| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent toner from staying and caking with a simple and inexpensive configuration in order to eliminate failures such as irregularities in an image due to the shortage of toner caused by the problem that the toner stays and caking in a toner inlet and in a gap between a stirring/carrying means and the inside wall of a developing unit, and the toner supply to the stirring/carrying means is interrupted, in the developing unit in which the toner can freely drop down at any time from a toner storing means arranged above the stirring/carrying means for stirring/carrying the developer and supplying the developer to a developing roller. <P>SOLUTION: The developing apparatus is provided with a guide member, whose shape surrounds the toner supply port of the toner storing means, is made wide toward the stirring/carrying means side and is made along the outer rotating edge of the stirring/carrying means and which guides the toner from the toner supply port to the stirring/carrying means. In this wy, the toner is prevented from staying in the gap between the stirring/carrying means and the inside wall of the developing apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO |
