Image forming unit and image forming apparatus
View Patent ↗An aspect of the invention provides an image forming unit that comprises: a developer container configured to contain a developer; and a developer supplier including at least a developer carrier configured to supply the developer, contained in the developer container, to a latent image formed on an image carrier, wherein: the glass transition temperature of a first developer initially contained in the developer supplier is higher than the glass transition temperature of a second developer contained in the developer container; and the glass transition temperature of the first developer is equal to or lower than 75° C.
1. An image forming unit comprising:
a developer container configured to contain a developer; and
a developer supplier including at least a developer carrier configured to supply the developer, contained in the developer container, to a latent image formed on an image carrier, wherein
a glass transition temperature of a first developer initially contained in the developer supplier is higher than a glass transition temperature of a second developer contained in the developer container, and
the glass transition temperature of the first developer is not higher than 75° C. and not lower than 64° C.
2. The unit of claim 1 , wherein
the glass transition temperature of the second developer is between 56° C. and 62° C. inclusive.
3. The unit of claim 1 , wherein
a color of the first developer is the same as a color of the second developer.
4. The unit of claim 1 , wherein
the second developer contains a larger amount of an external additive than the first developer.
5. The unit of claim 4 , wherein
the second developer contains the external additive in a range of 2.9% by weight to 3.6% by weight, inclusive, of a total weight of the second developer.
6. The unit of claim 4 , wherein
the first developer contains the external additive in a range of 2.2% by weight to 3.0% by weight, inclusive, of a total weight of the first developer.
7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form a developer image by supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of an image carrier;
a transferrer configured to transfer the developer image, formed by the image forming unit, onto a recording medium; and
a fixing unit configured to fix the developer image transferred onto the recording medium, wherein
the image forming unit comprises:
a developer container configured to contain the developer; and
a developer supplier including at least a developer carrier configured to supply the developer, contained in the developer container, to the latent image formed on the image carrier,
a glass transition temperature of a first developer initially contained in the developer supplier is higher than a glass transition temperature of a second developer contained in the developer container, and
the glass transition temperature of the first developer is not higher than 75° C. and not lower than 64° C.
8. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
the glass transition temperature of the second developer is between 56° C. and 62° C. inclusive.
9. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
a color of the first developer is the same as a color of the second developer.
10. The image forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
the second developer contains a larger amount of external additive than the first developer.
11. The image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein
the second developer contains the external additive of an amount in a range of 2.9% by weight to 3.6% by weight, inclusive, of a total weight of the second developer.
12. The image forming apparatus of claim 10 , wherein
the first developer contains the external additive of an amount in a range of 2.2% by weight to 3.0% by weight, inclusive, of a total weight of the first developer.