JP2008216384A - Toner stirring mechanism and developing device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner stirring mechanism capable of stirring toner while sufficiently dispersing the toner in the longitudinal direction thereof without retaining the toner in a specified portion. <P>SOLUTION: The first toner stirring mechanism 20 includes: a shaft part 21 as a center of rotation; and a sheet-like stirring blade 22 fixed to the shaft part 21 while extending outward from the shaft part 21 in a radial direction. The stirring blade 22 includes a plurality of conveying pieces 23, each inclined from the fixed end side toward the free end side with respect to an axial direction and having a tapered curved part 23a at the outside of the tip part in the radial direction. By having such the constitution, when the stirring blade 22 is rotated, the curved part 23a formed at the tip of the conveying piece 23 promotes to incline the toner conveying surface of the conveying piece 23 with respect to the axial direction. Consequently, the toner is largely moved in the axial direction with the action of the conveying piece 23 to send the toner flying. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner stirring mechanism applicable to a developing device, a toner container, a process cartridge, a waste toner collecting container, and the like. The present invention also relates to a developing device equipped with the toner stirring mechanism and applicable to an image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine or a printer.

  In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a photosensitive drum is widely used as an image carrier. A general image forming operation using the photosensitive drum is as follows. The surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged with a predetermined potential by a charging device, and by irradiating the LED light or the like of the exposure device there, the potential is partially attenuated to form an electrostatic latent image of an original image. Is done. The electrostatic latent image is developed with a developing device to form a toner image. After the transfer of the toner image onto the paper, the remaining toner is cleaned on the surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning device, and the charge removal is performed by irradiating the neutralization light by the neutralization device in preparation for the next image forming operation. Is called.

  In the developing device which is the main part of the image forming operation as described above, a predetermined amount of toner is always stored in the developing container, and additional toner is replenished when the remaining amount is used for development and the remaining amount is low. . At this time, generally, toner is introduced into the developing container from the toner supply container disposed above the developing device by the action of gravity or a conveying member.

  Here, since the developing container accommodates the developing roller, the developing container usually has an elongated shape corresponding to the shape of the developing roller. In order to perform the formation of a high quality image, the toner accommodated in the developing container needs to be uniformly dispersed along the longitudinal direction of the developing roller in the developing container. For this reason, in the developing device, a toner agitating mechanism that includes an agitating (conveying) member that rotates about the axis and that uniformly disperses the toner in the longitudinal direction in the developing container is widely adopted.

An example of such a toner agitation mechanism can be found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707. The toner stirring mechanism described in Patent Document 1 is an example of a toner cartridge. The toner stirring mechanism includes a stirring blade provided with a conveying piece inclined from a fixed end side to a free end side with respect to a shaft portion. By rotating the stirring blade, the toner is conveyed toward the developing roller while being stirred.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-6610 (page 4, FIG. 5)

  The toner agitating mechanism of the toner cartridge described in Patent Document 1 is configured so that the conveying piece inclined with respect to the axial direction repels the toner, and the axial direction, that is, the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge, along with the rotation of the agitating blade. The toner is conveyed. However, such a toner agitating mechanism has a small effect of agitating without unevenness because the action of moving the toner in the longitudinal direction of the toner cartridge by the operation of the conveying piece is small. Therefore, it is difficult to disperse the toner sufficiently uniformly over the entire length in the toner cartridge.

