JPH11194609A - Developing device, process cartridge and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably excellently form a toner thin layer on a developing sleeve by preventing the excessive wear of an elastic regulating blade. SOLUTION: The cross-sectional shape of the elastic regulating blade 7 is formed so that the thickness of a rubber elastic layer 16 on a downstream side from an abutting part may be larger than that on a more upstream side from the abutting part in the rotating direction of the developing sleeve 5. Thus, a wedged area formed by the sleeve 5 and the layer 16 is continuously maintained and the toner thin layer is stably formed on the sleeve 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine and an electrophotographic printer, and a developing device and a process cartridge used for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier is visualized as a toner image by a developing device. Various dry one-component developing apparatuses have been proposed and put into practical use.

As shown in FIG. 7, in a conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatus provided with such a dry type one-component developing device, a photosensitive drum 901 as an image carrier rotates in the direction of arrow A, and The photosensitive drum 901 is uniformly charged by a charging device 902 for charging the drum 901.
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface by the laser light emitted from the exposure device 903 that writes the electrostatic latent image on the surface.

The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device 904 disposed close to the photosensitive drum 901, and is visualized as a toner image. The visualized toner image on the photosensitive drum 901 is transferred by a transfer roller 909 to a transfer material 913 as a recording medium. The untransferred toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 901 without being transferred is scraped off by the cleaning blade 910 and stored in the waste toner container 911, and the cleaned photosensitive drum 901 repeats the above operation to form an image.

On the other hand, a transfer material 913 on which a toner image has been transferred
Is subjected to a fixing process by the fixing device 912, and is discharged out of the device to complete the printing operation.

The dry type one-component developing device 904 includes, for example, a developing sleeve 905 as a developer carrier and a rubber blade 907 as an elastic body as an elastic regulating blade.
Are brought into contact with each other, and a toner 90 as a developer is provided between the contact portions.
8 to regulate the amount of toner, a thin layer of toner 908 is formed on the developing sleeve 905, and sufficient tribo is imparted to the toner by friction at the time of contact.

In recent years, it has been required to fix toner at a lower temperature from the viewpoint of speeding up as an image forming apparatus and saving energy. Therefore, a resin that can be melted at a lower temperature has been used as the toner.

However, when such a toner is used, a load is applied at a contact portion between the elastic regulating blade 907 and the developing sleeve 905, and the toner resin is fixed to the elastic regulating blade 907, so-called "fusion". A phenomenon may occur, which may significantly hinder the formation of the toner layer and the provision of tribo.

Therefore, it has been proposed to use a material having an appropriate abrasion property such as silicone rubber as a material of the elasticity regulating blade 907. That is, the rotation of the developing sleeve scrapes the surface of the elastic regulating blade, thereby preventing the toner from fusing to the blade surface.
It is intended to always form a stable toner layer and provide a tribo.

[0010]

However, in the case where an elastic body such as silicone rubber having a property of being rubbed against a developing sleeve, such as silicone rubber, is used as a material of the elastic regulating blade, the elastic member is worn due to the environment, particularly the temperature. The amount increases. Therefore, at the start of use, as shown in FIG. 8, the blade portion 916 supported by the holding plate 915 of the elastic regulating blade 907 and the developing sleeve 905 are in line contact with each other, but the use of the developing device As shown in FIG. 9, the surface of the blade portion 916 wears so as to follow the arc of the developing sleeve 905, and the contact portion between the blade portion 916 and the developing sleeve 905 expands.

In the case shown in FIG. 9, the "wedge-shaped" portion (the J portion in FIG. 8) for taking in the toner at the contact portion between the elasticity regulating blade 907 and the developing sleeve 905 is small (J in FIG. 9).部), the amount of toner taken in decreases, and an appropriate image cannot be obtained.

Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a developing device using an elastic regulating blade having abrasion, which can stably and satisfactorily form a thin toner layer on a developer carrying member. An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge having the developing device and an image forming apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a developing device using an elastic regulating blade having abrasion, which can prevent the elastic regulating blade from being excessively worn, a process cartridge provided with the developing device, and An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0014]

The above object is achieved by a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention regulates a developer container containing a developer, a rotating developer carrier extending to an opening of the developer container, and an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrier. In a developing device having an elastic regulating blade, the elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer that abuts on the developer carrier via a developer, and the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is the same as that of the rubber elastic layer. A developing device, wherein a thickness is greater than a thickness of the abutting portion on a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member from a contact portion of the developer carrying member. It is.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developer container for storing a developer, a rotating developer carrier extending to an opening of the developer container, and a developer carried on the developer carrier. In a developing device having an elastic regulating blade that regulates the amount of the agent, the elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer that abuts on the developer carrier via a developer, and the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is A developing device is provided, wherein the thickness increases with a curvature in a direction from a contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrying member toward a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a process cartridge having at least a developing device and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, the developing device comprises: a developing container for storing a developer; A rotating developer carrier that extends to the opening of the container, and an elastic regulating blade that regulates the amount of developer carried on the developer carrier, wherein the elastic regulating blade is attached to the developer carrier. On the other hand, it has a rubber elastic layer in contact with the developer, and the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is downstream in the rotation direction of the developer carrier from the contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrier. On the side, a process cartridge is provided which is formed so as to be thicker than the thickness at the contact portion.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a process cartridge having at least a developing device and detachable from an image forming apparatus, the developing device includes a developing container for storing a developer and a developing container for the developing container. A rotating developer carrier that extends to the opening, and an elastic regulating blade that regulates an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrier; Has a rubber elastic layer abutting through, the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer,
A process cartridge is provided in which a thickness increases with a curvature in a direction from a contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrier toward a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developer carrier.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, wherein a process cartridge including at least a developing device is detachably mounted. Has a developer container for storing the developer, a rotating developer carrier extending to the opening of the developer container, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrier. The elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer that comes into contact with the developer carrier via a developer, and the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is such that the rubber elastic layer is in contact with the developer carrier. An image forming apparatus is provided in which the thickness is formed to be greater than the thickness of the abutting portion on the downstream side of the developer carrier in the rotation direction of the developer carrier.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, wherein at least a process cartridge including a developing device is detachably mounted, the developing device includes: A developer container that stores the developer, a rotating developer carrier that extends to the opening of the developer container, and an elastic regulating blade that regulates the amount of the developer carried by the developer carrier; The elasticity regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer that comes into contact with the developer carrying member via a developer, and a cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is defined by a contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrying member. An image forming apparatus is provided in which the thickness increases with a curvature in a direction toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier.

In the above invention, at least a portion of the elastic regulating blade whose thickness is increased on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier from a contact portion of the elastic regulating blade with the developer carrier. It is preferable that a predetermined gap is provided with respect to the developer carrier. The developer is a magnetic one-component developer, and preferably has a shape factor SF1 of 100 to 180.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a developing device, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the image forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier rotates in the direction of arrow A, and
Is uniformly charged by a charging device 2 for performing a charging process, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on a surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by a laser beam from an exposure device 3 that writes the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1.

The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device 4 which is disposed close to the photosensitive drum 1 and is detachable from the image forming apparatus as a process cartridge, and is visualized as a toner image. In this embodiment, a so-called reversal development for forming a toner image on the exposed portion is performed. The visualized toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred to the transfer roller 9.
Is transferred to a transfer paper 13 as a recording medium. The transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 without being transferred is scraped off by a cleaning blade 10 of a cleaning device and stored in a waste toner container 11, and the cleaned photosensitive drum 1 repeats the above operation to form an image. .

On the other hand, the transfer material 13 to which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to a fixing process by the fixing device 12, and is discharged out of the device to complete the printing operation.

