Abstract: A developing device has a housing including a toner container containing toner, and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a developing roller and a photoconductive drum, and a barrier member including a toner supply window. The barrier member is combined with the housing to separate the toner container and the developing unit from each other. The developing unit also includes a blocking film that is attached to the barrier member to block the toner supply window. An end of the blocking film is exposed outside the housing through an opening formed in a sidewall of the housing. A bottom surface and first and second side surfaces of the barrier member are attached to a bottom surface and first and second side surfaces of the housing by using a welding process, and a distance between the first and second side surfaces of the barrier member and a distance between the first and second side surfaces of the housing increase from bottom to top.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is provided that can reliably prevent a developer from leaking even where the developing apparatus is continuously used, and an image forming apparatus having the developing apparatus is provided. The developing apparatus has a developer container for containing a developer, a developing portion for generating a developer image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrostatic latent image holder using the developer contained in the developer container, a seal member formed along a surface of an end portion of the developing portion for sealing between the developer container and the developing portion, and a supporting member for supporting the seal member so as to allow displacement.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and which is transportable in a state of being mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the member with a developer, a developer accommodating portion accommodating the developer and having a developer supply opening for permitting passage of the developer to supply the developer to the roller, a sealing member unsealably sealing the opening and a grip member, provided on the sealing member, for being gripped to unseal the opening when the sealing member is removed from the opening.

Abstract: An image-forming device has a developer-carrying member, an image-carrying member, a belt, and a cleaning unit. The developer-carrying member has an outer surface including a layer forming region for carrying a thin layer of developer. The layer forming region has a first width in a widthwise direction. The layer forming region includes an effective image forming region used for forming an image on a recording medium. The belt is configured to circulate in a moving direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction and transfer the developer image onto the recording medium. The cleaning unit cleans the developer on a cleanable region, which has a second width which is greater than the first width. The cleanable region is placed with respect to the thin layer forming region so that each widthwise end of the second width is positioned outside of each widthwise end of the first width in the widthwise direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller on the surface of which intersecting inclined grooves are formed by rolling working; and a seal member which comes into contact with the developing roller, wherein ridge portions of a convex portion surrounded by the inclined grooves of the surface of the developing roller are formed such that rotational resistance due to the contact of the seal member on the downstream side of a rotation direction opposite to a rotation direction of the developing roller at the time of development is larger than rotational resistance due to the contact of the seal member on the downstream side of a rotation direction of the developing roller at the time of development, and at the time of refreshing of the seal member, the developing roller is rotated in the opposite direction to a direction at the time of development.

Abstract: A developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier includes a developer carrier, a developer regulator, and a sealing member. The developer carrier bears a developer, and is disposed facing the image carrier at a first position. The developer regulator regulates an amount of the developer, and is disposed facing the developer carrier at a second position upstream of the developer carrier in a moving direction thereof relative to the first position. The sealing member comes into contact with the image carrier at a third position upstream of the image carrier in a moving direction thereof relative to the first position. Therefore, gas is prevented from flowing from an outside area of the developing unit into an area defined by the second position to the third position.

Abstract: A layer-thickness regulating member may include a thin plate member and a projection member. The projection member includes a first pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with each of seal areas, a second pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with each of side end areas, and a third pressure contact portion that comes into pressure-contact with a central area. A notched portion is formed at a position of the distal end of the thin plate member where each of the second pressure contact portions is formed, by cutting the thin plate member from an end edge of the distal end toward a downstream side of the rotation direction of the developing agent carrier.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for an image forming apparatus includes a magnetic sealing member having an arcuate surface and having a magnetic property, and which is opposed to an outer surface of a developing roller with a gap therebetween and a projected surface having a magnetic property projected from an upstream end of the arcuate surface toward upstream with respect to a peripheral moving direction of the developing roller, and which is more remote from an outer surface of the developing roller than the arcuate surface; and a sheet for preventing the magnetic developer from leaking between the developing device frame and the developing roller. The sheet is mounted to an upstream end of a developing device frame with respect to the moving direction and contacted to the developing roller so as to cover at least a part of the projected surface.

Abstract: A development apparatus has a casing, a regulation plate, a smoky dust prevention sheet and a backup member which are fixed together onto the casing with a screw. The backup member sandwiches a fixed end portion of the smoky dust prevention sheet with the regulation plate. Therefore, the backup member suppresses detachment of the smoky dust prevention sheet from the regulation plate. Thus, the smoky dust prevention sheet is prevented from being detached from the regulation plate when the smoky dust prevention sheet is used in contact with a development roller in the state of being bended.

