US 8,620,176 B2 · Casing projections of an image forming apparatus configured to support a seal of a developing device

Abstract

A developing device comprising: a developing roller; a casing that includes a developer storage unit; a roller supporting unit and an opening; and a seal member that is mounted on the casing outside the opening in the central axis direction and faces an end portion of the developing roller, the seal member configured to rub against the end portion of the developing roller when the seal member is elastically deformed, wherein the casing includes: an outer projection that is provided along a moving direction of the developing roller to abut on an outer end portion of the seal member, the outer projection protruding in a position which is inside the roller supporting unit; and an inner projection provided along the outer projection so as to abut on an inner end portion of the seal member, the inner projection protruding in a position which is outside the opening.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims21

Dependent claims

A developing device comprising:

a developing roller including a roller body portion configured to carry a non-magnetic monocomponent developer on an outer peripheral surface thereof;
a casing including:
a developer storage unit having a boxed shape and configured to store the developer therein;
a roller supporting unit which protrudes in a direction perpendicular to a central axis direction of the developing roller from the developer storage unit and rotatably supports both end portions of the developing roller outside the roller body portion in the central axis direction;
and
an opening which extends in a longitudinal direction along the central axis direction so as to provide communication between the developer storage unit and the roller supporting unit;
and
a seal member that is mounted on the casing outside the opening in the central axis direction and faces an end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller body portion in the central axis direction, the seal member configured to rub against the end portion of the outer peripheral surface in the central axis direction when the seal member is elastically deformed by being pressed in a radial direction of the roller body portion by the roller body portion, wherein the seal member includes a protruding portion that protrudes along a movement direction of the developing roller at a downstream end portion of the seal member in the movement direction,
wherein the casing includes:
an outer projection that is provided along the moving direction of the developing roller so as to abut an outer end portion of the seal member in the central axis direction, the outer projection protruding in a position inside of the roller supporting unit in the central axis direction;
and
an inner projection that is provided along the outer projection so as to abut an inner end portion of the seal member in the central axis direction, the inner projection protruding in a position which is outside the opening in the central axis direction,
wherein the protruding portion of the seal member is provided closer to the outer projection than the inner projection, and
wherein the inner projection includes:
a protruding-side abutting portion that abuts an inner end portion of the protruding portion in the central axis direction;
an inner abutting portion that is provided inside the protruding-side abutting portion in the central axis direction, the inner abutting portion provided on an upstream side in the movement direction than the protruding-side abutting portion;
and
a terminating abutting portion that is provided along the central axis direction so as to connect the protruding-side abutting portion and the inner abutting portion, the terminating abutting portion abutting a downstream end portion, in the movement direction, of a portion of the seal member in which the protruding portion is not provided.

15 more elements

A developing device comprising:

a developing roller including a roller body portion configured to carry a non-magnetic monocomponent developer on an outer peripheral surface thereof;
a casing including:
a developer storage unit having a boxed shape and configured to store the developer therein;
a roller supporting unit which protrudes in a direction perpendicular to a central axis direction of the developing roller from the developer storage unit and rotatably supports both end portions of the developing roller outside the roller body portion in the central axis direction;
and
an opening which extends in a longitudinal direction along the central axis direction so as to provide communication between the developer storage unit and the roller supporting unit;
and
a seal member that is mounted on the casing outside the opening in the central axis direction and faces an end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller body portion in the central axis direction, the seal member configured to rub against the end portion of the outer peripheral surface in the central axis direction when the seal member is elastically deformed by being pressed in a radial direction of the roller body portion by the roller body portion,
wherein the casing includes:
an outer projection that is provided along a moving direction of the developing roller so as to abut an outer end portion of the seal member in the central axis direction, the outer projection protruding in a position inside of the roller supporting unit in the central axis direction;
an inner projection that is provided along the outer projection so as to abut an inner end portion of the seal member in the central axis direction, the inner projection protruding in a position which is outside the opening in the central axis direction;
and
an upstream end abutting projection that protrudes so as to abut an upstream end portion of the seal member in the movement direction.

10 more elements

A developing device comprising:

a developing roller including a roller body portion configured to carry developer on an outer peripheral surface thereof;
a casing including:
a developer storage unit having a boxed shape and configured to store the developer therein;
a roller supporting unit which protrudes in a direction perpendicular to a central axis direction of the developing roller from the developer storage unit and rotatably supports both end portions of the developing roller outside the roller body portion in the central axis direction;
and
an opening which extends in a longitudinal direction along the central axis direction so as to provide communication between the developer storage unit and the roller supporting unit;
and
a seal member that is mounted on the casing outside the opening in the central axis direction and faces an end portion of the outer peripheral surface of the roller body portion in the central axis direction,
wherein the seal member comprises:
a first side surface, which is an outer surface in the central axis direction, provided along a moving direction of the developing roller;
and
a second side surface, which is an inner surface in the central axis direction, provided along the moving direction of the developing roller, and
wherein the casing includes:
an outer projection that is provided along the moving direction of the developing roller so as to abut and contact the first side surface of the seal member in the central axis direction, the outer projection protruding in a position which is inside the roller supporting unit in the central axis direction;
and
an inner projection that is provided along the outer projection so as to abut and contact the second side surface of the seal member in the central axis direction, the inner projection protruding in a position which is outside the opening in the central axis direction.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description8,121 words

Summary1,991 words

#The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-093602, which was filed on Apr. 15, 2010, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

#Apparatuses and devices consistent with the present invention relate to a non-magnetic monocomponent developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device.

#As this type of device, a device (so-called developing cartridge) disclosed in JP-2009-63635-A is known. This device is adapted so as to be detachably mounted on a body portion in an image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer. This device is adapted so as to supply a charged non-magnetic monocomponent developer to the surface of a photosensitive body provided within the image forming apparatus, and thereby develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#Illustrative aspects of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the overall configuration of a laser printer which is an example of an image forming apparatus to which one embodiment of the invention is applied;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view when a developing cartridge shown in FIG. 1, which is one embodiment of a developing device of the invention, is seen from the developing roller side;

Detailed description5,924 words

#Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

#<Overall Configuration of Laser Printer>

#FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the overall configuration of a laser printer 1 which is an example of an image forming apparatus to which one embodiment of the invention is applied. The laser printer 1 is adapted so as to form an image (hereinafter referred to as a toner image) by a non-magnetic monocomponent toner serving as a fine powdery dry developer on a paper P which is a sheet-like recording medium while transporting the paper P along a paper transport path PP (paper path) inside the printer.

Facts

Application

13/053,330Filed 22 Mar 2011

Priority

JP 2010-09360215 Apr 2010

Published

US 2011/0255901 A120 Oct 2011

Granted

31 Dec 2013

Term ends

16 Nov 2031

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 239 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

G03G 15/0898
Arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by groups G03G15/08 - G03G15/0894: for preventing…
G03G 15/0817
On a donor element, e.g. belt, roller: characterised by the lateral sealing at both sides of the donor member with respect to the developer…
G03G 2215/0614
Solid type: one-component
G03G
Electrography

Timeline

15 Apr 2010Priority claimedJP 2010-093602
22 Mar 2011Application filedUS 13/053,330
30 Jun 2011Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaishaassignment of assignor's interest
20 Oct 2011PublishedUS 2011/0255901 A1
31 Dec 2013GrantedUS 8,620,176 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
16 Nov 2031Term endsEstimated, includes 239 days of adjustment

Casing projections of an image forming apparatus configured to support a seal of a developing device

Life of this patent

Casing projections of an image forming apparatus configured to support a seal of a developing device

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims21

Description8,121 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description8,121 words