JPH0736273A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To minimize adverse effect on an image and to obtain stable image quality even when toner is clogged in the cell of a sponge roller because of use with the lapse of time in the case of using the sponge roller as a developer supply means. CONSTITUTION:A toner supply roller 23 is formed by arranging a material so that its longitudinal direction may be in parallel with a foaming direction. An inside layer 232 is formed of a continuous foaming sponge material whose cell shape is small and whose cell density is high around a core bar 231, and an outside layer 233 is formed of an open-cell sponge material whose cell shape is large and whose cell density is low around the layer 232. Then, the toner supply roller 23 is constituted of a conductive continuous foaming sponge material, and an electrode member on which specified bias voltage V2 is impressed by a voltage impressing means is allowed to abut on the surface of the roller 23 through a pressuring spring.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, and more specifically, a developer supplying means which rotates by contacting a developer carrier. The component developer is supplied to the developer carrying member, and this developer is formed into a thin layer by the developer regulating member abutted on the developer carrying member and conveyed to the developing section to be formed on the image carrying member. The present invention relates to a developing device that develops a latent image in a developing section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, an image recording apparatus, a facsimile, a printer, etc., an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier made of an electrophotographic photoreceptor or an electrostatic recording dielectric is used. The toner image is visualized as a toner image by developing with a developing device. As one of such developing devices, various dry one-component developing devices using a so-called one-component developer (hereinafter referred to as toner) containing no carrier have been proposed and put into practical use. In these various developing devices, good formation of a thin layer of toner on the developer carrying member leads to improvement in image quality. However, in any of the developing devices, there are many technical problems in forming a thin layer of toner on the developer carrying member. Therefore, at present, the improvement of the resolution and the sharpness of the image is required, and the development of the toner thin layer forming method and the apparatus thereof is indispensable.

Conventionally, in the above-mentioned method and apparatus for forming a thin layer of toner, a developer regulating member such as a blade is brought into contact with a developer carrying member, and the toner is passed between the blade and the developer carrying member. By doing so, it is generally known to form a thin layer of toner on the developer carrying member. When a thin layer of toner is formed on the developer carrier using the blade, it is necessary to previously carry a sufficient amount of toner on the developer carrier. Therefore, particularly in a developing method using a non-magnetic one-component toner, although it exhibits excellent characteristics in terms of image resolution, sharpness, etc. Means for supplying the developer is required.
This is because in the case of the magnetic toner, the toner can be supplied onto the developer carrier by the magnetic force of the magnet in the developer carrier, but in the case of the non-magnetic toner, the toner cannot be supplied by the magnetic force. Heretofore, it has been generally known that a sponge roller is used as a developer supplying means in a developing device using the non-magnetic toner. For example, JP-A-4
JP-A-109266 discloses a sponge roller for scraping off the toner not used for development and remaining on the developer carrying member and constantly supplying new toner in order to stabilize the charging characteristics of the toner. Is disclosed. Also,
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-287576 discloses a sponge roller that can stably convey toner even in a high temperature and high humidity environment. When using such a sponge roller,
The toner is supplied onto the developer carrier by a mechanical force caused by rubbing the toner on the developer carrier and an electric force generated by frictional charging at that time. Then, thereafter, this toner is formed into a thin layer by the blade.

[0004]

By the way, when a sponge roller is used as the developer supplying means, the sponge cells may be clogged with toner due to the use over time. If the sponge cells are clogged with toner, for example, the toner supply capacity of the sponge roller is reduced, or the toner remains on the sponge roller without being used for development and is excessively charged, resulting in a properly charged toner. Compared with this, the toner supply amount becomes unstable and the image density is affected because it becomes difficult to use for development and the resistance value of the sponge roller changes when the sponge roller has conductivity. There was a problem. Also,
When the cells of the sponge are clogged with toner, the hardness of the sponge roller is increased and it is necessary to increase the driving torque of the sponge roller, which causes a problem of increasing the load on the driving system. Here, in order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to reduce the nip width between the developer carrying member and the sponge roller. However, if the nip width is reduced, the toner supply capacity is reduced and the development density is affected. There was a problem that it came out.

