DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A developing device that circulates developer including carrier and toner in a circulation passage having first and second conveyance passages by conveying the developer in a first conveyance direction in the first conveyance passage and conveying the developer in a second conveyance direction in the second conveyance passage, so that the developer is supplied to a developing roller provided along one of the first and second conveyance passages, the developing device comprising:
- a first conveyance member provided in the first conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer in the first conveyance direction;
a communicating passage through which the developer flows from the first conveyance passage to the second conveyance passage;
a second conveyance member provided in the second conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer that has flowed through the communicating passage in the second conveyance direction;
a discharge passage extending from an end portion of the first conveyance passage located downstream in the first conveyance direction; and
a passing developer amount changing mechanism configured to change an amount of developer per unit time passing through the communicating passage, according to a pressure applied to the developer at a junction between the first conveyance passage and the discharge passage.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A developing device that circulates developer in a circulation passage having first and second conveyance passages, so that the developer is supplied to a developing roller along the first or second conveyance passages, comprising: a first conveyance member in the first conveyance passage driven to rotate to convey the developer in a first conveyance direction; a communicating passage through which the developer flows from the first to second conveyance passages; a second conveyance member in the second conveyance passage driven to rotate to convey the developer in a second conveyance direction; a discharge passage extending from an end portion of the first conveyance passage located downstream in the first conveyance direction; and a passing developer amount changing mechanism configured to change an amount of developer passing through the communicating passage, according to a pressure applied to the developer at a junction between the first conveyance passage and the discharge passage.
28 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A developing device that circulates developer including carrier and toner in a circulation passage having first and second conveyance passages by conveying the developer in a first conveyance direction in the first conveyance passage and conveying the developer in a second conveyance direction in the second conveyance passage, so that the developer is supplied to a developing roller provided along one of the first and second conveyance passages, the developing device comprising:
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a first conveyance member provided in the first conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer in the first conveyance direction; a communicating passage through which the developer flows from the first conveyance passage to the second conveyance passage; a second conveyance member provided in the second conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer that has flowed through the communicating passage in the second conveyance direction; a discharge passage extending from an end portion of the first conveyance passage located downstream in the first conveyance direction; and a passing developer amount changing mechanism configured to change an amount of developer per unit time passing through the communicating passage, according to a pressure applied to the developer at a junction between the first conveyance passage and the discharge passage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An image forming apparatus for forming an image by developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor using a developing device that circulates developer including carrier and toner in a circulation passage having first and second conveyance passages by conveying the developer in a first conveyance direction in the first conveyance passage and conveying the developer in a second conveyance direction in the second conveyance passage, so that the developer is supplied to a developing roller provided along one of the first and second conveyance passages, wherein
the developing device includes: -
a first conveyance member provided in the first conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer in the first conveyance direction; a communicating passage through which the developer flows from the first conveyance passage to the second conveyance passage; a second conveyance member provided in the second conveyance passage and driven to rotate to convey the developer that has flowed through the communicating passage in the second conveyance direction; a discharge passage extending from an end portion of the first conveyance passage located downstream in the first conveyance direction; and a passing developer amount changing mechanism configured to change an amount of developer per unit time passing through the communicating passage, according to a pressure applied to the developer at a junction between the first conveyance passage and the discharge passage. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification