JP2003122101A - Developing device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developing device equipped with a constitution capable of easily eliminating a solidification phenomenon caused by the binding of stored toner and smoothly ejecting the toner. SOLUTION: This developing device equipped with a constitution using developer in which new toner and recycled toner in an untransferred state recovered from a latent image carrier coexist in order to process an electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier to be a visible image, is characterized in that a developer cartridge 10 storing developer prepared separately from the developer in which various kinds of toner coexist, is arranged at a position where it supplies the developer to the latent image carrier 1 through a recycled toner carrying path S1 and a new toner carrying path S2, and the cartridge 10 is provided with an aperture part 10A making the inside communication with the outside when it is opened on its upper surface, and the aperture part 10A is ordinarily covered with a cover member 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing device and an image forming apparatus, and more specifically to a developer supply structure used in the developing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, or a printing machine, a developer such as toner is applied to an electrostatic latent image carried on a photoconductor which is a latent image carrier. Visible image processing is performed using this.

Developers include one-component and two-component developers. Among them, two-component developers are used in which toner and carrier are mixed. In the case of a developer, particularly a two-component developer, the toner content in the developer changes depending on the degree of consumption, which may adversely affect the image density. Therefore, when a two-component developer is used, the toner is appropriately replenished so that the developer concentration does not fall below a predetermined concentration.

In the case of using a two-component developer, one of the components used in the toner replenishing structure is to attach a replenishing member such as a tank containing virgin toner to the toner replenishing section of the developing device. There is a configuration. The toner supply member has a considerable volume, although it depends on the amount of toner contained inside. Therefore, when the toner replenishing member is installed above the developing device, a large occupied space is required in the space above the developing device, which may lead to an increase in size of the image forming apparatus.

On the other hand, as a problem different from the increase in size of the device,
There are problems with the aftertreatment of the developer used. That is, in recent years, it has been proposed that after cleaning the toner remaining on the photoconductor after image formation, the toner after cleaning is reused as an environmental protection measure. However, since the size of the toner replenishing member needs to be large enough to accommodate the recycled toner collected in the cleaning in addition to the virgin toner, the toner replenishing member is installed above the developing device as described above. This is not desirable because the size of the image forming apparatus becomes remarkable.

In the case of using a two-component developer, the toner introduced into the developing tank and the carrier are agitated to be frictionally charged.
Although a stirring member having a plurality of blades in the circumferential direction is provided, the stirring member is not configured to positively move in the axial direction only by moving the developer in the developing tank in the rotation direction. Therefore, the developer may be unevenly distributed in the longitudinal direction of the photoconductor, in other words, in the width direction of the recording medium onto which the image is transferred. Therefore, conventionally, a configuration has been used in which a supply member having a screw structure is provided in a developing device so that a uniform developer is spread over the width direction of a recording medium (for example, a special feature). Kaihei 7-3
06592).

In the developing device having a structure in which the toner collected by cleaning is uniformly dispersed in the developing device, the toner replenishing member is located at one end in the longitudinal direction of the developing device, and It has been proposed to equip the developing device or the image forming unit in which the photoconductors are collectively arranged with a structure in which the replenished toner is uniformly dispersed over the entire longitudinal direction of the developing device by a supply member. (For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-1
86991).

In the above publication, a toner cartridge as a detachable toner replenishing member is arranged on one side in the longitudinal direction of the developing device in the image forming unit, and the opening provided at the bottom of the toner cartridge and the toner receiving port on the developing device side are arranged. The toner can be transferred toward the developer supply unit by communicating with the formed opening.

[0009]

In the image forming unit as disclosed in the above publication, the height of the apparatus can be reduced as compared with the case where the toner cartridge is arranged above the developing apparatus. However, it is desirable for the toner cartridge to have a large opening serving as a toner ejection portion for smooth toner ejection, but as the opening is enlarged, the cartridge volume also increases, and the problem of installation space recurs. Resulting in. For this reason,
In the conventional toner cartridge, the installation posture is regulated so that the opening is on the lower surface, and the lower surface side has a smaller volume than other parts so that the stored toner is easily converged. It is often done.