Therefore, conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-41486.
The publication discloses that the cell diameter of the sponge roller is set to not more than twice the average particle diameter of the toner in order to prevent the cells of the sponge roller from being clogged with the toner. It is difficult to completely prevent the cells of the sponge roller from being clogged with toner, and it is very difficult to finely set the cell diameter of the sponge roller.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is that, when a sponge roller is used as the developer supplying means, the cells of the sponge roller are clogged with toner due to use over time. Another object is to provide a developing device capable of obtaining stable image quality while minimizing adverse effects on the image.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 provides a developer carrying member for rotating a one-component developer contained in a developing container by means of rotating developer supplying means. Is supplied to and carried on the developer carrying member at a contact portion with the developer carrying member, and the developer carried on the developer carrying member is made thinner by the developer regulating member abutting on the developer carrying member. In a developing device that conveys to a developing unit facing the image carrier while forming the layer, and develops the latent image formed on the image carrier, the developer supply unit is constituted by a continuous foam sponge material, Further, the invention is characterized in that the longitudinal direction of the developer supplying means and the continuous foaming direction of the continuous foam sponge material are aligned with each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the first aspect, a developer scraping member having elasticity which comes into contact with the developer supplying means is provided.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the one-component developer contained in the developing container is supplied onto the developer carrying member at the contact portion with the developer carrying member by the rotating developer supplying means. To the developing section facing the image carrier while forming the developer carried on the developer carrier in a thin layer by the developer regulating member in contact with the developer carrier. In a developing device that conveys and develops a latent image formed on the image carrier, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material, and the developer supplying means is composed of an inner layer and an outer layer. It is characterized in that it has a layered structure and the inner layer is composed of the continuous foam sponge material having a cell density higher than that of the outer layer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the third aspect, in order to prevent the developer from entering the inner layer between the inner layer and the outer layer constituting the developer supplying means. The barrier layer is provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the third aspect, the outer layer of the developer supplying means is formed of the continuous foam sponge material with a cell film.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the one-component developer contained in the developing container is supplied onto the developer carrying member at the contact portion with the developer carrying member by the rotating developer supplying means. To the developing section facing the image carrier while forming the developer carried on the developer carrier in a thin layer by the developer regulating member in contact with the developer carrier. In a developing device that conveys and develops a latent image formed on the image carrier, the developer supply means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material having conductivity, and an electrode is in contact with the outer periphery of the developer supply means. A member, and a voltage applying unit that forms an electric field for moving the developer from the developer supply unit to the developer carrier to the developer carrier and the electrode member. It is a thing.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the developer supplying means is constituted by the continuous foaming sponge material, and the longitudinal direction of the developer supplying means and the continuous foaming direction of the continuous foaming sponge material coincide with each other. Since it is configured, the cells of the continuous foam sponge material on the peripheral surface of the developer supply unit have substantially the same shape and have substantially the same size. Therefore, when the toner enters the cells of the continuous foam sponge material due to use over time, the toner evenly enters the peripheral surface of the developer supplying means, and the amount of the toner clogged in the cells depends on the peripheral surface of the developer supplying means. Are almost the same.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the developer scraping member having elasticity that contacts the developer supplying means is provided, the toner not adhered to the surface of the developer and not used for the development is removed. It is possible to prevent the clogging of the continuous foam sponge material with toner.

In a third aspect of the invention, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material, and the developer supplying means has a two-layer structure of an inner layer and an outer layer, and the inner layer is the outer layer. Since the continuous foam sponge material having a higher cell density is used, it is difficult for the toner to enter the inner layer having a high cell density, and the surface hardness of the outer layer having a low cell density can be made soft.

In the invention of claim 4, a barrier layer for preventing the developer from entering the inner layer is provided between the inner layer and the outer layer constituting the developer supplying means. It is possible to completely prevent the toner from entering the inner layer having a large cell density.

