Development device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus

A process cartridge comprising:

• a development device including
• a latent image carrier,
• a conveying member disposed to face the latent image carrier, the conveying member having plural electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals to generate an electric field for moving toner on the conveying member, each electrode being insulated from neighboring electrodes,
• a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage of n phases to the electrodes to form a cloud of the toner and to adhere the toner to the latent image carrier forming a visualized toner image, n being a positive integer greater than one,
• a toner supply unit configured to supply the toner to the conveying member,
• a height adjusting member arranged at a predetermine distance from the conveying member and configured to adjust a uniform hopping height for a toner layer of the toner immediately before a development area on the conveying member,
• an oscillation member configured to reduce collisions among toner particles in the toner layer by oscillating the height adjusting member, and
• a second voltage application unit configured to apply an AC voltage to the height adjustment member;
• and
• at least one of a latent image carrier, a charging unit, and a cleaning unit in an electrophotographic process,
• wherein the process cartridge is detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus.

An image forming apparatus for forming an image by attaching powder to a latent image carrier and developing a latent image on the latent image carrier, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• one of a development device and a process cartridge, including
• a latent image carrier,
• a conveying member disposed to face the latent image carrier, the conveying member having plural electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals to generate an electric field for moving toner on the conveying member, each electrode being insulated from the other electrodes,
• a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage of n phases to the electrodes to form a cloud of the toner and to adhere the toner to the latent image carrier forming a visualized toner image, n being a positive integer greater than one,
• a toner supply unit configured to supply the toner to the conveying member,
• a height adjusting member arranged at a predetermined distance from the conveying member and configured to adjust a uniform hopping height for a toner layer of the toner immediately before a development area on the cylindrical conveying member,
• an oscillation member configured to reduce collisions among toner particles in the toner layer by oscillating the height adjusting member, and
• a second voltage application unit configured to apply an AC voltage to the height adjustment member;
• and
• at least one of a latent image carrier, a charging unit, and a cleaning unit in an electrophotographic process,
• wherein the process cartridge is detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus.