Developing apparatus, image forming apparatus having the same, and developer supplying method for a developing appparatus

A developing apparatus usable with an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a developer cartridge having an outlet, through which developer is discharged out of the developer cartridge;
• and
• a developing cartridge having a mounting recess into which the developer cartridge is detachably received, the developing cartridge having an inlet through which die developer discharged from the outlet of the developer cartridge enters into the developing cartridge;
• wherein the developer is allowed to move in a first direction from the developer cartridge to the developing cartridge, and in a second direction from the developing cartridge to the developer cartridge according to change in a discharging pressure at the outlet of the developer cartridge and an entering pressure at the inlet of the developing cartridge change relative to each other.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier configured to support thereon an electrostatic latent image;
• a developing apparatus supplying developer to the image carrier to develop the electrostatic latent images on the image carrier into developer images, the developing apparatus comprising:
• a developer cartridge having an outlet through which developer is discharged out of fee developer cartridge;
• a developing cartridge in which the developer cartridge is detachably disposed, the developing cartridge having an inlet through which the developer discharged from the outlet of the developer cartridge enters into fee developing cartridge;
• and
• a connecting member connecting fee outlet of the developer cartridge and the inlet of the developing cartridge so as to allow the developer to be supplied from the developer cartridge to fee developing cartridge, a height of the connecting member being smaller than a maximum width of fee inlet of the developing cartridge;
• and
• a transferring unit causing the developer images formed on the image carrier to be transferred onto a printing medium.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier configured to support thereon an electrostatic latent image;
• a developing apparatus supplying developer to fee image carrier to develop fee electrostatic latent images on the image carrier into developer images, fee developing apparatus comprising:
• a developer cartridge having an outlet, through which developer is discharged out of the developer cartridge;
• and
• a developing cartridge having a mounting recess into which fee developer cartridge is detachably received, the developing cartridge having an inlet, through which the developer discharged from fee outlet of fee developer cartridge enters into the developing cartridge,
• wherein the developer is allowed to move in a first direction from the developer cartridge to fee developing cartridge, and in a second direction from the developing cartridge to the developer cartridge according to change in a discharging pressure at the outlet of the developer cartridge and an entering pressure at the inlet of fee developing cartridge change relative to each other;
• and
• a transferring unit causing the developer images formed on fee image carrier to be transferred onto a printing medium.

A method of supplying developer in a developing apparatus usable with an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• causing developer in a developer cartridge to be conveyed from an outlet of the developer cartridge to an inlet of a developing cartridge through a connecting member;
• causing the developer to stop in the connecting member;
• and
• causing the developer in the developing cartridge to be conveyed from the inlet of the developing cartridge to the outlet of the developer cartridge through the connecting member.

A developer cartridge detachably mountable in a developing cartridge to supply the developing cartridge with developer, comprising:

• a developer receiving portion in which to store the developer,
• an outlet formed in the developer receiving portion, through which the developer is discharged;
• and
• a developer conveying member disposed inside the developer receiving portion,
• wherein the outlet is formed to correspond to a shape of a connecting member disposed in the developing cartridge, a maximum width of the outlet of fee developer cartridge being larger than a height of the connecting member.