JP2015197548A - Developing apparatus and manufacturing method of developing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make welding strength in each region of a blade substantially uniform.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method of a developing apparatus includes: a superimposing step of superimposing a blade 41 on a support member 42; and a welding step of irradiating a laser beam to the blade 41 while relatively moving at least one of the blade 41 and the laser beam with respect to the other. The welding step includes: an accelerating and irradiating step (time t1 to t3) of irradiating the laser beam to the blade 41 while increasing a relative speed for the blade 41 of the laser beam from 0 to a predetermined speed; a constant speed irradiating step (time t2 to t3) of irradiating the laser beam to the blade 41 while maintaining the relative speed to the predetermined speed; and a decelerated irradiating step (time t3 to t4) of irradiating the laser beam to the blade 41 while decelerating the relative speed toward 0 from the predetermined speed. In the accelerated irradiation, an average output of the laser beam is gradually increased. In the decelerated irradiating step, the average output of the laser beam is gradually decreased.

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing device including a blade unit formed by welding a blade to a support member, and a method for manufacturing the developing device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Some conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include a developing device having a developing roller and a blade unit for regulating the thickness of a developer layer carried on the developing roller. A blade unit includes a blade that is in contact with the developing roller, a support member that overlaps the blade and supports the blade, and the blade and the support member are fixed by welding (for example, Patent Documents). 1).

JP 2001-35692 A

  By the way, in the above-described technique, it is conceivable to weld a blade or the like while moving a welding machine that emits a laser beam for welding from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the blade at a predetermined speed. However, in this case, if the position at which the welding machine starts and ends is set on the blade, the laser beam is used to accelerate or decelerate the welding machine and move the welding machine at a predetermined speed. The energy given per unit area of the blade is greatly different, and there is a problem that the welding strength becomes non-uniform in the longitudinal direction of the blade.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make the welding strength at each part of the blade substantially constant.

In order to solve the above problems, a developing device manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a developer carrying member, a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member, and a support member that supports the blade. A manufacturing method comprising: a step of superimposing the blade on the support member; and a welding step of irradiating the blade with laser light while moving at least one of the blade and laser light relative to the other. .
The welding step includes an accelerated irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser beam while increasing a relative velocity of the laser beam with respect to the blade from 0 to a predetermined velocity, and maintaining the relative velocity at the predetermined velocity. A constant-velocity irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser light; and a deceleration irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser light while decelerating the relative speed from the predetermined speed toward zero.
In the accelerated irradiation step, the average output of the laser beam is gradually increased.
In the slow irradiation process, the average output of the laser beam is gradually reduced.

  According to this method, by gradually increasing the average output of the laser beam in the acceleration irradiation process and gradually decreasing the average output of the laser beam in the deceleration irradiation process, the energy given per unit area of the blade is substantially constant. Therefore, the welding strength at each part of the blade can be made substantially constant. Further, since welding is completed only by relatively moving the laser beam within the range of the blade, the movable region of the laser beam or the blade can be reduced, and the welding time can be shortened.

  In the above-described method, the laser beam is emitted intermittently in the welding step, and the rate of the emission time per unit time of the laser beam is gradually increased in the acceleration irradiation step, and the deceleration is performed. In the irradiation step, the ratio of the emission time per unit time of the laser light may be gradually reduced.

  In the above-described method, the laser beam is emitted intermittently in the welding step, the peak output of the laser beam is gradually increased in the acceleration irradiation step, and the laser beam is emitted in the deceleration irradiation step. The peak light output may be gradually reduced.

  In the above-described method, the laser beam is continuously emitted in the welding step, the average output of the laser beam is gradually increased in the acceleration irradiation step, and the laser beam is reduced in the deceleration irradiation step. The average light output may be gradually reduced.

  Note that the developing device manufacturing method according to the present invention may not include any one of the acceleration irradiation process and the deceleration irradiation process described above.

