Developing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsHideo Yoshizawa, Noriyuki Kimura, Yoshihiro Fujiwara, Yuki Oshikawa, Sohichi Abe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A developing device includes a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing an image bearer, a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, to agitate and supply developer to the developer bearer, a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device and including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device and a filter. A number of the multiple vents is greater in either end portion than in a center portion in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
Claims20
A developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on an image bearer, the developing device comprising:
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer;
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer;
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device;
- and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein a number of the multiple vents is greater in an end portion than in a center portion, each of two end portions and the center portion being mutually exclusive and equal in length in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
A developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on an image bearer, the developing device comprising:
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer;
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer;
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device;
- and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein an opening area of the multiple vents is greater in an end portion than in a center portion, each of two end portions and the center portion being mutually exclusive and equal in length in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearer on which a latent image formed;
- and
- a developing device to develop the latent image with developer,
- the developing device including
- a developer bearer to carry developer, disposed facing the image bearer,
- a developer conveyance member disposed facing the developer bearer, the developer conveyance member to agitate developer contained in the developing device and supply developer to the developer bearer,
- a decompression portion surrounded by upper walls of the developing device, the decompression portion including multiple vents arranged in a longitudinal direction of the developing device, and
- a filter provided inside the decompression portion,
- wherein the multiple vents open in a direction perpendicular to both of the longitudinal direction of the developing device and a vertical direction, and
- a number of the multiple vents is greater in an end portion than in a center portion, each of two end portions and the center portion being mutually exclusive and equal in length in the longitudinal direction of the developing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.