When a toner cartridge having such a shape is applied to a developing device, there are the following problems.
Toner is a bridge phenomenon due to the internal shape of the cartridge,
In other words, it becomes easier to harden when bridged between the tapered surfaces. In particular, the toner is one of the constituent components of the toner, and the binder resin is easily affected by the temperature, and the physical properties change depending on the temperature, and the toner is easily bound. For this reason, a management method is set up to cope with a temperature change during transportation or the like, but the solidification phenomenon due to binding may occur depending on the environmental change in the management method. Although it depends on the components particularly used, almost all the toner tends to bind when the temperature rises to about 60 ° C., and if a structure for completely preventing this is used, the cost will increase. become.

When the solidification phenomenon occurs due to the binding of the toner, it becomes difficult to replenish the toner, and the density of the developer used for visualizing the latent image formed on the photoconductor is lowered, resulting in defective density. You will get a bad image.

In the toner cartridge, since the opening of the ejection portion is small due to its shape, the toner is easily collected around the opening. For this reason, the toner that tends to flow toward the periphery of the opening is easily subject to the resistance of the air existing inside the cartridge around the opening, and smooth ejection from the opening to the outside is likely to be hindered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the above-described conventional toner cartridge, and in particular, in the developing device using the toner cartridge in which the structure of the discharge opening is smaller than that of the other portions, the toner contained therein. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device and an image forming apparatus having a configuration capable of easily eliminating the solidification phenomenon caused by the binding of the above, and enabling smooth ejection.

[0014]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A developer containing a mixture of new toner and recycled toner in an untransferred state recovered from the latent image carrier is used for visible image processing of the electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier. In a developing device having a configuration, a developer in which these various toners are mixed at a position for supplying the developer to the latent image carrier through the recycled toner transport path and the new toner transport path, Separately, a developer cartridge containing a separately prepared developer is arranged, and the cartridge is provided with an opening on the upper surface that can communicate the inside and the outside when opened, and the opening is usually It is characterized by being closed by a lid member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a new toner and an untransferred state recovered from the latent image bearing member for visible image processing of the electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image bearing member. In a developing device having a configuration using a developer in which recycled toner is mixed, at a position where the developer is supplied to the latent image carrier via the recycled toner transport path and the new toner transport path. A developer cartridge containing a developer prepared separately from the developer in which these various toners are mixed is arranged, and the cartridge is provided with a ventilation part on the upper surface for constantly communicating the inside and the outside. The ventilation part is characterized in that the developer contained therein is prevented from passing through and only air is allowed to pass through.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In addition to the invention described above, the developer cartridge is arranged at a position where the transport path for the new toner and the transport path for the recycled toner meet.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
The developing device described above is used in an image forming apparatus.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a main part of an image forming apparatus using a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although FIG. 1 shows a copying machine as one of the image forming apparatuses, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that a printer or a facsimile apparatus is also included.

In the figure, the image forming apparatus includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 1 as a latent image carrier, which is rotatable in the direction of the arrow in the figure.
Around the photoconductor 1, a charging roller 2 for executing an image forming process along the rotation direction 2, a writing device (only an optical path is shown in FIG. 1) 3, a developing device 4, A transfer device 5 and a cleaning device 6 are arranged respectively.

The photosensitive member 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2 in the course of rotation, and then an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image information is formed by the writing device 3, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized by the developing device 4. It is processed.

