Patent · US Expired

Developing method and developing device for electrophotographic image, and printing device using the developing device

US6963711B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 22, 2003
Grant dateNov 8, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 3, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G13/08
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A developing device for electrophotographic image has a developing mechanism having a developer carrier for carrying a developer along a preset circulating route including a developing area and a developer restricting element for restricting the developer on the developer carrier, and a developer supply mechanism having a storing unit. The storing unit is filled with a start-up developer in the vicinity of the developer carrier and a replenishing developer remoter than the start-up developer from the developer carrier. The start-up developer and the replenishing developer have different grain sizes or grain size distributions. Further, a developing method for electrophotograhic image has the steps of using the start-up developer at an initial state of use of the developing mechanism, and using the replenishing developer differed in grain size or grain size distribution from the start-up developer after an end of the initial state of use of the developing mechanism.

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