Next, the developing device 4 in the present apparatus as described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, a developing device 4 is located at a developing container 14 containing a magnetic toner 8 as a one-component developer and at an opening extending in the longitudinal direction of the developing container 14, and faces the photosensitive drum 1. The image forming apparatus includes a developing sleeve 5 as a developer carrier disposed thereon, and develops and visualizes the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1.

The developing sleeve 5 is provided laterally with the substantially right half peripheral surface shown in the drawing protruding into the developing container 14 and the left half peripheral surface exposed outside the developing container 14 at the opening. The surface exposed to the outside of the developing container 14 is opposed to the photosensitive drum 1 located on the left side of the developing container 14 in the drawing with a slight minute interval. The developing sleeve 5 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow B,
The surface increases the probability of rubbing (contact) with the toner 8,
In addition, it has appropriate irregularities for favorably conveying the toner 8.

At the right side of the developing sleeve 5 in the drawing, an elastic regulating blade 7 is supported by the holding plate 15 and is brought into surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 5 near the free end of the rubber elastic layer 16. The contact direction is a so-called counter (reverse) direction in which the distal end side of the rubber elastic layer 16 is located on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 5 with respect to the contact portion. The contact pressure at this time is 25
g / cm, and the distance (NE length) from the upstream contact position to the tip was set to 1.2 mm.

The elastic regulating blade 7 has a rubber elastic layer 16 at least at a contact portion with the developing sleeve 5, and in this embodiment, silicone rubber having a rebound resilience of 20% or more is used.

In this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG.
Compare the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer 16 of the elastic regulating blade 7 with respect to the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 5 such that the thickness d1 of the rubber elastic layer 16 on the downstream side of the contact portion with the thickness d2 on the upstream side of the contact portion. Part d with this thickness
Reference numeral 1 denotes a slight gap g with respect to the developing sleeve 5.

In the developing device 4 having the above configuration, during the developing operation, the toner 8 in the developing container 14 is sent to the vicinity of the developing sleeve 5 with the rotation of the stirring member 19 in the direction of arrow C. The sent toner 8 is conveyed to the contact portion between the developing sleeve 5 and the elastic regulating blade 7 by the rotation of the developing sleeve 5 and the magnetic force of a magnet (not shown) inside the developing sleeve 5. At this time, the toner 8 is rubbed and rubbed by the developing sleeve 5 and the rubber elastic layer 16 of the elastic regulating blade 7, and is subjected to triboelectric charging by frictional charging.

The toner 8 formed in a thin layer on the developing sleeve 5 is conveyed to a developing section which is a part facing the photosensitive drum 1 by the rotation of the developing sleeve 5, and is supplied with an AC voltage (developing) by a power supply 18. The image is developed as a toner image by the applied electric field.

Next, specific examples of each component of the developing device 4 in this embodiment will be described below.

The developing sleeve 5 is made of SUS having a diameter of 20 mm.
A sleeve coated with a coating agent for controlling tribo imparting characteristics was used. The coating agent is based on a phenolic resin that contributes to triboelectric charging, and is made of graphite particles having a diameter of 5 μm as a conductive agent and PMMA resin particles having a diameter of 10 μm as a roughening agent for providing a predetermined surface roughness. The mixture mixed at a ratio of 0.15 was spray-coated and cured at 150 ° C., and the one having a surface roughness Rz (JIS 10-point average roughness JIS B0601) of about 1.3 μm was used. The developing sleeve 5 is opposed to the photosensitive drum 1 so that the gap is 300 μm, and the peripheral speed of the photosensitive drum 1 is slightly faster than the peripheral speed of 117 mm / sec.
/ Sec.

The toner 8 is composed of styrene acrylic copolymer as a binder resin, magnetite having a volume average particle diameter of 20 nm as a magnetic material, and polypropylene as a wax for promoting releasability, 100 parts: 80 parts each.
Parts: kneaded at a ratio of 2 parts, pulverized and classified to produce black magnetic particles having a weight average particle diameter of 7 μm. To this, 1.5% by weight of hydrophobic silica was externally added to prepare a toner 8 having a negative polarity.