  As a result, when the toner stirring mechanism described in Patent Document 1 is applied to a developing device, a large amount of toner concentrates in the vicinity of a toner supply location such as a toner supply port of a developing container, and the toner agitating mechanism is long in a location facing the toner supply location. There is a risk that toner that is not used will remain. As a result, when the staying toner deteriorates and is supplied to the developing roller, an image defect may occur. Further, when a large amount of toner concentrates on the toner remaining amount detecting means, the remaining amount detecting means may identify that the amount of toner is larger than the amount of toner actually stored in the developing container. As a result, the amount of toner stored in the developing container is actually smaller than a predetermined amount that can be suitably developed, and therefore, the supply of toner becomes insufficient and image defects may occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and in a toner agitating mechanism applicable to a developing device, a toner container, a process cartridge, a waste toner collecting container, etc., the toner does not stay in a specific place. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner stirring mechanism capable of sufficiently dispersing and stirring toner in the longitudinal direction. It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing device that can form a high-quality image by including such a toner stirring mechanism.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a shaft portion serving as a rotation center and a sheet-like stirring blade fixed to the shaft portion so as to extend radially outward from the shaft portion. Is provided with a plurality of conveying pieces that are inclined with respect to the axial direction from the fixed end side toward the free end side, and are formed with tapered portions on the radially outer side of the tip portion.

  Further, in the toner stirring mechanism having the above-described configuration, the conveying piece has an arc having a center on the outer side with respect to a width direction in which the curved portion of the tip portion is perpendicular to a direction in which the conveying piece extends toward the free end. It was supposed to consist of.

  In the toner stirring mechanism having the above-described configuration, the conveying piece is inclined toward the outer side in the axial direction with respect to the toner supply location.

  In the present invention, the developing device is provided with the toner stirring mechanism.

  Further, in the developing device having the above-described configuration, the developing unit provided with the developing roller for supplying the toner to the image carrier, the hopper unit for feeding the supplied toner to the developing unit, and the hopper unit provided and replenished. A toner receiving member that receives toner, and the toner stirring mechanism is provided above the toner receiving member.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, the toner stirring mechanism includes the shaft portion serving as the rotation center and the sheet-like stirring blade fixed to the shaft portion so as to extend radially outward from the shaft portion. The blade is inclined with respect to the axial direction from the fixed end side toward the free end side, and includes a plurality of conveying pieces in which a curved portion that is tapered is formed on the radially outer side of the tip portion. When the blades rotate, the curved portion at the front end of the conveying piece helps to incline the surface of the conveying piece related to toner conveyance with respect to the axial direction. As a result, the toner can be greatly moved in the axial direction by the operation of the conveying piece to splash the toner. Accordingly, the toner can be dispersed sufficiently uniformly over the entire area in the axial direction of the stirring blade, that is, in the longitudinal direction. As a result, it is possible to provide a toner stirring mechanism capable of sufficiently dispersing and stirring the toner in the longitudinal direction without the toner staying in a specific location.

  Further, the conveying piece is configured such that the curved portion at the tip portion is formed by an arc having a center on the outer side with respect to a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the conveying piece extends toward the free end side. Therefore, the operation in which the conveying piece splashes off the toner can be made smooth. As a result, it is possible to carry toner quantitatively and stably. Therefore, it is possible to further enhance the effect of dispersing and stirring the toner over the entire axial direction of the stirring blade, that is, in the longitudinal direction.

  Further, since the conveying piece is inclined toward the outer side in the axial direction with respect to the toner supply location, the toner is moved outward in the axial direction with respect to the toner supply location by rotating the stirring blade. Can be transported. Thus, the toner can be sufficiently dispersed in the longitudinal direction of the stirring blade without the toner staying at the toner supply location. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the effect of dispersing and stirring the toner.

  In the present invention, since the toner agitation mechanism is mounted on the developing device, the toner does not stay in the toner supply portion or the portion where the remaining amount detecting means is disposed, and in the longitudinal direction. A developing device that can sufficiently disperse and stir toner, stays, prevents occurrence of image defects due to deteriorated toner and toner shortage, and can perform formation of a high-quality image is obtained. be able to.

