Abstract: A powder housing unit includes a plate-shaped agitating unit that is horizontally arranged inside of a casing to accommodate a powder, a rotating shaft that causes the agitating unit to slide back and forth, and a powder conveying unit that conveys the powder in a horizontal direction during the sliding. The rotating shaft is supported by a shaft supporting unit in a rotatable manner such that a space is formed between the rotating shaft and the shaft supporting unit.

Abstract: A toner bottle for use in a marking device with a feed mechanism. The toner bottle includes first and second compartments for holding fresh and waste toner, respectively. The feed mechanism allows fresh toner to be delivered to the marking engine from the bottle and waste toner to be returned to the bottle from the marking engine.

Abstract: A developing device that forms a toner image on an image carrier, including: a cleaning device that recovers a toner that remains on the image carrier; a recovered toner supply port to which a recovered toner is returned; a toner transporting section that transports the toner supplied from the recovered toner supply port within the developing device; a capturing section including a plurality of capturing members formed on a path along which the toner is transported by the toner transporting section, and capturing a foreign material; and a foreign-material removal member that moves along an elongating direction of the plurality of capturing members, and removes the foreign material captured by the plurality of capturing members.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for removing charged particles includes a cleaning brush and a recovery unit. The cleaning brush removes the charged particles from an object by attracting the charged particles having positive and negative polarity. The recovery unit for recovering the charged particles from the cleaning brush includes a recovery member, a first charge applicator, a second charge applicator, and a voltage control unit. The recovery member is supplied with a voltage to attract the charged particles. The recovery member has a core and a surface layer. The first charge applicator applies a voltage to the surface layer of the recovery member. The second charge applicator applies a voltage to the core of the recovery member. The voltage control unit controls a polarity of the voltage to be applied by the first and second charge applicators depending on a polarity of the charged particles to be recovered.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a pipe body (conveying pipe) having an inside diameter thereof that is modified in a pipe-axis direction and a screw member coaxially located in the pipe body for feeding the toner. The screw member includes a screw shaft that rotates about an axis and a spiral fin that is spirally formed around an outer circumferential surface of the screw shaft. The distance between an outer circumferential surface of the spiral fin and an inner circumferential surface of the pipe body is constant in the longitudinal direction of the pipe body.

Abstract: A powder conveyance device capable of removing toner (powder) stuck to a conveyor belt easily and reliably comprises a powder conveyor belt having a plurality of concavo-convex portions formed continuously on a conveyance surface thereof, driving means for driving the conveyor belt, and a scraping member that contacts the conveyor belt. At least one of the scraping member and a convex portion of the conveyor belt deforms elastically such that a tip end of the scraping member enters a concave portion and scrapes away the powder stuck to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a toner conveyance path to convey toner from a lower position to an upper position, a lower holding member and an upper holding member provided in the toner conveyance path, a toner conveyance belt extended among the upper holding member and the lower holding member, running obliquely upward at a lower-side region, running obliquely downward at an upper-side region, and including engagement grooves communicating an inner side and outer side of the conveyance belt formed at predetermined intervals in a running direction of the conveyance belt so as to transfer a drive force, and a guide member provided inside a circulating loop of the conveyance belt to prevent the conveyance belt from entering inside. The lowest portion of the guide member at the upper-side region is placed on a substantially vertical line drawn from a belt delivery part of the lower holding member.

