This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-218688 filed on Oct. 21, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Aspects of the invention relate to a developing device having a developing roller and a layer thickness regulation blade.
A known developing device used in an image forming apparatus includes a housing for accommodating developer therein, a developing roller rotatably held in the housing, a layer thickness regulation blade contacting the developing roller and a seal member arranged between the housing and the developing roller (see, for example, JP-A-2010-164736). In this developing device, the layer thickness regulation blade has a blade main body made of sheet metal and a blade rubber part protruding from the blade main body and contacting the developing roller.
The seal member is provided in a shape following an outer peripheral surface of the developing roller and one end thereof is adhered to each end portion of the blade main body. Further, an end surface of the seal member at an inner side in an axial direction of the developing roller is in contact with an end surface of the blade rubber part at an outer side in the axial direction of the developing roller.
However, in the above-described technique, the developer scraped off by the end portion of the blade rubber part may vigorously flow toward the seal member, depending on the shape of the blade rubber part. In this case, it is difficult to completely seal the developer by the seal member. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the developer is leaked to the outside.
Accordingly, aspects of the invention provide a developing device capable of suppressing developer from being leaked.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a developing device including a housing configured to accommodate developer therein, a developing roller rotatably provided to the housing and configured to carry the developer on a surface thereof, a layer thickness regulation blade contacting the developing roller, and a seal member arranged between the housing and each end of the developing roller in an axial direction of the developing roller, wherein the layer thickness regulation blade includes a blade main body extending along the axial direction, and a blade rubber part protruding from a surface of the blade main body, which faces the developing roller, and contacting the developing roller, wherein an end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the seal member in the axial direction, and wherein a suppression part configured to suppress a strength of flow of the developer is provided at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the seal member.
According to the above configuration, since a strength of flow of the developer is suppressed by the suppression part when the developer scraped off by the end portion of the blade rubber part is trying to vigorously move toward the seal member, it is possible to suppress the developer from vigorously flowing to the seal member. As a result, it is possible to suppress leakage of the developer.
Hereinafter, an illustrative embodiment of the invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the following descriptions, an overall configuration of a laser printer will be first described briefly and then features of the invention will be specifically described.
Further, in the following descriptions, directions are described, based on a user who is using a laser printer 1. That is, in
<Overall Configuration of Laser Printer>
As shown in
The feeder unit 4 has a sheet feeding tray 6 detachably mounted to an inner bottom portion of the main body casing 2 and a sheet pressing plate 7 provided in the sheet feeding tray 6. Further, the feeder unit 4 has various rollers 11 for conveying the sheet 3 and removing paper dust. In the feeder unit 4, the sheet 3 in the sheet feeding tray 6 is sent upward by the sheet pressing plate 7 and then conveyed to the image forming unit 5 by various rollers 11.
The image forming unit 5 has a scanner unit 16, a process cartridge 17, a fixing unit 18 and the like.
The scanner unit 16 is provided to an upper portion inside the main body casing 2 and has a laser light emitting unit (not shown), a polygon mirror 19 that is rotationally driven, lenses 20, 21, reflectors 22, 23, 24 and the like. In the scanner unit 16, a laser beam passes through a route indicated by a chain line and is irradiated on a surface of a photosensitive drum 27 by high-speed scanning.
The process cartridge 17 can be detachably mounted to the main body casing 2 by appropriately opening a front cover 2A provided at the front side of the main body casing 2. Further, the process cartridge 17 is configured mainly by a drum unit 39 and a developing cartridge 28 as an example of the developing device.
The developing cartridge 28 can be attached to and detached from the main body casing 2 in a state of being mounted to the drum unit 39. As shown in
The layer thickness regulation blade 100 has a blade main body 110 and a blade rubber part 120 fixed to the blade main body 110.
The blade main body 110 is a sheet metal extending in a left-right direction. The blade main body 110 is fixed to the housing 50 above the developing roller 31 and a leading end thereof is arranged in front of the developing roller 31.
As shown in
Returning back to
The drum unit 39 has the photosensitive drum 27, a scorotron type charger 29 and a transfer roller 30. In the drum unit 39, a surface of the photosensitive drum 27 is uniformly positively-charged by the scorotron type charger 29 and then exposed by the high-speed scanning of the laser beam emitted from the scanner unit 16. Thereby, a potential of the exposed part is lowered and therefore an electrostatic latent image based on image data is formed.
Then, as the developing roller 31 is rotated, the toner carried on the developing roller 31 is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 27, so that a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 27. After that, the sheet 3 is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 27 and the transfer roller 31, so that the toner image carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum 27 is transferred onto the sheet 3.
As shown in
<Detailed Configuration of Developing Cartridge>
Subsequently, the configuration of the developing cartridge 28 will be specifically described.
