Regulating (e.g., Doctor) Patents (Class 399/284)
  • Patent number: 8965254
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer and a developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer transported to the development range by the developer bearer. The developer bearer includes a developer carrying range having surface unevenness; and a surface of the developer bearer is coated with a coating material including a resin material and particles to roughen the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Ogawa, Yasuyuki Ishii, Osamu Endou, Yuuji Ishikura
  • Patent number: 8965253
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing roller; a toner supplying roller; a regulation blade; a casing; a film member; a bias member; and a protrusion. The casing includes an inner wall portion which opposes the developing roller between the blade roller and the image carrier. The film member is flexible, disposed to oppose an upper surface of the inner wall portion over a predetermined gap and vibratile in a direction to approach or leave the inner wall portion. The bias member is connected to at least one end in a longitudinal direction of the film member and gives tension to the film member. The protrusion is disposed on a gear composing a group of drive gears of the developing roller or the toner supplying roller and intermittently contacts an end edge of the film member thanks to rotation of the gear to vibrate the film member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Kusukawa, Kenichi Mukai, Tomohiro Sue
  • Publication number: 20150043949
    Abstract: A printing apparatus herein includes a sheet feeder and a photoreceptor adjacent the sheet feeder. The photoreceptor receives print media from the sheet feeder, and the photoreceptor transfers toner to the print media. A development roll is adjacent the photoreceptor. The development roll supplies a metered amount of charged toner to the photoreceptor. Also, a supply roll is adjacent the development roll. The supply roll supplies toner to the development roll. In this device, multiple charge blades (e.g., first, second, third, etc., charge blades) contact the development roll, and a charge generator can be electrically connected to the charge blade, supply roll, and development roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael F. Zona
  • Publication number: 20150043950
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer carrying member and a layer thickness regulating member. The layer thickness regulating member includes: an opposing portion, a regulating portion, side wall portions, and a plurality of rib portions each extending from the side wall portion in one end side to the side wall portion in the other end side with respect to the rotational axis direction of the developer carrying member. A space is formed by being defined by the side wall portions and the rib portions. Substantial no rib portion dividing the space with respect to a longitudinal direction of said layer thickness regulating member is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Yasumoto, Dai Kanai, Koichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150043951
    Abstract: A layer thickness regulating member includes: an opposing portion having an opposing surface to a peripheral surface of a developer carrying member; and a layer thickness regulating portion, projected from the opposing surface toward the developer carrying member, for regulating a layer thickness of a developer carried on the developer carrying member. The layer thickness regulating portion is integrally molded with the opposing portion. The layer thickness regulating member is, after being molded in a metal mold, separated by being pushed from a side opposite from the opposing portion of the layer thickness regulating member when the layer thickness regulating member is separated from the metal mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Hisanori Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20150043952
    Abstract: A regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of a developer carried on a developer carrying member, includes: a regulating portion for regulating the layer thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrying member; an opposing portion provided integrally with the regulating portion at an opposing position to the developer carrying member, wherein the opposing portion is provided so as to cover a rectilinear line passing through a developing gap formed, when the regulating member is mounted relative to the developer carrying member, with a predetermined interval between the developer carrying member and an image bearing member on which a latent image to be developed by the developer carrying member is formed; and an opening provided on the rectilinear line passing through the developing gap at the opposing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Tomonori Kitan
  • Patent number: 8948666
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatably supported to the casing; a resiliently deformable blade supported to the casing; a regulation portion; and a covering portion. The developing roller is rotatable in a rotational direction and carries a layer of developer thereon. The blade extends in an axial direction of the developing roller and has one axial end portion formed with a through-hole, the blade having a first surface facing the developing roller and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The regulation portion is configured to be in contact with the developing roller to regulate a thickness of the layer of the developer carried on the developing roller. The covering portion is provided on the second surface and positioned to cover the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Imai, Marika Ogiso
  • Patent number: 8948665
