# US 10,310,406 B2 · Developing device and image forming apparatus including a regulating member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,406 B2 - Document ID: US10310406B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/445,256 - Filed: 2017-02-28 - Published: 2018-03-01 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-01 - Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Taichiro Okuno - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310406B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0887: {Arrangements for conveying and conditioning developer in the developing unit, e.g. agitating, removing impurities or humidity} - G03G 15/0893: {in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract Provided is a developing device including a developer carrier that holds developer, a supply member that supplies the developer to the developer carrier while agitating the developer, a transport member that is disposed obliquely upward in a vertical direction of the supply member, delivers and transports the developer with agitating the developer through a passageway portion provided at each end portion in an axial direction of the supply member, and a regulating member that is provided at a position corresponding to the passageway portion that delivers the developer from the supply member to the transport member, to regulate movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developing device comprising: a developer carrier configured to hold developer; a supply member configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier while agitating the developer; a transport member that is disposed obliquely upward in a vertical direction of the supply member, a partition member configured to partition the supply member from the transport member, wherein the transport member is configured to deliver and transport the developer while agitating the developer through a passageway portion provided at each end portion in an axial direction of the supply member; and wherein the partition member comprises a regulating member that is provided at a position corresponding to the passageway portion, wherein the passageway portion is configured to deliver the developer from the supply member to the transport member, wherein the regulating member is configured to regulate movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier, and wherein the developing device is configured such that separated developer from a surface of the developer carrier is transported to the supply member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member blocks a space formed between the supply member and the developer carrier to regulate the movement of the developer from the supply member to the developer carrier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer carrier includes a cylindrical developer transport member and a magnetic field generating member that is fixedly disposed in the developer transport member and has a plurality of magnetic poles, and a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the supply member is positioned on an extension line in a radial direction of a pick-up magnetic pole of the magnetic field generating member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The developing device according to claim 2, wherein the developer carrier includes a cylindrical developer transport member and a magnetic field generating member that is fixedly disposed in the developer transport member and has a plurality of magnetic poles, and a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the supply member is positioned on an extension line in a radial direction of a pick-up magnetic pole of the magnetic field generating member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the developer carrier is positioned in parallel with a tangent line of the developer carrier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The developing device according to claim 2, wherein a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the developer carrier is positioned in parallel with a tangent line of the developer carrier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The developing device according to claim 3, wherein a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the developer carrier is positioned in parallel with a tangent line of the developer carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The developing device according to claim 4, wherein a side surface of the regulating member positioned at a side of the developer carrier is positioned in parallel with a tangent line of the developer carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the regulating member in an axial direction of the supply member is set to be larger than an opening width of the passageway portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The developing device according to claim 2, wherein a length of the regulating member in an axial direction of the supply member is set to be larger than an opening width of the passageway portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The developing device according to claim 3, wherein a length of the regulating member in an axial direction of the supply member is set to be larger than an opening width of the passageway portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The developing device according to claim 4, wherein a length of the regulating member in an axial direction of the supply member is set to be larger than an opening width of the passageway portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the supply member from an inner surface of a developer accommodation chamber that accommodates the developer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The developing device according to claim 2, wherein the regulating member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the supply member from an inner surface of a developer accommodation chamber that accommodates the developer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The developing device according to claim 3, wherein the regulating member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the supply member from an inner surface of a developer accommodation chamber that accommodates the developer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 4) The developing device according to claim 4, wherein the regulating member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the supply member from an inner surface of a developer accommodation chamber that accommodates the developer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to hold an electrostatic latent image; and a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image held by the image carrier, wherein the developing device according to claim 1 is used as the developing unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to hold an electrostatic latent image; and a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image held by the image carrier, wherein the developing device according to claim 2 is used as the developing unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to hold an electrostatic latent image; and a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image held by the image carrier, wherein the developing device according to claim 3 is used as the developing unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 4) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to hold an electrostatic latent image; and a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image held by the image carrier, wherein the developing device according to claim 4 is used as the developing unit.