Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. A conveying fin is supported by the case so as to convey toner to the surface of the supply roller wherein the developing roller, the supply roller, and the conveying fin are sequentially disposed in a horizontal direction. The number of revolutions of the conveying fin per unit time is between {fraction (1/50)} and {fraction (1/20)} of the supply roller.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller having chamfered ends and formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. Moreover, the ratio or open cells in the elastic supply roller is made to be 30% or higher and depth of engagement of the supply roller to the developing roller is made to be 0.4 mm or smaller. Also a first sealing member is disposed on the side ends of the developing roller and supply roller so as to prevent leakage to the outside portion of the case. The side surfaces of the developing roller have a surface roughness of 0.5 &mgr;m or smaller in Rmax.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. The toner contains a first and second additive having a specific covering ratio to the surface matrices in the toner.

Abstract: A plurality of developing units each includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller and a conveying fin. The developing roller, supply roller, and conveying fin for each developing unit are angularly arranged in a particular manner.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller having chamfered ends and formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. Also a first sealing member is disposed on the side ends faces of the developing roller and supply roller so as to prevent leakage to the outside portion of the case. Further, a second sealing member in the form of a film is pressed against a lower surface of the developing roller in order to prevent leakage of toner, wherein a quantity &dgr; of displacement of the sealing member due to its abutment against the developing roller satisfies 0.1 mm<&dgr;<0.8 mm, and the thickness t of the second sealing member satisfies 50 &mgr;m<t<500 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, and a supply roller formed of an elastic material arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. A sealing member is disposed on the side ends of the developing roller and supply roller so as to prevent leakage to the outside portion of the case. A blade at least longer than the developing roller restrains the quantity of toner on the developing roller. The blade has a radius of curvature between 30 .mu.m and 150 .mu.m.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. Moreover, the percentage of open cells in the elastic supply roller is made to be 30% or higher and depth of engagement of the supply roller to the developing roller is made to 0.4 mm or smaller. The toner has shape factors SF-1 of 150 or smaller and SF-2 of 140 or smaller.

Abstract: A developing unit of the present invention includes a case which accommodates toner containing pigment, a developing roller, a supply roller having chamfered ends and formed of an elastic member arranged to be pressed against a surface of the developing roller in such a manner as to supply toner to the surface of the developing roller. The side surfaces of the developing roller have a surface roughness of 0.5 .mu.m or smaller in Rmax.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic image forming apparatus capable of forming a high quality image by eliminating an expansion/contraction, displacement in color or nonuniformity of color of the image formed on a transfer member. An image carrier gear for driving an image carrier is driven by a driving means gear at an image carrier driving position and transmits driving force to conveying force transmitting gear at a transfer driving position. The conveying force transmitting gear transmits conveying force to the transfer member. A time during which the image carrier moves from a latent image forming position to a transferring position is made substantially equal to a time during which the image carrier gear moves from an image carrier driving position to a transfer driving position.

Abstract: An endless toner transport which connects a developing device with a cleaning device is disposed so as to pass through these devices in their respective longitudinal directions. The mixing of toner can be enhanced by returning recovered toner to the developing device and by supplying fresh toner to the cleaning device by using the toner transport itself, whereby the reuse of recovered toner and the reduction of the quantity of fresh toner used can be conducted more effectively. In the processes of transporting toner from the developing device to the cleaning device and from the cleaning device to the developing device, toner can effectively be stirred and mixed by utilizing oscillation or the like generated in the endless toner transport which can be in the form of a coil spring so that an additional stirring member is not required, thereby allowing the developing device, and hence the entire image forming apparatus, to be greatly reduced in size.

Abstract: A structure for mounting a rotary member is provided including employing a pair of opposed spaced sheet members. First and second supporting structures are respectively formed at opposed locations on the sheet members, the supporting structures each being one of a projecting part and a barring part. The rotary member is formed with one of an axial shaft or an axial bore on each side thereof for engagement with and support by a corresponding opposed pair of supporting structures. The support structures may be either projecting parts, or barring parts. An image forming apparatus is also provided employing this improved structure for mounting a rotary member. The support structures are formed on frame portions of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An endless toner transport which connects a developing device with a cleaning device is disposed so as to pass through these devices in their respective longitudinal directions. The mixing of toner can be enhanced by returning recovered toner to the developing device and by supplying fresh toner to the cleaning device by using the toner transport itself, whereby the reuse of recovered toner and the reduction of the quantity of fresh toner used can be conducted more effectively. In the processes of transporting toner from the developing device to the cleaning device and from the cleaning device to the developing device, toner can effectively be stirred and mixed by utilizing oscillation or the like generated in the endless toner transport which can be in the form of a coil spring so that an additional stirring member is not required, thereby allowing the developing device, and hence the entire image forming apparatus, to be greatly reduced in size.