The image carried on the photoconductor 1 is electrostatically transferred onto the recording paper through the transfer device 5 after the image transfer timing is set by the registration roller 7 provided in the paper feeding device. In this embodiment, the transfer device 5 is configured to include the transport belt 5A, and the transport belt 5A is configured to attract the recording paper from the photoconductor 1 by a charging device (not shown). The recording paper is attracted from the photoconductor 1 by the conveyor belt 5A and the photoconductor 1 is attracted by the attraction.
By the peeling using the curvature of the sheet, the sheet moves toward the conveying belt 5A side, and is conveyed toward the fixing device 8 by the conveying belt 5A. The cleaning belt 5B removes residual toner from the transport belt 5A that has completed the transfer process, and the removed toner is collected by a transport screw 5C in a waste bottle or the like (not shown). The recording sheet fixed by the fixing device 8 is discharged toward a discharge tray (not shown) or the like.

Toner and charges remaining on the photoconductor 1 after the transfer are removed by a blade 6A of the cleaning device 6 and a charge-removing lamp (in FIG. 1, the irradiation light is indicated by L1).

In the cleaning device 6, the blade 6A
The residual toner scraped off by the collecting blade 6B is collected by the collecting blade 6B, is transferred to the developing device 4 by the collecting and conveying means 6C using a screw auger, and is reused as recycled toner. In the cleaning device 6, the receiving surfaces 6D1 and 6D2 (the receiving surface indicated by reference numeral 6D2) that can receive the toner in order to enable the collected toner to be conveyed by the collecting blade 6B and the collecting means 6C are shown in FIG. 6D is provided.

In the developing device 4, in the case of the present embodiment, a two-component type developer constituted by attaching a toner made of a dielectric material to a carrier made of small iron balls is used. For this reason, the developing device 4 is arranged in the developing sleeve 4A for supplying the developer to the photoconductor 1, the paddle wheel 4B and the paddle wheel 4B for charging the toner while stirring and mixing the developer therein. The cleaning device 6 is provided with a conveying screw (not shown) that conveys the recycled toner collected from the photoconductor 1 in the cleaning device 6 and the toner agitated together with the toner replenished from the toner replenishing device 9 described later. With the screw, it is transferred from the front side to the back side with respect to the paper surface shown in FIG. 1, and further from the back side is transferred to the front side by the stirring blade provided on the outer peripheral surface of the paddle wheel 4B and circulated. ing. Such a developing device 4 has a detachable unit structure arranged below the image forming unit P1 in which the photoconductor 1, the cleaning device 6 and the charging device 2 are collectively arranged (for convenience, in FIG. The developing unit is indicated by reference sign P2). The toner replenishing device 9 described above is a device for replenishing the developing device 4 with new toner, and details thereof will be described later with reference to FIG.

The construction of the image forming unit P1 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the image forming unit P1 includes a receiving surface 6 having an arc surface along the rotation loci of the collecting blade 6B and the collecting means 6C installed in the cleaning device 6.
A toner collecting member 6D including D1 and 6D2 is provided, and the toner collecting member 6D is installed in the image forming unit P1 with the receiving surfaces 6D1 and 6D2 facing upward.
The rotary blades 6B and the collecting means 6C are provided with receiving surfaces 6D1 and 6D2.
Is loaded from above and rotatably supported. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the photoreceptor 1 and the charging device 2 are operably provided in the image forming unit P1.

In the image forming unit P1, the side wall member P1A located on one side in the longitudinal direction of the rotary blade 6B and the collecting means 6C, that is, on one side in the axial direction is provided with a space portion P1B which is partially partitioned from the other portion. ing. The space portion P1B is
As shown in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional area of the toner collecting member 6D is tapered so that the cross-sectional area becomes smaller as it goes downward.
A toner inlet P1C communicating with the space above the arc surface on the first side is formed, and further, the developing device 4 is provided on the bottom surface of the space P1B.
A toner supply port P1D (see FIG. 2B) that can communicate with the inside of the printer is formed.