    Abstract: A regulating member for regulating a developer amount carried on a developer carrying member includes a plate-like supporting member having an elasticity, the supporting member being provided with a fixed portion for being fixed to a fixed part; a first contact portion contactable to the developer carrying member, the first contact portion protruding from the regulating member from a side of the supporting member; and a second contact portion contactable to and the developer carrying member, the second contact portion being at a position closer to the fixed portion than the first contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kase, Hideaki Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20150030356
    Abstract: A charge blade meters and applies an electrical charge to toner while the toner is on a development roll. The end portion of the charge blade comprises a first curved surface and a second curved surface touching the development roll. The first curved surface has a smaller radius and is a longer distance from the middle portion of the charge blade relative to the second curved surface. The first curved surface produces a first amount of charge in the toner on the development roll, and the second curved surface increases and makes more uniform the charge within the toner on the development roll. Also, the smaller radius of the first curved surface controls the amount of toner positioned on the development roll and the larger radius of the second curved surface does not affect the amount of toner metered by the first, smaller radius curved surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael F. Zona
  • Publication number: 20150023694
    Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a casing configured to store a developing agent, a developing agent carrying member disposed rotatably in the casing and configured to carry the developing agent, and a layer-thickness regulating member configured to regulate a thickness of a layer of the developing agent. The casing includes an attachment portion to which the layer-thickness regulating member is attached, a receiving portion configured to receive pressing force for pressing the developing agent carrying member toward an image carrying member in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the developing agent carrying member, and a wall portion disposed between the attachment portion and the receiving portion. The receiving portion is disposed to overlap with at least a portion of the attachment portion when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the developing agent carrying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soun Kanada, Satoru Ishikawa, Hiroya Fukuta, Ryuji Noda, Takashi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8929782
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and a developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer transported to the development range by the developer bearer. Multiple projections are formed in a surface of the developer bearer, and, in a direction in which the developer bearer rotates, a downstream end of each of the multiple projections is higher than an upstream end of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Endou, Yasuyuki Ishii, Tetsuro Hirota, Yoshiko Ogawa, Atsushi Kurokawa, Yuuji Ishikura, Hideyasu Seki
  • Publication number: 20150003862
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing chamber provided with a developing roller that conveys toner to a developing area, and a toner regulating member that is in contact with a surface of the developing roller; and a toner container that contains the toner. An opening that allows the developing chamber and the toner container to communicate with each other is closed by a seal member that prevents the toner in the toner container from flowing into the developing chamber, and the seal member is removable from the opening. Spherical resin particles are provided at least in a contact portion between the developing roller and the toner regulating member. A Martens hardness of the spherical resin particles is 0.5 N/mm2 or higher and 45 N/mm2 or lower, and a restoring elastic power of the spherical resin particles is 70% or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Minoru Nakamura, Takuya Kitamura, Kouki Yano, Yuji Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8918036
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller supplying toner to the photoreceptor and a toner layer regulatory member regulating the layer thickness of toner supported on the surface of the developing roller. The toner layer regulatory member has flexible sheets abutting the developing roller and a holder holding the flexible sheets. The multiple flexible sheets are formed along the axial direction of the developing roller and arranged side by side across the circumferential direction of the developing roller. Each flexible sheet has a projected end as a free end which spreads across the length of the developing roller and projects toward the developing roller while the other end side is held as a supported end by the holder. The sheet holder has depressions for holding the flexible sheets in a movable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomo Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8918037
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a developing device supplying a non-magnetic one-component developer onto an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The developing device has an accommodating portion, a supply roller, a development roller, and a regulating member. The accommodating portion accommodates the developer. The supply roller holds the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion on the outer circumferential surface thereof. The development roller has a roller portion, and a rotational shaft member. The roller portion receives the developer supplied from the supply roller and holds a developer layer on the outer circumferential surface thereof. The rotational shaft member is arranged to extend along a rotational axis and has at least one magnet portion. The regulating member is a plate member arranged to be surface contacted onto the surface of the developer layer on the development roller and having part thereof configured of a magnetic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takefumi Yotsutsuji
