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:
Jul. 19, 2016
Filed:
Sep. 03, 2015
Hiroshi Kikuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Tadashi Ogawa, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Junichi Terai, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideki Kimura, Kanagawa, JP;
Yukio Otome, Ibaraki, JP;
Hiroaki Okamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazunori Suzuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Kikuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Tadashi Ogawa, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyuki Mabuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Junichi Terai, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideki Kimura, Kanagawa, JP;
Yukio Otome, Ibaraki, JP;
Hiroaki Okamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazunori Suzuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A developing unit includes a developer bearer to bear developer on a surface thereof, first and second developer conveyors each having a spiral blade mounted on a rotary shaft thereof parallel to a rotary axis of the developer bearer to convey developer in opposite directions to each other. A developer drain hole is provided at a given height in a side wall of a second developer conveyance channel to face a communication opening across the second developer conveyor. The first developer conveyor rotates in a direction with its spiral blade rising between the rotary shaft of the first developer conveyor and the communication opening. Rotational phases of the first developer conveyor and the second developer conveyor are fixed and synchronized with each other to weaken momentum of developer flow generated by the first developer conveyor toward the developer drain hole via the second developer conveyor.