As shown in
The side seal 200 is disposed between the housing 50 and both ends of the developing roller 31 in an axial direction (i.e., the left-right direction) of the developing roller 31, so as to follow an outer peripheral shape of the developing roller 31. The side seal 200 is in contact with the developing roller 31. Further, the film 35 is a sheet-like member extending in the left-right direction and is in contact with the lower portion of the developing roller 31. In the layer thickness regulation blade 100, the blade rubber part 120 is in contact with the developing roller 31 obliquely from the upper front side (see
As shown in
The base member 210 is an elastic member formed of urethane sponge, for example. A lower end of the base member 210 is disposed at the lower side of the developing roller 31 and an upper end thereof is disposed at the back side (front side) of the blade main body 110 of the layer thickness regulation blade 100. The base member 210 is in contact with the blade main body 110 from the side opposite to the developing roller 31. The base member 210 is adhered to the housing 50 by a double-sided tape and the like.
Meanwhile, a blade-side seal 130 made of urethane sponge and the like is adhered to the surface of the fore side (rear side) of the blade main body 110 while being adjacent to both sides of the blade rubber part 120 in the left-right direction.
The contact member 220 is a substantially rectangular member formed from fiber members such as non-woven fabrics or textile members, for example. The contact member 220 extends from a position superimposed on the blade-side seal 130 towards the rear side than the lower end of the base member 210. The contact member 220 is adhered to the blade-side seal 130, the base member 210 and a portion of the housing 50 extending to the rear side than the lower end of the base member 210 by a double-sided tape and the like. Further, an upper end of the contact member 220 is placed above the contact portion TP (see
As shown in
Here, a length in the upper-lower direction of the end surface 120A of the blade rubber part 120 can be, for example, 3 mm. A width in the left-right direction of the both end portions 111 of the blade main body 110 can be, for example, 7 mm. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the length in the upper-lower direction of the end surface 120A of the blade rubber part 120 can be 2.5 to 4 mm. Further, the width in the left-right direction of the both end portions 111 of the blade main body 110 can be, for example, 6 to 8 mm.
The cutout portion 121 is formed with a first side surface 123 and a second side surface 124. The first side surface 123 extends along the axial direction of the developing roller 31 toward an inner side in the left-right direction from a lower end of the end surface 120A. The second side surface 124 extends downward from the first side surface 123. Here, a length in the left-right direction of the first side surface 123 can be, for example, 4 mm, and a length in the upper-lower direction of the second side surface 124 can be, for example, 1.5 mm. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the length in the left-right direction of the first side surface 123 can be 3 to 6 mm, preferably 3 to 4 mm. Further, it is desirable that a lower end of the second side surface 124 is located at the outside of a nip portion (contact portion) between the developing roller 31 and the blade rubber part 120. Accordingly, a length in the upper-lower direction of the second side surface 124 can be, for example, 1 to 3 mm.
By providing such cutout portion 121 in the blade rubber part 120, the corners between the first side surface 123 and the second side surface 124, and the surface of the blade rubber part 120, which is in contact with the developing roller 31, respectively, are substantially at right angles (see
Further, as shown in
The layer thickness regulation blade 100 is arranged so as to be imposed on a large area of the upper side 211A of the first protrusion 211 from the front side. A lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211 is disposed so as to protrude lower than the first side surface 123 of the cutout portion 121 of the blade rubber part 120. That is, the lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211 is disposed at the corner part between the blade rubber part 120 and the contact member 220, specifically, at the corner part formed by the first side surface 123 of the cutout portion 121 and the inner end surface 221 of the contact member 220 in the left-right direction. In this way, the lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211 functions as the above-described suppression part.
Here, a length in the left-right direction of the first protrusion 211 can be, for example, 1 mm. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the length in the left-right direction of the first protrusion 211 can be 0.5 to 3 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm.
Further, a length in the upper-lower direction of the lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211 can be, for example, the same length (1.5 mm) as the second side surface 124. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the length in the upper-lower direction of the lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211 can be 1 to 3 mm.
In a state where the developing roller 31 is attached to the housing 50 so as to be pressed against the layer thickness regulation blade 100 and the side seal 200 and the like, the first protrusion 211 may be or may not be in contact with the developing roller 31.
The second protrusion 212 is disposed adjacent to the first protrusion 211 at the upstream side in the rotating direction of the developing roller 31 and protrudes toward the inner side in the left-right direction than the first protrusion 211.
The third protrusion 213 is disposed adjacent to the second protrusion 212 at the upstream side in the rotating direction of the developing roller 31 and protrudes toward the inner side in the left-right direction than the second protrusion 212.
Meanwhile, an amount of protrusion of the second protrusion 212 to the first protrusion 211 can be, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm, preferably 0.5 to 1 mm. Further, an amount of protrusion of the third protrusion 213 to the second protrusion 212 can be, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm, preferably 1 to 1.5 mm.