For the purpose of improving the transferability, a spheroidizing treatment was performed after grinding to reduce irregularities on the surface of the irregular shaped magnetic particles. As a means for spheroidizing the irregular shaped particles after pulverization, a method of spraying a pulverized product in a hot air stream to melt the toner surface and eliminate irregularities, a method of mechanically abrading and polishing to reduce irregularities and There is.

In this embodiment, the crushed magnetic particles are bombarded with a fan having a diameter of 180 mm rotating at a high speed (2300 rpm) several times at a high speed (70 m / s), and a process for reducing surface irregularities by mechanical shock at that time is performed. Was. Here, the shape factor SF1 as an index indicating the degree of sphericalness of the particles is such that the toner cross-sectional area is “AREA” and the absolute maximum length of the major axis is “MX”.
LNG "and the peripheral length as" PERI ", respectively, SF1 = (MXLNG) ² / (AREA) × π / 4 × 1
00 is defined. The shape factor SF1 becomes unstable as the numerical value increases, with the spherical shape as 100. Actually, the toner particles were enlarged and projected by a Hitachi FE-S800 electron microscope, and the image information at that time was obtained by using the analysis software of the image analysis device Luzex3 of Nicolet. Thereby, the shape factor SF1 of the toner used in the present embodiment is obtained.
Was 230 for the pulverized product and 180 for the spheroidized product. Note that the shape factor S of the toner
F1 should just be 100-180.

Next, the operation of the elastic regulating blade 7 of this embodiment will be described.

As described above, when silicone rubber is used as the material of the rubber elastic layer 16 of the elastic regulating blade 7, the surface of the contacting portion of the elastic regulating blade 7 is scraped little by little as the developing sleeve 5 rotates. To go. For this reason,
As the use of the developing device progresses, the contact portion of the elastic regulating blade 7 with the developing sleeve 5 becomes concave, and as shown in FIG. 9, the length (NE length) of the contact portion and the tip of the blade becomes shorter. . This reduces the "wedge shape" formed by the developing sleeve and the tip of the elastic regulating blade (J 'in FIG. 9), so that the rotation of the developing sleeve prevents the toner conveyed from being taken in and prevents a sufficient amount of toner. Cannot be formed on the sleeve in a thin layer.

In this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG.
The cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer 16 of the elastic regulating blade 7 is such that the thickness of the rubber elastic layer 16 on the downstream side of the contact portion with respect to the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 5 is thicker than on the upstream side of the contact portion. It is formed as follows. As a result, the contact portion of the elastic regulating blade 7 is gradually scraped off by the rotation of the developing sleeve 5, so that the developing sleeve 5 comes into contact with the portion where the thickness of the elastic regulating blade 7 is increased. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4, the contact area of the contact portion increases when the wear of the elastic regulating blade 7 is advanced, so that the surface pressure applied to the contact portion decreases, and the rubber elasticity of the elastic regulating blade 7 is reduced. The degree to which the surface of the layer 16 can be cut is reduced. As a result, the "wedge-shaped" region formed by the developing sleeve 5 and the tip of the elastic regulating blade 7 can be maintained, so that the taken-in toner is stabilized, and even when the developing device is used, A stable thin layer can be formed on the developing sleeve 5.

Here, the results of a comparative study of the effects of the conventional elastic regulating blade as a comparative example and the elastic regulating blade shown in FIG. 3 of the present embodiment are shown in Table 1 below.

As a method of evaluation, 5
50 g is filled, and while forming an image of a character pattern having an image ratio of approximately 4% with respect to the printable area, the toner amount (M / S) on the developing sleeve 5 of the developing device 4 after forming a predetermined number of images. ), The contact position of the elastic regulating blade 7 with the developing sleeve 5 and the length of the tip side of the blade (NE length);
And the amount of shaving (depth of the concave portion) were measured.

