IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image-forming apparatus includes a first developer container accommodating a first developing agent containing a dark-colored toner and a first carrier; a first developing agent-bearing member at the first developer container, that transports the first developing agent to a first developing region; a first unit for generating a magnetic field in the first developing region, disposed in the first developing agent-bearing member; a second developer container accommodating a second developing agent containing a light-colored toner and a second carrier; a second developing agent-bearing member at the second developer container, that transports the second developing agent to a second developing region; and a second unit for generating a magnetic field in the second developing region and disposed in the second developing agent-bearing member. Magnetic binding force applied to the second carrier in the second developing region from the second unit is larger than that to the first carrier from the first unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an image-forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a developing unit in the image-forming apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for describing latent image distributions of a dark-colored toner and a light-colored toner at a density of about 0.4.

FIG. 4 is a graph for explaining a magnetic flux density distribution of a developing magnetic pole according to the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are graphs for explaining a magnetic flux density distribution of a developing magnetic pole according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing covering power of a light cyan toner (LC toner) and dark cyan toner (DC toner).

FIG. 7A is a graph showing a lookup table for the LC toner and FIG. 7B is a graph showing a lookup table for the DC toner.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing density of cyan and an image input signal.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a developing region.

FIG. 10 is a graph for explaining latent image potentials during image-forming by reverse development.

Claims

1. An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a first developer container accommodating a first developing agent containing a first toner and a first carrier;a first developing agent-bearing member that is associated with the first developer container and carries and transports the first developing agent to a first developing region to develop an electrostatic image;first magnetic field-generating means for generating a magnetic field in the first developing region, the first magnetic field-generating means being disposed in the first developing agent-bearing member;a second developer container accommodating a second developing agent containing a second toner and a second carrier, the second toner having the same hue as that of the first toner but a density lower than that of the first toner;a second developing agent-bearing member that is associated with the second developer container and carries and transports the second developing agent to a second developing region to develop an electrostatic image; andsecond magnetic field-generating means for generating a magnetic field in the second developing region, the second magnetic field-generating means being disposed in the second developing agent-bearing member,wherein a magnetic binding force applied to the second carrier in the second developing region from the second magnetic field-generating means is larger than a magnetic binding force applied to the first carrier in the first developing region from the first magnetic field-generating means.

2. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the second toner has an optical density of less than 0.8 when the amount of the toner loaded on a transfer material is 0.5 mg/cm2, andthe first toner has an optical density of 1.2 or more when the amount of the toner loaded on a transfer material is 0.5 mg/cm2.

3. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, the first magnetic field-generating means including a first magnetic pole at a position opposing the first developing region, andthe second magnetic field-generating means including a second magnetic pole at a position opposing the second developing region, wherein a magnetic flux density of the second magnetic pole in the second developing region in the normal direction is larger than a magnetic flux density of the first magnetic pole in the first developing region in the normal direction.

4. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second magnetic pole of the second magnetic field-generating means includes a rare-earth magnet.

5. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, the first magnetic field-generating means including a first magnetic pole at a position opposing the first developing region, the second magnetic field-generating means including a second magnetic pole at a position opposing the second developing region,wherein a half-value width of a magnetic flux density of the second magnetic pole in the second developing region is smaller than a half-value width of a magnetic flux density of the first magnetic pole in the first developing region.

6. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a magnetization intensity of the second carrier is greater than a magnetization intensity of the first carrier.

7. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a particle diameter of the second carrier is greater than a particle diameter of the first carrier.