The side wall member P1A having the space portion P1B is formed with a receiving portion P1E having an inclined piece which is separated from the supporting surface having the toner inlet P1C as it goes upward from the bottom surface, and further in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surface. On one side of the surface,
A step portion P1F is formed. The receiving portion P1E is used as a portion for mounting the bottom surface of the developer cartridge indicated by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 2, and the step portion P1F is used as a portion for mounting a part of the toner replenishing device 9. Step P
A toner supply port P1G (see FIG. 3) for introducing new toner from the toner supply device 9 into the space P1B is formed in 1F. The image forming unit P1 covers the upper surface, that is, the upper part of the rotary blade 6B and the collecting means 6C, with the cover 6F.
The cover 6F is fastened and fixed to the upper surface of the toner collecting member 6D at a plurality of positions.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a structure relating to the toner supply port P1D formed on the bottom surface of the side wall member P1A and the toner supply port P1G formed on the step P1F in the image forming unit P1. . In FIG. 3, the space P1B constitutes a portion where the recycled toner carrying path S1 and the new toner carrying path S2 from the toner replenishing device 9 merge. When the recycled toner is transported by the collecting means 6C, the transport path S1 is a path through which the recycled toner flows from the toner introduction port P1C formed on the support surface into the space P1B and flows into the toner supply port P1D.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toner replenishing device 9 for replenishing new toner, that is, the toner newly used for visible image processing, has a toner bottle 9A containing new toner. I have it. Toner bottle 9A
It has a spiral convex portion on the outer peripheral surface, and when it is rotationally driven, the new toner contained therein can be moved toward the opening 9A1. The opening 9A1 of the toner bottle 9A is provided with a bottle holding member 9B which is rotatable in a state in which the toner bottle 9A1 is loaded. The bottle holding member 9B has a plurality of toner sweep fillers 9 around the opening 9A1 along the circumferential direction.
B1 is provided.

In the structure shown in FIG. 3, the toner bottle 9A is rotated so that the new toner contained therein flows out through the opening 9A1 and the toner scavenging filler 9B1 of the bottle holding member 9B causes the toner replenishing device 9 to operate. The toner is moved to the toner outlet 9C formed in part. The toner outlet 9C has a positional relationship facing the toner supply port P1G formed on the step P1F of the side wall member P1A of the image forming unit P1.
As a result, the new toner in the toner bottle 9A has a path through which the new toner is introduced from the toner bottle 9A into the space P1B of the image forming unit P1 as the transport path S2.

In the space P1B of the image forming unit P1, recycled toner is introduced in addition to new toner from the toner replenishing device 9. The recycled toner is shown in FIG.
The toner is introduced into the space P1B from the toner introduction port P1C formed on the support surface of the image forming unit P1, and together with the new toner, inside the developing device 4 via the toner supply port P1D formed on the bottom surface of the space P1B. Is supplied to.

The construction of the developer cartridge 10 which can be loaded in the space P1B of the image forming unit P1 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the developer cartridge 10
Has a cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of the space 1B, and contains therein a two-component developer in which toner and carrier are mixed. The surface of the developer cartridge 10 facing the toner supply port P1D formed on the bottom surface of the space P1B, that is, the lower surface in FIG.
A toner replenishment port 10A is formed which is placed on the receiving portion P1E of the space portion P1B and can communicate with the space portion P1B when opened.

The toner replenishing port 10A is covered by the attached seal member 11 until the time when the toner replenishing port 10A is placed on the receiving portion P1E of the space portion P1B. As a result, the toner replenishing port 10A is not opened carelessly during management, and the toner inside is kept sealed. When the seal member 11 is peeled off, the toner supply port 10A is opened to allow the developer to flow out from the inside.