Abstract: A developing apparatus usable with an image forming apparatus includes a developer receptacle having a sidewall on which a shaft hole is formed, a rotation shaft having a length shorter than a distance between opposite sidewalls of the developer receptacle and an end on which a connection hole is formed, and a driving member rotatably supported by the shaft hole of the developer receptacle and having a connecting shaft inserted into the connection hole of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a developer roller, a support member and a first seal member. The developer roller has a rotational axis and a peripheral surface. The peripheral surface includes a center zone and an end zone at one end portion in an axial direction. The support member supports the developer roller to be rotatable about the rotational axis. The support member has an opposing surface opposed to the end zone. A protrusion protrudes from the opposing surface, and extends in a direction crossing with the axial direction. The first seal member is disposed between the end zone and the opposing surface in order to prevent developer from leaking out of a space formed between the end zone and the opposing surface.

Abstract: A reinforced doctor blade assembly seal includes a base strip of a flexible plastic film having a thickness, a surface of predetermined area bounded by multiple edges, and a foldable region extending length-wise between one pair of the multiple edges and spaced from and located intermediately between another pair of the multiple edges. The seal also includes a supplemental strip of a flexible plastic film having a thickness and a surface of predetermined area bounded by multiple edges. The supplemental strip is laminated on the base strip offset from and along one side of the foldable region on the base strip such that the base strip has adjacent laminated and non-laminated portions along opposite sides of the foldable region with the laminated portion having a greater thickness than the non-laminated portion. The seal has an attaching mechanism in the form of an adhesive coating on the non-laminated portion of the base strip. The seal is employed in a printer cartridge.

Abstract: Each transport electrode has its longitudinal direction intersecting with a sub-scanning direction. Transport electrodes 133a are disposed in parallel with each other and are arrayed along the sub-scanning direction. A transport-electrode electricity supply wiring section is connected to root portions of the transport electrodes. The root portions are one end portions of the transport electrodes with respect to the longitudinal direction. Toner transport guide members are disposed in such a manner as to cover the transport-electrode electricity supply wiring section and opposite end portions of the transport electrodes; i.e., the root portions and distal end portions.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller that supplies toner so as to develop an electrostatic latent image into a toner image; and a seal member that prevents toner from leaking from end portions in the axial direction of the developing roller to the outside and the developing device is characterized by a structure in that the developing roller includes a sheet member disposed so as to cover the surface of the end portions in the axial direction of the developing roller, and the sheet member has no seam in the circumferential direction, and has a surface roughness that is smaller than that of the developing roller, or has a surface hardness that is higher than that of a synthetic resin as a base material of the toner.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a casing that has a housing part, an upstream edge and a downstream edge, and a rectangular opening that opposes a development region, the rectangular opening being provided between the upstream and downstream edges; a cylindrical developer conveying body to rotate in a state of passing the rectangular opening, the cylindrical developer conveying body conveying the developer to the development region; and a flexible sheet member that has an upstream end part and a downstream end part, the upstream end part being fixed at the downstream edge of the casing, the downstream end part being a free end and coming into contact with a layer of the developer in a rotation axis direction of the developer conveying body at a position of the developer conveying body which passes the downstream edge of the opening.

Abstract: A secure seal is provided between a blade unit and a housing in a developer unit of an image forming apparatus by utilizing a sheet member configured to cover a step height formed on a surface of the blade unit facing a sealing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes: an image carrier, a developer carrier configured to carry developer and develop a latent image formed on the image carrier to form a developer image on the image carrier, a developer supplying member being in contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier, and developer sealing members provided at the ends of the developer carrier and the developer supplying member and configured to seal the developer there-between. One of the developer carrier and the developer supplying member is a belt member stretched between a drive roller and a driven roller. The developer sealing members are in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt member.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and which is transportable in a state of being mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the member with a developer, a developer accommodating portion accommodating the developer and having a developer supply opening for permitting passage of the developer to supply the developer to the roller, a sealing member unsealably sealing the opening and a grip member, provided on the sealing member, for being gripped to unseal the opening when the sealing member is removed from the opening.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a plurality of developer cartridges, a developer moving member and a conveying belt. Each of the developer cartridges includes a casing, a developing roller and a leakage restraining member. The peripheral surface of the developer cartridge has a first peripheral part to convey the developer accommodated in the casing and a second peripheral part. The leakage restraining member is disposed between the casing and the second peripheral part and slidingly contacts the second peripheral part so as to restrain the developer from leaking out of the first peripheral part. The developer moving member moves developer leaked from between the second peripheral part and the leakage restraining member out of a predetermined region at a position opposing the leakage restraining member.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a developer cartridge case for accommodating a developer, a developing roller, a toner layer thickness control blade, and a side sealing member. The developing roller is supported by the developer cartridge case such that a circumferential surface thereof is exposed to an outside of the developer cartridge case along a width direction. The toner layer thickness control blade includes a blade body portion made of a metallic plate. A tip portion of the blade body portion is disposed at a sliding portion of the developing roller and the side sealing member so as to contact with the side sealing member. A frictional heat generated at the sliding portion is released to the outside of the developer cartridge case through the blade body portion in order restrain a leak of the developer as much as possible.