  Further, in the developing device manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method, for example, the blade has a plurality of welding marks arranged in the longitudinal direction of the blade, and the plurality of welding marks are large in the short direction of the blade. A first welding mark having a maximum first length and a second welding mark having a second length having a minimum size in the short direction, and the first length is the second length. You may be comprised so that it may become 1.0-1.7 times this.

  In this case, a pitch of a predetermined number of welding marks from at least one of the one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction among the plurality of welding marks may gradually increase toward the inside in the longitudinal direction.

  Further, in the developing device manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method, for example, the blade has a welding mark extending in the longitudinal direction of the blade, and the welding mark has the largest size in the short direction of the blade. A first portion having a first length and a second portion having a second length that is the smallest in the short-side direction, wherein the first length is 1.0 to 1.0 of the second length; You may be comprised so that it may be 1.7 times.

  According to the present invention, the welding strength at each part of the blade can be made substantially constant.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of a developing device. They are a figure (a) which shows a blade unit, an enlarged figure (b) which expands and shows the 1st opening, and an enlarged figure (c) which expands and shows the 2nd opening. It is a figure which shows a state when a braid | blade is positioned in a support member accidentally. It is a figure explaining the manufacturing method of a blade unit, Comprising: The figure (a) explaining a positioning process, and the figure (b) explaining a welding process. It is a figure explaining an acceleration irradiation process, a constant velocity irradiation process, and a deceleration irradiation process. It is a figure which shows the welding trace formed on the braid | blade by the manufacturing method which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the welding trace formed on the braid | blade by the manufacturing method which concerns on a comparative example. It is a figure explaining the acceleration irradiation process in a 1st modification, a constant velocity irradiation process, and a deceleration irradiation process. It is a figure explaining the acceleration irradiation process, the constant velocity irradiation process, and the deceleration irradiation process in a 2nd modification. It is a figure which shows the welding trace formed on the braid | blade by the manufacturing method which concerns on a 2nd modification. It is a figure which shows the modification 1 of a blade unit. It is a figure which shows the modification 2 of a blade unit.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 1 mainly includes a developing roller 2 as an example of a developer carrying member, a supply roller 3, a blade unit 4, and a developing case 5 that holds these members. ing.

  The developing case 5 is a container having a toner storage chamber 53 (see FIG. 2) in which toner can be stored, and has an opening 51 on one side surface. The developing case 5 constitutes an edge of the opening 51 and has a blade fixing surface 52 to which the blade unit 4 is fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the toner storage chamber 53 is provided with a conveying member 7 for conveying the toner toward the supply roller 3. The transport member 7 includes a shaft portion 71 that is rotatably supported by the developing case 5 and a film 72 that rotates around the shaft portion 71 when the shaft portion 71 rotates.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the developing roller 2 has a cylindrical roller main body 2A and a shaft 2B that is inserted into the roller main body 2A and is rotatable together with the roller main body 2A. The roller main body 2A has elasticity and can carry toner on its peripheral surface. The developing roller 2 is disposed so as to close the opening 51 of the developing case 5, and a shaft 2 </ b> B protruding from the roller body 2 </ b> A in the rotation axis direction is rotatably supported by the developing case 5.

  The supply roller 3 is disposed inside the developing case 5 so as to contact the developing roller 2 and is rotatably supported by the developing case 5. The supply roller 3 is configured to rotate so as to supply the toner in the developing case 5 to the developing roller 2.

  The blade unit 4 includes a blade 41 that is close to the developing roller 2 so that the tip is placed on the developing roller 2, and a support member 42 that supports the blade 41.

  The blade 41 is a thin sheet metal formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the direction of the rotation axis of the developing roller 2. In other words, the longitudinal direction of the blade 41 is parallel to the rotational axis direction of the developing roller 2, and the short direction of the blade 41 is orthogonal to the facing direction of the blade 41 and the support member 42 and the rotational axis direction of the developing roller 2. Direction. The blade 41 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel. The blade 41 may be a sheet metal having a coating film containing press oil on the surface.

