JP5277124B2 - Developing device and image forming apparatus having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide: a developing device capable of suppressing the deformation of a conveyance amount regulating surface due to heat produced within the device and suppressing accumulation of a developer; and an image forming apparatus provided with the developing device. <P>SOLUTION: The developing device 44 includes: a developer storing portion 11 which stores a developer; a developer carrying body 22 which receives the developer from the developer storing portion 11 while rotating in a predetermined direction and supplies the developer to a predetermined image carrying body 10; a first regulating member 30 which regulates the layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrying body 22 opposing to the developer carrying body 22; a second regulating member 70 positioned on an upstream side than the first regulating member 30 as viewed in the rotation direction of the developer carrying body 22 and having a conveyance amount regulating surface 71 that is set so as to gradually become apart from the developer carrying body 22 toward the upstream side with respect to the rotation direction to regulate an amount of the developer conveyed to the first regulating member 30; and a support member 50 which supports the second regulating member 70. The second regulating member 70 is an elastic sheet material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing device that forms a toner image on a predetermined image carrier and an image forming apparatus including the developing device.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a combination machine using an electrophotographic system supplies toner to an image carrier (for example, a photosensitive drum or a transfer belt) and puts the toner on the image carrier. A developing device for forming a toner image;

  The developing device includes, as basic components, a developer reservoir that stores a developer composed of nonmagnetic toner and a magnetic carrier, and a developer that is received from the developer reservoir, and the developer is used as an image carrier. The developing roller includes a developing roller that forms a toner image on the image carrier, and a regulation blade that is disposed to face the peripheral surface of the developing roller and regulates the layer thickness of the developer on the developing roller.

  In the developing device having the above-described configuration, a gap of a predetermined size is set between the front end surface of the regulating blade facing the developing roller and the peripheral surface of the developing roller, and from the developer reservoir to the peripheral surface of the developing roller. When the developer attached to the toner passes through the gap, a developer layer having a uniform layer thickness is formed on the peripheral surface of the developing roller.

  However, since the developer tends to stay in the space upstream of the regulating blade when viewed from the rotation direction of the developing roller, the developer rubs against each other in the space, for example, so that the external additive is buried in the toner or the external additive. The toner deteriorates due to the separation of the toner from the toner, or the carrier deteriorates due to adhesion of the toner external additive to the carrier. When the developer deteriorates in this way, the toner cannot be charged well. Further, when the developer, which is a magnetic substance, stays on the upstream side of the regulation blade, the magnetic force lines generated between the regulation blade and the developing roller are difficult to concentrate on the regulation blade, and the regulation force by the regulation blade is not stable. As a result, it becomes difficult to form a developer layer having a uniform layer thickness on the peripheral surface of the developing roller, and thus to form a good toner image.

  As a technique for suppressing the deterioration of the developer as described above, for example, one disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In the developing device of Patent Document 1, an elastic member is disposed in the upstream space where the developer tends to stay. The elastic member is disposed so as to occupy the upstream space in a state of being in close contact with the upstream surface of the regulating blade as viewed from the rotation direction of the developing roller. Thus, since the upstream space is occupied by the elastic member, it is possible to prevent the developer from staying.

  Further, the elastic member has a transport amount regulating surface that faces the peripheral surface of the developing roller. Since the transport amount regulating surface is set so as to be gradually separated from the developing roller as it goes upstream in the rotation direction of the developing roller, the developer adhering to the peripheral surface of the developing roller from the developer storing portion is not developed. As the roller travels through the upstream space, it is gradually pushed back to the developer storage section by the transport amount regulating surface. Thereby, a large amount of developer is prevented from staying upstream of the regulating blade in the rotation direction of the developing roller.

