Image forming apparatus

• US 8,369,752 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Furuta, Tatsuya, Masuda, Toshiki, Tokimatsu, Hiroyuki, Akita, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Susan
• Application Number:
  US12/869,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20110052222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 399/255, 399/256, 399258-260, 399/53, 399/58, 399/62
• US Class Current: 399/259
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0879 for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0893 in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0609 magnetic brush

Abstract

An image forming apparatus having a development apparatus that includes: a developer storing part; a developer supply mechanism; and a surplus developer removing section; wherein the developer supply mechanism includes: a toner storing part; a carrier storing part; a developer conveying path and a conveying mechanism, both are arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part, and between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part; wherein the developer conveying path includes a toner ejection outlet through which a toner stored in the toner storing part is ejected and a carrier ejection outlet through which a carrier stored in the carrier storing part is ejected, and a supplying developer ejection outlet through which a supplying developer is ejected to the developer storing part; and wherein the conveying mechanism is adapted to convey the toner and the carrier while stirring them.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus provided with a development apparatus, the development apparatus comprising:

a developer storing part to store a two-component developer comprising a toner and a carrier for development of an electrostatic latent image carried on an image carrier;

a developer supply mechanism to supply a supplying developer to the developer storing part; and

a surplus developer removing section to remove a surplus two-component developer from the developer storing part;

wherein said developer supply mechanism comprises;

a toner storing part;

a carrier storing part;

a developer conveying path arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part, and between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part;

a conveying mechanism arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part; and

between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part;

a toner supply amount control section to control a toner amount supplied from the toner storing part to the developer conveying path; and

a carrier supply amount control section to control a carrier amount supplied from the carrier storing part to the developer conveying path;

wherein said developer conveying path being provided with, on one end of the conveying path, a toner ejection outlet through which a toner stored in the toner storing part is ejected and a carrier ejection outlet through which a carrier stored in the carrier storing part is ejected, and on the other end, a supplying developer ejection outlet through which a supplying developer is ejected to the developer storing part; and

the toner ejected through the toner ejection outlet and the carrier ejected through the carrier ejection outlet are conveyed from the one end toward the other end while being stirred by the conveying mechanism.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said development apparatus further comprises a toner concentration detection section to detect a toner concentration of the two-component developer in the developer storing part and a drive time detection section to detect drive time of the development apparatus, and wherein the toner supply amount control section controls a toner amount supplied from the toner storing part to the developer conveying path depending on a toner concentration value detected by the toner concentration detection section and the carrier supply amount control section controls a carrier amount supplied from the carrier storing part to the developer conveying path depending on a drive time value detected by the drive time detection section.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the toner storing part is arranged upstream of the carrier storing part in a conveying direction of developer conveying path.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the developer supply mechanism comprises a toner direct supply path to directly supply a developer stored in the toner storing part to the developer storing part.

5. An image forming apparatus provided with a development apparatus, the development apparatus comprising:

a developer storing part to store a two-component developer comprising a toner and a carrier for development of an electrostatic latent image carried on an image carrier;

a developer supply mechanism to supply a supplying developer to the developer storing part;

a surplus developer removing section to remove a surplus two-component developer from the developer storing part;

a toner concentration detection section to detect a toner concentration of the two-component developer in the developer storing part; and

a drive time detection section to detect drive time of the development apparatus

wherein said developer supply mechanism comprises;

a toner storing part;

a carrier storing part;

a developer conveying path arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part, and between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part;

a conveying mechanism arranged between the toner storing part and the developer storing part; and

between the carrier storing part and the developer storing part;

a toner supply amount control section to control a toner amount supplied from the toner storing part to the developer conveying path depending on a toner concentration value detected by the toner concentration detection section; and

a carrier supply amount control section to control a carrier amount supplied from the carrier storing part to the developer conveying path depending on a drive time value detected by the drive time detection section;

wherein said developer conveying path being provided with, on one end of the conveying path, a toner ejection outlet through which a toner stored in the toner storing part is ejected and a carrier ejection outlet through which a carrier stored in the carrier storing part is ejected, and on the other end, a supplying developer ejection outlet through which a supplying developer is ejected to the developer storing part; and

the toner ejected through the toner ejection outlet and the carrier ejected through the carrier ejection outlet are conveyed from the one end toward the other end while being stirred by the conveying mechanism.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the toner storing part is arranged upstream of the carrier storing part in a conveying direction of developer conveying path.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the developer supply mechanism comprises a toner direct supply path to directly supply a developer stored in the toner storing part to the developer storing part.