  • Patent number: 8913928
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer supporting member having an elastic layer and a surface layer covering the elastic layer for supporting developer; and a developer layer regulating member arranged to abut against the surface layer for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the surface layer. The surface layer contains at least carbon black. The developer supporting member is configured so that the following equation (1) is satisfied when the surface layer has a dynamic friction coefficient ? between 0.4 and 0.9 (0.4???0.9) and a ten-point average roughness Rz (?m) between 2 ?m and 6 ?m (2?Rz?6): 2?C?0.5×Rz+3??(1) where C is a content of the carbon black (weight parts relative to the surface layer of 100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: OKI Data Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 8913924
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: a developing section which includes a developer bearing member which bears toner to be supplied to an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developer regulating section which regulates a layer thickness of the toner borne by the developer bearing member, the developer regulating section being electrically connected to the charger case, the developer regulating section being at least partially electroconductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toyoka Aimoto
  • Patent number: 8909109
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatably supported to the casing; a resiliently deformable blade supported to the casing and extending in an axial direction of the developing roller; and a regulation portion. The developing roller is rotatable in a rotational direction and to carry a layer of developer thereon. The blade has a first surface facing the developing roller. The regulation portion is configured to be in contact with the developing roller to regulate a thickness of the layer of the developer. The blade is formed with a through-hole to allow a material of the regulation portion to pass therethrough to form the regulation portion, the through-hole being exclusively formed in a central area in the axial direction assuming that the blade were divided into three areas each having an identical length in the axial direction with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Imai, Marika Ogiso
  • Patent number: 8909110
    Abstract: A developer regulating member is rotatably supported. A distance from the rotation center of the developer regulating member to the center of a developer carrying member is more than a distance from the center of a shaft portion to the leading edge of an elastic member and the bending angle ? of the elastic member which is calculated from ?=PL2/2EI is less than the set angle ? of the elastic member with respect to the developer carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20140356034
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing made of resin; a developer carrier, which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which is configured to carry developer on a circumferential surface thereof; a receiving-side coupling member, which is provided rotatably to one of end portions of the developer carrier and is configured to couple with a driving-side coupling member in the rotational axial direction to transmit driving force to the developer carrier; a blade, which is provided along the rotational axial direction, and which configured to contact the circumferential surface of the developer carrier to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface; and a support member, which is bent into an L-shape as viewed from the rotational axial direction, and which supports the blade, wherein the receiving-side coupling member is overlapped with a bending portion of the support member, as viewed from the rotational axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masatoshi SHIRAKI, Hiroshi HANDA, Hiroki MORI
  • Publication number: 20140356033
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of developing portions. Each of the developing portions includes a developer supporting member for supplying developer containing at least a binder resin to an image supporting member that supports a static latent image to develop the static latent image; and a layer regulating member arranged to contact with a surface of the developer supporting member and regulate a layer of developer. The image forming apparatus includes a first developing portion that uses first developer containing a metal oxide in the binder resin, and a second developing portion that uses second developer containing no metal oxide in the binder resin. The layer regulating member of the first developing portion is configured to apply a pressure to the developer supporting member smaller than that of the layer regulating member of the second developing portion applied to the developer supporting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi ISHII
  • Publication number: 20140348556
    Abstract: A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a rotatable developing-agent bearing member configured to bear developing agent, a developing container configured to form a developing-agent storage chamber that stores the developing agent, a developing-agent regulating portion provided in the developing container to regulate an amount of the developing agent born on the developing-agent bearing member, a support portion configured to support the developing-agent bearing member movably relative to the developing-agent regulating portion, and a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the developing-agent bearing member toward the developing-agent regulating portion. A contact portion of the developing-agent regulating portion with the developing-agent bearing member is fixed to the developing container without forming a gap from the developing container on a downstream side in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Baba, Makoto Tokudome, Masao Uyama, Yuichiro Hirata, Kodai Hayashi, Keisuke Mochizuki, Norihito Naito
