# US 8,787,801 B2 · Developing apparatus and developer cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,801 B2 - Document ID: US8787801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/279,762 - Filed: 2011-10-24 - Published: 2012-02-16 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-27 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Soichiro Mase - Inventors: Soichiro Mase - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787801B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0889: {for agitation or stirring} - G03G 15/0844: {Arrangements for purging used developer from the developing unit} - G03G 15/0868: {Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening} - G03G 15/0877: {Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit} - G03G 2215/0604: solid type - G03G 2215/0827: Augers - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A developing apparatus includes a developing roller and a feed roller accommodated in a developing chamber of a developing frame, a first agitating member accommodated in a storing chamber of the developing frame for agitating the developer by rotating in a prescribed rotational direction while moving the developer in the rotational direction, a second agitating member accommodated in a developer accommodation chamber of a developer cartridge, a wall portion provided between the storing chamber and the developer accommodation chamber and formed with an opening for circulating the developer between the storing chamber and the developer accommodation chamber to face the storing chamber on a position above the upper end portion of the feed roller, and a conveyance member arranged between the opening of the wall portion and the developer accommodation chamber for conveying the developer in an axial direction of the developing roller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developing apparatus comprising: a developing frame providing a developing chamber, a conveyance chamber, and a storing chamber configured to store a developer fed into the developing chamber, the storing chamber including a top and a bottom; a developing roller accommodated in the developing chamber, the developing roller configured to carry the developer; a feed roller accommodated in the developing chamber and configured to feed the developer to the developing roller; a first agitating member accommodated in the storing chamber and configured to agitate the developer by rotating in a prescribed rotational direction; an accommodation chamber frame physically separable from the developing frame and internally providing a developer accommodation chamber configured to accommodate a developer to be fed into the storing chamber; a second agitating member accommodated in the developer accommodation chamber and configured to agitate the developer in the developer accommodation chamber; a wall portion defining the conveyance chamber and provided between the storing chamber and the developer accommodation chamber and formed with an opening to face the storing chamber at a position above an upper end portion of the feed roller, wherein the opening is disposed below the top of the storing chamber; and a conveyance member disposed in the conveyance chamber between the opening of the wall portion and the developer accommodation chamber along a path in which toner is fed from the developer accommodation chamber to the storing chamber, wherein the conveyance member is configured to convey the developer in an axial direction of the developing roller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance member is an auger having a rotating shaft extending in the axial direction for conveying the developer by rotating around the rotating shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first agitating member includes a flexible agitating blade, and the opening is formed at a position interfering with the agitating blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the opening is directed downward. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the conveyance chamber is in the form of a horizontally extending cylinder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the developer accommodation chamber is arranged on a side of the conveyance chamber, and the conveyance chamber is arranged on a side of the storing chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance chamber further includes a communication port configured to communicate with the developer accommodation chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: the conveyance member is configured to unidirectionally convey the developer in the axial direction, the opening is formed on a position opposed to a central portion of the conveyance member in the axial direction, and the communication port is formed at a position opposed to each end portion of the conveyance member in the axial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: the conveyance member is configured to unidirectionally convey the developer in the axial direction, and the opening and the communication port are formed at positions deviating from each other in the axial direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the opening is directed downward. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The developing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the conveyance member is configured to unidirectionally convey the developer in the axial direction, and the opening and the communication port are formed at positions deviating from each other in the axial direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The developing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication port is different from the opening and the conveyance chamber is different from the storing chamber.