  In the developing device, a developing unit provided with a developing roller for supplying toner to the image carrier, a hopper unit for feeding the replenished toner to the developing unit, and a replenished toner provided in the hopper unit. And a toner agitating mechanism provided above the toner receiving member. Therefore, after the toner is sufficiently dispersed in the longitudinal direction of the developing device on the toner receiving member, the development is performed. Can be sent to the department. As a result, the toner can be adhered to the developing roller in a state where the toner amount is uniform over the entire longitudinal direction, so that it is possible to perform the formation of a higher quality image.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the structure of the developing device including the toner stirring mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a left side view of a vertical section of the developing device, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developing device. With regard to this developing device, development for four-color printing designed to arrange a total of four units at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to a cylindrical rotary rack having a substantially horizontal axis. One of the devices is listed as an embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the developing device 1 includes a developing container 2. The developing container 2 has an elongated shape in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 100 as an image carrier, that is, in the depth direction of the paper surface of FIG. 1, and the longitudinal direction is arranged substantially horizontally. When toner is supplied to the developing container 2, toner is supplied from a main body of the image forming apparatus by a supply pipe (not shown) to a toner supply port (not shown), which is a toner supply location provided in a predetermined local area in the longitudinal direction. The The toner is supplied to the developing container 2 from above, that is, from the direction of the white arrow shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inside of the developing container 2 is divided into a developing unit 3 and a hopper unit 4. The developing unit 3 is provided at a location closer to the photosensitive drum 100 than the hopper unit 4. On the other hand, the hopper section 4 is provided at a position separating the developing section 3 with respect to the photosensitive drum 100, and is a place for directly receiving toner supply from the image forming apparatus main body.

  The developing unit 3 includes an opening 5 at a location adjacent to the photosensitive drum 100. A developing roller 6 that is a developer carrier is disposed in the opening 5. The developing roller 6 is provided with its axis substantially horizontal along the longitudinal direction of the developing device 1. One side of the developing roller 6 is located inside the developing unit 3, and the other side is exposed to the outside of the developing unit 3 and faces the photosensitive drum 100 that is an image carrier. The developing roller 6 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 by driving means (not shown).

  A supply roller 7 is provided at a position separating the developing roller 6 from the photosensitive drum 100. Similarly to the developing roller 6, the supply roller 7 is provided with the axis line substantially horizontal along the longitudinal direction of the developing device 1. The supply roller 7 is in pressure contact with the developing roller 6 and is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 by a driving means (not shown). The supply roller 7 supplies the toner sent from the hopper 4 to the developing unit 3 to the developing roller 6 and adheres the toner to the surface thereof.

  A regulating plate 8 is provided on the developing roller 6 on the downstream side in the rotational direction from the position inside the developing unit 3, that is, above the developing roller 6 in FIG. 1. The restriction plate 8 is made of a thin film-like member made of synthetic resin or metal, and is provided so that one flat surface thereof is in contact with the surface of the developing roller 6. Thereby, the regulation plate 8 can form a thin toner layer on the surface of the developing roller 6 and quantitatively supply the toner to the photosensitive drum 100.

  Seal members 9 are provided on the inner side of the developing unit 3 at both axial ends of the developing roller 6. One seal member 9 is provided at each of both ends of the developing roller 6 in the axial direction. The seal member 9 is made of felt, urethane, sponge, non-woven fabric, or the like, and is provided along the peripheral surface of the developing roller 6 so as to contact the surface of the developing roller 6 over a length of about half a circumference. The seal member 9 serves to prevent the leakage of toner from the gap between the both ends in the axial direction of the developing roller 6 and the developing container 2 to the outside.

  The hopper portion 4 is further divided into two upper and lower chambers. Between these two chambers, a toner receiving member 10 is provided as a partition. The toner receiving member 10 is formed of a bowl-shaped member that extends substantially horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the developing container 2, and has an opening 10 a at the top. A plurality of openings 10 a are provided in the longitudinal direction of the developing container 2, and the toner can be fed from the upper part to the lower part of the hopper part 4. With such a configuration, the toner receiving member 10 first receives and stores the toner replenished from the image forming apparatus main body, and the toner is conveyed from here to the lower part of the hopper unit 4 and the developing unit 3.

