Claims
- 1. A color electrophotographic apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive member; an exposing device for forming an electrostatic latent image on said photosensitive member; four developing devices which attach toner on said photosensitive member; and a transfer member for transferring said toner image onto a printing medium; wherein said four developing devices include a yellow image developing device, a magenta image developing device, a cyan image developing device, and a black image developing device; wherein each of said four image developing devices include:
a toner storing chamber for storing toner of a nonmagnetic one-component developer; a toner carrying member for forming a toner layer; a regulating member for regulating an amount of toner attached to said toner carrying member; a toner supply chamber having a supply member therein for supplying toner in said toner supply chamber; a toner recovery chamber having a rotating member therein; and a separating member for separating said toner supply chamber from said toner recovery chamber so that said toner supply chamber is disposable above said toner recovery chamber; wherein said photosensitive member moves from a downward direction in a gravity direction to an upward direction in a position facing respective ones of said developing devices.
- 2. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply member supplies toner to said toner carrying member, and is disposed on an opposite side of said toner carrying member with respect to said photosensitive member.
- 3. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply member is in contact with a surface of said toner carrying member.
- 4. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply member is formed of a conductive roll.
- 5. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply member is formed of an elastic roll.
- 6. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supply member is formed of a foam roll.
- 7. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating member is in contact with a surface of said toner carrying member.
- 8. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating member transports recovered toner regulated by said regulating member outside of said toner recovery chamber.
- 9. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating member agitates recovered toner regulated by said regulating member.
- 10. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a contact pressure between said separating member and said toner carrying member is lower than a contact pressure between said regulating member and said toner carrying member.
- 11. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said toner recovery chamber has a sloped portion which enables toner regulated by said regulating member to flow into said toner recovery chamber and to flow toward said rotating member.
- 12. A color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said regulating member regulates toner on said toner carrying member at a lower position than said separating member.
- 13. A developing device comprising:
a toner storing chamber for storing toner of a nonmagnetic one-component developer; a toner carrying member for forming a toner layer; a regulating member for regulating an amount of toner attached to said toner carrying member; a toner supply chamber having a supply member therein for supplying toner in said toner supply chamber; a toner recovery chamber having an rotating member therein; and a separating member for separating said toner supply chamber from said toner recovery chamber so that said toner supply chamber is disposable above said toner recovery chamber; wherein said toner carrying member moves from a upward direction in a gravity direction to a downward direction in a position facing said toner supply chamber and said toner recovery chamber.
- 14. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said supply member is in contact with a surface of said toner carrying member.
- 15. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said supply member is formed of a conductive roll.
- 16. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said supply member is formed of an elastic roll.
- 17. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said supply member is formed of a foam roll.
- 18. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said separating member is in contact with a surface of said toner carrying member.
- 19. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said rotating member transports recovered toner regulated by said regulating member outside of said toner recovery chamber.
- 20. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said rotating member agitates recovered toner regulated by said regulating member.
- 21. A developing device according to claim 20, wherein a contact pressure between said separating member and said toner carrying member is lower than a contact pressure between said regulating member and said toner carrying member.
- 22. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said toner recovery chamber has a sloped portion which enables toner regulated by said regulating member to flow into said toner recovery chamber and to flow toward said rotating member.
- 23. A developing device according to claim 13, wherein said regulating member regulates toner on said toner carrying member at a lower position than said separating member.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/987,332, filed Nov. 14, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/660,544, filed Sep. 12, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,058, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/297,520, filed May 3, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,829, the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Continuations (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09987332 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10355003 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09660544 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Child |
09987332 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09297520 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
09660544 |
Sep 2000 |
US |