  • Patent number: 8897681
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier to carry a latent image, a developing device having a toner carrier with first and second electrodes to develop the latent image by transferring the toner to a developing region between the toner carrier and the latent image carrier while causing the toner to hop between the first and second electrodes and attaching the hopping toner to the latent image, a pulsed power supply to output a first periodic pulse voltage having a mean potential the same as a normal toner charge and a second periodic pulse voltage, a smoothing circuit to make the first periodic pulse voltage smooth to generate a direct voltage, and a toner layer thickness regulator member to regulate, on receiving the direct voltage, a thickness of the toner layer in a region between a toner supply position at which toner is supplied and the developing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Hirota, Hideki Kosugi, Masaaki Yamada, Atsushi Kurokawa, Hideyasu Seki, Yasuyuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8892011
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a housing, a developing roller, a supply roller, and a thickness regulating member. The housing is configured to accommodate developer that includes developer particles having a mean volume diameter. The developing roller is rotatably supported in the housing and has a peripheral surface configured to carry the developer. The supply roller is rotatably supported in the housing, contacts the developing roller, and configured to supply the toner to the developing roller. The thickness regulating member includes a contact member contacting the peripheral surface. The contact member is configured to regulate a thickness of the developer on the peripheral surface such that an average of the thickness of the developer on the peripheral surface becomes smaller than or equal to the mean volume diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Xu Fan
  • Publication number: 20140334853
    Abstract: A developing device usable with an image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a guiding member having an inclined surface contacting the developer carrying member, the inclined surface being effective to guide a developer to a contact portion where the inclined surface contacts the developer carrying member to cause the developer to be carried on the developer carrying member; and a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member, wherein an inclination angle of the inclined surface is in a range not less than an angle of rest and less than 90 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motoki Adachi, Takuya Kitamura, Hideo Kihara, Kouki Yano, Yuta Isobe
  • Patent number: 8879954
    Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: a frame; a member-to-be-energized; a fixing member, having electroconductivity, for fixing the member-to-be-energized to the frame, wherein the fixing member is electrically connected with the member-to-be-energized; a recessed portion, provided on the frame, where a part of the fixing member enters; and a molded resin portion formed by injecting a melted electroconductive resin material into the recessed portion, wherein when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly, the molded resin portion electrically connects the fixing member with an energizing portion provided in the main assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumito Nonaka, Yuichi Fukui, Tachio Kawai, Shunsuke Uratani
  • Publication number: 20140321887
    Abstract: A developing device for an image forming apparatus includes a developing roller for carrying a developer; a developing blade including a blade member for regulating a developer amount carried on a surface of the developing roller and a supporting member for supporting the blade member; and a frame supporting the supporting member: wherein the supporting member is fixed to the frame in a state that a first region thereof adjacent the blade member tends to expand and a second region thereof remote from the blade member tends to contract, such that a stretching force is applied to the blade member in a rotation axial direction of the developing roller, and the blade member is fixed to the supporting member in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsumoto, Masanari Morioka
  • Publication number: 20140314453
    Abstract: A developing unit and an image forming apparatus using the may include a photosensitive body having an electrostatic latent image formed thereon, a feed roller to supply a developing agent, a regulating member to regulate the amount of the developing agent transported to the developing member, and a protection member having a protection blade disposed at one side of the regulating member to be spaced apart from the regulating member to protect the regulating member. The regulating member may be prevented from being damaged or degraded and protected from an external environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Hyun Lee, Young Jin Park, Jong Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 8867971
    Abstract: A developer regulator to restrict an amount of a developer, including a base portion; an intermediate portion continuous with the base portion, the intermediate portion having a flat area on one face, the flat area having a roughened surface; and a distal end continuous with the intermediate portion, the distal end being bent relative to the base portion in a direction opposite the one face in which the flat area is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Inoue, Yuji Nagatomo, Yasuhide Matsuno