  The thickness of the blade 41 may be, for example, 0.05 to 2.5 mm, 0.05 to 1.00 mm, or 0.05 to 0.12 mm. And 0.07 to 0.15 mm or 0.08 to 0.12 mm. The dimension in the longitudinal direction of the blade 41 is larger than the dimension in the rotation axis direction of the roller main body 2A of the developing roller 2, and may be 218 to 270 mm, 220 to 260 mm, or 222 to 220 mm. It may be 250 mm.

  The blade 41 has a contact portion 411 that protrudes toward the developing roller 2 and directly contacts the roller body 2A of the developing roller 2 on a surface 41F of the tip 41E facing the developing roller 2 (see FIG. 2). The contact portion 411 is made of rubber or the like extending along the longitudinal direction of the blade 41.

  The support member 42 is a member for supporting the blade 41 and defining a fixed end of the blade 41.

  The support member 42 is made of a metal material, for example, an electrogalvanized steel sheet. The support member 42 is thicker than the blade 41, is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the longitudinal direction of the blade 41, and extends outward from the respective edges 412, 413 in the longitudinal direction of the blade 41.

  The support member 42 overlaps the surface of the blade 41 opposite to the surface 41F on which the contact portion 411 is provided, and sandwiches the blade 41 with the blade fixing surface 52 of the developing case 5. More specifically, the blade 41 is sandwiched between an edge 42E on the tip 41E side of the blade 41 of the support member 42 and an edge 52E on the tip 41E side of the blade 41 of the blade fixing surface 52. A portion of the blade 42 that contacts the edge 42E and the edge 52E of the blade fixing surface 52 serves as a fulcrum when the blade 41 is bent.

  The blade unit 4 configured as described above is fixed to the developing case 5 by a screw 6 inserted through a hole H formed in the blade 41 and the support member 42. The blade unit 4 is configured to regulate the thickness of the toner layer carried on the developing roller 2 by contacting the developing roller 2 with the contact portion 411 rotating.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the support member 42 has columnar first positioning projections 421 and second positioning projections 422 that engage with the blades 41 on the surfaces facing the blades 41 at both ends in the longitudinal direction. doing. The blade 41 has a first opening 414 that engages with the first positioning protrusion 421 and a second opening 415 that engages with the second positioning protrusion 422.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the first opening 414 is formed in a concave shape that opens outward in the longitudinal direction, and is a first positioning for positioning the blade 41 in the longitudinal direction with respect to the support member 42. The surface 414A and a pair of second positioning surfaces 414B for positioning the blade 41 in the short direction with respect to the support member 42 are provided.

  The first positioning surface 414A is a semi-cylindrical surface that matches the half circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the first positioning projection 421, and the pair of second positioning surfaces 414B described above are long from both circumferential ends of the first positioning surface 414A. It is formed so as to extend parallel to each other toward the outside in the direction.

  Each of the second positioning surfaces 414 </ b> B is a surface orthogonal to the short-side direction, is arranged at a distance substantially the same as the diameter of the first positioning protrusion 421, and is connected to one end edge 412 of the blade 41 in the longitudinal direction. The one end edge 412 of the blade 41 is arranged at the same position as the outer end 421A in the longitudinal direction of the first positioning protrusion 421 engaged with the second positioning surface 414B connected to the one end edge 412 in the longitudinal direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3C, the second opening 415 is formed in a concave shape that opens outward in the longitudinal direction, and positions the bottom 415 </ b> A and the blade 41 in the short direction with respect to the support member 42. And a pair of third positioning surfaces 415B. The bottom portion 415A is a semi-cylindrical surface that matches the half circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the second positioning protrusion 422, and the pair of third positioning surfaces 415B described above from both ends in the circumferential direction of the bottom portion 415A are parallel to each other outward in the longitudinal direction. It is formed to extend.

