Developing apparatus and image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. A developing device selectively mountable to one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses including a first image forming apparatus for forming an image at a first image forming speed and a second image forming apparatus for forming an image at second image forming speed, said developing device comprising:
- a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member;
a developer container configured to accommodate a developer;
a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developer container;
a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container;
a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing a level of a lower end of said discharge opening depending on the image forming apparatus to which said developing device is mounted;
a first positioning portion configured to engaged with said covering portion to determine a position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a first level; and
a second positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine the position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a second level which is different from the first level.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A developing device is usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which include respective image bearing members movable at different rotational speeds during an image forming operation, and includes a rotatable developer bearing member that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member, a developer container that accommodates a developer, and a feeding member to feed the developer in the developing container. In addition, a discharge opening is provided in the developer container and permits discharging of the developer from the developer container, and a covering member is movable relative to the developer container and capable of changing a lower end of the discharge opening between a first level for discharging toner and a second level for discharging toner, depending on which image forming apparatus the developing device is used with, wherein the first and second levels are different from each other.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A developing device selectively mountable to one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses including a first image forming apparatus for forming an image at a first image forming speed and a second image forming apparatus for forming an image at second image forming speed, said developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developer container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing a level of a lower end of said discharge opening depending on the image forming apparatus to which said developing device is mounted; a first positioning portion configured to engaged with said covering portion to determine a position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a first level; and a second positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine the position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a second level which is different from the first level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A developing device, selectively mountable to one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses including a first image forming apparatus for forming an image at a first image forming speed and a second image forming apparatus for forming an image at a second image forming speed, said developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developer container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing an area of said discharge opening depending on the image forming apparatus to which said developing device is mounted; a first positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine a position of said covering portion such that the area of said discharge opening is a first area of said discharge opening; and a second positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine the position of said covering portion such that the area of said discharge opening is a second area of said discharge opening, which is different from the first area. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing a level of a lower end of said discharge opening; a first positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine a position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a first level; and a second positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine the position of said covering portion such that the lower end of said discharge opening is at a second level which is different from the first level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing an area of said discharge opening; a first positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine a position of said covering portion such that the area of said discharge opening is a first area of said discharge opening; and a second positioning portion configured to engage with said covering portion to determine the position of said covering portion such that the area of said discharge opening is a second area of said discharge opening which is different from the first area. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing a level of a lower end of said discharge opening; and a guiding portion provided with a guiding groove engaged with a projection provided on said covering portion to guide said covering portion along said guiding groove from a first position to a second position; wherein the level of a lower end of said discharge opening when said covering portion is in the second position is different from the level of the lower end of said discharge opening when said covering portion is in the first position, and wherein said covering portion is provided with a grip portion configured to grip said covering portion when said covering portion is moved from the first position to the second position along said guiding groove in a state that said projection is engaged with said guiding groove. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a covering portion movable relative to said developer container and capable of changing an area of said discharge opening; and a guiding portion provided with a guiding groove engaged with a projection provided on said covering portion to guide said covering portion along said guiding groove from a first position to a second position; wherein the area of said discharge opening when said covering portion is in the second position is different from the area of said discharge opening when said covering portion is in the first position, and wherein said covering portion is provided with a grip portion configured to grip said covering portion when said covering portion is moved from the first position to the second position along said guiding groove in a state that said projection is engaged with said guiding groove. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a movable member movable relative to said developer container from a first position to a second position, wherein the level of a lower end of said discharge opening when said movable member is in the second position is different from the level of the lower end of said discharge opening when said movable member is in the first position; and a grip portion configured to grip said movable member when said movable member is moved relative to said developer container from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A developing device comprising:
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a rotatable developer bearing member configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container; a discharge opening provided in said developer container and configured to permit discharging of the developer from said developer container; a movable member movable relative to said developer container from a first position to a second position, wherein the area of said discharge opening when said movable member is in the second position is different from the area of said discharge opening when said movable member is in the first position; and a grip portion configured to grip said movable member when said movable member is moved relative to said developer container from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification