Image forming apparatus
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsAkio Kutsuwada, Masaru Tanaka, Takeo Suda, Mitsuru Sato, Toshitaka Yamaguchi, Kenzou Tatsumi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a latent image electrostatically formed on a photoconductive element is developed by a two-ingredient type developer consisting of toner and carrier. The photoconductive element has a life coincident with the life of the developer. When the photoconductive element and developer reach the end of their life, they are replaced at the same time.
Claims30
In an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier and transferring the toner image to a recording medium conveyed toward said image carrier, said apparatus having at least one of image forming elements thereof, including said image carrier, mounted on a single unit casing to thereby form an image forming unit, and having said image forming unit removably mounted on a body of said apparatus, said unit casing of said image forming unit being positioned such that a lower portion of said unit casing forms a guide portion with ribs for guiding the recording medium being conveyed, and a plurality of projections extending out from said lower portion of said unit casing further than said guide portion at an outside of a range in which the recording medium passes to prevent the ribs of said guide portion from contacting an opposite surface.
An image forming apparatus using a two-ingredient type developer of toner and carrier, comprising:
- an image carrier for electrostatically forming a latent image thereon;
- and
- a developing device for developing the latent image with the developer to thereby produce a corresponding toner image, wherein said developing device includes a developer roller for conveying the developer deposited thereon;
- wherein said image carrier has a life coincident with a life of the carrier of the developer.
An image forming unit using a two-ingredient type developer of toner and carrier, comprising:
- an image carrier for electrostatically forming a latent image thereon;
- a developing device for developing the latent image with the developer to thereby produce a corresponding toner image, wherein said developing device includes a developer roller for conveying the developer deposited thereon;
- and
- a unit casing on which said image carrier and said developer carrier are assembled integrally;
- wherein said image carrier has a life coincident with a life of the carrier of the developer.
A method of forming an image with a two-ingredient type developer of toner and carrier, comprising the steps of:
- (a) electrostatically forming a latent image on an image carrier;
- (b) developing the latent image with the developer conveyed by a developer roller of a developing device to thereby form a corresponding toner image;
- and
- (c) causing a life of said image carrier and a life of the carrier of the developer to coincide with each other.
A method of forming an image with a two-ingredient type developer of toner and carrier, comprising the steps of:
- (a) charging an image carrier by a charging device;
- (b) electrostatically forming a latent image on said image carrier charged by said charging device;
- (c) developing the latent image with the developer conveyed by a developer roller of a developing device to thereby produce a corresponding toner image;
- (d) removing, after the toner image has been transferred from said image carrier to a recording medium, the toner remaining on said image carrier by a cleaning device;
- and
- (e) causing a life of said image carrier, a life of the carrier of the developer, a life of said charging device and a life of said cleaning device to coincide with each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.