Abstract: A developing device includes a developer-carrying member and a developer control member, a supply member, and a rotating member that are disposed opposite the developer-carrying member. The developer-carrying member accommodates a magnetic source that generates a magnetic force for carrying a developer containing magnetic particles on an outer surface thereof. The developer control member controls the thickness of a layer of the developer carried on the outer surface of the developer-carrying member. The supply member rotates to transport the developer in a rotation axis direction thereof and to supply the developer to the developer-carrying member. The rotating member is disposed at a position where the rotating member is submerged in the developer between the developer control member and the supply member and rotates to supply the developer from between the developer control member and the supply member to the supply member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a first voltage application section for applying a first bias to a magnetic roller, a second voltage application section for applying a second bias to a developing roller, and a controller for controlling the voltages of the first and second voltage application sections and the driving/rotating of the magnetic roller and the developing roller. When no image formation is taking place, the controller can execute a toner collection mode in which, with the first and second biases set at the same potential and the second bias set lower than the voltage applied to an image carrying member, the magnetic roller is rotated in the direction reverse to that in which it is rotated during image formation.

Abstract: A developing unit includes: a cylindrical magnetic member having plural magnetic poles in a circumferential direction, the magnetic poles including a first pole attracting developer and a second pole not attracting developer; a developer holding member having the cylindrical magnetic member therein and conveying developer magnetically attracted by the cylindrical magnetic member on a surface thereof in a direction toward a predetermined area where developer is not attracted by a magnetic field caused by the second pole; a peeling member provided in the predetermined area and peeling off the developer attracted at an end portion of the developer holding member in an axial direction; and a second magnetic member provided on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the peeling member, disposed in a position with a gap from the surface of the developer holding member and opposed to the predetermined area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: a photoconductive drum that rotates; a developing roller that carries toner to be charged and to which a first voltage application portion outputting an AC voltage is connected; a contact member that makes contact with the photoconductive drum to remove residual toner; a detection portion for detecting occurrence of electric discharge between the developing roller and the photoconductive drum; and a developing unit that feeds toner to the developing roller, that supports the developing roller opposite the photoconductive drum with a gap secured in between, and that feeds toner to the developing roller with prescribed timing and for a prescribed time during electric discharge detection.

Abstract: A development agent supply device includes a casing having an opening and a development agent storage section, a development agent holding member housed in the casing such that a development agent holding surface thereof faces a developer-supplied device via the opening, a first electric-field transfer board that transfers development agent with a traveling-wave electric field along a down-facing development agent transfer surface in a predetermined direction from the development agent storage section to the opening and faces the development agent holding surface at a downstream end in the predetermined direction, and a second electric-field transfer board that includes a first section facing an downstream end of the first electric-field transfer board in the predetermined direction, and a second section facing the development agent holding member and transfers development agent received from the first electric transfer board at the first section, to the second section with a traveling-wave electric field.

Abstract: The invention provides a toner supply and cleaning roller that secures sufficient density especially at an initial stage of printing, and an image forming apparatus using the same. The toner supply and cleaning roller has a shaft (1) and an electroconductive elastic layer (3) made of a urethane foam and supported on the circumference of the shaft (1) by means of an adhesive layer (2) in between. The resistance of the roller at an applied voltage of 100 V is 105? or lower, preferably 104.5? or lower, and the resistance of the roller at an applied voltage of 5 V is 106 to 108?. The adhesive layer (2) contains a hot-melting polymeric adhesive and is formed preferably at a temperature not exceeding the melting point of the hot-melting polymeric adhesive.

Abstract: A development unit includes: a developing vessel in which a developing agent is received; a developing member as defined herein; a supply member which is supported in the developing vessel and disposed to be opposed to the developing member, the supply member rotating the developing agent in the developing vessel while holding the developing agent on a surface of the supply member to thereby supply the developing agent held on the surface to the developing member; and a thickness limiting member as defined herein, and the supply member is supported movably in a direction to expand or reduce a gap between the thickness limiting member and the supply member so that the gap between the thickness limiting member and the supply member can be adjusted.