JP 2007-147915 A

  However, since the elastic member of Patent Document 1 is a member that is thick enough to occupy the upstream space, when the elastic member is deformed by heat generated in the developing device, the degree of thermal deformation tends to increase. When the degree of thermal deformation of the elastic member increases, a gap is generated between the elastic member and the upstream surface of the regulating blade, and the developer enters and stays in the gap. In addition, if the elastic member is deformed, the position of the conveyance amount regulation surface changes, and considering the change, the step between the regulation surface of the regulation blade and the conveyance amount regulation surface becomes large, and the developer stays. It becomes easy. When the developer stays in this manner, the developer is deteriorated as described above, and as a result, it becomes difficult to form a toner layer having a uniform layer thickness on the peripheral surface of the developing roller.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a developing device capable of suppressing deformation of a transport amount regulating surface due to heat generated in the apparatus and suppressing stagnation of developer, and image formation provided with the same. An object is to provide an apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, a developing apparatus according to the present invention receives a developer from a developer storage section that stores the developer, and receives the developer from the developer storage section while rotating in a predetermined direction. A developer carrying member for supplying a predetermined image carrier, a first regulating member for regulating the layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrying member facing the developer carrying member, and the developer carrying member The first restriction member is positioned upstream of the first restriction member as viewed from the rotation direction of the body, and is gradually separated from the developer carrying member toward the upstream side of the rotation direction. A second regulating member having a conveyance amount regulating surface for regulating the amount of the developer conveyed to the member, a support member for supporting the second regulating member, the developer reservoir, the developer carrier, and the a housing for accommodating the second regulating member includes a Said second regulating member is a sheet material having elasticity, the support member, which has a support surface on which the elastic sheet member is attached, is formed integrally with the housing, the elastic sheet member, the An extension portion extending from the support surface of the support member to be interposed between the first restriction member and the support member, wherein the first restriction member is connected to the support member via the extension portion; that has been fixed.

  According to the developing device of the present invention, the transport amount regulating surface of the second regulating member is set so as to gradually move away from the developer carrying body as it goes upstream in the rotation direction of the developer carrying body. Therefore, a large amount of developer is prevented from being accumulated on the upstream side of the first regulating member. And since the elastic sheet material which is a 2nd control member is a thin member, the thermal deformation degree by the heat | fever which generate | occur | produces in an apparatus is small. Therefore, it is possible to suppress thermal deformation of the elastic sheet material and by extension, the conveyance amount regulating surface. Thereby, unlike the conventional configuration using a simple elastic member as the second regulating member, the retention of the developer due to thermal deformation is suppressed, so that deterioration of the developer can be suppressed.

Further, even when the first restricting member is made of, for example, a magnetic material, the retention of the developer is suppressed, so that the lines of magnetic force generated between the first restricting member and the developer carrying member are reduced. 1 It can concentrate on a regulating member. As a result, it is possible to form a developer layer having a uniform layer thickness on the developer carrier, and thus to form a good image on the image carrier. Furthermore, since the second regulating member has elasticity, it is possible to reduce the stress received from the conveyance amount regulating surface when the developer contacts the conveyance amount regulating surface. Furthermore, since the extension part of the elastic sheet material is interposed between the first restricting member and the support member, it is difficult to transmit the vibration accompanying the developing operation of the developing device from the support member to the first restricting member. Thereby, the fixed state with respect to the support member of the 1st control member is hold | maintained, without loosening by the said vibration. As a result, the developer layer thickness on the developer carrier can be well regulated. Further, the extension portion prevents the developer from leaking from between the first restriction member and the support member. Thus, the extension part of an elastic sheet material acts as a shock absorbing material and a sealing material.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the developer includes a carrier that is a magnetic material and a toner that is a non-magnetic material, and the developer storage unit stirs the carrier and the toner to stir the toner. The elastic sheet material is made of a material having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner.

  According to this configuration, since the elastic sheet material is formed of a material having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner, it is difficult for the toner to adhere to the conveyance amount regulating surface of the elastic sheet material. Thereby, the retention of the developer due to the adhesion is suppressed.

  In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first restricting member is made of a magnetic material, and the developer carrier has a magnet for forming a magnetic path with the first restricting member, The elastic sheet material is made of a nonmagnetic material.

  According to this configuration, since the elastic sheet material is formed of a non-magnetic material, a magnetic path formed between the first regulating member formed of the magnetic material and the developer carrier having a magnet, so-called The magnetic shield is not disturbed. Thereby, it becomes easy to regulate the layer thickness of the developer uniformly.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a photosensitive drum on which a toner image is formed, a developing device that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum and forms the toner image on the photosensitive drum, and the toner image The image forming apparatus includes a transfer member to be transferred onto a sheet and a fixing unit that fixes the toner image on the sheet onto the sheet.

