DEVELOPMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF REDUCING STRESS APPLIED TO DEVELOPER

• US 20100028053A1
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: KASAI, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/255
• 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 2215/0685 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, not acting as a passive closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0822 with wall or blade between agitators
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0838 Circulation of developer in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device

Abstract

A development device includes a development roller, a developer storage, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a rotation speed adjuster. The development roller carries a developer containing non-magnetic toner and magnetic carrier. The developer storage stores the developer. The first rotating member is provided in the developer storage at a position near the development roller. The second rotating member is provided in the developer storage at a position farther from the development roller than the first rotating member is. The first rotating member and the second rotating member agitate and convey the developer stored in the developer storage to supply the agitated developer to the development roller. The rotation speed adjuster adjusts a rotation speed of the second rotating member depending on an amount of new toner supplied to the developer storage.

Claims

1. A development device comprising:

a development roller to carry a developer containing non-magnetic toner and magnetic carrier;

a developer storage to store the developer;

a first rotating member provided in the developer storage at a position near the development roller;

a second rotating member provided in the developer storage at a position farther from the development roller than the first rotating member is,

the first rotating member and the second rotating member agitating and conveying the developer stored in the developer storage to supply the agitated developer to the development roller; and

a rotation speed adjuster to adjust a rotation speed of the second rotating member depending on an amount of new toner supplied to the developer storage.

2. The development device according to claim 1,

wherein the rotation speed adjuster increases the rotation speed of the second rotating member as the amount of new toner supplied to the developer storage increases.

3. The development device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first rotating member and the second rotating member comprises a screw for conveying the developer.

4. The development device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a partition plate provided between the first rotating member and the second rotating member;

a plurality of openings provided at both ends of the partition plate in an axial direction of the first rotating member and the second rotating member to define a flow path for the developer between the first rotating member and the second rotating member; and

a plurality of stationary regulating members provided in the plurality of openings, respectively, to regulate an amount of the developer passing through the plurality of openings.

5. The development device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a partition plate provided between the first rotating member and the second rotating member;

a plurality of openings provided at both ends of the partition plate in an axial direction of the first rotating member and the second rotating member to define a flow path for the developer between the first rotating member and the second rotating member; and

a plurality of movable regulating members to move forward and backward in the plurality of openings, respectively, to change an opening area of the plurality of openings.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a development device to develop an electrostatic latent image into a toner image;

a toner container to contain new toner; and

a toner conveyer to convey the new toner discharged from the toner container to the development device,

the development device comprising;

a development roller to carry a developer containing non-magnetic toner and magnetic carrier;

a developer storage to store the developer;

a first rotating member provided in the developer storage at a position near the development roller;

a second rotating member provided in the developer storage at a position farther from the development roller than the first rotating member is,

the first rotating member and the second rotating member agitating and conveying the developer stored in the developer storage to supply the agitated developer to the development roller; and

a rotation speed adjuster to adjust a rotation speed of the second rotating member depending on an amount of the new toner supplied by the toner conveyer to the developer storage.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the rotation speed adjuster determines the amount of the new toner supplied to the developer storage of the development device based on a driving time of the toner conveyer.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the rotation speed adjuster determines the amount of the new toner supplied to the developer storage of the development device based on an image area of the electrostatic latent image developed with the toner.