Abstract: A method for transferring developer (14) to a development roller (11) in an electrophotographic printing process includes feeding developer from a first channel (12) to the development roller; releasing developer from the development roller to a second channel (15); and wherein a strength of a pickup field of a feed magnet (50) in the development roller increases in a direction of developer flow in the first channel.

Abstract: A toning apparatus for an electrophotographic marking engine using multi-component developer includes a magnet for producing a magnetic field through the surface of a toning member, so that carrier particles in the developer in a receiving zone are attracted to the toning member. A rotatable ribbon blender includes an axle, a first inner ribbon and a first outer ribbon having opposite handednesses of twist and arranged to rotate with the axle, and a paddle connected to the first outer ribbon. The ribbon blender is disposed at least partially in the developer in a sump, so that when the ribbon blender rotates, the paddle transports developer from the sump to the receiving zone. No feed roller or supply roller is required; the ribbon blender mixes and transports developer.

Abstract: A developing device includes a case for housing a developer, a magnetic roller, an agitating member, a layer thickness restricting member, an auxiliary developer storing portion and a plate-like flexible member. The magnetic roller includes a rotary shaft and magnetically carries the developer on a circumferential surface. The agitating member includes a shaft center and a screw forming portion arranged around the shaft center and agitates and conveys the developer while rotating. The layer thickness restricting member restricts the layer thickness of the developer to a predetermined thickness. The auxiliary developer storing portion faces the circumferential surface of the magnetic roller at a side upstream of the layer thickness restricting member in a rotating direction of the magnetic roller. The plate-like flexible member extends toward the circumferential surface of the magnetic roller and forms a wall surface on an upstream side of the auxiliary developer storing portion.

Abstract: In a method or system for generation of a toner image layer with a preset layer thickness on a surface of a photoconductor, the two-component mixture of electrically charged toner particles and carrier particles is directed on an auto-surface of a roller adjacent a surface of an applicator element to be inked. At least a portion of the toner particles is transferred onto the surface of the applicator element. An electrical field is generated that exerts at least one force on a portion of the electrically charged toner particles between the roller and the applicator element. A strength of the electrical field is varied to adjust a layer thickness of a layer of the toner particles transferred onto the surface of the applicator element and thus to adjust a thickness of the toner image layer on the photoconductor. A measurement arrangement detects a thickness of at least one region of the toner image layer inked on the surface of the photoconductor as a real value.

Abstract: A development device includes a development casing, a developer bearer, a first developer conveyance member to supply developer to the developer bearer, a second developer conveyance member to transport developer axially, and a partition dividing an interior of the development casing into a supply channel and a collecting channel via which developer received from a downstream end portion of the supply channel is forwarded to an upstream end portion of the supply channel. The supply channel includes a conveyance area and a buffer area disposed adjacent to the conveyance area in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction to temporarily retain developer and midway in the developer conveyance direction inside the supply channel, and an upstream end face defining an upstream end of the buffer area is inclined relative to the axial direction to draw away from the conveyance area downstream in the developer conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming method including forming an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor; developing the latent image with a developer including a toner using a center-feed developing device to form a toner image; transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; and fixing the toner image using a fixing member coated with silicone oil. The toner includes at least a binder resin; a colorant; and a quaternary ammonium salt having a specific formula, wherein when the toner is dispersed in ethanol using ultrasonic waves, the dispersion has a turbidity of from 0.4 to 1.0 when the turbidity is determined using a haze meter. An image forming apparatus including a photoreceptor; a center-feed developing device using a developer including the toner; a transferring device; a fixing device using a fixing member coated with silicone oil; and a cleaner for the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a first feeding portion for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member while feeding the developer along the developer carrying member; a second feeding portion, communicating with the first feeding portion at end portions thereof, for feeding the developer in a direction opposite to a developer feeding direction of the first feeding portion while collecting the developer from the developer carrying member; and a partition wall portion for partitioning the first and second feeding portions. The partition wall portion includes an opposing portion opposing the developer carrying member with a spacing. A surface roughness of at least the opposing portion is larger than that of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: This is a mandrel used to fabricate seamless belts including those used in electrophotographic marking systems. The mandrel has a center core unit with two circular caps on each side. In between the caps is sandwiched a deformable O-ring which is outwardly deformed upon tightening of the two caps together. Once a tubular sheet is placed over the mandrel, the elastomeric O-ring will hold the sheet in place for further processing.