The operation and effect of the developing cartridge 28 configured as described above will be described.
As shown in
At this time, the portion of the developing roller 31, which is located at an inner side of the cutout portion 121 in the left-right direction, is in contact with the flat surface of the blade rubber part 120. In contrast, as shown in
With this configuration, a layer thickness of the toner carried on an end portion of the developing roller 31 is thinned, so that it is possible to suppress leakage of the toner from the end portion of the developing roller 31.
By the way, in a configuration where the blade rubber part 120 is provided with the cutout portion 121, as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, as shown in
Further, in the illustrative embodiment, a part of the base member 210 (lower end portion 211B of the first protrusion 211) functions as the suppression part for suppressing the strength of flow of the toner. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, as compared to a structure where the suppression part is configured by a member other than the existing parts such as the base member, for example.
Further, since the second protrusion 212 protruding to the inner side in the left-right direction than the first protrusion 211 is provided at the upstream side of the first protrusion 211 in the rotating direction, the second protrusion 212 can suppress the toner from flowing toward the corner part between the blade rubber part 120 and the contact member 220. Accordingly, it is possible to further suppress the toner from vigorously flowing to the contact member 220.
Further, since the third protrusion 213 protruding to the inner side in the left-right direction than the second protrusion 212 is provided at an upstream side of the second protrusion 212 in the rotating direction, the third protrusion 213 can suppress the toner from flowing toward the corner part between the blade rubber part 120 and the contact member 220. Accordingly, it is possible to further suppress the toner from vigorously flowing to the contact member 220.
Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described, the invention is not limited thereto. The specific configuration can be appropriately changed without departing from the scope of the invention. In the following descriptions, the same or similar components will be denoted by the same reference numeral as that of the illustrative embodiment and a description thereof will be omitted.
In the illustrative embodiment, a part of the base member 210 functions as the suppression part. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in
Specifically, the inner portion A1 is an example of the extended portion. The inner portion A1 extends towards a lower side of the first side surface 123 of the blade rubber part 120 and extends towards an inner side of the end surface 221 of the contact member 220 in the left-right direction, so that the inner portion A1 is disposed at the corner part between the blade rubber part 120 and the contact member 220.
Even when the inner portion A1 of the blade main body 110 is disposed at the corner part between the blade rubber part 120 and the contact member 220 in this manner, since the inner portion A1 can weaken the strength of flow of the toner flowing outward in the left-right direction along the first side surface 123 of the blade rubber part 120, it is possible to suppress leakage of the toner. Further, since a part of the blade main body 110 (inner portion A1) is used as the suppression part, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, as compared to a structure where, for example, the suppression part is configured by a member other than the existing parts such as the blade main body.
In the illustrative embodiment, the first side surface 123 is formed to linearly extend from the second side surface 124 to the end surface 221 of the contact member 220. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in
Specifically, in the illustrative embodiment, the first side surface 123 extends from the second side surface 124 to an inner surface of the first protrusion 211 in the left-right direction. Further, the inclined surface 122 is respectively provided at both end portions in the left-right direction of the blade rubber part 120. The inclined surface 122 extends from an outer end edge of the first side surface 123 in the left-right direction. The inclined surface 122 extends toward the outer side in the left-right direction while extending toward the upstream side in the rotating direction of the developing roller 31 so as to extend to the end surface 221 of the contact member 220.
According to the above configuration, since the toner scraped off by the inclined surface 122 of the blade rubber part 120 moves along the inclined surface 122, the toner moves inward in the left-right direction, i.e., toward the side opposite to the side seal 200. Thereby, since the toner scraped off by the inclined surface 122 does not flow vigorously to the side seal 200, it is possible to further suppress leakage of the toner.
Further, the inclined surface 122 may be provided within a range where the blade rubber part 120 is in contact with the developing roller 31 (a range defined by a two-dot chain line and hatched by oblique lines). According to this configuration, since the entire of the inclined surface 122 is contact with the developing roller 31, it is possible to suppress the inclined surface 122 from being partially worn.
Meanwhile, an angle of the inclined surface 122 to the axial direction of the developing roller 31 can be, for example, 30° to 60°. Further, a width in the left-right direction of the inclined surface 122 can be, for example, 0.5 to 3 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm.
In the illustrative embodiment, the seal member is configured by the contact member and the base member (elastic member), i.e., two layers. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the seal member may be configured by one layer or, three or more layers.
In the above-described illustrative embodiment, the invention has been applied to the developing cartridge 28 included in the laser printer 1. However, the invention can be also applied to a developing device included in the other image forming apparatus, for example, a copier, a complex machine and the like.
