Developing apparatus having modified developer carrying capability

• US 6,978,106 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Masuda, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLEITZ, RYAN M
• Application Number:
  US10/729,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20040114966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 399258-263, 399358-360, 399/256
• US Class Current: 399/260
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0872 the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0893 in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device

Abstract

A developing apparatus having a developing container for containing developer including toner and carrier, and developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member, includes a carrying member for carrying the developer in the developing container, and a discharge port provided in the developing container for discharging any excess developer resulting from the supply of the developer. The developer carrying capability of the carrying member is greater in an area near the discharge port than in an area downstream of the discharge port in the carrying direction of the developer.

Claims

1. A developing apparatus comprising:

a developer container for containing developer including toner and carrier;

a first carrying member, provided in said developer container, for carrying the developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member;

a second carrying member, provided in said developer container, for rotating to carry the developer in a rotation axial direction of said second carrying member;

a developer supplying device, which supplies said developer container with supplemental developer including toner and carrier; and

a discharge opening, provided in an area of said developer container in which the developer is carried by said second carrying member, for discharging out of said developer container through said discharge opening excess developer resulting from a supply of the supplemental developer,

wherein a developer carrying capability in the rotation axial direction of said second carrying member is greater in an area near said discharge opening than in an area downstream of said discharge opening in a carrying direction of the developer.

2. A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer carrying capability of said second carrying member is set so that a level of the developer in the area near said discharge opening may be lower than that in a contour portion of said second carrying member and that a level of the developer in the area downstream of said discharge opening in the carrying direction of the developer may be higher than the contour portion of said second carrying member.

3. A developing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second carrying member has a spiral wing portion provided on a rotary shaft, and an agitating rib provided on said rotary shaft, and said agitating rib is not provided in the area near said discharge opening, but is provided in the area downstream of said discharge opening in the carrying direction of the developer.

4. A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer carrying capability of said second carrying member is greater in the area near said discharge opening than in an area upstream of said discharge opening in the carrying direction of the developer.

5. A developing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the developer carrying capability of said second carrying member is set so that a level of the developer in the area near said discharge opening may be lower than that in a contour portion of said second carrying member and that a level of the developer in the areas upstream and downstream of said discharge opening in the carrying direction of the developer may be higher than that in the contour portion of said second carrying member.

6. A developing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second carrying member has on a rotary shaft a spiral wing portion for carrying the developer, and an agitating rib is provided on said rotary shaft except for the area near said discharge opening.

7. A developing apparatus according to claim 1 or 4, wherein said developer container has a developing chamber in which said first carrying member is provided, and an agitating chamber provided with said second carrying member and said discharge opening, a developer circulating route being constituted between said agitating chamber and said developing chamber.