  Each third positioning surface 415 </ b> B is a surface orthogonal to the short-side direction, and is disposed at a distance substantially the same as the diameter of the second positioning protrusion 422, and is connected to the other end 413 in the longitudinal direction of the blade 41. The other end edge 413 of the blade 41 is disposed at the same position as the outer end 422A in the longitudinal direction of the second positioning projection 422 engaged with the third positioning surface 415B connected to the other end edge 413 in the longitudinal direction. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the depth of the second opening 415 is such that when the bottom 415 </ b> A of the second opening 415 is engaged with the second positioning protrusion 422, the first opening 414 is the first positioning protrusion 421. The depth of the first opening 414 is larger than the depth of the first opening 414. Specifically, the depth of the second opening 415 is larger than the depth of the first opening 414 by the diameter of the first positioning protrusion 421.

  Accordingly, when the operator mistakenly aligns the bottom portion 415A of the second opening 415 with the second positioning protrusion 422, the first opening 414 is disengaged from the first positioning protrusion 421, so that the blade 41 is mispositioned. It is possible to suppress this.

  In this embodiment, when the bottom 415A of the second opening 415 is engaged with the second positioning protrusion 422, the first opening 414 is completely detached from the first positioning protrusion 421. The first opening 414 and the first positioning protrusion 421 are configured not to overlap each other, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even if the first opening 414 is slightly detached from the first positioning protrusion 421, that is, a part of the first opening 414 slightly overlaps the first positioning protrusion 421 when viewed from the short side direction. Good.

  Specifically, in the structure in which the end edges 412 and 413 of the blade 41 are located at the same positions as the outer ends 421A and 422A of the positioning protrusions 421 and 422 as in the present embodiment, the depth of the second opening 415 is determined. Is larger than the depth of the first opening 414 by a length larger than the radius of the first positioning protrusion 421. Even in this case, when the operator mistakenly aligns the bottom 415A of the second opening 415 with the second positioning protrusion 422, the first opening 414 is disengaged from the first positioning protrusion 421, and the first Since the opening 414 rattles with respect to the first positioning protrusion 421, it is possible to suppress erroneous positioning of the blade 41.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the blade 41 is laser welded to the support member 42 at a location between the first opening 414 and the second opening 415.

  The blade 41 has a welding mark 43 that connects the blade 41 and the support member 42 at a position between the first opening 414 and the second opening 415. 3 to 5, for the sake of convenience, the welding mark 43 is illustrated as a single straight line, but actually, as shown in FIG. 7, the welding mark 43 includes a plurality of welding marks 43 </ b> A, 43 </ b> B, Are arranged in a row so as to overlap. That is, the blade 41 has a plurality of welding marks 43A, 43B,.

  The welding mark 43 extends along the longitudinal direction of the blade 41 from a position near the first opening 414 to a position near the second opening 415. For example, the welding mark 43 is separated from the edge of the first opening 414 and the edge of the second opening 415 by 0.1 to 5.0 mm. In addition, the welding trace 43 may be 0.1-4.0 mm away from the edge of the 1st opening part 414, and the edge of the 2nd opening part 415, and may be 0.5-3.0 mm away. However, it may be separated by 0.7 to 2.0 mm.

Next, a method for manufacturing the developing device 1 will be described.
In manufacturing the developing device 1, when manufacturing the blade unit 4, first, as shown in FIG. 5A, the blade 41 is overlapped on the support member 42. At this time, the first positioning surface 414A and the second positioning surface 414B of the first opening 414 of the blade 41 are engaged with the first positioning projection 421, and the third positioning surface 415B of the second opening 415 is engaged with the second positioning projection. 422 is engaged (positioning step).

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, when the operator mistakenly aligns the bottom portion 415 </ b> A of the second opening 415 with the second positioning protrusion 422, the first opening 414 extends from the first positioning protrusion 421. Therefore, it is possible to prevent erroneous positioning of the blade 41.