  According to the developing device of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the retention of the developer and thus the deterioration of the developer by suppressing the deformation of the transport amount regulating surface due to the heat generated in the device. In addition, a good toner image can be formed.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an internal structure of an image forming apparatus. It is an enlarged view of the developing device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a restricting unit and its peripheral portion in the developing device of FIG. 2.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a monochrome type printer is shown as an image forming apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, and the functions thereof are described. The present invention can also be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals that are also included.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows an internal structure of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 heats the toner image formed on the paper P and the image forming unit 4 that forms a toner image on the paper (sheet) P based on image data from the outside (for example, a personal computer). The fixing unit 5 for fixing on the paper P, the paper feed cassette 7 for storing the paper P, the paper discharge tray 12 for discharging the paper P, and the image forming unit 4 and the fixing unit 5 from the paper feed cassette 7. 1, a manual feed tray 3 provided on the right side in FIG. 1 of the image forming apparatus 1, a plurality of menu setting keys for setting various menus, and the like. And an arranged operation unit (not shown).

  The image forming unit 4 electrostatically irradiates the charged photosensitive drum 10 with the laser light L by irradiating the photosensitive drum 10 with the photosensitive drum 10 (image carrier) 10, the charger 42 that performs the charging process on the photosensitive drum 10. An exposure unit 43 that forms a latent image, a developing device 44 that electrostatically attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 to visualize the toner image, and develops the toner filled therein A toner cartridge 45 to be supplied to the apparatus 44, a transfer roller (transfer member) 46 for transferring the developed toner image onto the paper P, and a toner remover for removing and collecting toner remaining on the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10. 47. Note that the charger 42, the developing device 44, the transfer roller 46, and the toner remover 47 are arranged in this order along the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum 10 when viewed from the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 10 (the clockwise direction in FIG. Are arranged. The exposure unit 43 is disposed above the charger 42.

  The photoconductor drum 10 is a drum having a photoconductor in which an amorphous silicon layer, which is a positively chargeable photoconductor, is deposited on the surface of an aluminum cylinder, for example. The layer thickness of the amorphous silicon layer and the linear velocity of the photosensitive drum 10 are appropriately set.

  The charger 42 includes a charging roller 50, for example. The charging roller 50 includes a cored bar and an epichlorohydrin rubber layer that covers the cored bar. Further, the charging roller 50 is of a contact charging type in which the peripheral surface thereof is substantially in point contact with the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10, and a predetermined reference charging voltage (reference charging bias) in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed. Is applied to the drum surface to uniformly charge the surface potential of the drum surface.

  The exposure device 43 has a polygon mirror (not shown) that guides laser light L based on image data input from an external PC (personal computer) or the like to the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10. The polygon mirror scans the laser beam L on the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10 while rotating by a predetermined driving source, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the drum surface. The developing device 44 supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the drum surface.

  The transfer roller 46 is in pressure contact with the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10 in the conveyance path 6, and a nip portion N is formed between the transfer roller 46 and the drum surface. Since a voltage having a polarity opposite to the surface potential of the drum surface is applied to the transfer roller 46, the toner image on the drum surface is transferred onto the paper P when the paper P passes through the nip portion N. The sheet P that has passed through the nip N is conveyed to the fixing unit 5 through the conveyance path 6.

  After the toner image on the paper P is heated and fixed on the paper P in the fixing unit 5, the paper P is transported to the paper discharge tray 12 through the transport path 6.

  Hereinafter, the developing device 44 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the developing device 44. The developing device 44 uses a two-component developer made of a mixture of a non-magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the developing device 44 has an internal space. A developing container (housing) 21 to be defined, a developer storage portion 11 formed on the bottom wall of the developing container 21, and a developing roller 22 disposed in the developing opening 23 of the developing container 21 are basic components. Include as.