Abstract: There is provided a separation member for separating a first conveying path formed by a first conveying member from a second conveying path formed by a second conveying member. There is also provided an opposed member facing a magnetic pole H4 at an upstream side of two magnetic poles H4 and H6 that forms a developer-releasing magnetic pole H5.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer container internally divided by a partition into a supply path and a recovery path, a developer bearing member, a supply conveyance member to apply force to convey developer to a developer retaining space through the supply path, the developer retaining space retaining the developer to be conveyed by the developer bearing member, a recovery conveyance member, a communication pathway provided between the supply path and the developer retaining space, the communication pathway passing the developer from the supply path to the developer retaining space, and a developer softening member to soften the developer that is present above the partition, provided at least one of at a position in the communication pathway and at a position close to the communication pathway.

Abstract: A development device to develop a latent image with two-component developer includes a developer carrier disposed facing the image carrier, to carry the developer, a magnetic field generator disposed inside the developer carrier, to form multiple magnetic poles around the developer carrier, an interior wall dividing the interior of the development device into a first transport chamber and a second transport chamber parallel to the first transport chamber, a first transport member disposed in the first transport chamber, facing the developer carrier, to supply the developer to the developer carrier while transporting the developer longitudinally, a second transport member disposed in the second transport chamber, facing the developer carrier, to transport the developer separated from the developer carrier longitudinally, a partition disposed between the developer carrier and the second transport member to prevent resupply of the used developer in the second transport chamber from to the developer carrier.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container for accommodating a developer; a developer carrying member, provided rotatably in the developing container, for carrying and feeding the developer to develop an electrostatic image; a developer feeding member, including an elastic feeding portion and being rotatably provided in the developing container, for feeding the developer in the developing container toward the developer carrying member; and a circulation changing member for changing circulation of the developer in the neighborhood of the developer carrying member. In a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the developer carrying member, the circulation changing member is provided in a maximum rotation area of the developer feeding member so as to create a gap between itself and an entire inner surface of the developing container and a gap between itself and the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A developer station and method for an electrographic printer is provided that reduces developer agitation. The developer station includes a sump of magnetic developer, and a magnetic brush roller mounted above sump and having a rotatable magnetic core surrounded by a substantially cylindrical toning shell rotatably mounted with respect to the core. The toning shell defines a nip at its closest point to the photoconductor element. A tangent line tangent to the cylindrical toning shell at the nip is oriented substantially vertically, and the magnetic developer is applied to the toning shell at an angular distance of no more than about 120° from the nip. The toning shell may be eccentrically mounted with respect to the magnetic core and is substantially closest to the rotatable magnetic core within about +30° and ?30° from the nip. Such a configuration advantageously reduces the residence time of the developer on the toning shell.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container; a developer holding body including a magnet member and a substantially cylindrical member; a transport member including a rotating shaft and a substantially spiral transport blade; a layer-thickness regulating member; and an interrupting member that is arranged between the developer holding body and the transport member, that intersects with a first virtual plane passing through a facing position between the regulating member and the developer holding body and being adjacent to a rotation locus of a radial-direction outer edge of the transport blade at a position at which a speed in a circumferential direction of the transport blade has a speed component toward the regulating member, and a second virtual plane passing through rotation centers of the developer holding body and transport member, and that interrupts movement of the developer pushed and moving in the radial direction of the transport blade.