  A first toner stirring mechanism 20 that is a toner stirring mechanism according to the present invention is disposed above and below the toner receiving member 10 of the hopper portion 4, and a second toner stirring mechanism 30 is disposed below the toner receiving member 10. Is provided. The detailed configuration of these toner stirring mechanisms will be described later.

  The developing unit 3 and the hopper unit 4 are separated by a partition wall 11 in the developing container 2. The partition wall 11 is composed of a thin plate member made of metal or synthetic resin, extends along the longitudinal direction of the developing container 2, and includes an opening 11 a at a location above the supply roller 7. A plurality of openings 11 a are provided in the longitudinal direction of the developing container 2, and toner can be transferred between the developing unit 3 and the hopper unit 4. Such a partition wall 11 can limit the amount of toner that moves between the hopper section 4 and the developing section 3.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the first toner stirring mechanism 20 disposed above the toner receiving member 10 of the hopper 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 in addition to FIG. 3 is a left side view of the first toner agitating mechanism in vertical section, FIG. 4 is a front view of the agitating blade provided in the first toner agitating mechanism, and FIG. 5 is the vicinity of the toner receiving member provided with the first toner agitating mechanism. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged top view of the horizontal cross section of FIG. 1 and shows the rotation state of the first toner stirring mechanism. In FIG. 5, with respect to the first toner stirring mechanism, drawing of the shaft portion is omitted, and only the stirring blade is drawn.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first toner stirring mechanism 20 includes a shaft portion 21 and a stirring blade 22.

  The shaft portion 21 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the developing container 2, that is, the depth direction of the paper surface of FIGS. 1 and 3, and the cross-sectional shape thereof is substantially square. The first toner stirring mechanism 20 rotates about a central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the shaft portion 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a total of two stirring blades 22 are attached to each of two locations, one plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular parallelepiped constituting the shaft portion 21 and the plane serving as the back surface thereof. The stirring blade 22 is configured by forming a sheet of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film having a thickness of 100 μm, and is fixed to the shaft portion 21 so as to extend radially outward from the shaft portion 21. The agitation blade 22 is attached to the shaft portion 21 with a double-sided tape or an adhesive.

  The two stirring blades 22 extend in opposite directions with respect to the radial direction of the shaft portion 21. As shown in FIG. 1, since the distance between the first toner stirring mechanism 20 and the inner wall of the toner receiving member 10 is partially relatively narrow, when the first toner stirring mechanism 20 rotates, the stirring blade 22 Is in contact with the inner wall of the toner receiving member 10 at that location, and rotates and moves while rubbing the inner wall.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the stirring blade 22 includes a transport piece 23 provided in a plurality in the longitudinal direction. Each conveying piece 23 has a substantially rectangular shape inclined with respect to the axial direction from the fixed end side to the free end side of the stirring blade 22, that is, from the upper side to the lower side in FIG. 4. The conveyance piece 23 has a width of 3 mm, a length of 5 mm, an inclination angle of 60 °, and an interval between adjacent conveyance pieces 23 of 1.5 mm.

  Further, the conveying piece 23 is configured with a tapered curved portion 23a on the outer side in the radial direction of the tip portion. The curved portion 23a of the tip portion is away from the outside in the width direction perpendicular to the direction in which the transport piece 23 extends toward the free end side, that is, away from the portion corresponding to the shaft portion 21 in the width direction of the transport piece 23. It is comprised by the circular arc which has a center in the side. The radius of the arc that forms the curved portion 23a is 10 mm.

  Each conveyance piece 23 is inclined toward the outside in the axial direction with respect to the toner supply port, which is a toner supply location indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

  When the first toner stirring mechanism 20 having such a configuration is rotated, the stirring blade 22 in contact with the inner wall of the toner receiving member 10 is in the state shown in FIGS. In a portion from the lower side to the left side of the first toner stirring mechanism 20, the conveying piece 23 of the stirring blade 22 contacts the inner wall of the toner receiving member 10, and the first toner stirring mechanism 20 rotates while curving.