Abstract: A developing device used for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier in an image forming device, comprises a developer carrier roller which is rotationally driven, and a toner thin layer forming member which is brought into contact with the developer carrier roller, wherein the developer carrier roller is formed in the shape of an inverted crown which is concave at the central portion in the direction of the rotation axis, and a starting point of the shape of the inverted crown is positioned further outside in the direction of the rotation axis than toner thin layer region formed by the toner thin layer forming member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier which carries a developer, a developing unit housing which rotatably supports the developer carrier, a side seal member which comes into slidable contact with both ends of the developer carrier, a sheet-like elongated seal member which extends in the axial direction of the developer carrier so as to come into slidable contact with the developer carrier, a side seal attachment surface which is formed in the developing unit housing and to which the side seal member is attached, and a support portion which is formed in the developing unit housing and protrudes toward the developer carrier from the side seal attachment surface to support the elongated seal member. The elongated seal member is attached onto the support portion in a state where both ends thereof overlap the side seal member and are opposite the side seal attachment surface.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing that stores developer; a developing roll that is rotatably supported in the housing and has a developing region with a roughened surface that supplies developer to an image region of an image holding member; a step portion that is formed at both sides of the developing region of the developing roll and whose diameter is smaller than that of the developing region; and a seal member that contacts a region of the step portion that is opposite to the image holding member.

Abstract: A developing device has a sealing unit that seals a gap between an inner wall of a housing that stores developer and a blade that controls a thickness of developer attached on a developing roller. The sealing unit of the developing device includes a first sealing member inserted into a gap between the inner wall of the housing and an end portion of the blade, a second sealing member placed on the blade to contact the first sealing member, and a pressing member that presses the first and second sealing members so as to prevent gaps between the first and second sealing members. Therefore, the gap between the blade and the inner wall of the housing can be blocked efficiently without damaging the developing roller, and a stable and efficient developing process can be performed.

Abstract: To a lower part of a housing 20 of a development unit 3a, a cover 21 is detachably fitted by using snap fittings 40. To a fitting surface 41a of the housing 20 and a fitting surface 41b of the cover 21, sponges 43a and 43b, respectively, are attached and fixed all around them. In a state in which the snap fittings 40 are engaged and thereby the housing 20 and the cover 21 are fixed to each other, the sponges 43a and 43b are in contact with each other and compressed, whereby air-tightness of a fitting part 45 is secured.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the apparatus, includes (a) a plurality of mounting portions for detachably mounting process cartridges, respectively, the process cartridges each including, an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer for use by the developing roller to develop the electrostatic latent image, a developer supply opening for supplying the developer to the developing roller from the developer accommodating portion, a sealing member for unsealably sealing the developer supply opening, and unsealing means for unsealing the developer supply opening by removing the sealing member from the developer supply opening; (b) a motor; and (c) driving force transmitting means for selectively transmitting a driving f

Abstract: A developing agent leakage preventing member is provided that is attached to the developer housing and that has a housing attaching face which contacts with the developer housing, a front side face which opposes the housing attaching face, and two side faces each of which connects to each other end portions of the housing attaching face and the front side face in the longitudinal direction of the opening of the developer housing. At least one of the side faces of the developing agent leakage preventing member is formed as an inclined side face that is inclined in a predetermined direction relative to the housing attaching face when pressed from the front side face side. In a developing apparatus, developing agent (toner) leakage is avoided.

Abstract: A regulating member includes a protrusion protruding from a supporting member toward a developing roller. The length of the supporting member in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the protrusion in the longitudinal direction. A seal member includes an extending portion extending from a space for carrying developing agent. The extending portion is turned backward along an end of the regulating member with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof toward the supporting member.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monolithic sealing member for an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus having the monolithic sealing member are provided. The method includes applying a foamable polyurethane liquid in a portion of a housing in which three or more surfaces meet, molding the foamable polyurethane liquid in a mold and foaming the polyurethane liquid to obtain a polyurethane foam, and hardening the polyurethane foam. The foamable polyurethane liquid may be a one-pack foamable polyurethane liquid or a two-pack foamable polyurethane liquid.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a casing, a developing roller, a sheet member, and a plurality of seal members. The casing accommodates developer and is formed with an opening for communicating inside of the casing with outside thereof. The developing roller is disposed on the opening and is rotatably supported on the casing. The sheet member is disposed between the casing and the developing roller. The plurality of seal members is attached to the sheet member in order to prevent the developer from leaking through the opening.