Abstract: A developing device including a developer bearing member containing a magnetic field generator having multiple magnetic poles and a developer containing chamber is provided. The developer containing chamber contains a two-component developer comprising magnetic carrier particles having a saturated magnetization of 58 to 70 emu/g in a magnetic field of 1 KOe and toner particles, and has a divider to define an upper supply chamber and a lower collection chamber. The supply chamber includes a supply conveyer to supply the two-component developer to the developer bearing member at an upstream side from the developing area. The collection chamber includes a collection conveyer to collect the two-component developer from the developer bearing member at a downstream side from the developing area. The multiple magnetic poles includes three developer bearing poles capable of bearing the developer on its surface.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller, toner supplying roller, regulation blade, and casing. The developing roller faces an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, and supplies toner to the image carrier. The toner supplying roller faces the developing roller, and supplies the toner to the developing roller. The regulation blade faces the toner supplying roller at predetermined distance. The casing houses the developing roller, toner supplying roller, and regulation blade. The casing includes a toner catching support member facing the developing roller or the toner supplying roller between the regulation blade and the image carrier. The developing device further includes a toner catching member, which is arranged along a longitudinal direction of the toner catching support member and catches toner that drops from the developing roller, and a vibration generating portion, which vibrates the toner catching member.

Abstract: A developing device, process cartridge method, and image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier, the developing device including a first carrying member that supplies a developer to a developer carrier at the position of a developer attracting fourth magnetic pole while longitudinally carrying the developer, and a second carrying member that carries the developer released from the developer carrier at the position of a developer releasing third magnetic pole. The developer carrier has two magnetic poles (second and fourth magnetic poles) of the same polarity sandwiching the developer releasing third magnetic pole. Moreover, the developer releasing third magnetic pole is formed by the two magnetic poles (second and fourth magnetic poles) so that the polarity of the developer releasing third magnetic pole differs from the polarity of the two magnetic poles (second and fourth magnetic poles).

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier that holds a developer on a surface thereof, rotates around a rotation axis, and supplies the developer to an image carrier at a facing portion at which the developer carrier faces the image carrier; a transport member that transports the developer in a transport direction along the rotation axis while supplying the developer to the surface of the developer carrier; and a guide member that includes a guide portion that guides, toward downstream in the transport direction, the developer that has passed the facing portion without being supplied to the image carrier, the guide member making an amount of the developer that reaches the transport member on an upstream side of the guide portion in the transport direction be smaller than an amount of the developer that reaches the transport member in on a downstream side of the guide portion.

Abstract: A developer system and method for an electrographic printer is provided. The system includes a magnetic brush having a magnetic core surrounded by a toning shell that rotatably conveys a layer of developer to the photoconductor element; a sump containing a reservoir of developer, and a self-metering conveyor roller having a maximum magnetic field strength on its outer surface of between about 100 and 1000 gauss, and a minimum magnetic field strength of no less than about 30% of the maximum field strength. A driving assembly rotates the conveyor roller at a saturation speed that saturates the capacity of the conveyor roller to deliver developer to the toning shell. The self-metering conveyor roller obviates the need for a metering skive to provide a stable flow rate of developer, and increases the printing speed of the printer by providing a higher flow rate of developer to a photoconductor drum of the printer.