In the fifth aspect of the invention, since the outer layer of the developer supplying means is made of the continuous foam sponge material with the cell film, it is difficult for the toner to enter the outer layer having a small cell density.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material having conductivity, and an electrode member that abuts the outer periphery of the developer supplying means, the developer carrier and the electrode. Since the member and the voltage applying means for forming an electric field for moving the developer from the developer supplying means to the developer carrier are provided, for example, the bias voltage applied to the developer carrier is V1. When the bias voltage applied to the electrode member is V2, V1> V2 when the charge polarity of the developer is negative, and V1 <V2 when the charge polarity of the developer is positive. By applying a bias voltage to the developer carrying member and the electrode member by the voltage applying means, even if the resistance of the developer supplying means changes due to the clogging of the cells of the continuous foam sponge material with the toner, Agent supply means and carrying of the developer Not subjected any electric field that influences formed between the.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine) which is an image forming apparatus will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copying machine according to this embodiment. In this copying machine, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 as an image bearing member is uniformly charged by the charging charger 2 as it rotates. Next, laser writing system 3
Scanning exposure is performed by, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. This electrostatic latent image is the developing unit 4
To obtain a visualized toner image. On the other hand, the paper feeding section 5
Transfer paper from a, 5b, and 5c is a pair of paper feed rollers 6a and 6
After passing b and 6c, they are guided by the paper guide plates 7a, 7b and 7c and are conveyed to the registration roller pair 8. The transfer sheet is temporarily stopped by the pair of registration rollers 8 and is then conveyed to the photosensitive drum 1 at a timing determined by the pair of registration rollers 8 so that the transfer sheet 9 can be conveniently associated with it, and the toner image is transferred by the transfer charger 9. After that, the transfer paper is separated from the photoconductor drum 1 by the separation charger 10 and conveyed to the fixing portion 12 by the conveying portion 11. The transfer paper on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit 12 is guided by the paper guide unit 13 and is sequentially stacked on the determined paper discharge trays 14a and 14b. Further, the toner on the photosensitive drum 1 that has not been transferred to the transfer paper is collected by the cleaning unit 15. The above is a series of processes of the copying operation, and this is repeated thereafter.

Next, the developing unit 4 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the developing unit 4. The case of the developing unit 4 shown in the figure constitutes a developing container, and the one-component toner 20 containing no carrier is accommodated therein. A cylindrical developing roller 21 as a developer carrying member is rotatably arranged facing the photosensitive drum 1 in an opening formed facing the photosensitive drum 1. A developing portion 22 is formed at a portion where 21 and the photosensitive drum 1 face each other. On the opposite side of the developing unit 22 with the developing roller 21 interposed therebetween, a cylindrical toner supply roller 23 as a developer supply means is disposed so as to be in contact with the developing roller 21 and to be rotatable. Further, in the rotation direction of the developing roller 21, an elastic blade 24 as a developer regulating member is disposed in contact with and fixed to the developing roller 2 on the downstream side of the contact portion with the toner supply roller 23.

In the developing unit 4 having the above structure, the developing operation is performed as follows. First, by rotating the toner supply roller 23 in the direction of arrow C, the toner 20
Is supplied to the developing roller 21 while being frictionally charged with the surface of the developing roller 21. The toner 20 supplied to the developing roller 21 is conveyed to the contact portion of the elastic blade 24 as the developing roller 21 rotates in the arrow B direction. At this contact portion, the toner 20 is scraped off by the elastic blade 24, and is formed as a thin layer on the developing roller 21. The toner 20 formed into a thin layer is conveyed to the developing unit 22 by the rotation of the developing roller 21. On the other hand, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 1 is also
The toner is moved to the developing unit 22 by rotation in the direction of arrow A. Then, in the developing unit 22, the toner 20 is supplied from the developing roller 21 to the photosensitive drum 1 to develop the electrostatic latent image.

In this embodiment, the toner supply roller 23 is made of a continuous foam sponge material.

Here, the continuous foam sponge is manufactured by foaming a material by a chemical reaction. The continuous foam sponge material thus formed is the continuous foam sponge block 30 shown in FIG. 3A, and the arrow D in the figure indicates the foaming direction. The cell shape of the continuous foam sponge does not necessarily become spherical due to the above manufacturing process, but becomes a spheroid having the foaming direction D as the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the cell shape on the upper surface (and lower surface) 30a of the continuous foam sponge block 30 is substantially circular as shown in FIG. 3 (b), which is a partially enlarged view of the portion indicated by reference sign E in FIG. 3 (a), In addition, the cell shape on the side surface 30b of the continuous foam sponge block 30 is an ellipse having the foaming direction D as the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 3C, which is a partially enlarged view of a portion indicated by reference sign F in FIG. 3A. It is a shape.

