Image forming method and apparatus having a unit for conveying toner and carrier particles from a cleaning unit to a developing unit

An image forming apparatus using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, said apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying member configured to form an electrostatic latent image thereon;
• a developing unit configured to contain the developer and to develop the electrostatic latent image as a toner image with the toner particles;
• a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member;
• a cleaning unit configured to collect toner particles left on the image carrying member after the toner image is transferred and mix unused carrier particles with the collected toner particles;
• a toner bottle configured to store unused toner particles;
• a carrier bottle configured to store the unused carrier particles;
• a first supply line connecting the toner bottle at least to the developing unit;
• a second supply line, connecting the carrier bottle at least to the cleaning unit, through which the unused carrier particles are supplied to the cleaning unit;
• and
• a conveying unit provided between the cleaning unit and the developing unit, the conveying unit being configured to convey mixture of the collected toner particles and the unused carrier particles from the cleaning unit to the developing unit;
• wherein the first supply line and the second supply line are partially integrated into a common line.

An image forming apparatus using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, said apparatus comprising:

• image carrying means for forming an electrostatic latent image thereon;
• developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image as a toner image;
• transfer means for transferring the toner image;
• collecting means for collecting toner particles remaining on the image carrying member after transferring the toner image and mixing the collected toner particles with unused carrier particles;
• toner storing means for storing unused toner particles;
• carrier storing means for storing the unused carrier particles;
• a first supply connecting means for connecting the toner storing means at least to the developing means;
• a second supply connecting means, for connecting the carrier storing means at least to the collecting means, through which the unused carrier particles are supplied to the collecting means;
• and
• conveying means for conveying a mixture of the collected toner particles and the unused carrier particles from the collecting means to the developing means, the conveying means being provided between the collecting means and the developing means;
• wherein the first supply connecting means and the second supply connecting means are partially integrated into a common line.

A method of forming an image comprising the steps of:

• developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member as a toner image by supplying a developer contained in a developing unit and including toner particles and carrier particles;
• storing unused toner particles in a toner bottle;
• supplying the unused toner particles from the toner bottle at least to the developing unit;
• transferring the toner image;
• storing unused carrier particles in a carrier bottle;
• supplying the unused carrier particles from the carrier bottle at least to a cleaning unit;
• partially integrating the unused toner particles and unused carrier particles into a common line;
• collecting toner particles remaining on the image carrying member after transferring the toner image;
• mixing the toner particles collected in the collecting step with the unused carrier particles supplied in the supplying step in the cleaning unit;
• and
• conveying a mixture of the collected toner particles and the unused carrier particles from the cleaning unit to the developing unit.

An image forming apparatus using a developer including toner particles and carrier particles, said apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying member configured to form an electrostatic latent image thereon;
• a developing unit configured to contain the developer and to develop the electrostatic latent image as a toner image with the toner particles;
• a cleaning unit configured to collect toner particles left on the image carrying member after the toner image is transferred and mix unused carrier particles with the collected toner particles;
• a toner bottle configured to store unused toner particles;
• a carrier bottle configured to store the unused carrier particles;
• a first supply line connecting the toner bottle at least to the developing unit;
• a second supply line, connecting the carrier bottle at least to the cleaning unit, through which the unused carrier particles are supplied to the cleaning unit;
• and
• a conveying unit provided between the cleaning unit and the developing unit and configured to convey a mixture of the collected toner particles and the unused carrier particles from the cleaning unit to the developing unit;
• wherein the cleaning unit is further configured to mix unused toner particles with the unused carrier particles and the collected toner particles.