# US 11,112,730 B2 · Developing device allowing selection of a stirring/conveying member to be used from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft-diameters and image forming apparatus therewith > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,730 B2 - Document ID: US11112730B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/031,152 - Filed: 2020-09-24 - Published: 2021-04-15 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-15 - Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Applicants: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Ryo Yamada; Yuji Kamiyama; Yu Sasaki; Ikuo Makie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112730B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0891: {for conveying or circulating developer, e.g. augers} - G03G 15/0865: {Arrangements for supplying new developer} - G03G 15/0889: {for agitation or stirring} - G03G 15/0893: {in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device} - G03G 2215/0607: two-component - G03G 2215/0636: Specific type of dry developer device - G03G 2215/083: with two opposed pitches on one shaft - G03G 2215/0838: Circulation of developer in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A developing device includes a developer container, a developer carrier, and a stirring/conveying member. The developer container stores developer containing toner. The developer carrier carries on its surface the toner in the developer container. The stirring/conveying member includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around the outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container. The stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developing device composing: a developer container which stores developer containing toner; a developer carrier which carries on a surface thereof the toner in the developer container; a stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container, wherein during manufacturing of the developing device, the stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters, the developing device can be mounted in a plurality of image forming apparatuses with different printing speeds, and when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively low printing speed, compared to when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively high printing speed, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a larger shaft diameter is selected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of stirring conveying members have stirring blades with an equal outer diameter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the stirring/conveying member includes, in a downstream-side end part in a developer conveying direction, a reverse conveying portion composed of a stirring blade which is winding in the direction opposite to the stirring blade which are formed around the outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The developing device according to claim 3, wherein in the stirring/conveying member other than the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with the smallest shaft diameter, the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in a part thereof where the reverse conveying portion is formed is smaller than the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in another part thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer container includes a first conveying chamber, a second conveying chamber arranged parallel to the first conveying chamber across a partition portion, and a communication portion which allows the first conveying chamber and the second conveying chamber to communicate with each other in opposite end parts of the partition portion in a longitudinal direction, the stirring/conveying member includes a first stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the first conveying chamber, and a second stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the second conveying chamber in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first stirring/conveying member conveys the developer, and the developer carrier is arranged above the second stirring/conveying member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The developing device according to claim 5, wherein the developer is a two-component developer containing the toner and magnetic carrier, the developing device includes a toner concentration sensor for sensing toner concentration in the two-component developer in the developer container, and the toner concentration sensor is arranged inside the first stirring/conveying chamber, in a downstream-side part thereof in the conveying direction of the developer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 1. ### Claim 8 A developing device comprising: a developer container which stores developer containing toner; a developer carrier which carries on a surface thereof the toner in the developer container; a stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container, wherein during manufacturing of the developing device, the stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters, the developing device can be mounted on a plurality of image forming apparatuses with different unit lives of the developing device, and when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively short unit life, compared to when the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus with a relatively long unit life, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a larger shaft diameter is selected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The developing device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of types of stirring/conveying members have stirring blades with an equal outer diameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The developing device according to claim 8, wherein the stirring/conveying member includes, in a downstream-side end part in a developer conveying direction, a reverse conveying portion composed of a stirring blade which is winding in the direction opposite to the stirring blade which are formed around the outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The developing device according to claim 10, wherein in the stirring/conveying member other than the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with the smallest shaft diameter, the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in a part thereof where the reverse conveying portion is formed is smaller than the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in another part thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The developing device according to claim 8, wherein the developer container includes a first conveying chamber, a second conveying chamber arranged parallel to the first conveying chamber across a partition portion, and a communication portion which allows the first conveying chamber and the second conveying chamber to communicate with each other in opposite end parts of the partition portion in a longitudinal direction, the stirring/conveying member includes a first stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the first conveying chamber, and a second stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the second conveying chamber in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first stirring/conveying member conveys the developer, and the developer carrier is arranged above the second stirring/conveying member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The developing device according to claim 12, wherein the developer is a two-component developer containing the toner and magnetic carrier, the developing device includes a toner concentration sensor for sensing toner concentration in the two-component developer in the developer container, and the toner concentration sensor is arranged inside the first stirring/conveying chamber, in a downstream-side part thereof in the conveying direction of the developer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 8. ### Claim 15 A developing device comprising: a developer container which stores developer containing toner; a developer carrier which carries on a surface thereof the toner in the developer container; a stirring/conveying member which includes a rotary shaft rotatably supported on the developer container and a stirring blade formed around an outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft and which stirs and conveys the developer in the developer container, wherein during manufacturing of the developing device, the stirring/conveying member to be used can be selected from a plurality of types of stirring/conveying members with rotary shafts with different shaft diameters, the developing device can be mounted on each of a plurality of image forming portions in an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming portions corresponding to images of a plurality of different colors, and when the developing device is mounted on the image forming portion that consumes a relatively small quantity of toner, compared to when the developing device is mounted on an image forming portion that consumes a relatively large quantity of toner, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a larger shaft diameter is selected. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The developing device according to claim 15, wherein the developing device can be mounted on each of four image forming portions corresponding to images of four colors which are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and when the developing device is mounted on the image forming portion corresponding to a black image, compared to when the developing device is mounted on the image forming portion corresponding to images of colors other than black, the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with a smaller shaft diameter is selected. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The developing device according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of types of stirring/conveying members have stirring blades with an equal outer diameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The developing device according to claim 15, wherein the stirring/conveying member includes, in a downstream-side end part in a developer conveying direction, a reverse conveying portion composed of a stirring blade which is winding in the direction opposite to the stirring blade which are formed around the outer circumferential face of the rotary shaft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The developing device according to claim 18, wherein in the stirring/conveying member other than the stirring/conveying member with the rotary shaft with the smallest shaft diameter, the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in a part thereof where the reverse conveying portion is formed is smaller than the shaft diameter of the rotary shaft in another part thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The developing device according to claim 15, wherein the developer container includes a first conveying chamber, a second conveying chamber arranged parallel to the first conveying chamber across a partition portion, and a communication portion which allows the first conveying chamber and the second conveying chamber to communicate with each other in opposite end parts of the partition portion in a longitudinal direction, the stirring/conveying member includes a first stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the first conveying chamber, and a second stirring/conveying member which conveys, while stirring, the developer in the second conveying chamber in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first stirring/conveying member conveys the developer, and the developer carrier is arranged above the second stirring/conveying member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The developing device according to claim 20, wherein the developer is a two-component developer containing the toner and magnetic carrier, the developing device includes a toner concentration sensor for sensing toner concentration in the two-component developer in the developer container, and the toner concentration sensor is arranged inside the first stirring/conveying chamber, in a downstream-side part thereof in the conveying direction of the developer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) An image forming apparatus comprising the developing device according to claim 15.