

Abstract: An improved development station extends the useful life of toner in the housing and increases the number of images developed by the developer supply. The improved development station includes a development station housing having a developer sump, a toner supply for providing toner material to the developer sump, a mixing auger for uniformly blending and charging toner particles provided by the toner supply into developer material, a magnetic roller for receiving the developer material and bringing the developer material into contact with a photoreceptive member, and a magnet for generating a varying magnetic field to restrict flow of the developer material in the development station housing.

Abstract: A powder delivery member includes: a flexible axial core portion; and a powder delivering flexible vane portion formed on an outer periphery of the axial core portion.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing body that partially faces the inside of a developer storing chamber, a first developer carrying member disposed in the chamber together with the body, and a second developer carrying member disposed in the chamber together with the first carrying member. The body is rotatable and bears a developer. The first carrying roller rotates to carry the developer in an axial direction, and the second carrying member rotates to carry the developer in an axial direction. The first carrying member carries the developer from end portions of the chamber toward a center portion of the chamber, and the second carrying member carries the developer from the center portion toward the end portions. An amount of the developer carried by the first carrying member is greater than an amount of the developer carried by the second carrying member.

Abstract: A cartridge, an auger, and an image forming apparatus are provided. The cartridge includes a housing including supporting members and a conveying member, at least a portion of the conveying member rotating in an eccentric manner, the conveying member including a main body portion; a pair of supported portions provided at both ends of the main body portion and rotatably supported by the supporting members; and a spiral blade portion that conveys developer. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body including the cartridge. The auger includes a cylindrical main body comprising a spiral blade portion that conveys developer and shaft portions having rotational centers that coincide with each other, one of the shaft portions provided at each end of the main body, a center of gravity of the main body being displaced from the rotational centers of the shaft portions.

Abstract: A developer mixing apparatus, comprising: a housing including a chamber that holds developer; a first ribbon blender disposed within the chamber and elongate along a first longitudinal axis; and, a second ribbon blender disposed within the chamber and elongate along a second longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second ribbon blenders move developer in different directions.

Abstract: A developing device (100) according to the present invention is provided with a housing (102) for holding toner, conveying screws (104, 105) arranged in the housing (2) and each including a rotary shaft (107) and a blade (106) arranged on the rotary shaft (107) for conveying the toner from one end of the rotary shaft (107) toward the other end thereof by the rotation of the rotary shaft (107), and a developing roller (103) provided in the housing with a part of the developing roller (103) being exposed from the housing, and rotatable to obtain the toner conveyed by the conveying screws (104, 105). The conveying screws (104, 105) are constructed, for the efficient agitation of the toner, such that toner pressing forces of the blades (106) differ depending the angle of rotation of the rotary shaft (107).

Abstract: A developing unit and a developer stirring and transporting method are provided that enable smooth discharge of a developer in the developing unit without being affected by the inclination of the developing unit. A developing unit 10 has a developing roller 12, a housing unit 16 configured to house a developer and having in its sidewall a discharge port 14 which discharges overflowing developer, a stirring and transporting member 20 configured to stir and transport the developer along a passage 18 formed in the housing unit 16, and a deposit structure unit 22 provided in the passage 18 and configured to raise the height position of a bottom surface 18a part of the passage 18 corresponding at least to the discharge port 14 to a position higher than the other areas of the passage 18, and thereby deposit the developer near the discharge port 14.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus to be provided in a quick start up electrophotographic image forming apparatus that can efficiently prevent generation of unevenness by a screw pitch in a short period of time. The developing apparatus rotates a developer transporting screw so as to transport and supply a developer to a developer bearing member, and develops a latent image formed on an image bearing member by the developer. The developer transporting screw includes a vane winding around a rotation shaft in a spiral form. A vane surface on other side of a developer transport direction of the vane includes two planes having different angles with a rotational center line of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus collects toner remaining on a photoconductive drum after a toner image is transferred to paper, and collects the impurities (paper dust) included in the toner collected in an image forming apparatus which reuses the collected toner by a mixer provided in a developer container. An auxiliary collecting member is provided in a gap between first feed blades and second feed blades in an impurity collector.

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 capable of improving the fluidity of a developer and alleviating the stress generated in the developer, and a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus that use this developing device. In a connecting portion, there is formed a storage portion for storing the developer, in which the cross-sectional area thereof has width D2 that continuously becomes wider toward the top, compared to the width D1 of the cross-sectional area of an opening portion by which the developer is lifted up from the second screw, and becomes wider than D1 at the central part thereof. Furthermore, from this storage portion, the width of the cross-sectional area thereof continuously becomes narrow, whereby the width of the opening portion at which the developer is delivered to the first screw becomes D3 narrower than D2. Accordingly, the developer that is lifted up at the second screw is dispersed in a fan-like form and stored in the storage portion.