  Next, after positioning the blade 41 and the support member 42 on a work table with a jig, a laser beam 81 emitted from the welding machine 8 is applied to the blade 41 as shown in FIG. The blade 41 is irradiated with a laser beam 81 while being moved, and the blade 41 and the support member 42 are welded (welding process).

  In the present embodiment, the welding machine 8 is an apparatus that irradiates a continuous wave laser, and is configured to intermittently emit laser light when a pulse signal is input as an electrical signal. Note that the welding machine may be configured to move the laser beam relative to the blade 41 without moving the welding machine itself by moving a reflecting mirror provided inside. For example, a fiber laser can be employed as the continuous wave laser.

  In the welding process, the laser beam 81 is directed from the first opening 414 side to the second opening 415 side with respect to the blade 41 on a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the blade 41 and passing through the positioning protrusions 421 and 422. It is moved along the longitudinal direction of the blade 41. That is, the weld mark 43 is formed by welding a portion between the first opening 414 and the second opening 415 of the blade 41.

  Further, when the blade 41 expands due to heat during welding by welding from around the first opening 414 and finally welding around the second opening 415 deeper than the first opening 414. Even so, this expansion can be absorbed by the second opening 415.

  Furthermore, in the welding process, as shown in FIG. 6, the start position P1 for starting the movement of the laser beam in the longitudinal direction is set to a position slightly inward in the longitudinal direction from the first opening 414 of the blade 41, The end position P2 at which the movement of the laser beam is finished is set to a position slightly inward in the longitudinal direction from the second opening 415. Then, the laser beam movement is started at the same time as the start of the laser beam irradiation at the start position P1, and the moving speed of the laser beam is accelerated from 0 to a predetermined speed between the start time t1 and the time t2 after a predetermined time. The moving speed is kept at a predetermined speed from time t2 to time t3, and the moving speed is reduced from the predetermined speed to 0 between time t3 and time t4.

  That is, the welding process includes an accelerated irradiation process of irradiating the blade 41 with laser light while increasing the relative speed of the laser light to the blade 41 from 0 to a predetermined speed, and the blade 41 while maintaining the relative speed at a predetermined speed. A constant-speed irradiation step of irradiating the laser beam, and a decelerating irradiation step of irradiating the blade 41 with the laser beam while decelerating the relative speed from a predetermined speed toward zero. Here, “maintaining the relative speed at a predetermined speed” includes a speed fluctuation range within 5% of the predetermined speed.

In the acceleration irradiation process, the average output of the laser light is gradually increased, and in the deceleration irradiation process, the average output of the laser light is gradually decreased. More specifically, the pitch of each laser beam emitted intermittently is a constant pitch T1. The average output is calculated by the following equation (1).
Average output = Power (peak output) x Pulse width x Number of repeats (1)

  As described above, by gradually increasing the average output of the laser light in the acceleration irradiation process and gradually decreasing the average output of the laser light in the deceleration irradiation process, the energy applied per unit area of the blade 41 is made substantially constant. Therefore, the welding strength at each part of the blade 41 can be made substantially constant. Moreover, since welding is completed only by moving the laser beam within the range of the blade 41, the movable region of the laser beam can be reduced and the welding time can be shortened.

Next, the welding mark 43 formed on the blade 41 by the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 7, the plurality of welding marks 43A, 43B,... Are a first welding mark (for example, a welding mark 43A) having a maximum first length L1 in the short direction of the blade 41. And a second welding mark (for example, a welding mark 43G) having a minimum second length L2 in the short direction, and the first length L1 is 1.0 to 1 of the second length L2. It is configured to be 7 times larger. The first length L1 may be 1.0 to 1.6 times, 1.0 to 1.5 times, or 1.0 to 1.3 times the second length L2.

  In this way, the welding strength at each part of the blade 41 is substantially constant by forming the plurality of welding marks 43A, 43B,.

