Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kiyotaka Sakai

Hideki Kimura

Katsumi Masuda

Hideo Yoshizawa

Kazuhisa Sudo

Kazuyuki Sugihara

Tsuyoshi Imamura

Hiroyuki Nagashima

Yuji Suzuki

Tadashi Kasai

Yoshio Hattori

Shunji Katoh

Junichi Terai

Keiichi Yoshida

Akira Azami

Kenji Nakajima

Tsuyoshi Imanura

A developer bearing member on which grooves slanting in a thrust direction of the developer bearing member cross other grooves reversely slanting relative to the thrust direction, wherein each of the grooves and the reversely slanting grooves is slanting at an angle of greater than 0&#xb0; and not greater than 40&#xb0;. Any two adjacent intersections of the grooves and the reversely slanting grooves in the thrust (or peripheral) direction are preferably on different levels in the peripheral (or thrust) direction. The distance between two adjacent intersections in the thrust direction is preferably from 1.3 mm to 4.8 mm. The distance between two adjacent intersections in the thrust direction is preferably from 0.38 Vd/Vi (mm) to 1.1 Vd/Vi (mm). The deviation in depth of grooves present on a 36&#xb0; arc surface portion of the member is not greater than 15% of the gap between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member.

Developer bearing member, developing device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process unit and an image forming apparatus in which generation of loss of image density due to flying off of developer and the edge effect occurring as a side-effect under developing conditions aimed at improving development performance can be reduced, even when a DC bias development system is adopted, and which can suppress developing density unevenness caused by impact occurring on contact of the teeth of gears in the drive system.

Image forming apparatus including a magnetic brush developing system using a two-component developer comprising toner and carrier

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image bearing member. The image forming mechanism is configured to form an image. The image bearing mechanism is detachably provided to the image forming apparatus. The image bearing mechanism includes an image bearing member configured to bear the image formed by the image forming mechanism, and a through shaft configured to support the image bearing member.

Image forming apparatus having a detachable cartridge including a photoconductive drum with axis shaft having a minimal rotational eccentricity, and a method of assembling the image forming apparatus

An image forming method and apparatus includes a development device in which two rotary shafts enclosed in respective separate chambers for spirally circulating the developer between the two chambers to supply the developer to a development roller. The development device is provided with an extended circulation enclosure having a fill opening communicating with the two chambers.

Method and apparatus for image forming capable of performing a stable image development

An image forming apparatus whereby it is possible to prevent unevenness in developing density caused by misalignment between the central axes of a driven side rotational coupling section for rotating a developer carrier and a drive side rotational coupling section for transmitting rotational drive force to the driven side rotational coupling section. The driven side rotational coupling section is fixed and the position thereof can be corrected slightly, by engaging the driven side rotational coupling section with a drive side rotational coupling section. A transmission gear is provided which meshes with the driven side rotational coupling section and transmits rotational drive force used to move the surface of the developer carrier. By means of an axle provided on at least one end of the transmission gear engaging with a positioning member on the main body of the image forming apparatus, the developer carrier is positioned in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus

A developing device includes a developer carrier and a developer regulating member including a developer regulating part opposing a surface of the developer carrier to regulate the developer carried and conveyed by the developer carrier. The developer regulating member is formed from a single metallic member and includes a space that faces an inner surface of the metallic member. The space extends in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the surface of the developer carrier. The developing device can include a cooling device that cools the developer regulating member from an inner surface side of the metallic member facing the space.

Developer regulating member, developing device, electrophotographic image forming process cartridge, and image forming apparatus including the developer regulating member

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Kawasaki, Japan

Kiyotaka Sakai