Patent ID: 7187892

Claim:
A toner transport device provided with electrostatic toner transport means having a plurality of electrodes arranged at a prescribed pitch, for moving and transporting toner on a surface by an electrostatic force, comprising: a mixture container for storing a mixture of toner and a friction-promoting substance; a stirrer for stirring the mixture in the mixture container; a mesh provided to the mixture container or to a connecting portion that is communicated therewith; toner feeding means for sifting the toner in the mixture in the mixture container or the connecting portion through the mesh and feeding the toner to the electrostatic toner transport means; a counter electrode that faces the mesh via the mixture in the mixture container or the connecting portion; and potential difference generating means for creating an electrical potential difference between the counter electrode and the mesh, wherein the electric potentials of the counter electrode and the mesh include a DC component.