Next, the toner supply roller 2 according to the present embodiment.
The material preparation for manufacturing 3 will be described. When the above-mentioned material removal is performed, the longitudinal direction of the toner supply roller 23 is set to be perpendicular to the foaming direction D, and the longitudinal direction of the toner supply roller 23 is set to be parallel to the foaming direction D. Cases are possible. Here, the toner supply roller 23a when the material is removed so that the longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the foaming direction D (see FIG. 3A).
Is cut at a desired position, and the cut surface is viewed in the direction of arrow a, the cell shape on the cut surface is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the shape is an ellipse having the foaming direction D as the longitudinal direction. Further, the peripheral surface of the toner supply roller 23a is moved to the foaming direction D
The cell shape when viewed from the directions of arrows a1 and a2 that are parallel to is substantially circular as shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c), respectively. a4
The cell shape when viewed from the direction is an ellipse whose longitudinal direction is the foaming direction D as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, and the cell shape is uniform on the circumference of the toner supply roller 23a. do not become. Further, the toner supply roller 23b (see FIG. 3A) when the material is taken so that the longitudinal direction is parallel to the foaming direction D is cut at a desired position, and the cut surface is in the direction of arrow b. As seen from the above, the cell shape on the cut surface is substantially circular as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the cell shape when the peripheral surface of the toner supply roller 23b is viewed from the directions of arrows b1 to b4 perpendicular to the foaming direction D is as shown in FIGS. It has an elliptical shape in the longitudinal direction, and its cell shape is uniform on the circumference of the toner supply roller 23b.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as the toner supply roller 23, a material is taken so that its longitudinal direction is parallel to the foaming direction D. By using such a toner supply roller 23, the cell shape on the peripheral surface is substantially uniform as shown in FIGS. 5B to 5E, and therefore, when the toner 20 enters the cell due to use over time. Since the toner 20 uniformly enters in the circumferential direction of the toner supply roller 23, the toner supply capacity does not change depending on the circumferential position, and the toner 20 can always be stably supplied to the developing roller 21.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the image fluctuation due to the toner clogging of the toner supply roller 23 becomes uniform, so that the image unevenness does not occur.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, in the developing unit 4 having the structure shown in FIG. 2, the toner supply roller 23 is downstream in the rotational direction from the contact portion between the developing roller 2 and the toner supply roller 23. Toner supply roller 2
By disposing the elastic blade 60 as a developer scraping member that contacts the surface of the toner 3, the toner 20 remaining on the toner supply roller 23 without being supplied to the developing roller 2 at the contact portion with the developing roller 2 is removed. The surface of the toner supply roller 23 can be scraped off, clogging of the toner on the surface of the toner supply roller 23 can be prevented, and the surface of the toner supply roller 23 can be constantly activated.

Next, another embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the toner supply roller 23 is composed of two layers of continuous foam sponge material. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, a continuous foam sponge material having a relatively small cell shape and a large cell density is provided around the core metal 231 to form the inner layer 232, and the cell shapes are compared around the inner layer 232. The outer layer 233 is formed by providing a continuous foam sponge material having a relatively large cell density. The inner layer 232 and the outer layer 233 are bonded by, for example, an adhesive.

By using the toner supply roller 23 having such a structure, even if the toner 20 gets into the cell due to use over time, the toner 20 gets into the inner layer 232 having a relatively small cell shape and a large cell density. Since it is difficult, it is possible to minimize the trouble caused by the entry of the toner 20. Further, since the outer layer 233 has a relatively large cell shape and a small cell density, the toner supply roller 23
Since the surface is soft, the toner supply roller 23 can be driven with a low torque even if the nip width with the developing roller 21 is increased. Further, as described above, the nip width with the developing roller 21 can be increased and the surface (outer layer 233) has a rough mesh, so that the toner 20 supply capability can be enhanced.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a thin mylar is provided between the inner layer 232 and the outer layer 233 of the toner supply roller 23 composed of the inner layer 232 and the outer layer 233. For example, the barrier layer 2 is bonded with an adhesive.
By forming 34, even if the toner 20 enters between the cells due to use over time, the barrier layer 234 can completely prevent the toner 20 from entering the inner layer 232.