Abstract: A developer container for an image forming apparatus, said developer container including a rotatable member; a container body for containing a developer; a sealing member, provided in the container body, for preventing leakage of the developer out of the container body; a sheet, provided in the container body, for contacting the rotatable member to guide the developer into the container body; a gap provided between the container body and the sealing member and covered by the sheet; a communication hole provided in the container body in fluid communication with the gap; packing material filled in the gap through the communication hole for preventing leakage of the developer through the gap.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a cleaner, and a toner container. The image carrier carries a toner image to be transferred onto a sheet. The cleaner collects toner remaining on a surface of the image carrier after the toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred onto the sheet. The toner container stores the toner collected by the cleaner. In the toner container, the rotating member is provided in the container containing the toner. A rotating shaft of the rotating member penetrates a wall of the container and extends to an outside of the container. The contact portion is provided in the wall of the container, and is slidably contacted by the rotating shaft. The seal member is provided on an outer surface of the wall of the container, and seals the contact portion.

Abstract: A developing device is provided with a case main body, a developing roller capable of rotating and supporting developer housed in the case main body, an adjustment member extending along a rotation axis direction of the developing roller, and a side seal member. The side seal member comprises a first seal member mounted on the case main body, and a second seal member mounted on the adjustment member. The first seal member and the second seal member are configured separately and make contact with one another.

Abstract: A developing device is provided that includes a developer containing case that contains a developer. The developer containing case includes a case main body and a supply roller that is rotatably supported on the case main body. The supply roller has a rotary shaft, a cylindrical roller main body that covers the rotary shaft, and a fixed member that is fixed to at least one of the rotary shaft and the roller main body. A gap is provided between an end surface of the roller main body and an inner surface of the case main body, and the fixed member partially occupies the gap.

Abstract: A developer transport device includes: a developer containing room for containing a developer; a developer transport member disposed in the developer containing room, the developer transport member transporting the developer in a developer transport direction; and a developer damming member disposed in the developer containing room over the developer transport member, the developer damming member damming up the developer located above the developer transport member.

Abstract: A seal assembly may be used to seal an interface between a roller and a frame in an image forming apparatus. The seal assembly may include an end seal configured to seal an end of a doctor blade in contact with the roller and a roll seal configured to seal a portion of an outer surface of the roller. The roll seal may include an extension located between the end seal and the roller. The roll seal may also include a toe portion that engages the developer frame to resist movement of the roll seal when the developer roll rotates against the roll seal. The seal assembly may be used in an image forming apparatus including, but not limited to, printers, copiers, faxes, multifunctional devices or all-in-one devices.

Abstract: A development device includes an open-ended housing, a rotatable roller, an array of multiple primary electrodes, a voltage source, a sealing member, and a secondary electrode. The housing accommodates toner for application to the photoconductive surface through an end opening thereof. The roller has an outer circumferential surface to deliver the toner from within the housing to a development zone. The array of multiple primary electrodes are aligned with each other on the roller surface. The voltage source applies a periodic pulse voltage to at least a subset of the primary electrodes to generate an oscillating primary electric field. The sealing member seals clearance between the roller surface and an edge of the end opening downstream from the development zone. The secondary electrode generates a secondary electric field to force the toner from the sealing member toward the roller surface to prevent premature removal of the toner.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing that stores toner therein; a toner carrying roller that is attached to the housing by a shaft and is rotated in a predetermined rotation direction while carrying charged toner on a surface of the toner carrying roller to transport the toner to the outside of the housing; and a seal member that extends in a direction of a rotation axis of the toner carrying roller and has one end fixed to the housing and the other end in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller to prevent the toner from leaking out of the housing, wherein a plurality of convex portions having top surfaces constituting a part of the same cylindrical surface are formed on the surface of the toner carrying roller, and at least a part of the seal member in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller is made of a material having a contact angle of 105° or more with respect to water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to seals which may be used in an image forming apparatus. The seals may prevent the leakage of image forming materials, e.g. as between a blade or a roll and an image forming apparatus housing.

Abstract: There is provided a developing device including: a casing; a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent; and a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller, in which in the state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the tip end portion of the layer-thickness regulating blade abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in the state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.

