JP2022186928A - Developing cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developing cartridge that can prevent attachments such as paper powder and toner removed from a surface of a photoconductor drum from overflowing from a retaining unit that retains the paper powder and toner.

SOLUTION: A developing cartridge has: a frame body that is formed with an opening; a storage unit that is provided inside the opening and stores toner; a rotatable developing member that is arranged to be exposed to the outside beyond the opening and carries toner; a supply member that is in contact with the developing member and supplies the toner stored in the storage unit through the opening; a regulation member that is in contact with the developing member and regulates the thickness of a layer of the toner carried on a surface of the developing member; and sheet members that are provided only on the end sides of the frame body with respect to the rotation axis direction of the developing member. The sheet members have parts that are opposite to the surface of the developing member exposed to the outside from the opening and are arranged and fixed to the frame body in non-contact with the developing member.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a developer cartridge used in an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art In image forming apparatuses such as laser beam printers and copiers that use electrophotography, a toner image is formed on a photoreceptor, and the toner image is transferred onto a recording material such as paper to form an image on the recording material. ing. In order to facilitate maintenance, such image forming apparatuses widely employ a method in which some parts of the image forming apparatus are provided in a cartridge, and the cartridge is taken out of the main body of the apparatus for maintenance or replacement. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-100000 discloses a process cartridge in which a developing unit containing toner as a developer can be attached to and detached from a photoreceptor unit having a photoreceptor.

JP 2016-224221 A

When the life of the photoreceptor unit is extended, the paper dust and toner removed from the surface of the photoreceptor drum overflows from the storage unit, staining the surroundings and damaging the photoreceptor drum, developing roller, transfer roller, etc. There is a possibility that it will adhere and cause problems such as image defects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and its object is to prevent paper dust, toner, etc. from overflowing from a reservoir for storing deposits such as paper dust, toner, etc. removed from the surface of a photosensitive drum. To provide a developing cartridge capable of preventing

A typical configuration of the developer cartridge according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a frame body having an opening formed therein, a container provided inside the opening for containing toner, and the opening. a rotatable developing member that is arranged to be exposed to the outside and carries toner; and a supply member that is in contact with the developing member and supplies the toner stored in the storage portion to the developing member through the opening. a regulating member that contacts the developing member and regulates the thickness of the toner layer carried on the surface of the developing member; The sheet member has a portion facing the surface of the developing member exposed to the outside from the opening, and is fixed to the frame without contacting the developing member. It is characterized by being arranged.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent paper dust, toner, and the like from overflowing from the storage section that stores adherents such as paper dust and toner that have been removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the process cartridge of the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a photoreceptor unit according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the photoreceptor unit according to the first embodiment as viewed obliquely from above the front side; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of part of the process cartridge of the second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of part of the process cartridge of the third embodiment;

An embodiment of a process cartridge and a developing cartridge according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the function, material, shape, relative arrangement, etc. of the components in the following description are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention only to them, unless otherwise specified.

[First Embodiment]
The construction of a first embodiment of a process cartridge 5 and a developing cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. In the following description, directions are defined with reference to the user who uses the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. That is, the front side of the image forming apparatus 1 is "front", the back side is "rear", the upper surface (top) side is "upper", and the lower surface (bottom) side is "lower".

Also, when the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side (the right side in FIG. 1), the left side of the image forming apparatus 1 is referred to as "left" and the right side is referred to as "right". The direction of the process cartridge 5 used in the image forming apparatus 1 is defined similarly to that of the image forming apparatus 1, assuming that the process cartridge 5 has the same posture as the image forming position of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG.

Each direction in each drawing is defined by an arrow marked on the drawing. The front-back direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction indicated by these arrows are directions orthogonal to each other. These directions show the same direction in all drawings. The up-down direction is parallel to the vertical direction, and the left-right direction and the front-rear direction are parallel to the horizontal direction.

The horizontal direction is parallel to the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 as an image carrier and the rotation axis direction of a developing roller 71 as a developer carrier that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 61 . A process cartridge 5 is a unit in which the developing unit 7 is attached to the photoreceptor unit 6 . The insertion direction (mounting direction) S1 and the removal direction S2 when mounting the process cartridge 5 in the apparatus main body 2 are parallel to the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction and the up-down direction.

