# US 6,266,500 B1 · Developing apparatus and process cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,266,500 B1 - Document ID: US6266500B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/188,317 - Filed: 1998-11-10 - Granted: 2001-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 1997-11-11 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Atsushi Numagami; Toshiyuki Karakama; Toru Oguma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6266500B1 ## CPC - G03G 21/1832: {Shielding members, shutter, e.g. light, heat shielding, prevention of toner scattering} - G03G 15/0942: {with means for preventing toner scattering from the magnetic brush, e.g. magnetic seals} - G03G 2221/183: Process cartridge - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A developing apparatus for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, includes (a) a developer carrying member for feeding a magnetic developer to develop a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the magnetic developer, wherein a magnet is disposed in the developer carrying member; (b) a magnetic seal member provided at each of one and the other longitudinal ends of the developer carrying member with a clearance from a peripheral surface of the developer carrying member to prevent leakage of the developer in a longitudinal direction of the developer carrying member; (c) a developer regulating member provided contacted to the peripheral surface of the developer carrying member to prevent reentering of the developer having passed through the gap between the developer carrying member and the magnetic seal member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A developing apparatus for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising: a developing frame; a developer carrying member for feeding a magnetic developer to develop a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the developer, wherein a magnet is disposed in said developer carrying member; a magnetic seal member provided at each of one and the other longitudinal ends of said developer carrying member with a clearance from a peripheral surface of said developer carrying member to prevent leakage of the developer in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member; a developer regulating member provided contacted to the peripheral surface of said developer carrying member to prevent reentering of the developer having passed through a gap between said developer carrying member and said magnetic seal member, wherein said developer regulating member is disposed downstream of a position where the gap is provided in a rotational direction of said developer carrying member, and said developer regulating member is positioned relative to said developing frame, and wherein said developing frame is provided with a developer carrying member mounting portion for mounting said developer carrying member; and a developing blade for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on a peripheral surface of said developer carrying member, wherein said developing frame is provided with a positioning projection, and by fitting a hole in said developer regulating member around the projection, said developer regulating member is positioned relative to the developing frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a hole provided in said developing blade is fitted around said projection, by which said developing blade is positioned relative to the developing frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said magnetic seal member is provided in said developing frame and is sandwiched between said developing frame and said developing blade. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer regulating member is injection-molded from a resin material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer regulating member is screwed on said developing frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer regulating member is extended so as to contact a circumferential surface at the longitudinal end of said developer carrying member without contact thereto at a longitudinally central portion of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A developing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said developer regulating member is provided with a portion for guiding the developer in a direction away from the longitudinal end to the central portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing blade is substantially adjacent to said magnetic seal member in the longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 9 A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developing frame; a developing device including; a developer carrying member for feeding a magnetic developer to develop a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the developer, wherein a magnet is disposed in said developer carrying member; a magnetic seal member provided at each of one and the other longitudinal ends of said developer carrying member with a clearance from a peripheral surface of said developer carrying member to prevent leakage of the developer in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member; a developer regulating member provided contacted to the peripheral surface of said developer carrying member to prevent reentering of the developer having passed through a gap between said developer carrying member and said magnetic seal member, wherein said developer regulating member is disposed downstream of a position where the gap is provided in a rotational direction of said developer carrying member, and said developer regulating member is positioned relative to said developing frame, and wherein said developing frame is provided with a developer carrying member mounting portion for mounting said developer carrying member; and a developing blade for regulating an amount of the developer deposited on the peripheral surface of said developer carrying member, wherein said developing frame is provided with a positioning projection, and by fitting a hole in said developer regulating member around the projection, said developer regulating member is positioned relative to the developing frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A process cartridge according to claim 9, wherein a hole provided in said developing blade is fitted around said positioning projection, by which said developing blade is positioned relative to the developing frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A process cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said magnetic seal member is provided in said developing frame and is sandwiched between said developing frame and said developing blade. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A process cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said developer regulating member is injection-molded from a resin material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9, 12) A process cartridge according to claim 9 or 12, wherein said developer regulating member is screwed on a developing frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) A process cartridge according to claim 9, further comprising a charging member for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9, 14) A process cartridge according to claim 9 or 14, further comprising a cleaning member for removing a developer from said electrophotographic photosensitive member. ### Claim 16 A developing apparatus comprising: a developing frame; a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to a developing zone where an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member is developed by the developer, said developer carrying member being supported on said developing frame; a sealing member having a sealing portion for sealing a longitudinal end of said developer carrying member to prevent leakage of the developer at the longitudinal end; a developing blade for regulating a thickness of the developer on said developer carrying member; and a developer regulating member, disposed so as to contact a surface of said developer carrying member to prevent the developer having passed through the sealing portion on said developer carrying member from reentering the sealing portion; wherein said developer regulating member is provided with a positioning portion which is positioned relative to said developing frame, wherein said positioning portion is in the form of a hole which is engaged with a projection provided in said developing frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A developing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said developer regulating member is extended so as to contact a circumferential surface at the longitudinal end of said developer carrying member without contact thereto at a longitudinally central portion of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A developing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said developer regulating member is provided with a portion for guiding the developer in a direction away from the longitudinal end to the central portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A developing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said developing blade is substantially adjacent to said sealing member in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A developing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said developer regulating member is disposed downstream of said sealing portion and upstream of the developing zone with respect to a developer feeding direction of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) A developing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said developing apparatus and said image bearing member constitute a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) A developing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said sealing member is opposed to a peripheral surface of said developer carrying member with a gap in which a magnetic brush is formed. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said developing blade is positioned relative to said developing frame by said projection being engaged with a hole formed in said developing blade. ### Claim 24 A developing apparatus comprising: a developing frame; a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to a developing zone where an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member is developed by the developer, said developer carrying member being supported on said developing frame; a sealing member having a sealing portion for sealing a longitudinal end of said developer carrying member to prevent leakage of the developer at the longitudinal end; a developing blade for regulating a thickness of the developer on said developer carrying member; and a developer regulating member, disposed so as to contact a surface of said developer carrying member to prevent the developer having passed through the sealing portion on said developer carrying member from reentering the sealing portion, where said developing frame is provided with a common positioning portion for positioning said developer regulating member and said developing blade relative to said developing frame. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said developer regulating member is extended so as to contact a circumferential surface at the longitudinal end of said developer carrying member without contact thereto at a longitudinally central portion of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said developer regulating member is provided with a portion for guiding the developer in a direction away from the longitudinal end to the central portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said developing blade is substantially adjacent to said sealing member in a longitudinal direction of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said developer regulating member is disposed downstream of said sealing portion and upstream of the developing zone with respect to a developer feeding direction of said developer carrying member. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said developing apparatus and said image bearing member constitute a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said sealing member is opposed to a peripheral surface of said developer carrying member with a gap in which a magnetic brush is formed. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said positioning portion is in the form of a projection which is engageable with a hole provided in said developer regulating member and a hole provided in said developing blade. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said blade includes an elastic blade and a supporting member for supporting the elastic blade, and said supporting member is positioned by said positioning portion.