Patent ID: 8420285

Claim:
A coated carrier regenerating method in which a coated carrier whose surface is coated with a coating resin layer is regenerated from a used coated carrier by supplementarily coating the surface of the used coated carrier with a coating resin, said coated carrier regenerating method comprising the steps of: (a) determining an amount of a worn-away coating resin of the used coated carrier by (i) thinly slicing a used coated carrier particle and observing the sliced used coated carrier particle or (ii) determining an accumulated time of stirring of a two component developer in which the used coated carrier is used and comparing the accumulated time to a predetermined relationship between accumulated time of stirring and amount of worn-away coating resin, (b) coating the used coated carrier with a coating resin to be added in an amount found according to the determined amount of the worn-away coating resin, the coating being carried out without removing a coating resin from the used coated carrier.