Controlling toner concentration of dry developing agent in electrophotography
AssigneeKatsuragawa Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorNobutaka Noda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a device for controlling a toner concentration of a dry developing agent used in an electrophotographic apparatus wherein an electrostatic latent image is developed by a dry developing agent including toner and magnetizable carrier used to be circulated, and wherein a toner is appropriately and timely supplied to the developing agent to maintain a toner concentration within a predetermined value. The developing agent is directed to flow on an inclined member disposed on a portion of a path of circulation of the developing agent, and when a depth of the flow of the developing agent on the inclined member is reduced below a predetermined value, the toner is supplied to the developing agent.
Claims7
A device for controlling toner concentration of a developing agent used in an electrophotographic apparatus wherein an electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing agent including toner and magnetizable carrier comprising:
- (a) storage means for storing the developing agent;
- (b) toner supply means for supplying a toner into said storage means;
- (c) a magnet-brush sleeve to convey the developing agent for developing the latent image;
- (d) an inclined scraping member for scraping from said magnet-brush sleeve the developing agent which has participated in the development of the image, so that the developing agent flows along an upper surface of said scraping member;
- (e) detecting means spaced by a predetermined distance from said upper surface of said scraping member, said detecting means detecting the thickness of the flow of the developing agent dependent on whether or not said developing agent contacts said detecting means, and
- (f) means for metering toner from said toner supply means to said storage means when the developing agent is not in contact with said detecting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.