[0044]

[Table 1]

As can be seen from the results shown in Table 1, with the conventional elasticity regulating blade, the shaving amount increased as the number of images formed increased, and the NE length and the toner amount on the sleeve decreased monotonously. As a result, a sufficient amount of toner is not supplied onto the sleeve at the 10,000th sheet, so that there is a problem that the image density is insufficient.

On the other hand, in the elasticity regulating blade of this embodiment, the change up to 1,000 sheets is the same as that of the conventional example, but the increase in the shaving amount is small, and the NE length and the toner amount on the sleeve are also small. Only the decrease was observed, and a sufficient image density was maintained for the image.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in the developing device using the silicone rubber for the elasticity regulating blade or at least the process cartridge using the same, or the image forming apparatus using the developing device or the process cartridge, It is possible to prevent excessive wear and abrasion of the silicone rubber of the regulating blade, avoid problems with the thin toner layer coating, stably and favorably form the thin toner layer, and perform proper image formation. Was completed.

Embodiment 2 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The cross-sectional shape of the elastic regulating blade 107 is
The thickness of the rubber elastic layer 116 on the downstream side of the contact portion with the developing sleeve 5 with respect to the rotation direction is thicker than that on the upstream side of the contact portion. , The thickness increases in an arc shape (equal to the curvature of the developing sleeve) having a radius R = 10 mm.

That is, in the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic regulating blade 107 has the same curvature as that of the developing sleeve 5, so that the contact area is widened to reduce the surface pressure. This prevents wear of the elastic regulating blade 107.

As a comparative example, a conventional elastic regulating blade and
Table 2 below shows the results of a comparative study of the effects of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Regarding the evaluation method, image formation was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the contact position of the elasticity regulating blade and the length of the tip side of the blade (NE)
Length) and the amount of shaving (depth of the concave portion) were examined.

[0052]

[Table 2]

As shown in Table 2, with the conventional elasticity regulating blade, the NE length monotonously decreases as the number of images formed increases, and the toner on the developing sleeve runs short on the 10,000th sheet due to insufficient toner. Although there was a problem that the concentration was insufficient, in the elasticity regulating blade of this embodiment, since the surface pressure of the contact surface between the blade and the sleeve was low, the amount of shaving and the change in NE length were smaller than those of the comparative example. Sufficient image density was obtained even with image formation of 10,000 sheets or more.

As described above, also in this embodiment, the first
As in the embodiment, it is possible to prevent excessive wear and abrasion of the silicone rubber of the elasticity regulating blade, to avoid problems of the thin toner layer coating, and to stably and favorably perform the thin toner layer formation. Appropriate image formation could be performed.

In the above embodiment, the process cartridge is constituted by a developing device. However, the present invention is not limited to this structure, and further comprises a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, and a cleaning device. And these components may be appropriately combined.

[0056]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the developing device, the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the rubber elastic layer in which the elastic regulating blade abuts on the developer carrying member via the developer. The cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer, the downstream side in the rotational direction of the developer carrier than the contact portion of the elastic regulating blade and the developer carrier, than the thickness of the contact portion Since the elastic regulating blade is formed so as to increase in thickness, excessive elastic wear of the elastic regulating blade can be prevented, and a thin toner layer can be stably and favorably formed on the developer carrying member. And an appropriate image can be obtained.