  • Patent number: 8855524
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a housing; a developing roller; a seal member, and a layer thickness regulating member that contacts a circumferential surface of the developing roller via developer and regulates a thickness of a developer layer on the circumferential surface of the developing roller. The seal member has a sliding contact portion made of fiber having elasticity and sliding-contacting the circumferential surface of the developing roller. The layer thickness regulating member has one end portion that is supported by the housing and the other end portion to which a bent portion is formed to face the seal member, and the bent portion is configured to enter the sliding contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keigo Nakajima, Hiroshi Handa
  • Patent number: 8843036
    Abstract: A doctor blade of an image forming device for controlling a thickness of a toner coated on a development roller to a uniform thickness inside the image forming device is disclosed. The doctor blade includes: a support rod serving as a support fixture; a plate formed in an L shape, the plate being mounted on the lower surface and the rear surface of the support rod in contact with them to thereby serve to keep a uniform thickness of the toner in a state where the bottom surface is in contact with the development roller, the plate including a base layer of a metallic material and a coated layer formed on the bottom surface of the base layer getting in contact with the development roller; and a torsion spring mounted above the support rod to pressurize the support rod and the plate in order to fix the support rod and the plate. The doctor blade is reusable because only the plate is simply replaced with a new one when the coated layer formed on the plate is worn out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventor: Dong Hyuk Chang
  • Publication number: 20140270861
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner bearer including a surface in which multiple recesses having a cross-sectional void rate of 50% or smaller are formed, a toner supply member to supply toner to the toner bearer, and a developer regulator disposed facing or in contact with the toner bearer and including a bent tip portion. The toner bearer has a surface roughness Ra within a range from 1.0 ?m to 2.0 ?m, and a surface area ratio within a range from 2.0 to 4.0. The developing device uses polymerized toner having a weight average particle diameter of 8.0 ?m or smaller and an average circularity of 0.98 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsumaru FUJITA, Ryuji Inoue, Rie Mitani
  • Publication number: 20140270844
    Abstract: There is provided a doctor blade assembly and method for alignment in a toner hopper of a toner printer cartridge. The doctor blade assembly has a holder portion. The holder portion has a first mounting end and a second mounting end. The holder portion further has a pair of recessed openings formed in the first mounting end and the second mounting end, respectively. The holder portion further has a pair of alignment elements each having an alignment through hole and each configured to fit in and correspond to each respective recessed opening. The doctor blade assembly further has a blade portion attached to the holder portion. The doctor blade assembly further has a pair of fastener members each configured for insertion through the alignment through hole and through the recessed opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Kagaku Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Kozo Ishio
  • Patent number: 8837993
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a first frame; a second frame; a developer-carrying member; and a thickness-regulating member. The first frame includes: a pair of first walls opposed with each other; and a second wall connecting the pair of first walls and having a first fixing part. The second frame includes a third wall opposed to the second wall and attached to the pair of first walls when assembled to the first frame. The developer-carrying member has an axis extending in a first direction, is configured to rotate about the axis, and is disposed between the pair of first walls. The thickness-regulating member is fixed to the first fixing part and is configured to regulate a thickness of developer carried on the developer-carrying member. The third wall is disposed between the second wall and the thickness-regulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuya Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20140255061
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer carrying member (sleeve); a regulating portion including an edge portion at a closest position to a surface of the sleeve or a flat portion tilted, at the closest position, by an angle of 2 degrees or less relative to a contact flat plane contacting the surface of the sleeve; and a rectifying portion connected with the edge or flat portion. The rectifying portion has a concavely curved surface such that a rate of a decrease in gap between the rectifying portion and the contact flat plane increases toward a downstream side of the developer feeding direction and is formed by smoothly connecting rectilinear or curved lines each of 0.2 mm or less except for the edge portion so that the gap between the rectifying portion and the contact flat plane is monotonically decreases toward the downstream side of the developer feeding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Yasumoto, Dai Kanai, Koichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8831487