  Further, among the plurality of welding marks 43A, 43B,..., The pitches D1 to D5 of a predetermined number (for example, five) of welding marks 43A to 43E gradually increase from one end in the longitudinal direction toward the other end in the longitudinal direction. Is getting bigger. This is because the moving speed of the laser light irradiated at a constant pitch T1 gradually increases in the accelerated irradiation process. Therefore, although not shown in figure, also about a predetermined number of welding traces from the other end of a longitudinal direction among several welding traces 43A, 43B, ..., each pitch is gradually gradually as it goes to the one end side of a longitudinal direction. Is getting bigger.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the average output of the laser beam is made constant in the acceleration irradiation process, the constant speed irradiation process, and the deceleration irradiation process, a plurality of welding marks 143A, 143B,. Among them, the welding mark 143A on one end side in the longitudinal direction formed in the acceleration irradiation step is formed larger than the welding mark 143G on the center side in the longitudinal direction formed in the constant speed irradiation step by a predetermined amount or more in the short direction. That is, the length L3 in the short direction of the welding mark 143A having the maximum size in the short direction is twice the length L4 in the short direction of the welding mark 143G having the minimum size in the short direction. It has become. This is due to the fact that the laser beam is irradiated with an average output larger than that of the present embodiment (the same average output as the constant velocity irradiation step) in the initial stage of the acceleration irradiation step (when the speed is the lowest).

  Although not shown in the figure, the welding mark on the other end side in the longitudinal direction is similarly positioned in the shorter direction than the welding mark in the center in the longitudinal direction by making the average output of the laser beam constant in the slow irradiation process. It is formed larger than the fixed amount.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. About a concrete structure, it can change suitably in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention. In the following description, components that are substantially the same as those in the above-described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In the said embodiment, although the kind of laser irradiated from the welding machine 8 was made into the continuous wave laser, this invention is not limited to this, For example, a pulse laser may be sufficient. Also in this case, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained by changing the average output of the pulse laser in accordance with the acceleration / deceleration as in the above embodiment. In the case of a pulse laser, the peak output of the laser beam may be gradually increased in the acceleration irradiation step, and the peak output of the laser beam may be gradually decreased in the deceleration irradiation step. As the pulse laser, for example, a YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser or a fiber laser can be employed.

  In the embodiment, the average output of the laser beam is gradually changed in the acceleration irradiation process or the deceleration irradiation process, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, in the acceleration irradiation process, the ratio of the light emission time Tx per unit time T2 of the laser light is gradually increased, and in the deceleration irradiation process, the light emission time per unit time T2 of the laser light. The ratio of Tx may be gradually reduced. Even in this case, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the above embodiment. The ratio of the light emission time Tx per unit time T2 of the laser light is pulse width × number of repeats.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the laser beam was irradiated intermittently in the welding process, this invention is not limited to this, For example, as shown in FIG. Good. Even in this case, the average output of the laser beam is gradually increased in the acceleration irradiation step, and the average output of the laser beam is gradually decreased in the deceleration irradiation step, which is the same as in the above embodiment. The effect of can be obtained.

  In such a manufacturing method using laser light that emits light continuously, as shown in FIG. 11, one welding mark 243 extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on the blade 41. The weld mark 243 includes a first portion 243A having the maximum first length L11 in the short direction of the blade 41 and a second length L12 having the minimum size in the short direction. The first length L11 is 1.0 to 1.7 times the second length L12.

  In the said embodiment, although both the acceleration irradiation process and the deceleration irradiation process were performed, this invention is not limited to this, You may make it perform only any one of an acceleration irradiation process and a deceleration irradiation process. That is, in the method having only the accelerated irradiation step and the constant velocity irradiation step, the start position for starting the movement of the laser beam is set on one end of the blade, and the constant velocity irradiation step is performed up to the other end of the blade or the other end. The position where the movement of the laser beam is finished may be set as a position outside the blade.