  The developer storage unit 11 includes two adjacent developer storage chambers 14 and 15 extending in the longitudinal direction of the developing device 44 (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1). The developer storage chambers 14 and 15 are partitioned from each other in the longitudinal direction by a partition plate 17 made of a metal such as aluminum, for example, but communicate with each other at both corners in the longitudinal direction.

  The developer storage chambers 14 and 15 are rotatably mounted with screw feeders 18 and 19 that convey the developer while being agitated by rotation. Since the screw feeders 18 and 19 are set to have opposite conveyance directions, the developer is conveyed between the developer storage chamber 14 and the developer storage chamber 15 while being stirred. By this stirring, the non-magnetic toner and the magnetic carrier are mixed, and the toner is charged by the carrier. The developer storage unit 11 receives toner from the toner cartridge 45 through a supply port (not shown).

  The developing roller 22 is made of a nonmagnetic material such as aluminum, for example, and has a cylindrical developing sleeve 24 extending in the longitudinal direction of the developing device 44 (that is, the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 10), and the developing sleeve 24 in FIG. A roller member including a rotation shaft (not shown) that rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

  The developing sleeve 24 is disposed to face the photosensitive drum 10 with a gap of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm formed between the outer peripheral surface 26 and the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10. Inside the developing sleeve 24, a pumping pole 27 supported by the support shaft 25 is disposed close to the inner peripheral surface 28 of the developing sleeve 24. The pumping pole 27 is disposed opposite to the developer storage chamber 14 via the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24, and magnetically adheres the developer in the developer storing chamber 14 onto the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24. .

  The developer on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 is conveyed toward the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10 as the developing sleeve 24 rotates, and is applied to the developing bias applied to the developing sleeve 24 and the photosensitive drum 10. It adheres to the electrostatic latent image on the drum surface of the photosensitive drum 10 due to the potential difference from the drum bias. As a result, a toner image is formed on the drum surface. In order to form a good toner image, the developer adhered on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 by the pumping electrode 27 is removed from the developer. Before it adheres to the drum surface.

  In the present embodiment, as a means for forming a developer layer having a uniform layer thickness on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24, a developer regulating blade 30 and a conveyance amount regulating member 70 are employed.

  The developer regulating blade (first regulating member) 30 is a member made of a plate-like magnetic material that is disposed above the developing roller 22 and extends along the axial direction of the developing sleeve 24 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the front end portion 31 extends toward the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24. The tip portion 31 has a tip surface (hereinafter referred to as a layer thickness regulating surface) 32 that faces the outer peripheral surface 26.

  A gap G having a predetermined dimension is set between the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 and the outer circumferential surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24. A regulation pole 29 (FIG. 2) made of a magnet is disposed in a state of being supported by the support shaft 25 at a position facing the first regulation surface 32 inside the developing sleeve 24. Therefore, a magnetic path, a so-called magnetic shield is formed between the first restriction surface 32 and the restriction pole 29. The developer regulating blade 30 regulates the layer thickness of the developer on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 by the layer thickness regulating surface 32 as described later.

  In the present embodiment, the carry amount regulating member (second regulating member) 70 is made of a flat sheet material that is elastic and made of a nonmagnetic material. The elastic sheet material 70 extends along the axial direction of the developing sleeve 24 and extends over substantially the entire width direction of the developer regulating blade 30 (that is, the axial direction of the developing sleeve 24).

  The elastic sheet material 70 has a flat surface (hereinafter referred to as a conveyance amount regulating surface) 71 that faces the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24. The transport amount regulating surface 71 is located upstream from the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 when viewed from the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 24, and gradually from the developing sleeve 24 toward the upstream side in the rotation direction. It is set to be separated from each other. In other words, the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 is formed between the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 and the outer circumferential surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 as it goes from the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 24. The space S is set so as to gradually increase. As will be described later, the elastic sheet material 70 regulates the amount of developer conveyed to the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 by the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 configured as described above.

  The material of the elastic sheet material 70 is selected from those having elasticity as described above, and having the same polarity as the developer toner. Specifically, when the toner stirred in the developer storage chambers 14 and 15 is negatively charged by the carrier, examples of the elastic sheet material include PET, PTFE, acrylic, nylon, and high molecular weight PE. , PPS, PI, polycarbonate and other resin films, polyurethane, silicon rubber, fluorine rubber, NBR, SBR rubber sheets and sponge sheets. On the other hand, when the toner is positively charged, examples of the material of the elastic sheet material 70 include nylon, urethane, polymer PE, and acrylic.

