Patent ID: 6337956
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A developing device, comprising:a developing housing; a developing agent container connected to and positioned beside the developing housing and formed with an opening in communication with the developing housing, the developing agent container having a container wall and an inner surface defining a developing agent accumulation space, the developing agent container having a width extending in a widthwise direction of an image recording sheet; a light transmission window provided at the container wall to permit a detection light to pass through the light transmission window so as to detect an amount of the developing agent in the developing agent container; a cleaning member disposed in the developing agent container and ratable at a constant angular velocity about a rotation axis in a direction to move upward when passing beside the opening, the cleaning member being movable to a cleaning position in sliding contact with the light transmission window for cleaning the light transmission window, the developing agent accumulation space being divided into an imaginary first region and an imaginary second region by an imaginary vertical plane passing through the rotation axis and extending in an axial direction of the rotation axis, the imaginary first region being in communication with the opening, and the imaginary second region being positioned opposite the opening with respect to the imaginary vertical plane; and a developing agent agitating and transferring member disposed in the developing agent container for agitating the developing agent in the developing agent container and transferring the developing agent to the developing housing, the developing agent agitating and transferring member comprising a blade movable with respect to the inner surface of the developing agent container, the blade being ratable about the rotation axis of the cleaning member at a constant angular velocity equal to the angular velocity of the cleaning member, the blade being spaced away from the cleaning member in such a manner that the blade is positioned in the imaginary second region when the cleaning member is in the cleaning position, and wherein the container wall of the developing agent container includes confronting side walls at widthwise ends in the widthwise direction, the light transmission window being disposed at each side wall to allow the detection light to pass through the respective light transmission windows.