The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 14, 2001
Filed:
May. 26, 2000
Katsumi Sugimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a developing device includes a stirring and conveying screw of electrically conductive material to stir and convey toner along a toner delivery path, a toner gathering port located in the toner delivery path to temporarily stay the toner there during the conveying, an auxiliary stirring member of electrically conductive material movably held in the toner gathering port, and a stop located at the toner gathering port to prevent the auxiliary stirring member from being removal off the toner gather port and to allow the toner to pass the toner gathering port. The stirring and conveying member and the auxiliary stirring member are charged electricity by an bias voltage applied to the developing device so that the toner can be fully stirred and, at the same time, can be electrically charged uniformly with an increased amount of charges.