<Image forming apparatus>
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 1 with the process cartridge 5 mounted at the image forming position. The cross section of FIG. 1 is parallel to the vertical direction and the front-rear direction of the image forming apparatus 1 . As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 has a feeding section 3 for feeding a recording material 9 such as paper into the apparatus main body 2 . Further, the image forming apparatus 1 has an exposure device 4 as exposure means and a process cartridge 5 for transferring a toner image as a developer image onto the recording material 9 . Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a fixing device 8 as fixing means for thermally fixing the toner image transferred onto the recording material 9 .

<Feeding section>
The feeding section 3 is provided in the lower portion of the apparatus main body 2 and includes a feeding tray 31 , a feeding roller 32 and a separating roller 33 . The recording material 9 accommodated in the feed tray 31 is fed out by the feed roller 32 and separated one by one by the separation roller 33 . After that, it is conveyed by the conveying rollers 34 . The leading edge of the recording material 9 conveyed by the conveying roller 34 abuts against the nip portion of the stopped registration roller 35 to correct the skew. Thereafter, the sheet is conveyed toward a transfer nip portion N formed by a photosensitive drum 61 provided in the process cartridge 5 and a transfer roller 63 as transfer means.

<Exposure device>
The exposure device 4 is arranged in the upper part of the device main body 2, and includes a laser emitting section, a polygon mirror, a lens, a reflecting mirror, and the like (not shown). The surface of the uniformly charged photosensitive drum 61 is scanned at high speed with laser light based on image data emitted from the laser light emitting unit of the exposure device 4 . As a result, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is exposed and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 .

<Image forming operation>
Next, the image forming operation by the process cartridge 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The photosensitive drum 61 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 during the image forming process. First, the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is uniformly charged by the charging device 62 , and then exposed to laser light corresponding to image data emitted from the exposure device 4 . An electrostatic latent image corresponding to is formed.

On the other hand, the toner 11 in the toner containing portion 74 is supplied to the developing roller 71 via the supply roller 72 after being stirred by the second stirring member 75b and the first stirring member 75a. The toner 11 supplied to the developing roller 71 enters between the developing roller 71 and the layer thickness regulating blade 73 and is carried on the surface of the developing roller 71 as a thin layer having a constant thickness.

The toner 11 carried on the surface of the developing roller 71 is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 . As a result, the toner 11 adheres to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 to form a visible image, which is developed as a toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 . After that, the recording material 9 is conveyed to the transfer nip portion N formed between the photosensitive drum 61 and the transfer roller 63 , and the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 is transferred onto the recording material 9 .

The fixing device 8 is arranged behind the process cartridge 5 and has a heating roller 81 and a pressure roller 82 . When the recording material 9 bearing the toner image passes through the fixing device 8, the recording material 9 bearing the toner image is heated and pressed between the heating roller 81 and the pressure roller 82 to record the toner image. It is fixed on the material 9 . After passing through the fixing device 8 , the recording material 9 is conveyed by conveying rollers 12 and 13 and then discharged onto a discharge tray 22 by a discharge roller 14 .

<Recovery of Transfer Residual Toner>
The toner 11 remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 without being transferred to the recording material 9 during transfer is collected in the toner container 74 of the developing unit 7 and reused. Specifically, the charging device 62 charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 once to make the surface potential of the photosensitive drum 61 higher than the potential of the developing roller 71 . As a result, the residual toner positively charged on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 moves to the developing roller 71 and is collected from the surface of the developing roller 71 into the toner container 74 .

<Process cartridge>
Next, the construction of the process cartridge 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the process cartridge 5 of this embodiment. The process cartridge 5 shown in FIG. 2 includes a photoreceptor unit 6 and a developing unit 7 detachable from the photoreceptor unit 6 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the process cartridge 5 is arranged below the exposure device 4 . The process cartridge 5 is inserted into the accommodating portion 23 of the apparatus main body 2 in the insertion direction S1 through the opening 10 formed when the door 21 as an opening/closing member provided in the apparatus main body 2 is opened to the state indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. and attached to the device main body 2 . When removing the process cartridge 5 from the apparatus main body 2, the process cartridge 5 is removed from the opening 10 in a state in which the door 21 as an opening/closing member provided in the apparatus main body 2 is opened to the state indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. and remove it.

