US 8,571,448 B2Granted

Developing device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorSusumu Sakuma

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Abstract

A developing device includes: a first conveying unit provided within a developing agent storage chamber and that is configured to convey a developing agent from one end of the developing agent storage chamber to another end of the developing agent storage chamber in a longitudinal direction of a developing agent carrier that is disposed with in a developing chamber and to supply the developing agent from the developing agent storage chamber to the developing chamber; a second conveying unit provided within the developing chamber and that is configured to convey the developing agent from the other end of the developing chamber to the one end of the developing chamber in the longitudinal direction and to supply the developing agent toward a developing agent carrier; and a third conveying unit provided between the one end of the developing agent storage chamber and the one end of the developing chamber.

Claims42

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of developing devices aligned in a predetermined direction, wherein each of the plurality of developing devices comprises:
a developing chamber comprising an opening;
a developing agent storage chamber disposed above the developing chamber, wherein the developing agent storage chamber is configured to supply developing agent to the developing chamber;
a developing roller configured to be exposed by the opening of the developing chamber;
a supplying roller disposed adjacent to the developing roller, wherein the supplying roller is configured to supply the developing agent to the developing roller;
a first conveying unit disposed within the developing chamber in a vicinity of the supplying roller, wherein the first conveying unit is configured to convey the developing agent in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller so as to supply the developing agent to the supplying roller;
a second conveying unit disposed within the developing agent storage chamber, wherein the second conveying unit is configured to convey the developing agent in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller so as to supply the developing agent to the first conveying unit;
a partition wall provided between the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit;
a first conveying path for conveying the developing agent from the developing agent storage chamber to the developing chamber;
and
a second conveying path for conveying the developing agent from the developing chamber to the developing agent storage chamber;
wherein in the plurality of developing devices,
the first conveying path is configured to convey the developing agent from up to down in a vertical direction, and
the second conveying path is configured to convey the developing agent from down to up in the vertical direction.

11 more elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of developing devices aligned in a horizontal direction, wherein each of the plurality of developing devices comprises:
a developing chamber comprising a developing roller, wherein the developing chamber comprises a first end portion and a second end portion in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller;
a developing agent storage chamber disposed above the developing chamber, wherein the developing agent storage chamber comprises a first end portion and a second end portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing roller;
a partition wall configured to partition the developing chamber and the developing agent storage chamber;
a first conveying unit, which is disposed within the developing agent storage chamber, and which is configured to convey the developing agent in a direction from the first end portion of the developing agent storage chamber toward the second end portion of the developing agent storage chamber so as to supply the developing agent to the developing chamber;
a second conveying unit, which is disposed within the developing chamber, and which is configured to convey the developing agent in a direction from the second end portion toward the first end portion of the developing chamber so as to supply the developing agent to the developing roller;
a first opening for conveying the developing agent from the developing agent storage chamber to the developing chamber;
and
a second opening for conveying the developing agent from the developing chamber to the developing agent storage chamber,
wherein the second opening faces to the second conveying unit at the first end portion of the developing chamber,
wherein the first opening is provided on a side of the second opening where the second end portion is disposed, and
wherein the first opening faces the second conveying unit in a vertical direction.

9 more elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a plurality of developing devices aligned in a horizontal direction, wherein each of the plurality of developing devices comprises:
a frame having a first chamber and a second chamber configured to contain developing agent and located above the first chamber;
a developing roller disposed at the first chamber and having a rotational axis extending in an axial direction;
a supplying roller disposed at the first chamber and configured to supply the developing agent to the developing roller;
a first conveyer disposed within the first chamber in vicinity of the supplying roller, the first conveyer being configured to convey the developing agent along the axial direction;
a second conveyer disposed within the second chamber, the second chamber being configured to convey the developing agent along the axial direction;
wherein in the plurality of developing devices, the frame has:
a first conveying path for conveying the developing agent from up to down in a vertical direction, which communicates between the first chamber and the second chamber;
and
a second conveying path for conveying the developing agent from down to up in a vertical direction, which communicates between the first chamber and the second chamber.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/415,768Filed 8 Mar 2012 · continuation
Priority: JP 2007-25384828 Sep 2007
Published: US 2012/0170954 A15 Jul 2012
Granted: 29 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G03G 15/0891
Arrangements for conveying and conditioning developer in the developing unit, e.g. agitating, removing impurities or humidity: for conveying or…
G03G 15/0844
Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer: arrangements for purging used developer from the developing unit
G03G 15/0865
Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer: arrangements for supplying new developer
G03G 15/0875
Arrangements for supplying new developer: cartridges having a box like shape

Family

Application12/236,548Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Sep 2008
US 2012/0170954 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jul 2012
US 8,155,567 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2009/0087225 A1Published application
US 8,571,448 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.