Abstract: A developing device in the embodiment includes: a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer, moves the surface, and supplies the toner to a latent image on a surface of a latent image carrier; a first conveying member that conveys the developer in a first conveying path; a second conveying member that conveys the developer in a second conveying path; and a developer passing unit that conveys upward the developer which has reached at a conveying-direction posterior end of the second conveying path and passes the developer to the first conveying path. The developer passing unit includes a plurality of pushing members that push up the developer. The developer can pass through from upper surfaces of the pushing members to lower surfaces of the pushing members.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry the developer to a development range, a magnetic field generator disposed inside the developer bearer for generating magnetic force, a developer regulator for adjusting an amount of the developer, a developer supply compartment disposed adjacent to the developer bearer, separated by a side wall from a portion where the developer bearer is provided, a developer agitator provided in the supply compartment, and a blocker disposed above the side wall of the supply compartment across a supply gap through which the developer moves from the supply compartment. The magnetic field generator has an attraction magnetic pole and a regulation magnetic pole. The blocker prevents the developer blocked by the developer regulator from moving along a magnetic force line of the regulation magnetic force toward the circumferential surface of the developer bearer.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation two-component developer to a development range to develop a latent image formed on a latent image bearer, a magnetic field generator disposed inside the developer bearer, a developer regulator for adjusting an amount of the developer on the developer bearer, positioned upstream from the development range in a rotational direction of the developer bearer and facing the developer bearer across a regulation gap, a supply compartment from which the developer is supplied by a developer agitator to the developer bearer, a collection compartment, a pre-regulation portion adjacent to and upstream from the developer regulator in the rotational direction of the developer bearer, and a developer mobility adjuster that makes mobility of the developer in the pre-regulation portion higher on an upstream side in a developer conveyance direction in the supply compartment.

Abstract: A development unit includes: a developing vessel in which a developing agent is received; a developing member as defined herein; a supply member which is supported in the developing vessel and disposed to be opposed to the developing member, the supply member rotating the developing agent in the developing vessel while holding the developing agent on a surface of the supply member to thereby supply the developing agent held on the surface to the developing member; and a thickness limiting member as defined herein, and the supply member is supported movably in a direction to expand or reduce a gap between the thickness limiting member and the supply member so that the gap between the thickness limiting member and the supply member can be adjusted.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing member including a magnetism-generating member having plural magnetic poles polarized in a circumferential-direction thereof, and a rotating member that is rotated about the magnetism-generating member; a developer-pumping pole provided in the magnetism-generating member, and that pumps up the developer, which is supplied from a developer accommodating portion, to the rotating member surface; a developer-peeling-off pole provided in the magnetism-generating member below a rotation axis of the rotating member in a vertical direction on an upstream side of the developer-pumping pole in a rotational-direction of the rotating member, that peels off the developer from the rotating member surface; and a magnetic body provided in at least a portion between a facing position facing the developer-peeling-off pole in a circumferential-direction of the rotating member and an intermediate position between the developer-peeling-off pole and the developer-pumping pole in the circu

Abstract: A developing device includes an applying portion for applying a bias at a first voltage value and a first frequency, to a toner bearing member during a development period in which toner particles are supplied to an image bearing member. A controller executes a removal control to remove attached matter adhering to a bearing surface of the toner bearing member during a non-development period. Upon executing the removal control, the controller first causes residual toner particles to separate from the bearing surface. Subsequently, the controller controls the applying portion to cause a second bias at a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value or at a second frequency higher than the first frequency to be applied to the toner bearing member while bringing a developer layer on a developer bearing member into contact with the bearing surface.

Abstract: A two-component developing device using a developer containing toner and magnetic carrier particles. The developing device comprises a housing, a developing roller, a magnetic field generator mounted inside the developing roller, and a developer restricting member, and further comprises a developer guide member providing a developer guide path for guiding the developer to the developer amount restricting clearance, providing a developer circulation path for circulating the developer to an upstream end of the guide member, and providing a communication path for bringing the developer guide path into communication with the developer circulation path, an upstream end of the guide member being positioned above the position of a peak of magnetic flux density of the magnetic pole of the magnetic field generator which is closest to a low-magnetic force area downstream of the low-magnetic force area or positioned upstream of such a position and downstream of the low-magnetic force area.