Abstract: A cleaning device, comprises: a plurality of brush rolls being contact with a surface of the image carrier that a toner is attached; and a biasing unit applying bias voltages having different polarities from each other to at least two of the brush rolls, the plurality of brush rolls including a first brush roll and a second brush roll, a bias having a polarity opposite to a normal polarity of the toner being applied to the first brush roll, a bias having the same polarity as the normal polarity of the toner being applied to the second brush roll, a surface circulating speed of the first brush roll being set to be higher than the surface circulating speed of the second brush roll.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which an image forming method is performed, includes an image carrier, an optical writing unit, a developing unit developing a toner image including an output image and a forcible toner consumption image, a transfer unit including an endless moving member to transfer the toner image onto the endless moving member directly or a recording medium carried on the endless moving member, a first remover to remove residual toner from the image carrier after transfer, a toner recycling unit to convey the residual toner to the developing unit, a controller to form the forcible toner consumption image and transfer the forcible toner consumption image onto the surface of the endless moving member, and a second remover to remove the forcible toner consumption image from the endless moving member.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes plurality of image forming units having photosensitive elements; a plurality of toner containers, cleaning units for removing the toner left on the photosensitive elements, a waste toner recovering container for accumulating the waste toners removed from the photosensitive elements, and waste toner transfer passages connecting the cleaning units and the waste toner recovering container, for transferring the waste toners to the waste toner recovering container. The waste toner transfer passages, which is formed in the image forming unit using the toner container of the largest capacity, for transferring the waste toners in the cleaning units, is to be longest.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a plurality of image forming units provided in parallel comprising a black image forming unit to form a black toner image and a plurality of color image forming units to form color toner images, an intermediate transfer device to primarily transfer color toner images formed by superimposing the toner images formed at each image forming unit, and a secondary transfer unit to transfer the color toner image to a transfer paper. The color image forming unit employs a non-magnetic-contact-type single-component development device to develop each color toner image with a single-component developer, and the black image forming unit is provided closest to the secondary transfer unit and employs a contact-type two-component development device to develop a black toner image with a two-component developer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, includes a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and a conveying unit. The developing unit contains the developer and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member as a toner image with the toner particles. The cleaning unit contains the developer and mixes the developer with the toner particles collected from the image carrying member after transferring the toner image. The conveying unit conveys a mixture of the collected toner particles and the developer from the cleaning unit to the developing unit.

Abstract: A waste powder recovery container is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, and further, is provided with a recovery port, through which waste powder discharged from a component part constituting a process unit is recovered, at one end in a longitudinal direction and an inclined surface on the container side, which is gradually inclined downward in a lateral direction and has the recovery port formed thereat. The inclined surface on the container side moves an opening/closing member disposed in a discharging portion formed at the component part constituting the process unit by pushing an inclined surface on a main body side formed at the opening/closing member, thereby opening a discharging port formed at the discharging portion, to discharge the waste powder and recover the waste powder through the recovery port.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container having a developer supply opening and a developer storage section, so that developer is supplied from the developer container to the developer storage section through the developer supply opening. The developing device further includes a developer guide member disposed below the developer supply opening along a longitudinal direction of the developing device, and a developer delivery member disposed in the developer guide member for delivering developer supplied through the developer supply opening in a longitudinal direction of the developer guide member. The developer guide member has a wall portion having a shape so that developer flows out the developer guide member in a substantially uniform amount along the longitudinal direction of the developing device.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing toner for use in electrophotographic imaging members, such as photoreceptor structures. More particularly, embodiments pertain to an apparatus and process for separating toner from toner/carrier mixtures, such as reclaiming toner from waste toner, much more efficiently and with improved yields.

Abstract: An image forming member includes: an electrostatic latent image holding member that holds an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that develops a toner image formed by a toner on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a toner removing member that removes a residual toner remaining on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a conveying path including a conveying member that is internally provided in the conveying path and that returns the residual toner removed from the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member to the developing unit; and a trapping portion that traps a foreign matter conveyed by the conveying member, the electrostatic latent image holding member, the developing unit, the toner removing member, the conveying path, and the trapping portion of the image forming member being integrally and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: The invention is to improve a toner diffusing efficiency in a toner container, thereby increasing a toner containing capacity. The toner container includes plural screws which diffuse the toner in plural directions and diffuse the toner in different positions. A toner filling efficiency in the collecting container is improved by providing plural toner diffusing points within the toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes multiple image forming units disposed adjacent to and horizontally aligned with each other to form respective single non-black color images, a first transfer member to sequentially transfer and overlay the respective single non-black color images thereon for forming a composite color image, a black image forming unit disposed separately from the multiple image forming units including a black image carrier and a black image developing unit, a second transfer member to transfer the black image from the black image forming unit onto a recording medium, a first cleaning unit to clean the surface of the black image carrier, and a second cleaning unit to clean the surface of the second transfer member. The black toner removed from the surface of the black image carrier is collected to the black image developing unit.

Abstract: A developing system comprises: a plurality of image carriers; a plurality of developing devices for developing electrostatic latent images, formed on the plurality of image carriers, with respective liquid developers of different colors of which carrier is nonvolatile solvent; and developer collecting means which are disposed at a plurality of locations for collecting excess developers, wherein the developing devices have developer containers, respectively. The developing system further comprises a carrier storing tank for distributing the carrier to the respective developer containers.