<Photoconductor unit>
Next, the configuration of the photosensitive unit 6 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the photoreceptor unit 6 of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the photoreceptor unit 6 of the present embodiment as viewed obliquely from above the front side. As shown in FIG. 2, the photosensitive unit 6 used in the image forming apparatus 1 includes a photosensitive drum 61 as an image carrier, a charging device 62 as charging means, a transfer roller 63 as transfer means, and a cleaning means. and a paper dust removing device 110 as a

The photoreceptor unit 6 has a photoreceptor drum 61 and second contact members 180a and 180b. The second contact members 180a and 180b are sheet members that come into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 at the ends thereof in the direction of the rotational axis of the photosensitive drum 61 and remove the toner 11 and the like adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61. Configured. The photoreceptor unit 6 is configured as a photoreceptor cartridge.

The photoreceptor unit 6 has a photoreceptor frame 610 that supports various elements within the photoreceptor unit 6 and has a pair of left side walls 611 and right side walls 612 . The photosensitive frame 610 is provided with a rotatable photosensitive drum 61 , a transfer roller 63 rotating in contact with the lower side of the photosensitive drum 61 , and a charging device 62 facing the upper side of the photosensitive drum 61 . A gear 65 is provided at one end of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction, and the gear 65 meshes with a transfer gear 66 that transmits driving force to the transfer roller 63 .

The photoreceptor frame 610 is provided with the paper dust removing device 110 and a grip portion 617 for the user to grip the photoreceptor unit 6 . Further, the photosensitive frame 610 is provided with a mounting portion 615 to which the developing unit 7 can be mounted, a pressing member 640 that presses the developing unit 7 , and a lift member 642 that lifts the developing unit 7 .

The pressing member 640 urges the developing roller 71 toward the photosensitive drum 61 by pressing the developing unit 7 attached to the photosensitive unit 6 . The lift member 642 can be operated by the user to remove the developing unit 7 from the photoreceptor unit 6 and replace it.

<Paper Dust Removal Device>
The paper dust removing device 110 includes a frame 170, a first removing roller 120, a second removing roller 130, an elastic member 140, and a first contact member 160, as shown in FIG. be. The first contact member 160 includes a support portion 161 supported by the frame 170 and a contact portion 162 that contacts the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 .

The first removal roller 120 rotates in contact with the rear side of the photosensitive drum 61 to collect paper dust adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 . The second removal roller 130 rotates in contact with the rear side of the first removal roller 120 and absorbs paper dust on the first removal roller 120 . The elastic member 140 contacts the upper peripheral surface of the second removal roller 130 and scrapes off paper dust on the second removal roller 130 .

The first contact member 160 includes a support portion 161 whose one end is fixed to the frame 170 and a fibrous contact portion 162 that contacts the photosensitive drum 61 . The first contact member 160 allows the toner 11 remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 to pass therethrough, and collects paper dust on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 that has not been completely removed by the first removal roller 120 .

<developing unit>
The developing unit 7 is configured as a developing cartridge detachably attached to the photoreceptor unit 6 . The developing unit 7 is formed by a developing frame 700 and has a toner containing portion 74 containing toner 11 as a developer. Further, the developing unit 7 has a first stirring member 75 a and a second stirring member 75 b that stir the toner 11 stored in the toner storage portion 74 and convey the toner 11 to the supply roller 72 .

Further, the developing unit 7 has a supply roller 72 that supplies the developing roller 71 with the toner 11 as the developer contained in the toner container 74 . Further, the developing unit 7 has a developing roller 71 as a developer bearing member that rotates in contact with the photosensitive drum 61 . Further, the developing unit 7 includes a layer thickness regulating blade 73 that regulates the layer thickness of the toner 11 carried on the surface of the developing roller 71 . The supply roller 72 rotates in contact with the developing roller 71 .

The toner 11 stored in the toner storage portion 74 is conveyed toward the supply roller 72 while being stirred by the rotation of the first stirring member 75a and the second stirring member 75b. After that, the toner 11 is conveyed toward the developing roller 71 by the supply roller 72 , attracted by the magnetic force of the magnet roller embedded inside the developing roller 71 , and carried on the surface of the developing roller 71 . The layer thickness of the toner 11 carried on the surface of the developing roller 71 is regulated by the layer thickness regulating blade 73 . The development frame 700 supports various elements within the development unit 7 . The developing roller 71 is rotatably supported by the developing frame 700 at both ends in the rotation axis direction. A grip portion 701 that is gripped by the user is provided in front of the developing unit 7 .

