Developer material mixing apparatus for a development unit

Abstract

An apparatus which develops an electrostatic latent image recorded on a photoconductive member with developer material of carrier granules and toner particles. A housing has a developing chamber and a mixing chamber. As toner particles are depleted during the printing process, additional toner particles are furnished to the mixing chamber. A mixing roller is located in the mixing chamber. An arcuate portion of the housing is closely adjacent to the mixing roller. An electrical bias is formed between the arcuate portion of the housing and the mixing roller. Toner particles charged to one polarity are attracted to the arcuate portion of the housing with toner particles charged to the opposite polarity being attracted to the mixing roller. As the mixing roller rotates, developer material is advanced to a receiving zone. The advancing developer material moves the toner particles attracted to the arcuate portion of the housing to the receiving zone. At the receiving zone, an auger transports the developer material to a loading zone where the developer material is received by another auger in the developing chamber. The auger in the developing chamber advances the developer material to a transport roll, which, in turn, moves the developer material to a developer roll. The developer roll transports the developer material closely adjacent to the photoconductive member having the electrostatic latent image recorded thereon. The latent image attracts toner particles thereto so as to be developed thereby.