Abstract: There is provided a technique in which when an image forming processing with toners of plural colors is performed, a residual toner on a transfer-receiving member to which toner images are transferred by plural image forming units is not discarded, but is reused as a black toner, and a deterioration in picture quality due to a change in color tone of the black toner is prevented.

Abstract: A shutter is rotatably supported by a first powder guiding member. When the first powder guiding member and a second powder guiding member occupy powder guiding positions, the shutter takes an open position. At this moment, a rear end of an upper surface of an open/close plate of the shutter is positioned on an inner side of an upper opening of the second powder guiding member.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a main unit case; a process unit; a belt unit; a belt; a belt cleaning unit; a storing unit; and a duct unit. The process unit is configured to be attached to and detached from the main unit case. The belt unit is configured to displace between an opposed position and an opened position. The belt unit in the opposed position is opposed to the process unit. The belt unit in the opened position allows the process unit to be exposed in the direction of removing the process unit from the main unit case. The belt is provided on the belt unit and is rotatingly driven. The belt cleaning unit is fixedly attached to the belt unit and removes material adhered to the belt. The storing unit is fixedly attached to the main unit case and stores therein the material removed from the belt by the belt cleaning unit. The duct unit has a conveying path in fluid communication with the belt cleaning unit and the storing unit.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member for removing developer attached to a developer attaching member; a rotation carrying member which is rotatably configured to carry the developer that is removed by the cleaning member; a housing member for housing the developer that is removed by the cleaning member and configured as a part of a developer housing part that surrounds the rotation carrying member; and an elastic member arranged to contact a periphery of the rotation carrying member.

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: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit for forming a toner image on the image carrier by supplying a toner contained in a developer reservoir to a latent image formed on the image carrier by means of a developer carrier; a transfer unit for transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a transfer medium; a recovery unit for recovering the toner remaining on the image carrier after image transfer; a return unit for transporting the recover toner recovered by the recovery unit so as to return the recover toner into the developer reservoir of the development unit; and a separator/feeder for separating the toner contained in the developer reservoir from the recover toner thereby exclusively feeding the toner contained in the developer reservoir to the latent image formed on the image carrier by means of the developer carrier.

Abstract: An image forming process module is provided having an integrated photoreceptor unit and development unit, and an image forming apparatus having the same. The image forming process module includes a photoreceptor unit having at least one photoreceptor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A development unit is installed around the outer surface of the photoreceptor and having a plurality of development assemblies for developing the latent image, thereby forming a visual image. A fixing frame is detachably installed to a main body of an image forming apparatus for fixing the photoreceptor unit and the development unit to be integrated into a single module. The image forming process module has the enhanced assembly and replacement efficiencies because the photoreceptor unit and the development unit are simultaneously installed to and uninstalled from a main body of an image forming apparatus as a single module.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a ratio of a recycled toner in a first developer is detected by an auto toner sensor for recycled toner. The carrying speed of a recycled toner mixer is controlled according to a detection result. Consequently, when recycled toner density in a recycled-toner carrying chamber increases, the recycled toner mixer is rotated at high speed to discharge the recycled toner from the recycled-toner carrying chamber at high speed.

Abstract: A particle supply apparatus is disclosed that includes a particle accommodating unit that accommodates particles, a gas spouting unit that is arranged at a bottom portion of the particle accommodating unit and is configured to spout gas toward the particles, a conveying mechanism that applies suction to the particles accommodated in the particle accommodating unit and conveys the particles toward a supply destination, and a gas discharge unit that discharges gas contained within the particle accommodating unit toward an exterior side of the particle accommodating unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, includes a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and a conveying unit. The developing unit contains the developer and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member as a toner image with the toner particles. The cleaning unit contains the developer and mixes the developer with the toner particles collected from the image carrying member after transferring the toner image. The conveying unit conveys a mixture of the collected toner particles and the developer from the cleaning unit to the developing unit.

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 color image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, a first forming portion having a first transfer unit, a second forming portion provided downstream from the first forming portion, a third forming portion provided downstream from the second forming portion, a fourth forming portion provided downstream from the third forming portion, and a control portion. The control portion controls a bias of at least one of the corresponding developing unit and the corresponding transfer unit, when transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer member to the recording medium is completed, so that a toner-image residue toner material resting on the intermediate transfer member is returned to the corresponding developing unit through the image bearing member of at least one of the first to fourth forming portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which an image forming method is performed, includes an image carrier, an optical writing unit, a developing unit developing a toner image including an output image and a forcible toner consumption image, a transfer unit including an endless moving member to transfer the toner image onto the endless moving member directly or a recording medium carried on the endless moving member, a first remover to remove residual toner from the image carrier after transfer, a toner recycling unit to convey the residual toner to the developing unit, a controller to form the forcible toner consumption image and transfer the forcible toner consumption image onto the surface of the endless moving member, and a second remover to remove the forcible toner consumption image from the endless moving member.

