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 developer carrier, 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 developer carrier, 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 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 developing unit is provided, which includes: 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 elastic member having an integral base part attached to the portion of the housing and plural integral projections protruding from the base part toward the developer carrier in a protruding direction. A distal end part of each of the projection has an inclination face inclined so that a part of the inclination face is closer to the supply port as the part of the inclination face is farther from the base part in the protruding direction.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer cartridge for accommodating developer and including a first opening, a first elastic member including a first through hole surrounding the first opening, a housing including a cartridge housing part and a second opening provided in a position opposite to the first opening, a second elastic member including a second through hole surrounding the second opening, and a shutter including a third opening and being movable between an opening position and a closing position. When the shutter is located at the opening position, an upstream end of the third opening in a movement direction of the shutter from the opening position to the closing position is located more upstream than upstream ends of the first through hole and the second through hole in the movement direction.

Abstract: Each transport electrode has its longitudinal direction intersecting with a sub-scanning direction. Transport electrodes 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 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: 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: A powder container includes a housing including a container chamber, a rotation member extending in an axial direction, and a sealing member. The housing includes a first wall portion having a first hole into which an end portion of the rotation member is inserted. The rotation member includes a second wall facing a part of the first wall portion around the first hole with a distance therebetween. The sealing member has a second hole through which the rotation member extends, is interposed between the part of the first wall portion around the first hole and the second wall portion, and includes a foam member that is contractible and a pair of sheet members respectively contacting the part of the first wall portion around the first hole and the second wall portion and having a friction coefficient lower than the foam member.

Abstract: Provided is a sealing member for preventing leakage of a developer from a developer containing portion of a process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to an outside of the developer containing portion. The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic elastomer that contains at least a copolymer and a plasticizer. In a molecular weight distribution of a tetrahydrofuran soluble matter of the thermoplastic elastomer measured by gel permeation chromatography, at least one peak is present in each of a region of a molecular weight of 4,000 or less and a region of a molecular weight of 30,000 to 200,000, and a percentage of a component of a molecular weight of 800 or less in a region of a molecular weight of 5,000 or less is 30% or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit. The image forming unit is detachable with respect to the image forming apparatus. The image forming unit includes a development part, a developer accommodation part, a connection part and a sealing member. The development part develops an electrostatic latent image held on an image holding body by a developer. The developer accommodation part accommodates the developer. The connection part connects the development part and the developer accommodation part. The sealing member unsealably seals the connection part. The sealing member is drawable to outside the image forming apparatus in a direction intersecting with a detaching direction of the image forming unit in such a state that the image forming unit is held therein.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing that has a developer containing part and an opening, the developer containing part containing a developer, and the opening allowing the developer to flow through; a sheet member that is provided in the housing, seals the opening when unused, and is pulled out in one direction to open the opening when used; and a loosening regulation unit that is provided on the housing or the sheet member, and regulates loosening of the sheet member, wherein the housing has a guide hole, the guide hole allowing the sheet member to be inserted in when sealing the opening with the sheet member, and guiding the sheet member when the sheet member is pulled out.

Abstract: A mono-component developing apparatus including a developing roller which transports toner supported on an outer circumferential face of a center portion toward a developing area by rotating while frictionally sliding on a sealing member on each of two end portions. The developing roller includes surface processing areas having a spiral shape, placed on each of outer circumferential faces of the two end portions. An angle, made by a spiral direction of each surface processing area and the rotation direction, is an acute angle. The developing roller inhibits toner leakage, with the driving torque of the developing roller being only slightly increased.

Abstract: A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member.

Abstract: A remanufacturing method for a developing device and a process cartridge includes a dismounting step of dismounting a regulating member from a development frame member, a cleaning step of cleaning a blade sealing member, and a mounting step of mounting the regulating member to the development frame member after the cleaning step.

Abstract: A developing device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a housing; a developing roller comprising a roller main body having a circumferential surface, the developing roller being rotatably supported to the housing; and seal members respectively disposed to face both end portions of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to a rotational axis direction thereof and to press contact with the roller main body. Each of the seal members comprises: a base material formed of an elastic element; and a sliding frictional member that is formed of fibers and contacts with the circumferential surface of the roller main body such that the roller main body frictionally slides on the sliding frictional member. Both edges of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to the rotational axis direction thereof are brought into contact with the base materials.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section and a toner cartridge which is loadable into the image forming section. The toner cartridge includes a seal member which is bonded to a peripheral edge of a toner discharging port by an electro-releasing adhesive, of which adhesive force decreases when a current is applied thereto. The image forming section includes a first electrode and a second electrode that contact the peripheral edge of the toner discharging port and the seal member, respectively, when the toner cartridge is loaded into the image forming section. When a current is applied to the electro-releasing adhesive via the first and second electrodes, the adhesive force of the electro-releasing adhesive decreases, whereby the seal member is released from the toner discharging port.

