# US 11,520,250 B2 · Developing device with filter and a plurality of air exit paths and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,520,250 B2 - Document ID: US11520250B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/402,022 - Filed: 2021-08-13 - Published: 2022-09-29 - Granted: 2022-12-06 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-29 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Applicants: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Inventors: Yuta Hoshino; Kiyohito Horii; Taiyou Uehara; Takashi Ochi; Shota Igawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11520250B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0891: {for conveying or circulating developer, e.g. augers} - G03G 15/0896: {Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894} - G03G 15/0812: {characterised by the developer regulating means, e.g. structure of doctor blade} - G03G 15/0889: {for agitation or stirring} - G03G 15/0898: {for preventing toner scattering during operation, e.g. seals (sealing the donor member G03G15/0817; sealing the magnetic brush G03G15/0942)} - G03G 15/0942: {with means for preventing toner scattering from the magnetic brush, e.g. magnetic seals} - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - G03G 15/0921: {Details concerning the magnetic brush roller structure, e.g. magnet configuration} - G03G 21/0052: {using an air flow; Details thereof, e.g. nozzle structure} - G03G 2215/0872: Housing of developing device - G03G 2221/1645: for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A developing device includes: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover member configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; and a regulating member that faces the developer holder and is configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface. The device also includes a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing which is configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover member. A second exit path connects the first exit path and a filter member provided on the cover member, in which the filter member prevents passage of the developer and allows for passage of air. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developing device comprising: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; a regulating member that faces the developer holder and configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface; a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing and configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover; and a second exit path that connects the first exit path and a filter provided on the cover, the filter preventing passage of the developer and allowing passage of the air, wherein the regulating member includes a regulator that faces the developer holder with a predetermined gap between the regulator and the developer holder, an attachment that intersects with the regulator and extends from the regulator, and a guide that is directly in contact with and intersects the attachment and inclines toward the inside of the housing, the first exit path is a gap between an upper surface of the guide and an inner surface of the cover facing each other, and the second exit path is a gap between an outer surface of the cover and an inner surface of the filter facing each other and inclining along the first exit path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer holder rotates about an axis, and the regulator and guide extend in the direction of the axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the guide is inclined at an angle that exceeds an angle of repose of the toner contained in the developer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image holder on which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface; and the developing device according to claim 1 that supplies a toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holder to develop the electrostatic latent image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the filter inclines so as to close the second exit path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The developing device according to claim 5, wherein the filter is bonded to the cover by a double-sided tape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first circulation path that transports the developer while stirring the developer, and a second circulation path that supplies the stirred developer to the developer holder while transporting the developer, and the first exit path is connected to the second circulation path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The developing device according to claim 7, wherein the first exit path is formed on a terminal end side in a transport direction of the second circulation path. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the second exit path is inclining in the same direction as the first exit path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The developing device according to claim 9, wherein the second exit path inclines at the angle that exceeds the angle of repose of the toner contained in the developer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The developing device according to claim 9, wherein the second exit path is formed so that the gap between the outer surface of the cover and the inner surface of the filter is widened along a lower direction of an inclination. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The developing device according to claim 9, wherein the outer surface of the cover is subjected to a surface treatment for preventing the toner adhering to the outer surface of the cover. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the first exit path is inclined at an angle that exceeds an angle of repose of the toner contained in the developer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The developing device according to claim 13, wherein the upper surface of the guide is subjected to a surface treatment for preventing the toner adhering to the upper surface of the guide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The developing device according to claim 14, wherein the second exit path is inclining in the same direction as the first exit path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The developing device according to claim 13, wherein the second exit path is inclining in the same direction as the first exit path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The developing device according to claim 16, wherein the second exit path inclines at the angle that exceeds the angle of repose of the toner contained in the developer. ### Claim 18 A developing device comprising: a housing in which a developer is contained; a cover configured to cover an upper opening of the housing; a developer holder that is supported by the housing and holds the developer on an outer surface and rotates; a regulating member that faces the developer holder and configured to regulate an amount of the developer on the outer surface; a first exit path inclined toward an inside of the housing and configured to exit air from the inside of the housing to an outside of the cover; and a second exit path that connects the first exit path and a filter provided on the cover, the filter preventing passage of the developer and allowing passage of the air, wherein the regulating member includes a regulator that faces the developer holder with a predetermined gap between the regulator and the developer holder, an attachment that intersects with the regulator and extends from the regulator, and a guide that intersects with the attachment and inclines toward the inside of the housing, and the first exit path is a gap between an upper surface of the guide and an inner surface of the cover member facing each other, wherein a first seal that blocks inflow of air from the first exit path is disposed between the attachment of the regulating member and the cover. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The developing device according to claim 18, wherein a second seal that blocks a flow of air generated by rotation of the developer holder is disposed between the attachment of the regulating member and the cover, and the cover is provided with an opening connected to an outside in a region surrounded by the first seal and the second seal.