  The thickness T of the elastic sheet material 70 is set in the range of 1 mm to 4 mm. When the elastic sheet material 70 is made of urethane, the thickness T is set to 4 mm, for example. In FIG. 3, the elastic sheet material 70 is illustrated with its thickness T exaggerated in order to clarify the configuration.

  The developing container 21 has a main body frame 21a constituting the developing container 21, and a supporting member 50 that supports the elastic sheet material 70 is integrally formed on the main body frame 21a. The support member 50 has a support surface 51 that faces the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 and substantially matches the shape of the transport amount regulating surface 71, and an elastic sheet material 70 is attached to the support surface 51. ing. The elastic sheet material 70 can be attached to the support surface 51 using a double-sided tape or an adhesive, but is not particularly limited.

  In addition, the elastic sheet material 70 has an extension 72 that extends from the support surface 51 of the support member 50 so as to be interposed between the developer regulating blade and the support member 50. Specifically, the support member 50 includes a support surface 51 facing the developing sleeve 24 and a facing surface (left side surface in FIGS. 2 and 3) 52 that faces the developer regulating blade. On the other hand, the developer regulating blade has a facing surface (right side surface in FIGS. 2 and 3) 33 facing the left side surface 52 of the supporting member 50 and facing the internal space of the developing container 21. The left side surface 52 of the support member 50 extends over substantially the entire width direction of the developer regulating blade. The elastic sheet material 70 attached to the support surface 51 of the support member 50 is attached to the left side surface 52 through a corner between the support surface 51 and the left side surface 52 from the support surface 51. The extension 72 of the elastic sheet material 70 is attached in close contact with the left side 52 so that no gap is formed between the left side 52 and the right side 33 of the developer regulating blade. The developer regulating blade is fixed to the left side surface 52 of the support member 50 via an extension 72 by a fixing member (not shown) such as a screw.

  In the developing device 44 configured as described above, the developer layer having a uniform layer thickness is formed as follows. That is, the developer adhering from the developer storage chamber 14 to the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 by the pumping pole 27 (FIG. 2), as indicated by the arrow A, is elastic sheet material 70 as the developing sleeve 24 rotates. Gradually approaches the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 of the sheet. The developer is transported to a space S between the transport amount regulating surface 71 and the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24, and the space S becomes narrower toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 24. Therefore, a part of the developer being conveyed is gradually pushed back in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 24 (arrow B) by the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 and returns to the developer storage chamber 14. As described above, the amount of developer conveyed to the layer thickness regulating surface 32 is regulated by the conveyance amount regulating surface 71. Thereby, a large amount of developer is suppressed from being accumulated in the gap G on the upstream side in the rotation direction.

  The developer passes through the gap G and is cut off by the action of the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 and the magnetic shield. By this cutting, the layer thickness of the developer is regulated, and a developer layer having a predetermined thickness, that is, a so-called magnetic brush layer is uniformly formed on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24.

  According to the developing device 44 having the above-described configuration, the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 of the elastic sheet material 70 is set so as to be gradually separated from the developing sleeve 24 toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 24. Therefore, a large amount of developer is prevented from being accumulated on the upstream side of the developer regulating blade 30. Since the elastic sheet material 70 is a thin member having a thickness set to 1 mm to 4 mm, the degree of thermal deformation due to heat generated in the developing device 44 is small. Therefore, it is possible to suppress thermal deformation of the elastic sheet material 70 and, by extension, the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 thereof. Thereby, unlike the conventional configuration using a simple elastic member as the second regulating member, the retention of the developer due to thermal deformation is suppressed, so that deterioration of the developer can be suppressed.

