Developing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsHideo Yoshizawa, Noriyuki Kimura, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Sohichi Abe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing an image bearer, a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, to agitate and supply developer to the developer bearer, a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device and including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device and a filter. A number of the multiple vents is greater in either end portion than in a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
Claims17
A developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on an image bearer, the developing device comprising:
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer;
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer;
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device;
- and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein a number of the multiple vents is greater in either end portion than in a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
A developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on an image bearer, the developing device comprising:
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer;
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer;
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device;
- and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein an opening area of the multiple vents is greater in either end portion than in a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearer on which a latent image formed;
- and
- a developing device to develop the latent image with developer,
- the developing device comprising:
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer;
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer;
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device;
- and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein the multiple vents open in a direction perpendicular to both of the longitudinal direction of the developing device and a vertical direction, and
- a number of the multiple vents is greater in either end portion than in a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.