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:
Mar. 13, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 09, 2007
Kiyonori Tsuda, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroya Hirose, Sagamihara, JP;
Satoru Yoshida, Sagamihara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developing unit includes a developer carrying member, a supplying compartment, a recovery compartment, and an agitation compartment. The developer carrying member develops a latent image formed on an image carrier with a two-component developer. The supplying compartment has a developer supplying transporter to supply the two-component developer to the developer carrying member while transporting the two-component developer. The recovery compartment has a developer recovery transporter to transport the two-component developer recovered from the developer carrying member. The agitation compartment has a developer agitation transporter to agitatingly transports developer. The developer agitation transporter includes a first screw having a screw pitch to transport developer to an upstream end of the supplying compartment from a downstream end of the agitation compartment. The developer supplying transporter includes a second screw having a given screw pitch, which is greater than a screw pitch of the first screw.