Image forming apparatus
AssigneeKonica Minolta, Inc.
InventorTakumi SAKURADA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus that is provided with a developing unit to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier as a toner image, the developing unit is provided with a developer reservoir that is disposed between a supplying roller to feed developer agitated by an agitating member into the developer reservoir and a developing roller to cause the developer in the developer reservoir to adhere onto the latent image on the image carrier so as to be developed as the toner image. A control section controls driving of the supplying roller, independently from driving of the agitating member.
Claims7
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a developing unit configured to develop a latent image formed on a photoreceptor according to image data, with developer, the developing unit including:
- an agitating member configured to agitate the developer replenished into the developing unit, so as to be electrically charged;
- a supplying roller configured to bear thereon the developer charged by being agitated by the agitating member and to be driven to rotate to feed the charged developer borne thereon;
- a developer reservoir configured to store therein the charged developer fed by the supplying roller;
- and
- a developing roller configured to bear thereon the charged developer stored in the developer reservoir and to cause the charged developer born thereon to adhere onto the latent image on the photoreceptor to develop the latent image with the developer,
- wherein the developer reservoir is disposed between the supplying roller and the developing roller, and the supplying roller feeds the developer charged by being agitated by the agitating member into the developer reservoir:
- and
- a control section configured to control driving of the supplying roller independently from driving of the agitating member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.