Abstract: A developing device containing a developer holding body for executing developing by affixing developer to an image support body, a controlling unit for thinning a layer of developer and disposed to contact the developer holding body, a support unit for supporting the controlling unit, an elastic sealing unit provided with a contact surface contacting the support unit and disposed on an edge side of the controlling unit, and a guiding unit for controlling an installation direction of a developing blade member at a time when the developing blade member is mounted on the elastic sealing unit, provided with a guiding surface formed at a prescribed angle in relation to the contact surface of the elastic sealing unit. The present invention attempts to prevent developer leakage from between a controlling unit and a sealing unit.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer cartridge for accommodating developer and including a first opening for enabling communication between an inside of the developer cartridge and an outside of the developer cartridge, a housing including a cartridge housing part and a second opening provided in a position opposite to the first opening and formed toward the cartridge housing part, a shutter including a third opening and being movable between an open position and a closed position, and a protruding portion provided at an upstream end portion of the third opening in a movement direction of the shutter from the open position to the closed position and including a first end at a side close to the first opening and a second end at a side close to the second opening. The first end protrudes more downstream in the movement direction than the second end.

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, 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 seal seals, a resin material volume larger than a volume of the space.

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: An amount-of-developer regulating apparatus configured to restrict the amount of developer carried on a developer bearing member. The amount-of-developer regulating apparatus includes a flexible developer amount regulation member having a contact portion configured to contact with a developer bearing member, and first and second holding portions configured to hold the developer amount regulation member and to contact with the developer amount regulation member at further upstream and further downstream in a direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved than the contact portion. With a pressure distribution of the contact portion as to the developer bearing member, there are a plurality of local maximum values in the direction where the developer bearing member is rotationally moved. Thus, the apparatus can be reduced in size, and also image concentration unevenness after long-term use can be prevented.

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: Provided is a sealing member for preventing leakage of a developer from a developer containing portion of a process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to an outside of the developer containing portion. The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic elastomer that contains at least a copolymer and a plasticizer. In a molecular weight distribution of a tetrahydrofuran soluble matter of the thermoplastic elastomer measured by gel permeation chromatography, at least one peak is present in each of a region of a molecular weight of 4,000 or less and a region of a molecular weight of 30,000 to 200,000, and a percentage of a component of a molecular weight of 800 or less in a region of a molecular weight of 5,000 or less is 30% or less.

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 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 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 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 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: 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 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: 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: A developing unit is provided, which includes: 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 elastic member having an integral base part attached to the portion of the housing and plural integral projections protruding from the base part toward the developer carrier in a protruding direction. A distal end part of each of the projection has an inclination face inclined so that a part of the inclination face is closer to the supply port as the part of the inclination face is farther from the base part in the protruding direction.

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 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: A developing device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a housing; a developing roller comprising a roller main body having a circumferential surface, the developing roller being rotatably supported to the housing; and seal members respectively disposed to face both end portions of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to a rotational axis direction thereof and to press contact with the roller main body. Each of the seal members comprises: a base material formed of an elastic element; and a sliding frictional member that is formed of fibers and contacts with the circumferential surface of the roller main body such that the roller main body frictionally slides on the sliding frictional member. Both edges of the circumferential surface of the roller main body with respect to the rotational axis direction thereof are brought into contact with the base materials.

Abstract: A developing device includes a sealing member for sealing an end of a developing roller to prevent developer from leaking from the interior of a casing. The casing includes a first plane and a second plane. A blade is mounted to the first plane and the blade regulates the amount of developer on the developing roller. The second plane is positioned upwardly of the first plane. The sealing member is positioned so that an end surface is located between the first plane and the second plane, and is mounted to the casing. The blade is mounted so as to press the end surface of the sealing member.

Abstract: A developer container supplies developer to a development device and includes a storage, an opening, a first seal member, a through-hole, and a second seal member. The developer is supplied from the storage to the development device through the opening. The first seal member seals the opening and is pulled in a predetermined direction to unseal the opening. The through-hole guides the first seal member toward an opposite side of the opening. The second seal member is provided on at least one of a lead-in opening and a lead-out opening of the through-hole and elastically blocks the at least one of the lead-in opening and the lead-out opening. A non-bonded portion of the second seal member elastically blocks the at least one of the lead-in opening and the lead-out opening when the first seal member is pulled out from the through-hole through the non-bonded portion.

