Developing device and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a casing;
• a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent;
• a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller;
• an image carrier supplied with the developing agent from the developing roller,
• wherein the layer-thickness regulating blade includes:
• a support member formed in a rectangular shape extending in an axial direction of the developing roller, and attached to the casing;
• a leaf-spring member that is supported by the support member and extends toward the developing roller from the support member;
• an abutment portion provided at a tip end portion of the leaf-spring member and abutting against the developing roller;
• and
• an adhesive layer arranged between the support member and the leaf-spring member so as to be spaced at a given width from a proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member on the other side of the tip end portion thereof to a tip end portion side, for fixing the support member and the leaf-spring member by adhesion,
• wherein a portion of the given width from the proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member is opposed to the support member without the adhesive layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• wherein in a state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the abutment portion abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in a state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the support member is attached in the casing so that the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.

A developing device for developing with a developing agent an electrostatic latent image formed by irradiating with light a surface of an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a casing;
• a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent to be supplied onto the surface of the image carrier;
• and
• a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller,
• wherein the layer-thickness regulating blade includes:
• a support member attached in the casing, and arranged in a position closer to an optical path of the light irradiated onto the image carrier than the developing roller;
• a leaf-spring member that is supported by the support member and extends toward the developing roller from the support member;
• an abutment portion provided at a tip end portion of the leaf-spring member and abutting against the developing roller;
• and
• an adhesive layer arranged between the support member and the leaf-spring member so as to be spaced at a given width from a proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member on the other side of the tip end portion thereof to a tip end portion side, for fixing the support member and the leaf-spring member by adhesion,
• wherein a portion of the given width from the proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member is opposed to the support member without the adhesive layer interposed therebetween.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• an exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image by irradiating a surface of the image carrier with light;
• and
• a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image with a developing agent,
• wherein the developing device includes:
• a casing;
• a developing roller held by the casing and carrying the developing agent to be supplied onto the surface of the image carrier;
• and
• a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller,
• wherein the layer-thickness regulating blade includes:
• a support member attached in the casing, and arranged in a position closer to an optical path of the light irradiated onto the image carrier than the developing roller;
• a leaf-spring member that is supported by the support member and extends toward the developing roller from the support member;
• an abutment portion provided at a tip end portion of the leaf-spring member and abutting against the developing roller;
• and
• an adhesive layer that is arranged between the support member and the leaf-spring member so as to be spaced at a given width from a proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member on the other side of the tip end portion thereof to a tip end portion side, for fixing the support member and the leaf-spring member by adhesion,
• wherein a portion of the given width from the proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member is opposed to the support member without the adhesive layer interposed therebetween.

A developing device comprising:

• a casing;
• a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent;
• and
• a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller,
• wherein the layer-thickness regulating blade includes:
• a support member that is formed in a rectangular shape extending in an axial direction of the developing roller, and is attached to the casing;
• a leaf-spring member that is supported by the support member and extends toward the developing roller from the support member;
• and
• an abutment portion provided at a tip end portion of the leaf-spring member and abutting against the developing roller;
• and
• a blade fixing portion that is provided in the casing, is opposed to each longitudinal end portion of the support member, has a larger amount of protrusion in an opposed direction to the support member toward a longitudinal inner side, and fixes the corresponding longitudinal end portion of the support member thus opposed;
• wherein in a state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the abutment portion abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in a state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the support member is attached in the casing so that the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.

A developing device comprising:

• a casing;
• a developing roller held by the casing and carrying a developing agent;
• and
• a layer-thickness regulating blade for regulating a layer thickness of the developing agent carried on the developing roller,
• wherein the layer-thickness regulating blade includes:
• a support member that is formed in a rectangular shape extending in an axial direction of the developing roller, and is attached to the casing;
• a leaf-spring member that is supported by the support member and extends toward the developing roller from the support member;
• an adhesive layer interposed between the support member and the leaf-spring member so as to be spaced at a given width from a proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member on the other side of the tip end portion thereof to a tip end portion side for fixing the support member and the leaf-spring member by adhesion, wherein a portion of the given width from the proximal end edge of the leaf-spring member is opposed to the support member without the adhesive layer interposed therebetween;
• and
• an abutment portion provided at a tip end portion of the leaf-spring member and abutting against the developing roller,
• wherein in a state where the developing roller is held by the casing, the abutment portion abuts against the developing roller at a uniform pressure in the axial direction of the developing roller, and in a state where the developing roller is not held by the casing, the support member is attached in the casing so that the layer-thickness regulating blade is bent toward a disposed position of the developing roller.