Abstract: A developing apparatus usable with an image forming apparatus includes a developer carrier includes a plurality of magnetic poles and a case to rotatably support the developer carrier, the case storing developer is supplied to the developer carrier, and a magnetic pole changing apparatus disposed at an end of the developer carrier to change a position of the plurality of magnetic poles with respect to the case.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, and a developer conveyance path. The developer carrier carries and conveys developer having a magnetic property. The developer carrier includes a plurality of magnetic poles provided inside the development carrier. The developer conveyance path is provided above the developer carrier and conveys the developer by a flow of air such that the developer is conveyed parallel to the developer carrier. The developer conveyance path is provided with a first developer outlet disposed above the developer carrier and open along a direction of conveyance of the developer to discharge the developer to the outside of the developer conveyance path to directly supply the developer to the developer carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image bearing member; and a developer bearing member bearing a developer including a toner and a carrier, the developer bearing member developing an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer, and the developer bearing member being applied with an alternate voltage in order to form an alternate electric field between the developer bearing member and the image bearing member, wherein assuming that electric field intensities Eb and Ed be Eb=|(Vp1?VL)/D| and Ed=|(Vp2?VL)/D|, a relationship, 0?K1>K2, is satisfied, where K1: a gradient at Ed, and K2: a gradient at Eb, and wherein a resistivity ?b of the carrier at the electric field intensity Eb satisfies 1.1×106×en<?b<6.0×107 [?·m] (where: e is the base of natural logarithms; and n=4×Eb×10?7).

Abstract: A developing unit used in an image forming apparatus with a latent image carrier includes a developer carrier, a supply compartment, a recovery compartment, a separation member, and a gap. The developer carrier facing the latent image carrier rotates while carrying two-component developer containing toner and carrier and supplies the toner to the latent image. The supply compartment includes a supply transport member to transport the developer in a first direction. The recovery compartment includes a recovery transport member to transport the developer in a second direction. The separation member includes one end portion facing the latent image carrier at a facing area. The separation member separates the supply compartment and the recovery compartment and is disposed above the recovery compartment behind the separation member. The gap is provided at the facing area. The gap has a width of not more than 1.4 millimeters.

Abstract: A developer system and method for an electrographic printer is provided that provides a variable rate of developer flow to the photoconductor drum of the printer. The system includes a magnetic brush having a magnetic core surrounded by a toning shell that rotatably conveys a layer of developer to the photoconductor element; a sump containing a reservoir of developer, and a variable speed conveyor roller.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide, in a development apparatus using a two-component developer, a compact development apparatus, image forming apparatus and development method that prevents carrier deterioration and that can carry out good image formation over a long time period. In a development apparatus using a developer in which are mixed a toner, a carrier, and opposite polarity particles that are charged to a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner, the surface charge density of the opposite polarity particles should be in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 times the surface charge density of the carrier.

Abstract: A device for metering developer material to a predefined developer material bed height on a donor member, including a trim bar being mounted a predefined spacing from the donor member; and a magnetic member positioned adjacent and along the length of the trim bar, the magnetic member coacting with the trim bar to obtain the predefined developer material bed height on the donor member.

Abstract: A developing device for a toner powder cloud development system, which can achieve high image quality and can be made compact. The developing device has a two-component development unit, a toner carrier, and an alternating current power source. The toner carrier, which is arranged opposing a latent image carrier, has a plurality of electrodes disposed in a line in a prescribed direction on the surface thereof, and mutually insulated. The alternating current power source supplies a voltage such that an electric field across the plurality of electrodes is temporally switched. The inter-electrode electric field causes the toner being carried on the surface of the toner carrier to carry out hopping, thereby forming a toner powder cloud and carrying out development. The movement speed of the latent image carrier and the linear velocity of the toner carrier are set at approximately equivalent speeds.

Abstract: There is provided a separation member for separating a first conveying path formed by a first conveying member from a second conveying path formed by a second conveying member. There is also provided an opposed member facing a magnetic pole H4 at an upstream side of two magnetic poles H4 and H6 that forms a developer-releasing magnetic pole H5.