Abstract: There are disclosed recording/reproducing devices for use with computers and particularly for recording or reproducing desired information on or from recording mediums like floppy disks, the devices being miniaturized and reduced in thickness for adapting themselves to the miniaturized computers of nowadays. The reduction in device thickness involves the use of a small-sized rare earth group magnet and neodymium ferrous boron which have good magnetic properties as rotor magnets of disk and carriage driving motors; or alternatively planar superpositions are avoided when placing the disk driving motor and the carriage or a carriage guide shaft and a circuit board. The thinned recording/reproducing devices contribute to diminishment of a space for accommodating the computer to meet a demand for miniaturization thereof. A plurality of miniaturized recording/reproducing devices of the invention can be set in the existing space for placement.

Abstract: A disk drive apparatus for recording and reproducing desired information on and from floppy disks, is simply and thinly structured and has an excellent shock resistance. The disk unit includes a support for carrying a pair of heads for pinching a magnetic disk from both sides thereof and for reading and writing information thereon supported on respective carriages that can move the pair of heads to a desired track on the disk, and a holder, supported by the support, for storing a disk cartridge. The holder is provided with a head guard movable between a guarding position where the head guard is inserted between the pair of heads to prevent the pair of heads from abutting each other and a withdrawn position where the head guard is withdrawn from between the pair of heads, and a spring for urging and moving the head guard to the guarding position.

Abstract: A disk drive apparatus for recording and reproducing signals movement-positions a head, mounted on a carriage, in a disk radial direction with the aid of a pinion provided on an output shaft of a step motor and a rack provided on the carriage The rack is attached to the carriage through parallel leaf springs, and press-engages with the pinion by providing a pre-load to the rack via an elastic restoring force caused by flexure of the parallel leaf springs.

Abstract: A disc drive for a disc including a disc rotating apparatus comprising a rotating shaft for being received within a first aperture of the disc. A spindle is affixed to the shaft. The spindle has a surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to the shaft, for supporting the disc. A disc driving means includes a position controlling member received in a second aperture of the disc, a rigid member for controlling the position of the position controlling member, and a biasing member for urging the rigid member in at least one direction so that the position controlling member engages the disc. A centering force to center the disc on the disc rotating apparatus is produced due to the action of the position controlling member on the disc. The biasing member may be configured so as to act upon the rigid member in an additional direction to produce an additional centering force component when the position controlling member engages the disc, thus urging sides of the first aperture of the disc against the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus is provided with a frame formed of plastic material. The frame can be formed as a composite, including glass fibers, polymers, carbon fibers and combinations thereof and can be electrically conductive. By supporting the functional recording and reproducing components of the apparatus on the frame which is supported in a floating state, the components are protected from external shocks and warp.

Abstract: A magnetic head feeding device suitable for mass production while providing a higher tolerance to vibration and shock is provided. A carriage is rotatably and slideably mounted on a guide shaft. A magnetic head is mounted on the carriage as is a rack. A pinion mounted on a motor, engages the rack to move the rack along the guide shaft in a reciprocating fashion when the pinion is rotated. A magnetic coupling between the carriage and a fixed support provides an attractive force which acts as an engagement force between the rack and the pinion without applying a contact force on the carriage. A stop is provided at each end of the rack and is integrally formed with the rack so that the stop prevents the pinion from rotating and the carriage from moving once the carriage has reached a desired outer limit of motion in either direction. A contour wall is integrally formed with the rack at a position opposed to the rack to prevent disengagement of the pinion from the rack.

Abstract: There are disclosed recording/reproducing devices for use with computers and particularly for recording or reproducing desired information on or from recording mediums like floppy disks, the devices being miniaturized and reduced in thickness for adapting themselves to the miniaturized computers of nowadays. The reduction in device thickness involves the use of a small-sized rare earth group magnet and neodymium ferrous boron which have good magnetic properties as rotor magnets of disk and carriage driving motors; or alternatively planar superpositions are avoided when placing the disk driving motor and the carriage or a carriage guide shaft and a circuit board. The thinned recording/reproducing devices contribute to diminishment of a space for accommodating the computer to meet a demand for miniaturization thereof. A plurality of miniaturized recording/reproducing devices of the invention can be set in the existing space for placement.