Abstract: A developing unit is provided, which include: a developer carrier; a housing; and a side sealing member disposed between an end part of the developer carrier and a portion of the housing adjacent to a supply port. The side sealing member includes an upstream side seal and a downstream side seal. The upstream side seal is configured to convey a developer on the upstream side seal in an oblique direction toward the supply port and the downstream side. The downstream side seal is configured to convey a developer on the downstream side seal in a direction toward the downstream side.

Abstract: An image developing apparatus includes an upper case; a lower case disposed on a lower side of the upper case, and internally housing a developing agent, and having an opening. A photoconductive drum is disposed on the upper case for forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof. A charging roller is disposed on one side of an outer circumference of the photoconductive drum for charging the photoconductive drum. A developing roller having one part is exposed through the opening of the lower case to cooperate with the photoconductive drum for developing the electrostatic latent image. A scattering preventing unit disposed between the photoconductive drum and the developing roller, to prevent scattering of the developing agent supplied by the developing roller. The scattering preventing unit includes a blocking curtain which covers a part of the opening and having one side in contact with the outer circumference of the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A development device that has communication port sealing means for sealing a communication port communicating a developer supporter container with a developer container. The development device is advantageous in cost reduction, easy manufacturing, and formation of high-quality images. In the development device which has a developing roller container for containing a developing roller, a developer container for containing a developer, a base member for forming a communication port communicating the developer roller container with the developer container, and a seal member that is adhered to the base member so as to cover the communication port, and which cancels sealing of the communication port by peeling off the seal member from the base member by pulling out the seal member in a direction parallel to an opened surface of the communication port, the base member is composed of a polypropylene resin having a bent section, and the seal member is adhered to the base member by thermal compression bonding.

Abstract: A toner supply device includes a toner storage tank for storing toner; a toner supply roller for discharging toner; a covering member for covering the top surface of the toner storage tank filled with toner; and a sealing element provided between the toner storage tank and the covering member.

Abstract: A developing device frame unit supporting a regulating member regulating the layer thickness of developer on a developer carrier. The unit includes a frame having a seal forming portion, first and second end seals contactable to the carrier surface to prevent carrier-axial-direction leaking of the developer, and a blade sealer sealing between the regulating member and the frame to prevent developer leaking when the regulating member is mounted. The blade sealer is an elastomer resin material which is injection-molded with a metal mold and in the seal forming portion where the end seals are provided. The blade sealer connects the end seals with each other, and a protrusion provided by a squeezed-out portion of the resin material is provided by injecting, into a space defined by the metal mold, the seal forming portion, and the end seals, a resin material volume larger than a volume of the space.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a housing having an opening that opens towards an image carrier onto which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developer accommodating unit in which a developer is accommodated, and a connecting hole connecting with the developer accommodating unit; a developer carrier that carries the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating unit and transports the developer to a developing region in opposition to the image carrier; a sheet member that is provided in the developer accommodating unit and seals the continuous hole; and an insertion hole that is formed in the housing and allows the sheet member to be inserted through when the sheet member is pulled out, wherein the insertion hole has a shape having ends which are more distant from the connecting hole than parts of the shape other than the ends.

Abstract: A development device includes a plurality of soft members, wherein at least one of the plurality of soft members has an end portion having a shape section of which width is smaller toward a tip end of the end portion; and wherein the end portion is placed on another one of the soft members.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing and/or inhibiting toner scatter inside of laser printer toner cartridges including a shield that is adjacent to the toner regulating member, extends over and adjacent the developing roller, includes triboelectric material of a polarity corresponding to the polarity of the laser printer cartridge during operation and that functions as a physical barrier and as an electrical barrier to direct toner particles that scatter away from the developer roller back toward the developer roller.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and which is transportable in a state of being mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the member with a developer, a developer accommodating portion accommodating the developer and having a developer supply opening for permitting passage of the developer to supply the developer to the roller, a sealing member unsealably sealing the opening and a grip member, provided on the sealing member, for being gripped to unseal the opening when the sealing member is removed from the opening.

Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developing agent carrier, and a developing agent leakage prevention member. The developing agent leakage prevention member has a first layer that is configured to contact an outer circumferential surface of a longitudinal end of the developing agent carrier; a second layer that is superimposed on the first layer and is configured to contact a portion of the housing; and an adhesive layer that is interposed between the first layer and the second layer, the adhesive layer partially bonding a first opposing surface of the first layer opposing the second layer to a second opposing surface of the second layer opposing the first layer such that an unbonded area where the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface are not bonded together is produced.