  Further, the lines of magnetic force generated between the layer thickness regulating surface 32 of the developer regulating blade 30 and the regulating pole 29 can be stably concentrated on the layer thickness regulating surface 32. As a result, it is possible to form a developer layer having a uniform layer thickness on the outer peripheral surface 26 of the developing sleeve 24 and thus to form a good toner image. Furthermore, since the elastic sheet material 70 has elasticity, it is possible to reduce the stress received from the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 when the developer contacts the conveyance amount regulating surface 71.

  Further, since the elastic sheet material 70 is formed of a material having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner, the toner is difficult to adhere to the conveyance amount regulating surface 71 of the elastic sheet material 70. Thereby, the retention of the developer due to the adhesion is suppressed.

  Further, since the elastic sheet material 70 is made of a nonmagnetic material, the magnetic flux density between the developer regulating blade 30 made of a magnetic material and the regulating pole 29 of the developing roller 22 is increased, so that the magnetic shield is Not disturbed. Thereby, it becomes easy to regulate the layer thickness of the developer uniformly.

  Further, since the extension 72 of the elastic sheet material 70 is interposed between the right side surface 33 of the developer regulating blade 30 and the left side surface 52 of the support member 50, vibration due to the developing operation of the developing device 44 is caused. Transmission from the support member 50 to the developer regulating blade 30 becomes difficult. As a result, the fixed state of the developer regulating blade 30 with respect to the support member 50 is maintained without being loosened by the vibration. As a result, not only can the layer thickness of the developer on the developing sleeve 24 be well regulated, but there is no need to use a cushioning material such as a sponge as a separate member. Further, since the extension 72 is closely attached to the left side 52 so that no gap is formed between the right side 33 of the developer regulating blade 30 and the left side 52 of the support member 50, the developer regulating The developer is prevented from leaking from between the right side surface 33 of the blade 30 and the left side surface 52 of the support member 50. Thus, the extension 72 of the elastic sheet material 70 acts as a cushioning material and a sealing material.

  Although the case where the developing device 44 according to the present embodiment described above is applied to a monochrome type image forming apparatus has been described, the developing device 44 can also be applied to a tandem type image forming apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 4 Image forming part 5 Fixing part 10 Photosensitive drum 11 Developer storage part 14,15 Developer storage chamber 21 Developer container 22 Developing roller 24 Developing sleeve 26 Outer peripheral surface 27 Lifting pole 29 Restriction pole 30 Developer regulation Blade (first regulating member)
32 Layer thickness regulating surface 44 Developing device 50 Support member 70 Elastic sheet material (second regulating member)
71 Conveyance amount regulating surface G Gap S Space

Claims (4)

A developer reservoir for storing the developer;
A developer carrier that rotates in a predetermined direction, receives the developer from the developer reservoir, and supplies the developer to a predetermined image carrier;
A first regulating member that regulates the layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrying member facing the developer carrying member;
It is located upstream from the first regulating member when viewed from the rotation direction of the developer carrier, and is set so as to be gradually separated from the developer carrier as it goes upstream in the rotation direction, A second regulating member having a conveyance amount regulating surface for regulating the amount of the developer conveyed to the first regulating member;
A support member that supports the second restriction member;
A housing that houses the developer reservoir, the developer carrier, and the second regulating member;
With
The second regulating member is a sheet material having elasticity,
The support member has a support surface to which the elastic sheet material is attached, and is integrally formed with the housing,
The elastic sheet material has an extension portion extended from the support surface of the support member so as to be interposed between the first restriction member and the support member,
The first regulating member, the extension portion developing apparatus that is fixed to the support member via the. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developer includes a carrier that is a magnetic material and a toner that is a non-magnetic material.
The developer storage unit charges the toner by stirring the carrier and the toner,
The developing device, wherein the elastic sheet material is formed of a material having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner. 3. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the first regulating member is formed of a magnetic material,
The developer carrier has a magnet for forming a magnetic path with the first regulating member,
The developing device in which the elastic sheet material is formed of a nonmagnetic material. A photosensitive drum on which a toner image is formed;
A developing device for supplying toner to the photosensitive drum to form the toner image on the photosensitive drum;
A transfer member for transferring the toner image onto a sheet;
A fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the sheet onto the sheet;
With
Examples developing device, an image forming apparatus in which the developing apparatus is employed according to any one of claims 1-3.

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