Developing device

Claim 1

Apparatus for forming a visible image on the surface of an image bearer rotating in one direction at a given speed, said visible image corresponding to an electrostatic latent image on said surface, comprising: non-magnetic toner; a non-magnetized developing roll disposed at a position where any layer of said non-magnetic toner disposed on the outer circumferential surface of said developing roll does not contact the surface of said image bearer, said developing roll rotating in a direction opposite to said one direction, a developing area being defined between said outer circumferential surface of said developing roll and said surface of said image bearer; toner hopper means for containing said non-magnetic toner and for causing said non-magnetic toner in said hopper to touch that part of said outer circumferential surface of said developing roll which is disposed between a first position and a second position located in the rotation direction of said developing roll from said first position between said first position and said developing area; and regulating means, provided adjacent to said developing roll at said second position, for pressing that non-magnetic toner on said developing roll which passes through a gap between said regulating member and said developing roll, and charging said passed non-magnetic toner by slide-contacting said passed non-magnetic toner with said developing roll, so that said charged non-magnetic toner may be attracted to said developing roll by its charges and transferred to said developing area by rotation of said developing roll, and said non-magnetic toner which has passed through the gap forming a thin layer on that part of said developing roll which is located between said second position and said developing area.