Abstract: The blade back seal, which integrally comprises the side portions extending in the vertical direction at the longitudinal end portions of the leaf spring member and the connecting portion for connecting the side portions at the longitudinal center portion of the leaf spring member, is interposed between the leaf spring member of the blade unit and the front attachment portion of the blade attachment member. At the opening of the case, the upper seal is interposed between the plate-like upper attachment portion, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the opening and has a width in the anteroposterior direction, and the extended portion of the bend preventing member of the blade unit, for sealing the space there between.

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: A developing unit includes a developer cartridge for accommodating developer and including a first opening for enabling communication between an inside of the developer cartridge and an outside of the developer cartridge, a housing including a cartridge housing part and a second opening provided in a position opposite to the first opening and formed toward the cartridge housing part, a shutter including a third opening and being movable between an open position and a closed position, and a protruding portion provided at an upstream end portion of the third opening in a movement direction of the shutter from the open position to the closed position and including a first end at a side close to the first opening and a second end at a side close to the second opening. The first end protrudes more downstream in the movement direction than the second end.

Abstract: A toner leakage restrainer is disposed in an opening formed in a development cartridge case. In the development cartridge, the toner which contains fine particles only in a small amount is accommodated such that fusion bonding of the toner to the lower film is not caused even when ten thousand sheets are printed in succession. In the toner, a ratio of the powder particles having a circle equivalent diameter of 3 to 20 ?m and a circularity of 0.98 or more to the entire powder particles is 60% or more based on the number of the particles, and a ratio of the powder particles having a circle equivalent diameter of 3 ?m or less to the entire particles is 35% or less based on the number of particles.

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: A cartridge mounted on an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a molded resin complex in which a first resin molded product and a second resin molded product are engaged with each other so as to be separable. The first resin molded product is obtained by molding a first resin pervious to laser light, and the second resin molded product is obtained by molding a second resin absorptive to laser light. The first resin molded product and the second resin molded product are engaged with each other so as to be separable, by one or more protrusions of the second resin molded product which is formed by applying laser light from the first resin molded product side while placing the first resin molded product and the second resin molded product either in a close state or in a contact state.

Abstract: A coupling member of a toner supply container in a toner supply system detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, includes a rotatable engagement portion provided with a hook portion which is hook-engageable with an engagement member provided in the image forming apparatus to receive a rotational force for discharging the developer in the container; a release portion for receiving a force, for displacing the hook portion inwardly in a radial direction, from a hollow release member provided in the image forming apparatus so as to release engagement of the hook portion with the engagement member; and a regulation portion provided with a hollow cylindrical portion in which a regulation shaft provided in the image forming apparatus is insertable to regulate an inclination of the coupling member by contact with the regulation shaft when the coupling member is moved away relative to the engagement member in an axial direction of the engagement portion in a state in which the release portion receives the fo

Abstract: A developing device includes toner, a casing accommodating the toner, a developing roller rotatably fixed on the casing, an elastic blade making contact with a circumferential surface of the developing roller, a seal member, and a cutout portion in the seal member. The seal member is arranged to make contact with a circumferential surface of end portions of the developing roller between the developing roller and a wall surface of the casing and to make contact with an end surface of a tip end of the elastic blade. The cutout portion is arranged on the seal member and is cut out at a potion at a side making contact with a side surface of the tip end of the elastic blade in an axial direction of the developing roller and a side located closer to the wall surface of the casing than the elastic blade in a radial direction of the developing roller.

Abstract: A developing device includes an image supporting member; a developer supporting member for attaching developer to a latent image formed on a surface of the image supporting member for developing; a supply member for supplying developer to the developer supporting member; a first sealing member arranged to contact with both ends of the developer supporting member and the supply member; a holding member for holding the first sealing member; a case for attaching the developer supporting member and the supply member; a second sealing member arranged in the case for contacting with a lower surface of the developer supporting member in a longitudinal direction thereof when the developer supporting member is attached to the case. Further, a restricting section is provided in the case for restricting a movement of the holding member when the developer supporting member is attached to the case.

Abstract: A development apparatus for use in an image forming device includes a developer storage chamber for storing developer, a developer carrier having a film of the developer formed thereon, wherein a visible image is formed when the film interacts with an electrostatic latent image, and a developer feed member arranged adjacent to the opening of the developer storage chamber and configured to feed developer from the developer storage chamber to the developer carrier. A developer leakage prevention member is located between the developer feed member and the developer carrier and an adhesive adheres to the developer leakage prevention member in the longitudinal direction of the opening. Also, a layer including an agent is formed between the adhesive and the developer feed member.