  Further, in the method having only the constant speed irradiation process and the slow speed irradiation process, the start position for starting the movement of the laser light is set to a position outside the blade, and the constant speed irradiation process is performed at one end of the blade or outside the one end. Starting from the position, the slow irradiation process may be performed at the other end of the blade, and the position at which the movement of the laser light is terminated may be set on the blade. Even in these cases, for example, the laser beam or the movable region of the blade can be reduced and the welding time can be shortened as compared with the method of welding the entire range of the blade in the constant speed irradiation process.

  In the above embodiment, the laser beam 81 is moved with respect to the blade 41 in the welding process, but the method of moving the laser beam 81 relative to the blade 41 is not limited to this. For example, the laser beam 81 may be moved relative to the blade 41 (the blade 41 relative to the laser beam 81) by moving the blade 41 and the support member 42 with respect to the laser beam 81.

  Further, the laser beam 81 and both the blade 41 and the support member 42 may be moved simultaneously.

  In the above-described embodiment, the openings 414 and 415 of the blade 41 are both concave. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least one of the pair of openings of the blade may be a hole. It is good also as a notch which opens to a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction.

  In the above embodiment, the blade 41 has the contact portion 411 protruding from the blade 41, but the configuration of the blade 41 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the blade 41A does not have a contact portion made of rubber or the like, and has a bent portion 411A that is bent so that the tip faces the support member 42 side (the side opposite to the developing roller 2). The bent portion 411A (the tip of the blade 41) may be in direct contact with the roller body 2A of the developing roller 2.

  In the above embodiment, the tip of the blade 41 is provided on the developing roller 2, and the blade 41 is sandwiched between the support member 42 and the developing case 5. However, the configuration of the blade unit 4 is not limited to this. . For example, the support member 42 to which the blade 41 is welded may be directly fixed to the developing case 5 and sandwiched between the blade 41 and the developing case 5 as shown in FIG. In the blade unit 4, the tip (contact portion 411) of the blade 41 is in contact with the developing roller 2 from the conveying member 7 side, and the blade 41 is supported from the side opposite to the surface 41 </ b> F on which the contact portion 411 is provided. Is supported by.

  In the embodiment, the developing roller 2 having the roller main body 2A and the shaft 2B is exemplified as the developer carrying member, but the developer carrying member is not limited to this. For example, a brush roller, a developing sleeve, or a belt-like developer carrier may be employed as the developer carrier.

  In the embodiment, the contact portion 411 (tip) of the blade 41 is in direct contact with the roller main body 2A of the developing roller 2 (developer carrier). However, the configuration of the blade is not limited to this, The tip may be close to the roller body 2A by about 0.1 to 1.0 mm.

  In the said embodiment, although stainless steel was illustrated as a metal member which comprises the blade 41, the structure of the blade 41 is not limited to this. For example, the blade 41 may be formed of spring steel, phosphor bronze, beryllium steel, carbon tool steel, or the like. When spring steel or carbon tool steel is employed, nickel, chromium, zinc, or the like may be plated on the surface in order to prevent rust.

  In the said embodiment, although the supporting member 42 was formed with the electrogalvanized steel plate, the structure of the supporting member 42 is not limited to this. For example, the support member 42 may be formed from a cold-rolled steel plate or tinplate, or a surface of a plate formed from these materials may be subjected to Parker treatment, chromate treatment, nickel plating treatment, or the like. The support member 42 may have a coating film containing press oil on the surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developing apparatus 2 Developing roller 41 Blade 42 Support member

Claims (16)

