Patent · US Expired

Image forming apparatus with improved developing device

US6721526B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 2002
Grant dateApr 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 26, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2215/0609
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided for obtaining excellent developing properties using toner with small particle diameters and for forming high-quality visual images. In a developing device of an image forming apparatus, a two-component developer is used which satisfies conditions that volume mean particle diameter dt of a toner is 3˜5 &mgr;m (Condition 1), volume mean particle diameter dc of a carrier is 5 dt˜10 dt (Condition 2), and a weight ratio Rw of the toner and the carrier is 1.6 (dt/dc) ×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c)˜2.4 (dt/dc)×(&rgr;t/&rgr;c) (Condition 3, where &rgr;t and &rgr;c are density of the toner and the carrier, respectively). A main magnetic pole M of a rotary sleeve is arranged in the vicinity of the closest position of the rotary sleeve and an image forming body, and the closest distance D between the rotary sleeve and the image forming body satisfies a condition that D is 0.5 H˜0.8 H for the free tip height H of a magnetic brush B of the main magnetic pole M. It is preferable that the actual supplied amount of the toner is regulated within a specific range.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.