Developing machine which uses a developing agent including a toner and magnetic particles

A developing machine comprising:

• a developing device, said developing device including a developing agent carrying medium facing a latent image carrying medium, said developing agent carrying medium rotationally carrying a developing agent which consists of toner particles and magnetic particles and including a magnetic field generating means, wherein a layer of the developing agent is formed on said developing agent carrying medium, and the magnetic particles in the layer of the developing agent are circularly moved in the layer such that the magnetic particles are upwardly moved in a direction in accordance with a rotation of said developing agent carrying medium whereas the toner particles are downwardly moved in accordance with the rotation of said developing agent carrying medium in an opposite direction, thereby absorbing toner particles lying on said layer of the developing agent into the layer of the developing agent;
• wherein said developing device includes a developing agent regulating member, and a given gap is defined over said developing agent carrying medium within a range from said developing agent regulating member to a place on an upstream side of a direction in which the developing agent is carried during image formation, said developing device further including a developing agent maintaining portion, said developing agent maintaining portion comprising a toner charging portion for charging a toner conveyed from the upstream side to the gap and a toner density controlling portion for controlling a toner density by circulating the developing agent within a space larger in capacity than the given gap on the upstream side of said toner charging portion.

A developing machine comprising:

• a developing agent carrying medium for carrying a developing agent on a surface thereof, the developing agent consisting of toner particles and magnetic particles;
• magnetic field generating means disposed within said developing agent carrying medium;
• a developing agent regulating member for regulating an amount of the developing agent carried on said developing agent carrying medium;
• and
• a developing agent storage case by which a drift space within which the developing agent stopped by said developing agent regulating member drifts is defined between said developing agent carrying medium and said developing agent storage case;
• wherein said developing agent storage case includes a developing agent guiding member for guiding the developing agent to an area in which a magnetic flux density of a magnetic field generated by said magnetic field generating means is less than a predetermined value in a direction of a normal of the surface of said developing agent carrying medium while restraining a movement of the developing agent in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the developing agent is conveyed.

A developing machine comprising:

• a developing agent carrying medium for carrying a developing agent on a surface thereof, the developing agent consisting of toner particles and magnetic particles;
• magnetic field generating means disposed within said developing agent carrying medium;
• a developing agent regulating member for regulating an amount of the developing agent carried an said developing agent carrying medium;
• and
• a developing agent storage case by which a drift space within which the developing agent stopped by said developing agent regulating member drifts is defined between said developing agent carrying medium and said developing agent storage case;
• wherein said developing agent storage case includes a magnetic substance attached to an inner surface of said storage case, and a magnetic pole of said magnetic field generating means is disposed at a place facing a magnetic substance disposed within said developing agent carrying medium.

A developing machine comprising:

• a developing agent carrying medium for carrying a developing agent on a surface thereof, the developing agent consisting of toner particles and magnetic particles;
• magnetic field generating means disposed within said developing agent carrying medium;
• a developing agent regulating member for regulating an amount of the developing agent carried on said developing agent carrying medium;
• a developing agent storage case by which a drift space within which the developing agent stopped by said developing agent regulating member drifts is defined between said developing agent carrying medium and said developing agent storage case;
• and
• a toner containing portion having an opening through which a toner is supplied, the opening being contiguous to said drift space on an upstream side of a direction in which the developing agent is carried and facing said developing agent carrying medium;
• wherein an end of said developing agent storage case on the side of said opening through which a toner is supplied is brought close to said developing agent carrying medium at a predetermined distance, and said drift space, as a whole, is closely filled with the developing agent, and
• wherein an end portion of said developing agent storage case is bent toward said developing agent carrying medium.