A developing device manufacturing method comprising: a developer carrying member; a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member; and a support member that supports the blade,
Stacking the blade on the support member;
A welding step of irradiating the blade with laser light while moving at least one of the blade and laser light relative to the other, and
The welding step includes an accelerated irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser beam while increasing a relative velocity of the laser beam with respect to the blade from 0 to a predetermined velocity, and maintaining the relative velocity at the predetermined velocity. A constant velocity irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser light, and a slow irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser light while decelerating the relative speed from the predetermined speed toward 0,
In the accelerated irradiation step, the average output of the laser beam is gradually increased,
A developing device manufacturing method, wherein the average output of the laser beam is gradually reduced in the slow irradiation step. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
In the accelerated irradiation step, the ratio of the emission time per unit time of the laser light is gradually increased,
2. The method of manufacturing a developing device according to claim 1, wherein, in the slow irradiation step, the ratio of the light emission time per unit time of the laser light is gradually reduced. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
In the accelerated irradiation step, the peak output of the laser beam is gradually increased,
The method for manufacturing a developing device according to claim 1, wherein in the slow irradiation step, the peak output of the laser beam is gradually reduced. In the welding process, the laser beam is continuously emitted,
In the accelerated irradiation step, the average output of the laser beam is gradually increased,
2. The method of manufacturing a developing device according to claim 1, wherein in the slow irradiation step, an average output of the laser beam is gradually reduced. A developing device manufacturing method comprising: a developer carrying member; a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member; and a support member that supports the blade,
Stacking the blade on the support member;
A welding step of irradiating the blade with laser light while moving at least one of the blade and laser light relative to the other, and
The welding step includes an accelerated irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser beam while increasing a relative velocity of the laser beam with respect to the blade from 0 to a predetermined velocity, and maintaining the relative velocity at the predetermined velocity. A constant speed irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser beam,
A developing apparatus manufacturing method, wherein an average output of the laser beam is gradually increased in the accelerated irradiation step. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
6. The method of manufacturing a developing device according to claim 5, wherein in the accelerated irradiation step, the ratio of the light emission time per unit time of the laser light is gradually increased. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
6. The method of manufacturing a developing device according to claim 5, wherein in the accelerated irradiation step, the peak output of the laser beam is gradually increased. In the welding process, the laser beam is continuously emitted,
The developing device manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein, in the accelerated irradiation step, an average output of the laser light is gradually increased. A developing device manufacturing method comprising: a developer carrying member; a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member; and a support member that supports the blade,
Stacking the blade on the support member;
A welding step of irradiating the blade with laser light while moving at least one of the blade and laser light relative to the other, and
The welding step includes a constant velocity irradiation step of irradiating the blade with the laser beam while maintaining a relative velocity of the laser beam with respect to the blade, and decelerating the relative velocity from the predetermined velocity toward zero. A slow irradiation process of irradiating the blade with the laser light while continuing,
A developing device manufacturing method, wherein the average output of the laser beam is gradually reduced in the slow irradiation step. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
The method for manufacturing a developing device according to claim 9, wherein, in the slow irradiation step, the ratio of the light emission time per unit time of the laser light is gradually reduced. In the welding process, the laser beam is emitted intermittently,
The method for manufacturing a developing device according to claim 9, wherein, in the slow irradiation step, a peak output of the laser light is gradually reduced. In the welding process, the laser beam is continuously emitted,
The method for manufacturing a developing device according to claim 9, wherein, in the deceleration irradiation step, an average output of the laser light is gradually reduced. A developing device comprising: a developer carrying member; a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member; and a support member that supports the blade.
The blade has a plurality of welding marks arranged in the longitudinal direction of the blade,
The plurality of welding marks include a first welding mark having a maximum first length in the short direction of the blade and a second welding mark having a second length having a minimum size in the short direction. Have
The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the first length is 1.0 to 1.7 times the second length.   The developing device according to claim 13, wherein a pitch of a predetermined number of welding marks from one end in the longitudinal direction among the plurality of welding marks gradually increases toward the other end side in the longitudinal direction.   The developing device according to claim 14, wherein a pitch of a predetermined number of welding marks from the other end in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of welding marks gradually increases toward the one end side in the longitudinal direction. A developing device comprising: a developer carrying member; a blade adjacent to the developer carrying member; and a support member that supports the blade.
The blade has a welding mark extending in the longitudinal direction of the blade,
The welding mark has a first portion having a first length that is the largest in the short direction of the blade, and a second portion having a second length that is the smallest in the short direction,
The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the first length is 1.0 to 1.7 times the second length.

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