In the above-described illustrative embodiment, the invention has been applied to the developing cartridge 28. However, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the invention can be also applied to another developing device such as a developing unit where toner is supplied from a toner cartridge accommodating the toner or a process cartridge where a developing cartridge and a drum unit are integrally configured.
The present invention provides illustrative, non-limiting aspects as follows:
(1) In a first aspect, there is provided a developing device including a housing configured to accommodate developer therein, a developing roller rotatably provided to the housing and configured to carry the developer on a surface thereof, a layer thickness regulation blade contacting the developing roller, and a seal member arranged between the housing and each end of the developing roller in an axial direction of the developing roller, wherein the layer thickness regulation blade includes a blade main body extending along the axial direction, and a blade rubber part protruding from a surface of the blade main body, which faces the developing roller, and contacting the developing roller, wherein an end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the seal member in the axial direction, and wherein a suppression part configured to suppress a strength of flow of the developer is provided at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the seal member.
Accordingly, since a strength of flow of the developer is suppressed by the suppression part when the developer scraped off by the end portion of the blade rubber part is trying to vigorously move toward the seal member, it is possible to suppress the developer from vigorously flowing to the seal member. As a result, it is possible to suppress leakage of the developer.
(2) In a second aspect, there is provided the developing device according to the first aspect, wherein the seal member includes a contact member configured to contact the developing roller and an elastic member arranged between the contact member and the housing, wherein the elastic member has a first protrusion protruding toward an inner side in the axial direction than the contact member, wherein the end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the contact member in the axial direction, and wherein the first protrusion is provided at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the contact member so as to function as the suppression part.
Accordingly, a part of the elastic member is used as the suppression part. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, as compared to a structure where, for example, the suppression part is configured by a member other than the existing parts such as the elastic member.
(3) In a third aspect, there is provided the developing device according to the first aspect, wherein the seal member includes a contact member configured to contact the developing roller and an elastic member arranged between the contact member and the housing, wherein the blade main body has an extended portion extending toward an upstream side in a rotating direction of the developing roller than an end portion of the blade rubber part in the axial direction, wherein the end surface of the blade rubber part in the axial direction is in contact with an inner end surface of the contact member in the axial direction, and wherein the extended portion is placed at a corner part between the blade rubber part and the contact member so as to function as the suppression part.
Accordingly, a part of the blade main body is configured as the suppression part. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, as compared to a structure where, for example, the suppression part is configured by a member other than the existing parts such as the blade main body.
(4) In a fourth aspect, there is provided the developing device according to the second or third aspect, wherein the elastic member has a second protrusion arranged at an upstream side of the suppression part in the rotating direction of the developing roller and protruding toward the inner side in the axial direction than the suppression part.
Accordingly, since the second protrusion can suppress the developer from flowing toward the corner part between the blade rubber part and the contact member, it is possible to further suppress the developer from vigorously flowing to the seal member.
(5) In a fifth aspect, there is provided the developing device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the elastic member has a third protrusion arranged at an upstream side of the second protrusion in the rotating direction of the developing roller and protruding toward the inner side in the axial direction than the second protrusion.
Accordingly, since the third protrusion can suppress the developer from flowing toward the corner part between the blade rubber part and the contact member, it is possible to further suppress the developer from vigorously flowing to the seal member.
(6) In a sixth aspect, there is provided the developing device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a length of the suppression part in the axial direction is within a range of 0.5 to 3 mm.
(7) In a seventh aspect, there is provided the developing device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the blade rubber part has an inclined surface at each end thereof in the axial direction, the inclined surface extending toward an upstream side in a rotating direction of the developing roller while extending toward an outer side in the axial direction so as to extend to the seal member.
Accordingly, since the developer scraped off by the inclined surface of the blade rubber part moves along the inclined surface, the developer moves toward the inner side of the developing roller in an axial direction, i.e., toward the side opposite to the seal member. Accordingly, since the developer scraped off by the inclined surface does not vigorously flow to the seal member, it is possible to suppress leakage of the developer.
(8) In an eighth aspect, there is provided the developing device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the inclined surface is provided within a range where the blade rubber part is in contact with the developing roller.
Accordingly, since the entire of the inclined surface is in contact with the developing roller, it is possible to suppress the inclined surface from being partially worn.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-218688 | Oct 2013 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20020141778 | Itabashi | Oct 2002 | A1 |
20030118364 | Kamimura | Jun 2003 | A1 |
20050158070 | Ishii | Jul 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2034369 | Mar 2009 | EP |
2175325 | Apr 2010 | EP |
2010-164736 | Jul 2010 | JP |
2013-156526 | Aug 2013 | JP |
Entry |
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Mar. 16, 2015—(EP) Partial Search Report—App 14189645.6. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150110520 A1 | Apr 2015 | US |