Abstract: A development agent circulation unit includes a development unit, an agitation unit, and a rotary feeder. The development unit develops a latent image on an image carrier using a developing agent. The agitation unit agitates developing agent recovered from the development unit. The rotary feeder receives the developing agent from the agitation unit and discharges the developing agent in predetermined discrete amounts. The discharged developing agent is transported to the development unit using a gas stream. The rotary feeder includes a rotor and a stator having a clearance “t” between the rotor and the stator. The clearance “t” satisfies a relation “t<2D” where D denotes a developing agent particle diameter, and a toner particle diameter dt of a toner particle of the developing agent and a carrier particle diameter dc of a carrier particle of the developing agent satisfy a relation D=dc+2dt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, includes a developing unit, a cleaning unit, and a conveying unit. The developing unit contains the developer and develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member as a toner image with the toner particles. The cleaning unit contains the developer and mixes the developer with the toner particles collected from the image carrying member after transferring the toner image. The conveying unit conveys a mixture of the collected toner particles and the developer from the cleaning unit to the developing unit.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a toner collection apparatus having a waste toner accommodation chamber that temporarily accommodates waste toner removed from a photosensitive medium. A screw to transfer the waste toner is installed in the chamber. A collection path connects the waste toner accommodation chamber to a developing chamber that holds new toner to be supplied to the photosensitive medium. Waste toner is delivered through the collection path to the developing chamber. An agitator that agitates the waste toner to prevent the collection path from being clogged is provided. The agitator includes a pivoting body installed in the collection path. One end of the pivoting body selectively contacts the screw. The other end of the pivoting body is connected to an agitating body that is arranged in a lengthwise direction of the collection path. As the screw rotates, the pivoting body pivots, thereby moving the agitating body so that it agitates waste toner in the collection path.

Abstract: A toner recovery device, capable of preventing toner from spilling out of the space between protruding sections and an inner wall of a toner-conveying pipe, and process cartridge and image forming apparatus having this device. Residual toner after transfer, which is carried into a carry-in section of the toner-conveying pipe, is held by the protruding sections of a toner-conveying belt and a bottom surface of the toner-conveying pipe, and conveyed to a carry-out section. Accordingly, the residual toner after transfer can be prevented from oscillating while being conveyed to the carry-out section. Therefore, the residual toner after transfer is prevented from spilling out of the space between the protruding sections and the inner wall of the toner-conveying pipe, and the amount of residual toner after transfer to be conveyed to the carry-out section can be prevented from being reduced.

Abstract: To provide a toner recovery apparatus including: a toner transporting duct; and an endless toner transporting belt; wherein the toner transporting belt is rotated in a loop form in such a way that it descends in a region where the outer circumferential surface faces a ceiling surface of the toner transporting duct and that it rises in a region where the outer circumferential surface of the toner transporting belt faces a bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, the toner recovery apparatus transports the residual toner to the outlet by holding the toner by the convex parts, spaces formed between convex parts and the bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, and the toner comprises a binding resin, releasing agent, coloring material and external additive, and torque T (mNm) measured by torque measurement method using a conical rotor in a space ratio of 50% to 60% is 1.0 to 2.5.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus has an electrostatic latent image bearing members, developing device each including developers and capable of developing corresponding electrostatinc latent images on the electrostatic latent image bearing members into visualized developer images, transfer device capable of transferring the developer images to a sheet, a first collecting device each capable of collecting untransferred developer from the electrostatic latent image bearing members, developer supply devices each capable of supplying the developers to the corresponding developing devices, accommodating sections each combined with the corresponding developer supply devices and capable of accommodating the untransferred developer, a collecting and distributing device capable of collecting the untransferred developers collected by the first collecting devices and distributing the collected untransferred developers to the accommodating sections, and a housing capable of retaining the developer supply dev

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus 1 includes: a multiple number of process printing units 20, each having an photoreceptor drum 21 for bearing a developer image formed with a toner corresponding to a different color of color-separated image information; a transfer belt 31 to which a multiple number of developer images are comprised in layers; and a transfer roller 36 for transferring the developer images that have been comprised in layers on transfer belt 31, all at once, to recording paper, wherein the multiple number of process printing units 20 are arranged along transfer belt 31, and is characterized in that among the developer images to be transferred from the photoreceptor drums 21 of multiple image forming units 20 onto transfer belt 31, the toner for the developer image of the color to be transferred first is specified to produce a base-layer of the color images of information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image using a toner to form a toner image, and a cleaning unit that removes the toner remaining on the image carrier after transferring the toner image to a recording medium.

