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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 15, 2001
Kazunori Karasawa, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developing device of an image forming apparatus using a two-component developer including toner and carrier includes a developer stirring device to stir the developer to change the toner of the developer, a developing sleeve to rotate and to carry on its surface the developer, and a conductive doctor blade or configured to regulate a thickness of the developer on the developing sleeve. The doctor blade is either grounded or receives a voltage of an electric polarity opposite to that of the toner. An electric potential of the developing sleeve is set to a same electric polarity as that of the toner, and the toner is moved toward a latent image formed on a photoconductor of the image forming apparatus so as to adhere to the latent image by an electric field formed between the developing sleeve and the latent image on the photoconductor. An average particle diameter of the carrier is about 50 &mgr;m or smaller, and a charge amount of the carrier after the developer has been stirred by the stirring device is about 15 &mgr;c/g or greater.