Developing apparatus, image forming apparatus and process cartridge

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a photoconductor;
• a developing unit which forms a visible image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor;
• and
• a cleaning unit which removes a toner remaining on the photoconductor,
• wherein the developing unit comprises
• a developer container with a toner outlet formed facing the photoconductor;
• a toner bearing member comprising a roller portion arranged at the toner outlet, which bears a toner on a surface thereof and supplies the toner to an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoconductor in a developing region facing the photoconductor;
• a seal arranged at both ends of the toner outlet so as to contact an outer periphery of the roller portion at both ends thereof in a longitudinal direction;
• a regulating member which regulates an amount of the toner towards the developing region, wherein the regulating member is contacted by the roller portion such that a space between the toner outlet and the outer periphery of the roller portion is blocked in an upstream side from the developing region in a direction of rotation of the toner bearing member;
• and
• a development entrance sealing member contacted by the roller portion such that the space between the toner outlet and the outer periphery of the roller portion is blocked in a downstream side from the developing region in the direction of rotation of the toner bearing member,
• wherein the seal comprises a contact portion which contacts the roller portion,
• wherein the contact portion comprises a low-friction region comprising a material on at least a part of a contact surface with the roller portion, wherein the low-frictional region comprising the material has frictional resistance between the contact surface and the roller portion lower than frictional resistance between the contact portion without the material and the roller portion, and the material reduces the frictional resistance at the contact surface, and
• wherein a circumferential surface of the roller portion contacting the low-friction region is arranged to face outward in a longitudinal direction of the photoconductor from the contact region of the cleaning unit with the photoconductor.

A process cartridge, comprising:

• a photoconductor;
• and
• a developing apparatus,
• wherein the process cartridge is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus main body,
• wherein the developing apparatus is used in an image forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor and a cleaning means for removing a toner remaining on the photoconductor,
• wherein the developing apparatus comprises:
• a toner bearing means comprising a roller portion arranged at the toner outlet, for bearing a toner on a surface thereof and for supplying the toner to an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoconductor in a developing region facing the photoconductor;
• a sealing means arranged at both ends of the toner outlet for contacting an outer periphery of the roller portion at both ends thereof in a longitudinal direction;
• a regulating means for regulating an amount of the toner towards the developing region, wherein the regulating means is contacted by the roller portion such that a space between the toner outlet and the outer periphery of the roller portion is blocked in an upstream side from the developing region in a direction of rotation of the toner bearing means;
• and
• a development entrance sealing means contacted by the roller portion for blocking the space between the toner outlet and the outer periphery of the roller portion in a downstream side from the developing region in a direction of rotation of the toner bearing means,
• wherein the sealing means comprises a contact portion which contacts the roller portion,
• wherein the contact portion comprises a low-friction region comprising a material on at least a part of a contact surface with the roller portion, wherein the low-frictional region comprising the material has frictional resistance between the contact surface and the roller portion lower than frictional resistance between the contact portion without the material and the roller portion, and the material reduces the frictional resistance at the contact surface, and
• wherein a circumferential surface of the roller portion contacting the low-friction region is arranged to face outward in a longitudinal direction of the photoconductor from a contact region of the cleaning means with the photoconductor.