    Abstract: A developer layer thickness regulating device includes a blade member for regulating a thickness of a layer of a developer on a surface of a developing roller rotatably supported by a developing container for accommodating the developer and includes a supporting member for supporting the blade member. The supporting member is capable of being fastened to a part of the developing container by a fastening member, and a position of the supporting member relative to a part of the developer container is adjustable with respect to a widthwise direction of the blade member, when the supporting member is fastened to the developing container by the fastening member, so as to fasten the blade member at a predetermined position relative to the developing container. The supporting member has a projection-recess portion which is capable of biting into the part of the developing container when the supporting member is fastened by the fastening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Kashiide, Susumu Nittani, Hideki Maeshima
  • Publication number: 20140241761
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki MORI
  • Publication number: 20140241760
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a restriction member to control a layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrier, first and second developer supply members being in contact with the developer carrier. Each of the developer supply members is configured to rotate at a speed having a constant ratio to a rotation speed of the developer carrier. The second developer supply member and the restriction member are arranged in this order downstream of the first developer supply member in a rotating direction of the developer carrier. A peripheral speed (a speed of the outer peripheral surface) of the second developer supply member is set to be slower than that of the first developer supply member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 8818247
    Abstract: A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a first frame and a second frame and a layer thickness regulating member. The first frame and the second frame include a first welding surface formed at a periphery of the developer accommodating part correspondingly to a developer accommodating part; and a second welding surface extending continuously from the first welding surface correspondingly to a roller support part. The first welding surface extends in a direction orthogonal to an overlapping direction of the first frame and the second frame. The second welding surface extends to be inclined toward a side of the first frame in the overlapping direction as extending toward the developing roller. The layer thickness regulating member is provided to cover the second welding surface from a side of the second frame in the overlapping direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Publication number: 20140227010
    Abstract: A developer can be appropriately carried by a brush roller in a developer supply device in which the brush roller is used as a developer carrying member. A developer carrying amount regulating member is positioned such that a tip portion of the developer carrying amount regulating member that is positioned close to a developer carrying member is inserted into a brush layer. The tip portion includes a surface positioned at an upstream side in a moving direction of the brush layer. The surface faces fibrous members that move to the developer carrying amount regulating member in the moving direction. The surface is configured to be inclined in the same direction as the moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takahashi, Kazuna Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8805250
    Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a casing, a developing roller, a blade, a first blade pressing member and a second blade pressing member. The casing is configured to store developer therein. The developing roller is rotatably supported by the casing. The blade has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first end portion is supported by the casing. The blade is configured to regulate the developer carried on a peripheral surface of the developing roller to a predetermined thickness at the second end portion. The first blade pressing member is configured to press the first end portion of the blade. The second blade pressing member is configured to be attached to and removed from the casing. The second blade pressing member includes a pressing portion configured to press the second end portion of the blade toward the developing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Takami, Ryuya Yamazaki, Nao Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20140212183
    Abstract: A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and a layer thickness regulating member which includes a blade configured to contact the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, a support member supporting the blade, and a reinforcement member provided at an opposite side to the support member with respect to the blade and reinforcing the blade. The support member includes a first part which contacts the blade, and to which the blade is fixed, a second part which is connected to the reinforcement member, and a third part which is attached to the housing. As viewed from the rotational axial direction, the first part and the third part are provided on a same first plane, and the second part is provided on a second plane intersecting with the first plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki MORI
  • Patent number: 8792802
    Abstract: A developing device is capable of preventing developing agent from leaking from a developing frame of a developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a developing agent carrying member, a layer thickness regulator, and a first seal positioned between the developing agent carrying member and the layer thickness regulator. The regulator includes a plate member provided with a projecting portion. The projecting portion has a laterally outer end portion positioned inward of laterally outer end portion of the first seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ito, Ryuya Yamazaki, Masahiro Ishii, Hirofumi Kuriki
