JPH04131883A - Development system for electrophotographic recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To develop a sharp toner image at low cost by constituting a toner carrier in two-layered structure of a conductive base and a thin film elastic material layer and pressing the toner carrier against a photosensitive body across the elastic material layer. CONSTITUTION:The toner carrier 1 consists of the conductive base 1a and elastic material layer 1b. In this case, the thinner the film thickness of the elastic material layer 1b, the more preferable. The toner carrier 1 and photosensitive body 6 are pressed against each other across the elastic material layer 1b. The toner carrier 1 need not have high mechanical accuracy and the gap between the conductive base 1a and photosensitive body 6 is reducible by making the film thickness of the elastic material layer 1b thick to obtain an intense electric field between the conductive base 1a and photosensitive body 6. Consequently, the sharp toner image can be developed on the surface of the photosensitive body 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a developing system for an electrophotographic recording device using a non-magnetic one-component toner, and particularly to the structure of a toner carrier.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a developing unit of an electrophotographic recording apparatus using this type of non-magnetic component toner has been constructed as shown in FIG. 10 is a toner carrier that holds and conveys toner on its surface; 2 is a toner layer regulating portion that forms a thin layer of toner on the surface of the toner carrier 10; 3 is a toner supply section that supplies toner to the toner carrier 10, and 4 is a toner conveyance member that conveys the toner to the toner supply section 3.

5 is a toner carrier 10. This casing rotatably supports the toner supply section 3 and the toner transport section 4, holds the toner layer regulating section 2, and stores toner necessary for development. 6
is a photoreceptor that forms an electrostatic latent image on its surface and is developed with toner conveyed by the toner carrier 10.

Various structures have been proposed and put into practical use for the toner carrier 10, but a toner carrier that is simply a conductor rod and a toner carrier with a structure as shown in FIG. 3 have not been put into practical use. ing. The structure of the toner carrier shown in FIG. 3 is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-43766, in which 1a is a conductive base, 1c is an insulating layer, and 1d is a conductive substrate.
is composed of electrode particles and 1e is an electrode layer that electrically insulates the electrode particles 1d from each other.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

When the toner carrier of the conventional electrophotographic recording device described above is a conductor rod, a gap must be maintained between the photoreceptor and the toner carrier to prevent damage to the surface of the photoreceptor. If this gap is too large, image quality will deteriorate, and
If the gap is too small, mechanical precision is required, resulting in increased manufacturing costs.

Further, when the toner carrier has a structure as shown in FIG. 3, the structure is complicated, and this also has the drawback of increasing manufacturing costs.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with a toner carrier having a conductive substrate and a thin elastic layer on the surface of the toner carrier, and that development is carried out while the toner carrier is in pressure contact with a photosensitive member through the elastic layer.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1a is a conductive base, 1b is an elastic layer, and a toner carrier 1 is constituted by the conductive base 1a and the elastic layer 1b.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a developing device using the toner carrier 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a toner carrier according to the present invention, and 2 to 6 are the same as the conventional example.

In FIG. 1, the thinner the elastic layer 1b is, the better;
The thickness is preferably 100 μm or less. Next, in FIG. 2, the toner carrier 1 and the photoreceptor 6 are pressed together with an elastic layer 1b interposed therebetween. Therefore, the toner carrier 1 does not require high mechanical precision, and by reducing the thickness of the elastic layer 1b, the gap between the conductive base 1a and the photoreceptor 6 can be reduced, and the conductive base Since a strong electric field is obtained between 1a and the photoreceptor 6, it is possible to see a sharp toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor 6.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides a toner carrier with a two-layer structure consisting of a conductive base and a thin elastic layer, and presses the toner carrier against a photoreceptor through the elastic layer, thereby achieving inexpensive,
It has the effect of being able to develop a sharp toner image.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a developing device using non-magnetic one-component toner, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional toner carrier. be. 1.10... Toner carrier, 1a... Conductive substrate,
1b... Elastic body layer, 1c... Insulating layer, 1d... Electrode particles, 1e... Electrode layer, 2... Toner layer regulating portion,
3... Toner supply section, 4... Toner transport section, 5...
-Casing, 6...photoreceptor. 1 diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electrophotographic recording device comprising a toner carrier having a conductive base and a thin elastic layer on the surface thereof, and developing while pressing the toner carrier against a photoreceptor through the elastic layer. development method.