Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C.
Development device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A development device having a development portion with a developer spout, to develop a latent image formed on an image carrier with developer including toner and carrier particles. The development unit also includes a circulation unit to convey developer collected from the development portion to the developer spout, a developer container, provided in the circulation unit, to contain the developer at a position upstream from the development portion in a developer circular direction, the developer container having a cylindrical upper portion and a funnel-shaped lower portion continuous with the cylindrical upper portion through a joint so that a level of the developer contained in the developer container at rest is positioned near the joint between the cylindrical upper portion and the funnel-shaped lower portion. An agitator is provided inside the developer container, to agitate and mix the collected developer and fresh toner supplied to the developer container.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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inventional inventional inventional inventional
Junichi Hiroshi Yasuo Natsumi Tomoya
Matsumoto Kikuchi Takuma Matsue Ohmura