Developing device, image forming apparatus, image forming system, sealing member, and method for manufacturing sealing member

A developing device comprising:

• a developer container for containing developer;
• a developer bearing body for bearing said developer;
• a charging member for charging the developer bore by said developer bearing body by abutting against said developer bearing body;
• a supporting member for supporting said charging member;
• and
• a sealing member that is for preventing the developer from spilling from said developer container and that is provided in a state in which the side of one end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said charging member and the side of the other end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said supporting member, wherein,
• a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of the other, end is smaller than a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of one end;
• at a position corresponding to said side of the other end of said sealing member, the rigidity of said supporting member is smaller than the rigidity of said developer container;
• said supporting member is fixed to said developing device at both ends of said supporting member in its longitudinal direction;
• said charging member includes an elastic section and a supporting section that supports said elastic section at the side of one end thereof and that has a fulcrum of flexure on the side of the other end thereof;
• said supporting member supports said supporting section at said side of the other end;
• said supporting section bends, with said fulcrum of flexure acting as a fulcrum, to make said elastic section abut against said developer bearing body at an abutting section and to charge the developer bore by said developer bearing body;
• said supporting section is fixed to said supporting member at a predetermined fixing point;
• said fixing point serves as said fulcrum of flexure;
• said sealing member is provided, on a side of said charging member opposite from the side of said developer bearing body, extending at least from a position corresponding to said fulcrum of flexure to a position corresponding to said abutting section;
• said supporting section is held between said supporting member and said sealing member at said fulcrum of flexure;
• and
• said supporting section is fixed to said supporting member through welding.

An image forming apparatus comprising

• a developing device that includes:
• a developer container for containing developer;
• a developer bearing body for bearing said developer;
• a charging member for charging the developer bore by said developer bearing body by abutting against said developer bearing body;
• a supporting member for supporting said charging member;
• and
• a sealing member that is for preventing the developer from spilling from said developer container and that is provided in a state in which the side of one end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said charging member and the side of the other end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said supporting member, wherein a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of the other end is smaller than a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of one end.

An image forming system comprising:

• a computer;
• and
• an image forming apparatus that is connectable to said computer and that has a developing device including:
• a developer container for containing developer;
• a developer bearing body for bearing said developer;
• a charging member for charging the developer bore by said developer bearing body by abutting against said developer bearing body;
• a supporting member for supporting said charging member;
• and
• a sealing member that is for preventing the developer from spilling from said developer container and that is provided in a state in which the side of one end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said charging member and the side of the other end thereof is compressed by said developer container and said supporting member, wherein a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of the other end is smaller than a degree of compression of said sealing member on said side of one end.