  The conveying piece 23 is inclined with respect to the axial direction, that is, the left-right direction in FIG. 5, and further has a tapered portion 23a that is tapered at the tip portion. Therefore, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A surface related to toner conveyance does not become parallel along the axial direction, and is inclined with respect to the axial direction. When the conveying piece 23 is released from contact with the inner wall of the toner receiving member 10 according to the rotation of the first toner stirring mechanism 20, the toner is vigorously splashed in the direction of the white arrow shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, the second toner stirring mechanism 30 disposed below the toner receiving member 10 also includes a shaft portion 31 and a stirring blade 32 as shown in FIG. The agitating blade 32 may include a conveying piece similar to the agitating blade 22 of the first toner agitating mechanism 20 or a conveying piece having no curved portion at the tip portion. A flat plate shape having a plurality of openings may be used.

  As described above, with respect to the first toner stirring mechanism 20, the shaft portion 21 serving as the rotation center, and the sheet-like stirring blade 22 fixed to the shaft portion 21 so as to extend radially outward from the shaft portion 21. The agitating blade 22 is inclined with respect to the axial direction from the fixed end side toward the free end side, and a plurality of conveying pieces in which a tapered curved portion 23a is formed on the radially outer side of the tip end portion. 23, when the stirring blade 22 rotates, the curved portion 23a at the tip of the conveying piece 23 helps to incline the surface of the conveying piece 23 related to toner conveyance with respect to the axial direction. Thus, the toner can be greatly moved in the axial direction by the operation of the conveying piece 23 splashing the toner. Therefore, the toner can be dispersed sufficiently uniformly over the entire area in the axial direction of the stirring blade 22, that is, in the longitudinal direction. As a result, it is possible to provide the first toner stirring mechanism 20 that can sufficiently disperse and stir the toner in the longitudinal direction without the toner staying in a specific location.

  Further, since the curved portion 23a of the leading end portion of the conveying piece 23 is configured by an arc having a center on the outer side in the width direction perpendicular to the direction in which the conveying piece 23 extends toward the free end side. The operation in which the conveying piece 23 splashes off the toner can be made smooth. As a result, it is possible to carry toner quantitatively and stably. Therefore, it is possible to further enhance the effect of dispersing and stirring the toner in the axial direction of the stirring blade 22, that is, in the entire longitudinal direction.

  Since the conveying piece 23 is inclined toward the outer side in the axial direction with respect to the location of the toner replenishing port which is the toner supply location, the agitating blade 22 is rotated to rotate the stirring blade 22 in the axial direction. The toner can be conveyed toward the outside. Thereby, the toner can be sufficiently dispersed in the longitudinal direction of the stirring blade 22 without the toner staying in the toner supply portion. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the effect of dispersing and stirring the toner.

  In the present invention, since the first toner agitating mechanism 20 is mounted on the developing device 1, the toner stays at a location where the toner supply port and the remaining amount detection means (not shown) are arranged. Without being able to sufficiently disperse and stir the toner in the longitudinal direction, stay and stay, and prevent the occurrence of image defects due to deteriorated toner or lack of toner, and achieve high quality image formation The developing device 1 capable of performing the above can be obtained.

