【特許請求の範囲】
【請求項１】 現像剤担持体に供給された現像剤を前記現像剤担持体上に担持して、像担持体と対向した現像部へ搬送し、前記現像剤担持体に現像バイアスを印加した下で、前記像担持体の表面に形成された静電潜像を現像し、前記現像剤担持体に当接して回転する現像剤供給部材により、前記現像剤担持体に対し現像で消費されなかった現像剤の剥ぎ取りおよび新たな現像剤の供給を行う現像装置において、
前記現像剤供給部材が、芯金上に少なくとも発泡体層および前記発泡体層の上層に前記発泡体層と同材質の表面スキン層を設けてなることを特徴とする現像装置。
【請求項２】 前記発泡体層が連泡性発泡体である請求項１の現像装置。
【請求項３】 前記芯金と発泡体層との間に、前記発泡体層と同材質の弾性層を有する請求項１または２の現像装置。
【請求項４】 前記現像剤供給部材が導電性を有する請求項１〜３のいずれかの項に記載の現像装置。
【請求項５】 前記芯金に直流バイアスを印加する請求項１〜４のいずれかの項に記載の現像装置。
【請求項６】 前記現像剤担持体に印加する前記現像バイアスの直流電圧値をＶｄｃ、前記芯金に印加する直流バイアス値をＶｒとして、その絶対値が｜Ｖｒ｜＞｜Ｖｄｃ｜の電位関係を有する請求項５の現像装置。
[Claims]
1. The developer supplied to the developer carrier is supported on the developer carrier, transported to a developing section facing the image carrier, and a development bias is applied to the developer carrier. Below, the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier is developed, and the developer supply member that rotates in contact with the developer carrier does not consume the image carrier in development. In a developing device that strips off the developing agent and supplies a new developing agent.
A developing apparatus in which the developing agent supply member is provided with at least a foam layer on a core metal and a surface skin layer made of the same material as the foam layer on the upper layer of the foam layer.
2. The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the foam layer is a continuous foam foam.
3. The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an elastic layer made of the same material as the foam layer is provided between the core metal and the foam layer.
4. The developing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the developing agent supply member has conductivity.
5. The developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a DC bias is applied to the core metal.
6. The potential relationship of | Vr |> | Vdc |, where the DC voltage value of the development bias applied to the developer carrier is Vdc and the DC bias value applied to the core metal is Vr. The developing apparatus according to claim 5.
【００２６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記目的は本発明に係る現像装置にて達成される。要約すれば、本発明は、現像剤担持体に供給された現像剤を前記現像剤担持体上に担持して、像担持体と対向した現像部へ搬送し、前記現像剤担持体に現像バイアスを印加した下で、前記像担持体の表面に形成された静電潜像を現像し、前記現像剤担持体に当接して回転する現像剤供給部材により、前記現像剤担持体に対し現像で消費されなかった現像剤の剥ぎ取りおよび新たな現像剤の供給を行う現像装置において、
前記現像剤供給部材が、芯金上に少なくとも発泡体層および前記発泡体層の上層に前記発泡体層と同材質の表面スキン層を設けてなることを特徴とする現像装置である。
0026
[Means for solving problems]
The above object is achieved by the developing apparatus according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention carries the developer supplied to the developer carrier onto the developer carrier, transports it to the developing section facing the image carrier, and biases the developer carrier to develop. Is applied, the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier is developed, and the developer carrier is developed by a developer supply member that rotates in contact with the developer carrier. In a developing device that strips off unconsumed developer and supplies new developer.
The developing apparatus is characterized in that the developing agent supply member is provided with at least a foam layer on a core metal and a surface skin layer made of the same material as the foam layer on the upper layer of the foam layer.
【００７３】
【発明の効果】
以上説明したように、本発明によれば、現像装置の現像担持体と当接回転して、現像担持体に対し現像残りのトナーの剥ぎ取りおよび新たなトナーの供給を行う供給部材を、連泡性発泡体層とその上の同材質の表面スキン層とを有する構成としたので、供給部材の現像剤担持体との当接圧を低減し、また供給部材の発泡体層の気泡へのトナーの侵入を防ぐことができ、長期間にわたって供給部材の硬度変化によるトナー供給不良、剥ぎ取り不良およびトナーの劣化を防止して、良好な現像によりかぶりのない高品質な画像を長期間安定に得ることができる
また供給部材に直流バイアスＶｒを印加し、その直流バイアスＶｒを、現像剤担持体に印加した直流の現像バイアスＶｄｃに対し、絶対値で｜Ｖｒ｜＞｜Ｖｄｃ｜の電位関係を有するようにすることにより、供給部材の硬度変化によるトナー供給不良、剥ぎ取り不良およびトナーの劣化を防止し、良好な現像に加えて、容易に現像装置をより少ないトナー残量まで使用することができる。
[0073]
【Effect of the invention】
As described above, according to the present invention, a supply member that abuts and rotates with a developing carrier of a developing apparatus to strip off the remaining developing toner and supply new toner to the developing carrier is connected. Since the structure has a foamy foam layer and a surface skin layer of the same material on the foamy foam layer, the contact pressure of the feed member with the developer carrier is reduced, and the foam layer of the feed member is exposed to bubbles. It is possible to prevent the intrusion of toner, prevent poor toner supply, poor peeling, and deterioration of the toner due to changes in the hardness of the supply member over a long period of time, and stable high-quality images without fog with good development for a long period of time. Further, a DC bias Vr is applied to the supply member, and the DC bias Vr is used to obtain an absolute potential relationship of | Vr |> | Vdc | with respect to the DC development bias Vdc applied to the developer carrier. By having it, it is possible to prevent poor toner supply, poor peeling, and deterioration of the toner due to changes in the hardness of the feeder, and in addition to good development, it is possible to easily use the developing device to a smaller remaining amount of toner. it can.