5 and 6 show a state in which the developer cartridge 10 shown in FIG. 4 is loaded in the image forming unit P1, FIG. 5 is an external view, and FIG. It is a sectional view of the direction shown in 6). When the developer cartridge 10 is loaded in the image forming unit P1, the space P1 is formed.
The state of covering the inside of B is prevented, and the scattering of the developer to the outside is prevented. Also, when loaded, as shown in FIG.
The bottom surface is placed on the receiving portion P1E of the space portion P1B, and the state of being mounted on the receiving portion P1E due to its own gravity can be maintained. The developer in the developer cartridge 10 is peeled off from the seal member 11 and the toner supply port 10
When A is released, it falls out of the cartridge and flows out,
By being guided by the inclined surface of the receiving portion P1E and sliding down, it can move toward the bottom surface of the space portion P1B, and is introduced to the developing device 4 side via the toner supply port P1D provided on the bottom surface. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 10B indicates a side wall member P1A in the image forming unit P1.
The stepped portion that is continuous with the stepped portion P1F formed in FIG.

FIG. 7 to FIG. 10 show the configuration of the main parts according to the embodiment of the present invention. The configuration will be described below. An opening 10D is formed on the upper surface 10C of the developer cartridge 10 to allow the inside and outside of the cartridge to communicate with each other by being opened, and the opening 10D is closed by the removable lid member 12. It has become.

In this embodiment, the developer cartridge 10
When the inside is filled with the developer, the opening 10D is used. Developer cartridge 10 with developer filled inside
Is usually stored or image-forming unit P1 in a state in which the opening 10D is closed by the lid member 12 and the inside and the outside are kept in a non-communication state to prevent leakage of the developer.
Be loaded into.

On the other hand, in the developer cartridge 10 loaded into the image forming apparatus from the storage state, the lid member 12 is removed and the opening 10D is opened when the solidification phenomenon of the developer occurs due to the storage environment. It As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the rod 13 such as a driver can be inserted into the cartridge 10 through the opening 10D and the developer can be pushed down, so that the solidified developer is loosened and a solidified state is obtained. Will be resolved. The developer from which the solidified state has been resolved passes through the toner replenishing port 10A, and the space P1 in the image forming unit P1.
It can flow down along the receiving portion P1E of B and move toward the developing device 4 from the toner supply port P1D located on the bottom surface of the space portion P1B.

In this embodiment, the opening 10D is opened only when the developer cartridge 10 is loaded into the space P1B and no developer is discharged from the developer cartridge 10. In order to determine such a case, it is determined that a new developer cartridge 10 is being loaded, and an operation mode in which the developer from the loaded developer cartridge 10 is uniformly diffused in the developing device 4 is set. It is desirable to set it. That is, when a new developer cartridge 10 is loaded, an operation mode such as a developer filling mode is set, and when this mode is selected, the developing device 4 is operated and the inside of the developing device 4 is operated. To detect the developer concentration. If the developer concentration does not reach the predetermined concentration, a serviceman will perform the developer cartridge 1
The opening 10D of 0 is opened, and the solidification phenomenon of the developer accommodated by the rod 13 such as a driver can be eliminated.

Next, another example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 9 is an external view of the developer cartridge 10. The developer cartridge 10 shown in FIG.
The ventilation part 10E is provided in C. The ventilation part 10E is
It is provided with a mode in which only the air is allowed to pass by blocking the passage of the developer contained therein. As this form, a mesh member that covers the opening, a filter member, or a lath hole (a fine hole using a punching hole or a molding hole) formed on the upper surface is used.

In this embodiment, the developer cartridge 10
When is loaded in the space portion P1B, the inside and the outside are always in communication with each other via the ventilation portion 10E. As a result, when the air contained in the developer comes out by the falling movement of the developer, it is exhausted to the outside through the ventilation portion 10E. As a result, the state in which the developer is prevented from moving due to the air existing in the vicinity of the toner supply port 10A provided on the bottom surface of the developer cartridge 10 is alleviated, and the developer flows smoothly. The vent portion 10E may be left open, but the developer may float or scatter toward the outside due to an increase in temperature during transportation or a change in internal pressure due to a change in external pressure such as during air transportation. It is also possible to attach a seal member (not shown) to remove it and remove it at the time of use.