  Further, in the developing device 1, a developing unit 3 provided with a developing roller 6 for supplying toner to the photosensitive drum 100 as an image carrier, a hopper unit 4 for feeding the supplied toner to the developing unit 3, and the hopper And a toner receiving member 10 for receiving the replenished toner, and the first toner stirring mechanism 20 is provided above the toner receiving member 10, so that the toner is received on the toner receiving member 10. After being sufficiently dispersed in the longitudinal direction of the developing device 1, it can be sent to the developing unit 3. As a result, the toner can be adhered to the developing roller 6 in a state where the toner amount is uniform over the entire longitudinal direction, so that it is possible to perform the formation of a higher quality image.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the toner stirring mechanism according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of a stirring blade provided in the toner stirring mechanism. The basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, and therefore, the configuration common to the first embodiment is described in the drawings, and The description will be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the developing device including the first toner stirring mechanism 20 according to the second embodiment has a toner supply port that is a toner supply location indicated by a two-dot chain line at one end in the longitudinal direction. I have. In this regard, all the conveying pieces 23 of the stirring blade 22 are inclined toward the other end which is outside in the axial direction with respect to the toner supply port, that is, toward the left side in FIG.

  In this way, even when the toner supply location is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction with respect to the developing device, the stirring blade 22 is rotated so that the toner supply location is axially outside the toner supply location. The toner can be conveyed toward the other end. Thereby, the toner can be sufficiently dispersed in the longitudinal direction of the stirring blade 22 without the toner staying in the toner supply portion. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the effect of dispersing and stirring the toner.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the toner stirring mechanism according to the present invention has been described as being provided in the developing device 1 as the first toner stirring mechanism 20, but the object including the toner stirring mechanism is not limited to the developing device. In addition, a toner container, a process cartridge, a waste toner collecting container, or the like may be used.

  Further, the developing device 1 is a four-color color printing developing device designed to arrange a total of four units at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to a cylindrical rotary rack having an axis substantially horizontal. However, a developing device having another configuration may be used.

  Further, the stirring blade 22 is attached to the shaft portion 21 in such a manner that the shaft portion 21 is provided with a locking piece, and the stirring blade 22 is provided with an engagement hole for the locking piece, so that the stirring blade 22 is detachable. It doesn't matter. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the conveying piece 23 with respect to the axial direction is not limited to the angle used in the description of the above embodiment, and may be another angle.

  Moreover, the curved part 23a comprised in the front-end | tip part of the conveyance piece 23 of each stirring blade 22 does not need to be a circular arc, and may be a curve of another shape.

  The present invention can be used in general toner stirring mechanisms applicable to a developing device, a toner container, a process cartridge, a waste toner collecting container, and the like.

1 is a left side view of a vertical section of a developing device including a toner stirring mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developing device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a left side view of a vertical section of a first toner stirring mechanism of the developing device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of a stirring blade provided in the first toner stirring mechanism shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged top view of the horizontal section around the toner receiving member provided with the first toner stirring mechanism shown in FIG. 3 and shows the rotation state of the first toner stirring mechanism. It is a front view of the stirring blade with which the toner stirring mechanism which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is provided.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developing device 2 Developing container 3 Developing unit 4 Hopper unit 6 Developing roller 7 Supply roller 10 Toner receiving member 20 First toner stirring mechanism (toner stirring mechanism)
21 Shaft part 22 Stirrer blade 23 Transport piece 23a Curved part

Claims (5)

  A shaft portion serving as a rotation center and a sheet-like stirring blade fixed to the shaft portion so as to extend radially outward from the shaft portion, and the stirring blade is directed from the fixed end side toward the free end side. A toner agitation mechanism comprising a plurality of conveying pieces that are inclined with respect to the axial direction and have a curved portion that tapers on the outer side in the radial direction of the tip portion.   The conveying piece is characterized in that the curved portion of the tip portion is formed by an arc having a center on the outer side with respect to a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the conveying piece extends toward the free end side. The toner stirring mechanism according to claim 1.   3. The toner stirring mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the conveying piece is inclined toward the outer side in the axial direction with respect to a toner supply portion.   A developing device comprising the toner stirring mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   A developing portion provided with a developing roller for supplying toner to the image carrier, a hopper portion for feeding the supplied toner to the developing portion, and a toner receiving member provided in the hopper portion for receiving the supplied toner. The developing device according to claim 4, wherein the toner stirring mechanism is provided above the toner receiving member.

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