Abstract: A developing device and image forming apparatus that can satisfy stability over time in relation to amount of developer carried, and prevent developer retention, deterioration of developer and developing sleeve adhesion, wherein the amount of developer carried per unit area on the developer carrier in the developing region is 30 mg/cm2 to 60 mg/cm2; the weight mean particle diameter of the toner is 4.5 ?m to 8.0 ?m; the ratio Dw/Dn of the toner weight mean particle diameter (Dw) and the number mean particle diameter (Dn) is 1.20 or less; an irregular roughness pattern having the maximum height Rz of the surface roughness of 20 to 40 ?m and the mean space Sm of the roughness of 100 to 200 ?m is formed on the surface of the developer carrier; and the relationship between the developing gap PG and the gap DG between the developer restricting member and the developer carrier is 1.0?(DG/PG)?3.0.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging system has a dielectric support member (DSM), a primary charging station configured to form a charge layer on the DSM, and an exposure station configured to selectively discharge the charge layer formed on the DSM, thereby producing a latent image on the DSM. The electrophotographic imaging system also has a development station configured to develop the latent image on the DSM with toner. The development station has a rotating shell, a rotating magnetic core within the rotating shell, and a sump. The development station also has a feeding apparatus configured to supply fresh developer from the sump to the rotating shell. The feeding apparatus has a feed roller, one or more feed magnets within the feed roller, and one or more take-off magnets within the feed roller. The feed roller is rotatable around the one or more feed magnets and the one or more take-off magnets.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container for accommodating a developer; a developer carrying member, provided rotatably in the developing container, for carrying and feeding the developer to develop an electrostatic image; a developer feeding member, including an elastic feeding portion and being rotatably provided in the developing container, for feeding the developer in the developing container toward the developer carrying member; and a circulation changing member for changing circulation of the developer in the neighborhood of the developer carrying member. In a plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the developer carrying member, the circulation changing member is provided in a maximum rotation area of the developer feeding member so as to create a gap between itself and an entire inner surface of the developing container and a gap between itself and the developer carrying member.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a development device including a rotatable development sleeve which supplies developer to a photosensitive drum, the development sleeve being disposed such that a rotational axis of the development sleeve is orientated toward a vertical direction; a conveying screw which conveys the developer along a rotational axis direction of the development sleeve; and a developer supply guide which guides the developer conveyed by the developer conveying device to the development sleeve. The plural developer supply guides are disposed at predetermined intervals in the rotational axis direction of the development sleeve and between the development sleeve and the conveying screw.

Abstract: A developing device is disclosed which includes a developing tank, a developing roller, a carrying member, and a filter. Rotation of the developing roller causes a first airflow directed from the outside of the developing tank through an air path to the inside of the developing tank. Rotation of the carrying member causes a second airflow directed from below in an upward direction inside the developing tank. Collision between the first airflow and the second airflow causes a third airflow directed from the inside of the developing tank through the filter to the outside of the developing tank and further from the outside through the filter back to the inside of the developing tank. This arrangement prevents not only filter clogging but also a toner leak to the outside of the developing device.

Abstract: In a developer station for a printer or copier, a rotating developer roller is provided having a mixture of toner particles and ferromagnetic carrier particles accumulated on a surface of the developer roller as a layer, and a transfer zone at which the toner particles are transferred away from the developer roller. A smoothing device is provided with a smoothing element arranged before the transfer zone, the smoothing element being charged with a mechanical tension in a rest state of the developer roller and designed such that it exerts a force on and over an entire width of the layer formed by the mixture of the toner particles and the carrier particles present on the developer roller and smoothes the layer before the transfer of the toner particles. Within the developer roller at least one magnet is provided. The smoothing element comprises a magnetizable material attracted toward said at least one magnet to create said mechanical tension.

Abstract: A developing device has a developer bearing member, a housing adapted to accommodate a developer, and a supply roller adapted to supply the developer within the housing for the developer bearing member. The supply roller has an outer circumferencial foam layer made of resin or rubber. The foam layer has an air permeability of 150-200 ml/cm2/s, a hardness of 50-200 N, and an average cell density of 20-40 per 25 mm width.

Abstract: A developer system and method for an electrographic printer is provided that provides a variable rate of developer flow to the photoconductor drum of the printer. The system includes a magnetic brush having a magnetic core surrounded by a toning shell that rotatably conveys a layer of developer to the photoconductor element; a sump containing a reservoir of developer, and a variable speed conveyor roller.