<Reservoir>
Next, the configuration of the reservoir will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the photoreceptor unit 6 viewed obliquely from above the front side. The photosensitive frame 610 of the photosensitive unit 6 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided with second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members. The second contact members 180a and 180b are in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 at one end side and the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction, and are adhered to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61. Paper dust and toner 11 are removed.

The photoreceptor frame 610 of the photoreceptor unit 6 has storage portions 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a, 613a. 613b is provided. Storage portions 613a and 613a, 613a and 613a are provided vertically below the second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members at one end side and the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the direction of the rotational axis when the photosensitive unit 6 is arranged at the image forming position. 613b is provided. The storage portions 613a and 613b are provided at positions facing regions where the second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members of the photosensitive drum 61 contact.

The second contact members 180 a and 180 b remove the toner 11 that adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 outside the developing roller 71 in the left-right direction and cannot be collected by the developing unit 7 . The second contact members 180 a and 180 b remove paper dust adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 outside the first contact member 160 in the left-right direction.

A gear 65 is provided at the end of the photosensitive drum 61 on the side of the storage portion 613 a in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 . 4, which is one end of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction, extends from the outside of the gear 65 to the inside of the one end surface 61a of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61. there is 4, which is the other end of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction, extends from the outside to the inside of the other end surface 61b of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61.

By ensuring a large capacity for the reservoirs 613a and 613b in this way, it is possible to prevent paper dust and toner 11 as adherents from overflowing from the reservoirs 613a and 613b even if the life of the photoreceptor unit 6 is extended. As a result, the paper dust and toner 11 as overflowing deposits stain the surroundings, and the paper dust and toner 11 as overflowing deposits adhere to the photosensitive drum 61, the developing roller 71, the transfer roller 63, and the like. It is possible to prevent problems such as image defects from being caused.

In this embodiment, the storage portions 613a and 613b are provided on both sides of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction. effect can be obtained.

[Second embodiment]
Next, the configuration of a process cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. It should be noted that components configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, or even if the reference numerals are different, the same member names are given, and the description thereof is omitted. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the structure of part of the process cartridge 5 of this embodiment. In the first embodiment, a part of the photosensitive frame 610 of the photosensitive unit 6 is provided with the second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members and the reservoirs 613a and 613b.

In this embodiment, the photosensitive frame 610 of the photosensitive unit 6 is provided with second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members. Further, storage portions 702a and 702b for storing paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 180a and 180b provided on the photoconductor frame 610 of the photoconductor unit 6 are attached to the developing frame of the developing unit 7. This is an example provided on the body 700 .

A process cartridge 5 used in the image forming apparatus 1 includes a photoreceptor unit 6 and a developing unit 7 detachable from the photoreceptor unit 6 . The photoreceptor unit 6 has a photoreceptor drum 61 and a gear 65 provided at one end of the photoreceptor drum 61 in the rotation axis direction.

Further, the photoreceptor unit 6 has second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members. The second contact members 180a and 180b are in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 at one end side and the other end side of the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61, and remove paper dust and toner as adherents adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61. 11 is removed. Further, the photoreceptor unit 6 has a mounting portion 615 to which the developing unit 7 can be mounted. The second contact members 180 a and 180 b as sheet members are provided on the photoreceptor frame 610 of the photoreceptor unit 6 .

On the other hand, the developing unit 7 has a developing roller 71 . Further, the developing unit 7 is configured to have storage portions 702a and 702b that store paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 180a and 180b. Here, consider a state in which the process cartridge 5 is arranged at the image forming position. In this state, the storage portions 702a and 702b are provided vertically below the second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members at one end side and the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotational axis direction.

The storage portion 702a on one end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction extends from the outside of the gear 65 to the inside of the one end surface 61a of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 . Further, the storage portion 702b on the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction extends from the outside to the inside of the other end surface 61b of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 . Storing portions 702 a and 702 b that store paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 180 a and 180 b are provided in the developing frame 700 of the developing unit 7 .

The photoreceptor frame 610 of the photoreceptor unit 6 is provided with notches 614a and 614b at positions corresponding to the reservoirs 702a and 702b. As a result, every time the developing unit 7 is replaced, the paper dust and toner 11 accumulated in the reservoirs 702a and 702b are also removed. As a result, even if the photoreceptor unit 6 has a longer life than in the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent paper dust and toner 11 as adherents from overflowing from the reservoirs 702a and 702b.

