Developing device and process cartridge
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTeruhiko Sasaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A developing device includes a developer accommodating chamber containing a developer; a developer carrying member for carrying the developer to develop an electrostatic image; a feeding belt for feeding the developer toward the developer carrying member by rotation of the driving roller in a stretched state in which the feeding belt is stretched by a driving roller and a follower roller; and a switching mechanism for switching the feeding belt from a loosened state in which the feeding belt is looser than in the stretched state to the stretched state.
Claims20
A developing device comprising:
- a developer accommodating chamber containing a developer;
- a developer carrying member for carrying the developer to develop an electrostatic image;
- a feeding belt for feeding the developer toward said developer carrying member by rotation of said driving roller in a stretched state in which said feeding belt is stretched by a driving roller and a follower roller;
- and
- a switching mechanism for switching said feeding belt from a loosened state in which said feeding belt is looser than in the stretched state to the stretched state.
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:
- an image bearing member on which an electrostatic image is to be formed;
- a developer accommodating chamber containing a developer;
- a developer carrying member for carrying the developer to develop an electrostatic image;
- a feeding belt for feeding the developer toward said developer carrying member by rotation of said driving roller in a stretched state in which said feeding belt is stretched by a driving roller and a follower roller;
- and
- a switching mechanism for switching said feeding belt from a loosened state in which said feeding belt is looser than in the stretched state to the stretched state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.