  • Patent number: 8781377
    Abstract: A developing device includes: a housing made of resin; a developer carrier, which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which is configured to carry developer on a circumferential surface thereof; a receiving-side coupling member, which is provided rotatably to one of end portions of the developer carrier and is configured to couple with a driving-side coupling member in the rotational axial direction to transmit driving force to the developer carrier; a blade, which is provided along the rotational axial direction, and which configured to contact the circumferential surface of the developer carrier to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface; and a support member, which is bent into an L-shape as viewed from the rotational axial direction, and which supports the blade, wherein the receiving-side coupling member is overlapped with a bending portion of the support member, as viewed from the rotational axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Shiraki, Hiroshi Handa, Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 8768190
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member for bearing a developer so as to develop an electrostatic image, a restricting member for restricting the amount of developer born on the developer bearing member, a detector for detecting information on the amount of developer existing between the developer bearing member and the restricting member, and a controller which can change a value of a voltage to be applied to the restricting member during image formation based on a result detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Oba
  • Patent number: 8768209
    Abstract: A developing device for use in image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member configured to carry a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image to be formed on an image bearing member, a frame member configured to support the developer bearing member, a charging member configured to charge the image bearing member, a developer regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer to be carried by the developer bearing member, and a moving member configured to be rotatably disposed on the frame member and to support the developer regulating member, the moving member pressing the developer regulating member against the developer bearing member by a force received by contact of the charging member with the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomokazu Morita, Shinichi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20140178108
    Abstract: A developer apparatus including a housing defining a chamber storing a supply of toner, and a developer roll disposed in the chamber, the developer roll configured to rotate about a longitudinal access to transport toner on a surface of the developer roll to a development zone. The developer apparatus also includes a charge/metering blade having a curved section configured to contact the surface of the developer roll so as to form an adjustable contact nip. The charge/metering blade also includes an overhang configured to control an amount of toner to enter the adjustable contact nip formed by the at least one curved section of the charge/metering blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael F. Zona
  • Publication number: 20140161485
    Abstract: A developing device is provided capable of properly maintaining charging characteristics of developer and configured to be easily assembled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Ono, Satoshi Muramatsu
  • Publication number: 20140161471
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming device that forms a latent image, a latent image carrier that carries the latent image, a development device that develops the latent image, and a controller. The development device includes a developer carrier that faces the latent image carrier and carries toner on a rotary surface thereof that rotates in a rotation direction perpendicular to a width direction of the developer carrier, and a regulation member that regulates the thickness of a layer of the toner on the surface of the developer carrier. The controller moves the toner on lateral end regions in the width direction of the surface of the developer carrier toward the latent image carrier. The end regions are located outside a maximum image forming region within a regulation member facing region of the surface of the developer carrier facing the regulation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuhide Matsuno, Naoki Nakatake, Yuji Nagatomo, Takahiro Sanada
  • Patent number: 8744323
    Abstract: Developing cartridge includes doctor blade in contact with developer carrying member. The doctor blade includes supporting plate having proximal end portion and distal end portion. Pressing portion is provided on the distal end portion to define contacting portion at which the doctor blade contacts surface of the developer carrying member. The pressing portion has end face extending in a direction away from the developer carrying member from the contacting portion and facing an upstream side in rotational direction of the developer carrying member. The proximal end portion is positioned downstream from the contacting portion in the rotational direction of the developer carrying member. Angle ? between the end face and a plane tangent to the contacting portion, at a position in proximity to the developer carrying member, is not smaller than 90 degrees, as viewed in cross section orthogonal to axis of rotation of the developer carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Fan Xu
  • Patent number: 8737889
    Abstract: A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori