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:
Feb. 20, 2018
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2016
Applicant:
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Inventors:
Takanori Iida, Noda, JP;
Yusuke Ishida, Toride, JP;
Yasushi Takeuchi, Moriya, JP;
Toshiyuki Yamada, Kashiwa, JP;
Assignee:
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 15/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 15/0893 (2013.01);
Abstract
In the present invention, an image forming apparatus using a method of replacing a developer is configured such that an immobile area in which the heights of a discharge passage and a conveyance passage are changed on the upstream side of a returning screw is filled. This causes the immobile area of the developer to be unlikely to occur and accordingly suppresses formation of a toner stain image due to an aggregation toner, enabling stable image formation over a long period of time.