DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE DEVELOPING DEVICE

• US 20090311009A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: NAIKI, Shigeki, Akashi, Hironori, Hirota, Soh, Obara, Mitsuru
• Application Number:
  US12/400,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20090311009A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/254
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0848 Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0856 Detection or control means for the developer level
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0868 Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0893 in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0607 two-component
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/085 Stirring member in developer container

Abstract

In a developer cartridge of toner and carrier, uneven distribution of the carrier at least in the vicinity of a replenishing port is eliminated regardless of the composition ratio between the carrier and the toner and the specific gravity of the carrier. Provided is a construction including a developer container in which a developer containing toner and carrier is received and which has a developing roller to supply the toner to an image carrier, a developer cartridge in which a replenishing developer containing the toner and the carrier is received and which has a replenishing port connected to the developer container to allow the developer container to be replenished with the developer via the replenishing port, and stirring means capable of stirring the developer located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge.

Claims

1. A developing device comprising:

a developer container in which a developer containing toner and carrier is received and which has a developing roller to supply the toner to an image carrier;

a developer cartridge in which a replenishing developer containing toner and carrier is received and which has a replenishing port connected to the developer container to allow the developer container to be replenished with the developer via the replenishing port; and

stirring means capable of stirring the developer located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge.

2. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

stirring control means for stirring the developer by controlling driving of the stirring means before the developer container is replenished with the developer via the replenishing port.

3. The developing device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

timing means capable of timing a rest time of the stirring means, wherein

the stirring control means makes the stirring means drive to stir the developer when the rest time timed by the timing means elapses beyond a preset time.

4. The developing device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

vibration amount detecting means for detecting a vibration amount of the developer cartridge, wherein

the stirring control means makes the stirring means drive to stir the developer when a detection vibration amount detected by the vibration amount detecting means exceeds a preset reference vibration amount.

5. The developing device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

environment detecting means for detecting an environmental condition in the developer container, wherein

the stirring control means controls driving of the stirring means on the basis of a difference in the environmental condition detected by the environment detecting means.

6. The developing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the environment detecting means is either one of a humidity sensor for detecting humidity in the developer container or a temperature sensor for detecting temperature in the developer container.

7. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

8. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the stirring means comprises a stirring blade placed in the developer cartridge and a rotary driving part placed on the developer container side, and

the stirring blade is connected drivably by the rotary driving part when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

9. The developing device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the stirring blade is of a rotary type.

10. The developing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the developer container and the developer cartridge are placed upright and the developer container can be replenished with the developer from the developer cartridge via the replenishing port on the lower side, and

the stirring means is comprised of a conveyance screw for circulating the developer located on the lower side in the developer cartridge by upwardly conveying the developer.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device claimed in claim 1.

12. The developing device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

environment detecting means for detecting an environmental condition in the developer container, wherein

the stirring control means controls driving of the stirring means on the basis of a difference in the environmental condition detected by the environment detecting means.

13. The developing device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

environment detecting means for detecting an environmental condition in the developer container, wherein

the stirring control means controls driving of the stirring means on the basis of a difference in the environmental condition detected by the environment detecting means.

14. The developing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

15. The developing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

16. The developing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

17. The developing device as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

18. The developing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the stirring means is a stirring blade which is placed on the developer container side and located at least in the vicinity of the replenishing port in the developer cartridge when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

19. The developing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the stirring means comprises a stirring blade placed in the developer cartridge and a rotary driving part placed on the developer container side, and

the stirring blade is connected drivably by the rotary driving part when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.

20. The developing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the stirring means comprises a stirring blade placed in the developer cartridge and a rotary driving part placed on the developer container side, and

the stirring blade is connected drivably by the rotary driving part when the developer cartridge is mounted to the developer container.