[0041]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the upper surface of the developer cartridge arranged at a location where the conveying paths for the new toner and the recycled toner meet, has an opening through which the inside and the outside of the cartridge can communicate with each other. Section is provided,
By removing the lid member provided to cover the opening, the developer contained in the cartridge can be operated from the outside. As a result, the solidified developer can be pushed out by a stick or the like, so that the solidification phenomenon can be eliminated and fluidity can be secured without requiring a structure for preventing the solidification phenomenon of the developer. Become.
As a result, it is possible to eliminate the solidification phenomenon of the developer without complicating the structure and increasing the cost. Moreover, since the opening used for eliminating the solidification phenomenon of the developer can be configured as a developer filling portion,
In addition to eliminating the solidification phenomenon of the new toner, it is possible to have other functions, and it is possible to achieve multiple functions with a low-cost structure.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the ventilation portion for constantly communicating the inside and outside of the cartridge is formed on the upper surface of the cartridge arranged at the location where the conveying paths for the new toner and the recycled toner meet, and the ventilation portion is formed. Since the new toner is prevented from passing through and only the air is allowed to pass therethrough, the air filled in the cartridge can be discharged to prevent the discharge of the developer from being hindered by the air resistance. As a result, it is possible to smooth the discharge of the developer from the inside of the cartridge and prevent the developer concentration from decreasing due to insufficient discharge.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the developer cartridge is arranged at the position where the conveying paths for the new toner and the recycled toner meet, it becomes easy to mix the new or recycled toner into the developer. The density of the developer before contacting the latent image carrier can be easily updated.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the solidification phenomenon of the developer and the discharge inhibition can be eliminated in the cartridge as the developer supplying member, so that the smooth supply of the developer can be maintained and the image density can be improved. It is possible to prevent the decrease of the.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of an image forming apparatus in which a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an image forming unit equipped with the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is an enlarged view of a main part configuration, and (B) is a part indicated by reference numeral (B) in (A).

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional perspective view for explaining a toner supply structure included in a side wall member used in the image forming unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a developer cartridge used in the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an external view showing a state in which the developer cartridge shown in FIG. 4 is loaded in an image forming unit.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the direction indicated by reference numeral (6) in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of a developer cartridge used in the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view in the direction indicated by reference numeral (8) in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of the main configuration of the developer cartridge used in the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the direction indicated by reference numeral (10) in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Photoconductor that is a latent image carrier 4 Developing device 6 cleaning device 9 Toner supply device 10 developer cartridge Top of 10C developer cartridge 10D opening 10E ventilation part 12 Lid member 13 sticks P1 image forming unit P1A Side wall member P1B space section Inlet for P1C recycled toner P1D toner supply port S1 Recycled toner transport path S2 New toner transport path

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A new toner and an untransferred recycled toner collected from the latent image carrier are mixed for visible image processing of an electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier. In a developing device having a configuration using a different developer, these various toners are mixed at a position where the developer is supplied to the latent image carrier through the recycled toner transport path and the new toner transport path. A developer cartridge containing a developer prepared separately from the above-mentioned developer is arranged, and the cartridge is provided with an opening on the upper surface that allows the inside and the outside to communicate with each other when opened. The developing device is characterized in that the opening is normally closed by a lid member. 2. A new toner and an untransferred recycled toner collected from the latent image carrier are mixed for visible image processing of the electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier. In a developing device having a configuration using a different developer, these various toners are mixed at a position where the developer is supplied to the latent image carrier through the recycled toner transport path and the new toner transport path. A developer cartridge containing a developer prepared separately from the developed developer is arranged, and the cartridge is provided with an aeration part on the upper surface for always communicating the inside and the outside, and the aeration part is an inside part. A developing device, which is configured to prevent passage of a developer contained in the air passage and to allow only air to pass therethrough. 3. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer cartridge is arranged at a position where the transport path for the new toner and the transport path for the recycled toner meet. Development device. 4. An image forming apparatus using the developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.