Abstract: An image developing unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The image forming apparatus includes a body, an image developing unit including a frame having a developer supply part into which a developer is introduced, a developing roller rotatably installed on a developing roller support part provided in the frame, and a developer supply auger mounted in the developer supply part so as to provide the developing roller with the developer and formed with a reduction part having a reduced circumferential width, and an image transferring unit to transfer a visible image formed in the image developing unit onto a printing medium, wherein the developer supply auger is installed on the frame such that the reduction part is positioned corresponding to the developing roller support part. An interval between central axes of the developing roller and the developer supply auger becomes narrow, so that a developer is stably supplied to the developing roller.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing tank having a developing region tank and an agitating region tank, a partition wall member, a first agitating and conveying member, a second agitating and conveying member, a first intermediate wall member, a second intermediate wall member and a sensor, and an opening portion is formed. In the developing device, a third agitating and conveying member extending in a longitudinal direction of the agitating region tank is provided between the second agitating and conveying member and the second intermediate wall member in a transverse direction of the agitating region tank.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer container for storing a developer which contains toner, a rotary member for stirring and conveying the developer, and a bearing member to hold the rotary member in the developer container. At least one of the bearing member and the rotary member has a plurality of protrusions on a portion of the bearing member which holds the rotary member, or on a portion of the rotary member which is held by the bearing member.

Abstract: A developer feeding screw, which includes a shaft and a helical shape portion around said shaft, for feeding a developer in a direction of an axis of said shaft by rotation about the axis, said feeding screw, the improvement residing in that: a sectional configuration of said helical shape portion in a plane including the axis satisfies: Z(r)=kln(ro/r) where z(r) is a height of said sectional configuration at radius r with z(ro)=0 (ro is an outer radius of the helical configuration): r is a radius (0<r?ro) k is a constant.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a case that accommodates a consumable therein, a land area that protrudes from a surface of the case, and a recess that is formed on a reverse side of the surface at a position corresponding to the land area, a reverse side of a deepest portion of the recess being the land area, wherein the deepest portion of the recess is toward the land area with respect to the surface.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer container that includes an opening and holds a developer; a first screw that stirs and conveys the developer, and that supplies the developer to a developing roller; a second screw that stirs the first developer, and that conveys the developer to a direction opposite to a direction to which the first screw conveys the developer; and a partition wall that partitions between the first screw and the second screw. The partition wall includes a guiding member that guides, to a position within a range in which rotation of the first conveying unit reaches, a part of the developer that is supplied to the developing roller and is returned after being used for development from the developing roller, and at least a part of the guiding member is an adhesion surface to which a sealing member for sealing the opening is adhered.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, a developing agent, a refilling port, a transport member, and an agitation enhancer. The developing agent includes toner particles and carrier particles and is refilled to the developing apparatus from the refilling port. The transport member transports the developing agent to the developing roller while agitating the developing agent. The agitation enhancer is provided on a peripheral portion of the transport member to increase agitation movement of the developing agent.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container divided into a developing section and a mixing section in which developer is conveyed in the opposite directions. A conveying member which conveys the developer in the longitudinal direction is disposed only in the developing section, and a mixing member which does not positively convey the developer in the longitudinal direction is disposed in the mixing section.

Abstract: A developer agitator of an image forming device capable of improving the electrification rate of a developer is disclosed. The developer agitator includes a rotatable shaft and an agitating wing disposed on the circumferential surface of the shaft. The agitating wing has an uneven part formed to increase the contact area with a developer. The developer agitator can obtain an electrification rate of the developer required for high speed printing, thereby allowing the image forming device to be operated at a high speed.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing unit for attaching developer to a latent image formed on an image bearing body to form a visible image; a developer supply unit for supplying the developer to the developing unit; and a plurality of developer transporting units for transporting the developer in an axial direction. At least one of the developer transporting units transports the developer in a direction different from a direction that another developer transporting unit transports the developer.

Abstract: A developer system for developing an image in an electrophotographic printing machine, including: a developer housing having a toner sump containing developer material; a magnetic development member rotatably mounted in the housing for transferring toner particles to a latent image on the photoreceptive member in a development zone; a transport system for transporting developer material from the toner sump to the magnetic development member, the transport system includes: a mix/pump auger, disposed in a first auger channel, for mixing and circulating developer material along a first path within the first auger channel; a transport auger, adjacent to the mix/pump auger and disposed in a second auger channel, for circulating developer material along a second path within the second auger channel; a wall member disposed in between the mix/pump auger and the transport auger, the wall member having a first opening disposed near an inboard end of the housing and a second opening disposed near an outboard end of the

Abstract: A powder conveying apparatus, comprising a powder container for storing powder and a powder agitating/conveying member provided in the powder container, wherein the powder agitating/conveying member includes: a shaft revolving around the axis; a primary conveying blade provided on the external surface of the shaft in such a manner that the powder is conveyed in the first direction toward one side of the axial direction, by revolution in one rotational direction around the axis of the shaft; and a secondary conveying element provided on the external surface of the shaft and located radially inner than a radially outer end of the primary conveying blade in the diameter direction in such a manner that conveying force is applied to part of the powder, which is conveyed in the first direction by the primary conveying blade, in the second direction toward the other side of the axial direction.