By ensuring a large capacity for the reservoirs 702a and 702b in this way, even if the life of the photoreceptor unit 6 is further extended, it is possible to prevent paper dust and toner 11 as adhering matter from overflowing from the reservoirs 702a and 702b. can. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment, and similar effects can be obtained.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, the configuration of a process cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. It should be noted that components configured in the same manner as those of the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, or even if the reference numerals are different, the same member names are given, and description thereof is omitted. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the structure of part of the process cartridge 5 of this embodiment.

In the second embodiment, storage portions 702a and 702b are formed in a part of the developing frame 700 of the developing unit 7, and second contact members 180a and 180b as sheet members are formed in the photosensitive frame 610 of the photosensitive unit 6. It was a set configuration. In this embodiment, second contact members 280a and 280b as sheet members, and storage portions 702a and 702b for storing paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 280a and 280b are provided. This is an example provided on the development frame 700 of the development unit 7 .

A process cartridge 5 used in the image forming apparatus 1 includes a photoreceptor unit 6 and a developing unit 7 . The photoreceptor unit 6 includes a photoreceptor drum 61, a gear 65 provided at one end of the photoreceptor drum 61 in the rotation axis direction, and a mounting portion 615 to which the developing unit 7 can be mounted.

On the other hand, the developing unit 7 has a developing roller 71 . Further, the developing unit 7 abuts on the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 at one end and the other end in the rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 to remove paper dust and toner 11 as adherents adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 . It has second contact members 280a and 280b as sheet members for contacting.

Further, the developing unit 7 is configured to have storage portions 702a and 702b that store paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 280a and 280b. Here, consider a state in which the process cartridge 5 is arranged at the image forming position. In this state, the storage portions 702a and 702b are provided vertically below the second contact members 280a and 280b as sheet members at one end side and the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotational axis direction.

The storage portion 702a on one end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction extends from the outside of the gear 65 to the inside of the one end surface 61a of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 . On the other hand, the storage portion 702b on the other end side of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction extends from the outside to the inside of the other end surface 61b of the photosensitive drum 61 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 61 .

As shown in FIG. 6, the developing frame 700 of the developing unit 7 is provided with second contact members 280a and 280b as sheet members for removing paper dust and toner 11 adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61. It is Further, the developing frame 700 of the developing unit 7 is provided with storage portions 702a and 702b for storing paper dust and toner 11 as adherents removed by the second contact members 280a and 280b.

As a result, the second contact members 280a and 280b are also replaced each time the developing unit 7 is replaced. As a result, paper dust and toner 11 adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 61 due to wear of the second contact members 280a and 280b can be removed even if the photosensitive member unit 6 has a longer life than in the second embodiment. It is possible to prevent deterioration of the removal performance to be applied. In other words, even if the photoreceptor unit 6 has a longer life than the second embodiment, it is possible to prevent paper dust and toner 11 as adhering matter from overflowing from the reservoirs 702a and 702b. Other configurations are configured in the same manner as in each of the above-described embodiments, and similar effects can be obtained.

6 Photoreceptor unit (photoreceptor cartridge)
7 development unit (development cartridge)
61 Photosensitive drum 71 Developing roller 180a, 180b Second contact member (sheet member)
613a, 613b... Reservoir

Claims (5)

a frame body having an opening formed therein; a container provided inside the opening for containing toner; and a rotatable developing member arranged so as to be exposed outside the opening and carrying the toner. a supply member that contacts the developing member and supplies the toner stored in the storage portion to the developing member through the opening; and a toner that contacts the developing member and is carried on the surface of the developing member. a regulating member that regulates the thickness of the layer, and a sheet member that is provided only on an end side of the frame with respect to the rotation axis direction of the developing member,
The sheet member has a portion facing the surface of the developing member exposed to the outside from the opening, and is fixed to the frame without contacting the developing member. developer cartridge. 2. The development according to claim 1, wherein the sheet members are provided on one end side of the frame body and on the other end side opposite to the one end side, respectively, with respect to the rotation axis direction. cartridge. 3. A storage section capable of storing toner is provided between the sheet member and a position where the developing member and the supply member contact each other in a cross section orthogonal to the rotation axis direction. 1. The developing cartridge according to 1. In a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction, a gripping portion that can be gripped by a user is provided in a region of the frame on the side opposite to the position where the sheet member is fixed with the developing member interposed therebetween. 2. The developer cartridge of claim 1. 2. A developer cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable agitating member for agitating the toner contained in said container.

Images