Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc.

Shigeyuki Miya

Hiromichi Miyoshi

Takenori Shibata

Tadashi Hirata

Yoshio Taniguchi

Yoshihiro Komatsu

Takuo Kobayashi

The present invention provides a recording apparatus capable of detecting whether a transfer unit is an unused unit or not, including a cover that covers a transfer medium over which a plurality of color images is superimposed to form a color image and has an opening that exposes part of the transfer medium, pasting one end of a seal for detecting whether the transfer unit is an unused unit or not near the opening of the cover in the direction in which the transfer medium moves, pasting the other end of the unused unit detecting seal to the transfer medium through the opening. This allows one end of the unused unit detecting seal to be pasted to the transfer medium through the opening and the other end of the seal to be pasted to the cover near the opening in the direction in which the transfer medium moves. With the unused unit detecting seal pasted in this way, it is possible to detect whether this transfer unit is an unused unit or not.

Transfer unit with provision for detecting whether it is an unused unit or not and recording apparatus equipped therewith

A developing apparatus of the type including a developing roller disposed in a development box, a stirring roller parallel spaced apart from the developing roller, and a toner replenisher pipe disposed in the stirring roller, wherein the stirring roller has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape and includes a plurality of axial ribs extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stirring roller and disposed equidistantly from the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of helical blades integral with the axial ribs and skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the stirring roller, said hollow cylindrical stirring roller being composed of at least two identical segments which are divided by a plane extending through said longitudinal axis of said stirring roller. The stirring roller is simple in construction and can be manufactured at a low cost. The developing apparatus further includes a separator for receiving an excess developer which is removed from the outside surface of the developing roller and direct it unto the stirring roller.

Agitating member for a developing apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Utsunomiya, Japan

Shigeyuki Miya