Abstract: A development apparatus includes an auger conveyor member for stirring and conveying developer, the gravity of the developer being eccentrically distributed with respect to a center of rotation, a drive transfer member for driving and rotating the auger conveyor member, the drive transfer member being capable of being engaged and disengaged, and a rotation detector for detecting a rotational state of the auger conveyor member. The remaining amount of the developer is detected based on the rotational state detected by the rotation detector.

Abstract: An agitator according to the present invention comprises a container for storing a compound of at least two materials, and an agitation unit mounted in the container to agitate the compound. The agitation unit may comprise a plurality of agitators of which at least one agitator can independently rotate.

Abstract: A developer system, including: a developer housing having a sump containing developer material including toner particles; a developer member rotatably mounted in the housing for transferring toner particles to a latent image on the photoreceptive member in a development zone; a pickup auger, positioned in an auger channel, for transporting and delivering developer material to the developer member, along a path adjacent to the developer member, the pickup auger having a first end portion and a second end portion, and the pickup auger includes a plurality of blades extending along the length of thereof, the plurality of blades being mounted on a core having a core size, the core size being adapted and arranged in the auger channel to maintain a constant developer material distance from the developer member along the length the auger channel.

Abstract: A developer system, including: a developer housing having a sump containing developer material including toner particles; a developer member rotatably mounted in the housing for transferring toner particles to a latent image on the photoreceptive member in a development zone; a pickup auger, positioned in an auger channel, for transporting and delivering developer material to the developer member, along a path adjacent to the developer member, the pickup auger having a first end portion and a second end portion, and the pickup auger includes a plurality of blades extending along the length of thereof, the plurality of blades being adapted and arranged in the auger channel to maintain a constant developer material distance from the developer member along the length the auger channel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus incorporating: an image forming body; and a developing unit having a developer carrier, a magnetic field generator, a developer restriction member, a first conveyer, and a second conveyer, wherein the magnetic field generator has: a main magnetic pole; pickup magnetic pole; and a strip-off magnetic pole, wherein the developing unit satisfies following conditions: (a) the second conveyer is a screw conveyer having an outer diameter within 24 mm-30 mm, rotating speed of 300-500 rpm, (b) the pickup magnetic pole is arranged at an angle of 25°-60° downstream with a line connecting a rotation centers of the developer carrier and the second conveyer, (c) the strip-off magnetic pole is arranged at 60°-80° upward with the line,(d) a transporting capability of the first conveyer is larger than that of the second conveyer.

Abstract: An improved development station extends the useful life of toner in the housing and increases the number of images developed by the developer supply. The improved development station includes a toner supply for providing toner to a developer sump; a mixing auger for uniformly blending and charging toner particles supplied by the toner supply into the developer material; a magnetic roller for receiving the developer material and bringing the developer material into contact with a photoreceptive member, and a variable developer material restrictor for variably restricting flow of developer material to vary the mechanical stress delivered to the developer material.

Abstract: A helical auger member for transporting toner in an image forming apparatus. The auger member may be implemented as part of a waste toner removal system for removing toner from a photoconductive member of a toner cartridge. Toner that is removed by a cleaner member is transported through a cleaner housing with a helical member, such as a coil wire, having a pitch to outer diameter ratio from about 1.5 to 2.5.

Abstract: Provided is a developing apparatus, including: a developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing toner and a carrier; a first chamber having an opening in which the developer carrying member is disposed; a carrying member for carrying the developer in a longitudinal direction of the developer carrying member, the carrying member being disposed in the first chamber; a second chamber to which the developer is supplied from the first chamber through a first connection portion communicating with the first chamber and which supplies the developer to the first chamber through a second connection portion communicating with the first chamber; a spiral carrying member for agitating and carrying the developer by rotation, the spiral carrying member being obliquely disposed in the second chamber at an angle of 2° or more and 10° or less; and a developer replenishing apparatus for replenishing a developer for replenishment to a developer replenishment position in the second chamber, in which when a height w

Abstract: A blender for electrographic developer has an outer cylindrical surface having an axis, the blender being adapted to rotate about the axis; and a skive defining an outer edge adjacent said cylindrical surface and spanning a length along said axis.

Abstract: An embodiment of a screw conveyor includes a rotating shaft and a conveying blade helically formed around and loosely coupled with the rotating shaft. One or both of two edges of the conveying blade is/are only fixed to the rotating shaft, and a gap is provided between the rotating shaft and the conveying blade. Thereby, the conveying blade can be vibrated in a center axis direction of the rotating shaft by rotation of the rotating shaft and conveyed waste developer.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus includes a development device in which two rotary shafts enclosed in respective separate chambers for spirally circulating the developer between the two chambers to supply the developer to a development roller. The development device is provided with an extended circulation enclosure having a fill opening communicating with the two chambers.

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.