Further, in the present embodiment, the outer layer 2
33 between the cell films 32 between the cell lattices 31 as shown in FIG.
The outer layer 23 is made of a continuous foam sponge material.
It is possible to make it difficult for the toner 20 to enter 3 as well.

That is, in the structure shown in FIG. 7, the continuous foam sponge material forming the outer layer 233 does not have the cell membrane 32, and the cell shape is relatively large and the cell density is small (coarse). Toner 20 was easy to enter. However, by using the toner supply roller 23 made of the continuous foam sponge material having the cell film 32 between the cell lattices 31 as in this modification, the toner 2 is also applied to the outer layer 233.
It becomes difficult for 0 to enter.

Next, another embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the toner supply roller 23 is made of a conductive continuous foam sponge material, and as shown in FIG. 10, in the developing unit 4 having the structure shown in FIG. A predetermined bias voltage V
1 is applied. An electrode member 101 is in contact with the surface of the toner supply roller 23 via a pressure spring 100, and a predetermined bias voltage V2 is applied to the electrode member 101 by a voltage applying means (not shown). . Then, the bias voltages V1 and V2 are
The relationship of V1> V2 is established when the charging characteristic of 0 is negative, and the relationship of V1 <V2 is established when the charging characteristic of the toner 20 is positive.

In the developing unit 4 having such a structure, the toner 20 on the surface of the toner supply roller 23 is smoothly supplied to the developing roller 2 due to the potential difference between the bias voltage V1 and the bias voltage V2.

Here, conventionally, when a bias voltage having a potential difference is applied to each of the developing roller 2 and the toner supply roller 23, and the toner is smoothly supplied from the toner supply roller 23 to the developing roller 2 by the potential difference, the toner supply roller is used. It is known that the bias voltage is applied to 23 through the core metal (for example, see FIGS. 7 and 8).
However, in this case, if the toner 20 is clogged on the surface of the continuous foam sponge material that constitutes the toner supply roller 23 due to use over time, the resistance value of the toner supply roller 23 changes, and good toner supply cannot be performed. There was an occasion.

However, in this embodiment, as described above, the bias voltage V2 is applied to the toner supply roller 23 by applying the pressure spring 10 to the surface of the toner supply roller 23.
Since it is performed by the electrode member 101 contacting via 0, the toner 20 is clogged on the surface of the continuous foam sponge material forming the toner supply roller 23 due to use over time,
Even if the resistance value of the toner supply roller 23 changes,
Good toner can be supplied without being affected by the influence.

[0037]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the toner enters the cells of the continuous foam sponge material due to use over time, the toner evenly enters the peripheral surface of the developer supplying means, and Since the amount of toner clogged in the developer is almost the same on the peripheral surface of the developer supply means, the toner supply capacity does not change depending on the peripheral surface position, and the toner can always be stably supplied to the developer carrier. The effect is that image unevenness does not occur.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the toner not adhered to the surface of the developer supplying means which has not been used for the development can be removed and the clogging of the continuous foam sponge material can be prevented. There is an effect that problems such as the above can be suppressed.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the toner does not easily enter the inner layer having a large cell density of the developer supplying means, it is possible to suppress a defect such as toner supply failure due to the toner entering. is there. Further, since the developer supplying means can soften the surface hardness of the outer layer having a small cell density, it can be driven with a low torque even if the nip width with the developer carrier is increased, and the load on the drive system is reduced. The effect is that you can do it. Further, the developer supply means can increase the nip width with the developer carrying member as described above and has a rough surface (outer layer), so that the toner supply capability can be enhanced.

According to the invention of claim 4, since it is possible to completely prevent the toner from entering the inner layer having a large cell density of the developer supplying means, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 2,
Further, there is an effect that it is possible to suppress problems such as defective toner supply due to toner ingress better than the invention of claim 3.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since the toner hardly enters the outer layer where the cell density of the developer supplying means is small, the toner hardly enters the inner layer, and the toner supply failure due to the toner entering. There is an effect that problems such as the above can be suppressed.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, even if the resistance of the developer supplying means is changed due to the clogging of the cells of the continuous foam sponge material with the toner, the developer supplying means and the developer carrying member are interposed between them. Since the formed electric field is not affected by the influence, the toner can always be favorably supplied.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developing unit 4 in FIG.