Further, the elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer which comes into contact with the developer carrying member via the developer, and the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is such that the elastic regulating blade and the developer carrying member are in contact with each other. By increasing the thickness with a curvature in a direction from the contact portion to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier, since the surface contact pressure is reduced, the amount of shaving of the elastic regulating blade is reduced, and as a result, A stable toner coating can be maintained, and as a result, a proper image can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a developing device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an elastic regulating blade according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a state after use of the elastic regulating blade of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing an elasticity regulating blade of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional elastic regulating blade.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing a state after use of the elastic regulating blade of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 developing device 5 developing sleeve (developer carrier) 7 elasticity regulating blade 14 developing container 16 rubber elastic layer

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A developing container for storing a developer, a rotating developer carrier extending to an opening of the developing container, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrier. Wherein the elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer in contact with the developer carrier via a developer, and the rubber elastic layer has a cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer and the developer. A developing device characterized in that the thickness is formed to be greater than the thickness of the abutting portion on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrying member from the abutting portion of the carrying member. 2. A developer container for storing a developer, a rotating developer carrier extending to an opening of the developer container, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrier. The elastic regulating blade has a rubber elastic layer that abuts on the developer carrying member via a developer, and a cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is such that the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrying A developing device, wherein the thickness increases with a curvature in a direction from a contact portion of a body toward a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developer carrying member. 3. The elastic regulating blade according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rubber elastic layer having a thickness that is greater on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier than the contact portion of the rubber carrier with the developer carrier. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the developing device is provided with a predetermined gap with respect to the developer carrier. 4. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the developer is a magnetic one-component developer,
4. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the shape factor SF1 is 100 to 180. 5. A process cartridge having at least a developing device and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, wherein the developing device is provided with a developing container for storing a developer, and is rotated to extend to an opening of the developing container. A developer carrying member; and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member, wherein the elastic regulating blade is in contact with the developer carrying member through a rubber elasticity. Having layers,
The cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is such that the thickness is greater than the thickness at the abutting portion on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier from the abutting portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrying member. A process cartridge characterized in that it is formed so as to perform 6. A process cartridge having at least a developing device and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, wherein the developing device is provided with a developing container for storing a developer, and is rotatable extending to an opening of the developing container. A developer carrier, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of developer carried on the developer carrier, wherein the elastic regulating blade is in contact with the developer carrier with a rubber elastic layer in contact with the developer carrier. And the cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer increases in thickness with a curvature in a direction from the contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrier toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier. A process cartridge characterized by the above-mentioned. 7. The elastic regulating blade, wherein at least a portion of a thickness of the elastic regulating blade on a downstream side in a rotation direction of the developer carrier from a contact portion of the elastic regulating blade with the developer carrier is increased, 7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a predetermined gap is provided with respect to the developer carrier.
Process cartridge. 8. The developer according to claim 1, wherein the developer is a magnetic one-component developer,
8. The process cartridge according to claim 5, wherein the shape factor SF1 is 100 to 180. 9. An image forming apparatus comprising an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, wherein at least a process cartridge including a developing device is detachably attached, the developing device comprises: a developing container for storing a developer; A rotating developer carrier extending to the opening of the developing container, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of developer carried on the developer carrier, wherein the elastic regulating blade is A rubber elastic layer that abuts on the carrier via a developer,
The cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is such that the thickness is greater than the thickness at the abutting portion on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrier from the abutting portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrying member. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the image forming apparatus is formed in such a manner as to perform the following. 10. An image forming apparatus comprising an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, wherein a process cartridge including at least a developing device is detachably attached, wherein the developing device includes: a developing container containing a developer; A rotating developer carrier extending to the opening of the developing container, and an elastic regulating blade for regulating an amount of developer carried on the developer carrier, wherein the elastic regulating blade is provided with the developer carrying member. A rubber elastic layer that comes into contact with the body via a developer, and a cross-sectional shape of the rubber elastic layer is in a rotational direction downstream of the developer carrier from a contact portion between the rubber elastic layer and the developer carrier. An image forming apparatus characterized in that the thickness increases with a curvature in a direction toward a side. 11. The elastic regulating blade is configured such that at least a portion of the elastic regulating blade whose thickness on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the developer carrying member is larger than a contact portion of the elastic regulating blade with the developer carrying member, The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided with a predetermined gap with respect to the developer carrier. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said developer is a magnetic one-component developer, and has a shape factor SF1 of 100 to 180.