Image forming apparatus, and developing device and developing unit thereof

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier;
• and
• plural developing units arranged parallel and adjacent to one another along a rotating direction of the image carrier and each including a developing member to attach developers to the image carrier, at least one of the developing units having a different developer storage capacity,
• wherein:
• each of a plurality of said developing units includes a carrying portion protruding toward the image carrier, to receive residual developers not attached to the image carrier therein;
• at least one of the carrying portions has a different protruding length than the remaining carrying portions protruding toward the image carrier;
• each developing unit further includes a feeding member to supply the developer to the developing member;
• at least one of the carrying portions includes a developer shield provided along a longitudinal direction of the respective developing member, each developer shield having one side fixed to the corresponding carrying portion and an other side adjacent to one of the corresponding developing and feeding members, the developer shields being tilted toward the rotating direction of the developing members;
• at least one of the developing units is adapted to be slantingly installed in the image forming apparatus while having an installation angle with respect to a horizontal direction to supply a developer contained in the at least one of the developing units to a respective one of the developing members corresponding to the developing units;
• at least one of the developing units is adapted to be installed in the image forming apparatus in the horizontal direction and is provided therein with a developer slope to supply a developer contained in the at least one of the developing units to the corresponding developing member;
• and
• the plural developing units include a first developing unit having a largest developer storage capacity and a second developing unit disposed at the farthest downstream side with respect to the rotating direction of the image carrier, the second developing unit having a developer storage capacity smaller than the developer storage capacity of the first developing unit and larger than a developer storage capacity of the remaining developing units.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier;
• and
• plural developing units arranged parallel and adjacent to one another along a rotating direction of the image carrier and each including a developing member to attach developers to the image carrier, at least one of the developing units having a different developer storage capacity,
• wherein:
• each of a plurality of said developing units includes a carrying portion protruding toward the image carrier, to receive residual developers not attached to the image carrier therein;
• at least one of the carrying portions has a different protruding length than the remaining carrying portions protruding toward the image carrier;
• each developing unit further includes a feeding member to supply the developer to the developing member;
• at least one of the carrying portions includes a developer shield provided along a longitudinal direction of the respective developing member, each developer shield having one side fixed to the corresponding carrying portion and an other side adjacent to one of the corresponding developing and feeding members, the developer shields being tilted toward the rotating direction of the developing members;
• at least one of the developing units is adapted to be installed in the image forming apparatus at an angle of zero to 20 degrees while having an installation angle with respect to a horizontal direction to supply a developer contained in the at least one of the developing units to a respective one of the developing members corresponding to the developing units;
• at least one of the developing units is adapted to be installed in the image forming apparatus in the horizontal direction and is provided therein with a developer slope to supply a developer contained in the at least one of the developing units to the corresponding developing member;
• and
• the plural developing units include a first developing unit having a largest developer storage capacity and a second developing unit disposed at the farthest downstream side with respect to the rotating direction of the image carrier, the second developing unit having a developer storage capacity smaller than the developer storage capacity of the first developing unit and larger than a developer storage capacity of the remaining developing units.