Developing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsMasato Tsuji, Tetsumaru Fujita, Yuji Nagatomo, Mitsutoshi Kichise, Yutaro Kaku, Kazuki Matsumoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A developing device includes a toner bearer to rotate while bearing toner and a toner regulator including a bend on a free end side. The bend is disposed in contact with a surface of the toner bearer and defines a regulation nip to adjust an amount of the toner on the toner bearer. The toner regulator further includes an area having a water contact angle greater than or equal to 70 degrees. The area having the water contact angle includes, at least, a downstream end of the bend in a rotation direction of the toner bearer.
Claims8
A developing device comprising:
- a toner bearer to rotate while bearing toner;
- and
- a toner regulator including a bend on a free end side, the bend disposed in contact with a surface of the toner bearer and defining a regulation nip to adjust an amount of the toner on the toner bearer,
- the toner regulator including an area having a water contact angle greater than or equal to 70 degrees, the area including, at least, a downstream end of the bend in a rotation direction of the toner bearer,
- wherein the toner regulator including the bend disposed in contact with the surface of the toner bearer and said area having a water contact angle greater than or equal to 70 degrees are made of a same metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.