Patent · US Active

Development device, and process cartridge and image forming apparatus incorporating same

US8824932B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
4References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 2011
Grant dateSep 2, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 8, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/0921
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A development device includes a developer container, a developer carrier, exposed partly from a casing, facing a latent image carrier in a development area, a magnetic field generator inside the developer carrier, having multiple magnetic poles including a conveyance pole to convey the developer downstream from the development area to a developer release portion, a developer agitator, and a developer regulator. A predetermined gap is kept between an outer surface of the developer carrier and an inner wall of the casing downstream from an opening of the casing, upstream from a developer release portion, in a direction in which the developer carrier rotates. Multiple recesses are formed in the outer surface of the developer carrier at a pitch in a circumferential direction shorter than half a width of a magnetic flux density of the developer conveyance pole in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the developer carrier.

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