Abstract: An operation to recycle a process cartridge comprising a mechanism for returning waste toner not used in image formation from an image carrier to a developing device can be performed easily, and situations in which an image creating element that has not reached the end of its life is discarded together with an image creating element that has reached the end of its life, making reuse thereof impossible, can be suppressed. The process cartridge comprises an image carrier unit including an image carrier, a developer carrier unit including developing means, and a waste toner conveyance unit having a built-in waste toner conveyance mechanism. These three units are assembled detachably.

Abstract: Embodiments for a toner auger for use in an image forming device. The image forming device includes a channel through which toner is moved. The auger is positioned within the channel and has an axis of rotation and at least one offset section extending radially outward from the axis of rotation. The offset section forms a sweep envelope that extends outward from the axis of rotation. The auger may be positioned within the channel for the offset to contact the channel. Contact may cause a vibratory force that prevents the toner from clogging and bridging within the channel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first mixer 24a that conveys developer in the first direction while stirring the developer. Recycled toner delivered from a delivery opening 116b of a photosensitive drum cleaner 116 is supplied to an upstream side of the first chamber that contains the toner that is to be supplied to a developing position on a photosensitive drum 103 to which a predetermined potential is applied by a developing roller 27 formed rotatable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier and transferring the toner image to a recording medium including a developing device, cleaning device, first toner conveyer, second toner conveyer, third toner conveyer, and a controller for controlling whether the toner removed by the cleaning device is to be conveyed by the second toner conveyer on the basis of an amount of new toner conveyed to the developing device by the third toner conveyer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus having a plurality of developing devices corresponding to a plurality of colors includes at least a predetermined color for developing an electrostatic image as toner images, an image bearing member bearing thereon the toner images developed by the plurality of developing devices, and a collecting device for collecting residual toners on the image bearing member after the toner images of the respective colors formed on the image bearing member have been respectively transferred onto a recording material.

Abstract: A developing device of an image forming apparatus has an image carrier rotating in confrontation with a developer conveyer and developing the surface of the image carrier with a developer moved by the developer conveyer. A rotating member is rotatably formed adjacent to the image carrier and generates an opposite air current to an air current generated as the image carrier and the developer conveyer are rotated. A power transmission unit transmits power of the image carrier to the rotating member.

Abstract: An image forming member includes: an electrostatic latent image holding member that holds an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that develops a toner image formed by a toner on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a toner removing member that removes a residual toner remaining on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a conveying path including a conveying member that is internally provided in the conveying path and that returns the residual toner removed from the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member to the developing unit; and a trapping portion that traps a foreign matter conveyed by the conveying member, the electrostatic latent image holding member, the developing unit, the toner removing member, the conveying path, and the trapping portion of the image forming member being integrally and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention has a developer recycle apparatus. The developer recycle apparatus reuses a developer, which has been used once for a developer image formed on a surface of an image carrier and is recovered when the image carrier is subjected to cleaning. The developer recycle apparatus has a structure in which a toner dropping position is not vertically aligned with an axis of rotation of a carrying member which receives the dropped recycle toner, in a dropping/connecting portion in a carrying path for the recycle toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with a toner, and a toner cartridge that replenishes the developing device with the toner. Excess toner on the image carrier is collected in the developing device for reuse, and image density is adjusted according to the number of times the toner cartridge is replaced.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit that includes an image carrier which carries an electrostatic latent image, a developing unit which forms a developing nip by contacting with the image carrier and develops the latent image by using toner, a transfer unit which forms a transferring nip by contacting with the image carrier and transfers a toner image onto a recording paper, and a first driving unit which rotates the image carrier, the developing unit and the transfer unit. The image forming device also includes a laser scanner unit that includes a polygon mirror and a second driving unit which rotates the polygon mirror.