3A is a schematic configuration diagram of a continuous foam sponge block 30, FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view of an upper surface of the continuous foam sponge block 30, and FIG. 3C is a partially enlarged view of a side surface of the continuous foam sponge block 30.

FIG. 4A is a toner supply roller 23 shown in FIG.
3A is a sectional view, FIG. 3B is an explanatory view showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23a seen from the direction of arrow a1 in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is from the direction of arrow a2 in FIG. Explanatory diagram showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23a seen,
3D is an explanatory view showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23a viewed from the arrow a3 direction in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3E is the toner supply viewed from the arrow a4 direction in FIG. 3A. Explanatory drawing which shows the cell shape of the roller 23a.

5A is a toner supply roller 23 shown in FIG.
3B is a sectional view, FIG. 3B is an explanatory view showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23b seen from the direction of arrow b1 in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is the direction of arrow b2 in FIG. Explanatory drawing showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23b seen above,
3D is an explanatory view showing the cell shape of the toner supply roller 23b viewed from the direction of arrow b3 in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3E is the toner supply viewed from the direction of arrow b4 in FIG. 3A. Explanatory drawing showing the cell shape of the roller 23b,

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developing unit 4 according to a modified example of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a toner supply roller 23 according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a toner supply roller 23 according to a modified example of this embodiment.
Sectional view of.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a continuous foam sponge material forming an outer layer of the toner supply roller 23 according to another modification of this embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developing unit 4 according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Photosensitive Drum 4 Developing Unit 20 Toner 21 Developing Roller 22 Developing Section 23 Toner Supply Roller 24 Elastic Blade 30 Continuous Foam Sponge Block 231 Core Metal 232 Inner Layer 233 Outer Layer 234 Barrier Layer 31 Cell Lattice 32 Cell Film 60 Elastic Blade 100 Addition Pressure spring 101 Electrode member

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A one-component developer contained in a developing container,
The developer is supplied to and carried on the developer carrying member at the contact portion with the developer carrying member by the rotating developer supplying means, and the developer carried on the developer carrying member is carried by the developer carrying member. While forming a thin layer by the developer regulating member that is in contact with the body,
In a developing device that conveys the latent image formed on the image bearing member to a developing unit facing the image bearing member, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material, and
A developing device characterized in that the longitudinal direction of the developer supplying means and the continuous foaming direction of the continuous foam sponge material are aligned with each other. 2. The developing device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic developer scraping member that comes into contact with the developer supplying means. 3. A one-component developer contained in a developing container,
The developer is supplied to and carried on the developer carrying member at the contact portion with the developer carrying member by the rotating developer supplying means, and the developer carried on the developer carrying member is carried by the developer carrying member. While forming a thin layer by the developer regulating member that is in contact with the body,
In a developing device that conveys the latent image formed on the image bearing member to a developing unit facing the image bearing member, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material, and
A developing device, wherein the developer supplying means has a two-layer structure of an inner layer and an outer layer, and the inner layer is composed of the continuous foam sponge material having a cell density higher than that of the outer layer. 4. A barrier layer is provided between an inner layer and an outer layer constituting the developer supplying means to prevent the developer from entering the inner layer. 3 developing device. 5. The developing device according to claim 3, wherein an outer layer of the developer supplying means is formed of the continuous foam sponge material with a cell film. 6. A one-component developer housed in a developing container,
The developer is supplied to and carried on the developer carrying member at the contact portion with the developer carrying member by the rotating developer supplying means, and the developer carried on the developer carrying member is carried by the developer carrying member. While forming a thin layer by the developer regulating member that is in contact with the body,
In a developing device that conveys a latent image formed on the image bearing member to a developing unit facing the image bearing member, the developer supplying means is composed of a continuous foam sponge material having conductivity, A voltage applying means for forming an electric field for moving the developer from the developer supplying means to the developer carrying member, the electrode member abutting on the outer circumference of the developer supplying means, the developer carrying body and the electrode member. And a developing device.