JP2008096507A - Developer quantity regulating blade and developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developer quantity regulating blade, wherein the dimension of a blade member is stable even in severe environment at 40°C, and uniform feed of toner is controlled to provide a satisfactory image free from nonuniform density and stripes, and to provide a developing device using the same. <P>SOLUTION: The developer quantity regulating blade has a laminated structure in which a film-like blade member is stuck to a support member via an adhesive layer. The blade member is an elastic body with a tensile elasticity modulus of 130 MPa or less. The tensile elasticity modulus of the adhesive layer is 5.0-25.0 MPa. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a blade for regulating the amount of developer used for developing and visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, and a developing device equipped with the blade.

  In an electrophotographic apparatus using an electrophotographic system for image formation, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer, a developer such as a toner is used for developing (visualizing) an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier such as a photoconductor. It's being used. For supplying the developer to the surface of the image carrier, the developer stored in the developer container is usually carried on the surface of the developer carrier, and the developer carried on the surface of the developer carrier is transferred to the image carrier. A method of supplying and attaching to the electrostatic latent image forming area is used. The amount of the developer on the surface of the developer carrying member is adjusted by the blade that comes into contact.

  A schematic configuration of a conventional developing device is shown in FIG.

  For example, a one-component developer (toner) 16 in the developer container 12 is pressed against the surface of the developer carrier (developing sleeve or developing roller) 13 by an elastic roller (developer supply roller) 15 that rotates in the c direction. . Thereafter, the developer carrying member 13 rotates in the b direction, whereby the developer is carried out to the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 that rotates in the a direction. In such a mechanism, a developer amount regulating blade 14 is brought into contact with the developer carrying member 13 at a contact portion 17, and the amount of developer carried out by the developer amount regulating blade 14 is regulated. A developer thin film is formed on the surface of the developer carrier 13. At the same time, a predetermined frictional charge (trevo) is applied to the developer at the contact portion 17.

  The developer amount regulating blade 14 is generally formed of a rubber plate, a metallic thin plate, a resin plate, or a laminate of members selected from these. As an example, a developer amount regulating blade composed of a blade member pressed against the developer carrying member and a support member that supports the blade member at a predetermined position can be cited. The surface of the blade member that is in pressure contact with the developer carrying member has a function of controlling the triboelectric charge of the developer, and thus is also referred to as a charge control surface, and the surface layer is sometimes referred to as a charge control layer.

  As the blade member used for the negative toner, for example, a plate material such as urethane rubber, urethane resin, polyamide elastomer or the like is used. Further, as the developer amount regulating blade used for the positive toner, a blade obtained by laminating a charge-controlled silicone rubber or the like as a charge control layer on a metal thin plate is used.

  Furthermore, since the non-magnetic toner used for color image formation does not have magnetism, the toner must be coated on the developing sleeve (developing roller) with a high frictional charge. Therefore, the charge control layer is made of urethane rubber, polyamide resin, polyamide elastomer, silicone rubber or silicone resin, and is in contact with the developing sleeve and the developing roller to regulate the tribo amount and regulate the proper amount of toner. Yes.

  In recent high-quality and full-color image formation using an electrophotographic process, the toner layer on the developing sleeve (developing roller) needs to be further thinned due to the finer particle size of the toner. Yes. Furthermore, for products used worldwide, there is a demand for an electrophotographic process that is resistant to environmental fluctuations even in the usage environment.

  Since the regulation of the uniform toner amount is controlled by the uniform contact pressure, the free length, and the tip shape, the tip position of the developer amount regulation blade is accurately positioned when the developer amount regulation blade is incorporated into the developer container. It needs to be adjusted. For this reason, a fine tip shape abnormality may cause a non-uniform amount of toner taken in, resulting in image defects such as density unevenness and image streaks in initial printing.

  For such uniform toner amount regulation control, a developer amount regulating blade in which the support member and the blade member are integrally formed and the tip shape in the contact surface direction with the developing sleeve (developing roller) is inclined. Is known (Patent Document 1). Thereby, a uniform contact pressure in the longitudinal direction and an appropriate amount of toner are regulated. However, even when the metal support member and the resin blade member are integrally laminated, when the resin support blade member is left in a severe environment at 40 ° C., the resin blade member is extended by heat. For this reason, since the blade member is deformed from the shape formed in order to realize proper toner uptake, there is a possibility that image defects such as density unevenness and image streaks may occur.

  Also, a developer amount regulating blade in which a hot-melt resin and a blade member made of a thermoplastic elastomer are bonded to a high-rigidity resin support member has been introduced (Patent Document 2). However, in the laminated structure of the resin member, it is considered that not only the blade member but also the laminated structure is extended and it is difficult to realize proper toner uptake when left in a severe environment of 40 ° C.

As described above, the developer amount regulating blade is further required to realize a uniform toner amount regulation without a minute dimensional change even under a severe environment of 40 ° C.
JP 2002-372854 A JP 2001-356595 A

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a developer that can stabilize the dimensions of the blade member even in a harsh environment of 40 ° C., regulate the uniform toner intake, and provide a good image free from density unevenness and streaks. An object of the present invention is to provide a quantity regulating blade and a developing device using them.

  According to the present invention, the object can be achieved by satisfying the following requirements.

(1) A laminated structure in which a film-like blade member is bonded to a support member via an adhesive layer, and comes into contact with a developer carrying body for carrying and transporting the developer on the surface to carry the developer. In the developer amount regulating blade for regulating the amount of developer carried on the body surface, the blade member is an elastic body having a tensile elastic modulus of 130 MPa or less, and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is 5.0 MPa or more and 25.0 MPa. A developer amount regulating blade characterized by:

(2) The developer amount regulating blade described above, wherein the blade member has a thickness of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less.

(3) The developer amount regulating blade described above, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less.

(4) The developer amount regulating blade described above, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a reactive curable adhesive.

(5) The developer carrying member for carrying the developer on the surface and carrying it out of the developer container, and the amount of the developer carried on the surface of the developer carrying member in contact with the developer carrying member are regulated. A developing device having at least a developer amount regulating blade for the developer amount, wherein the developer amount regulating blade is the developer amount regulating blade.

  In the developer amount regulating blade of the present invention, the blade member and the support member are bonded together to form an integral shape. The blade member is an elastic body having a tensile elastic modulus smaller than 130 MPa, and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is 5.0 MPa or more and 0.25 or less MPa. Therefore, even in a severe environment of 40 ° C. It is possible to suppress minute dimensional changes due to expansion. Therefore, when this developer amount regulating blade is incorporated in a developing device of an electrophotographic apparatus, it is possible to provide a good image free from density unevenness and streaks.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a developer amount regulating blade of the present invention.

  The developer amount regulating blade of the present invention is formed by integral molding of a blade member 20, a support member 21 and an adhesive layer 22. The blade member is an elastic body having a tensile elastic modulus smaller than 130 MPa, and the adhesive layer has a tensile elastic modulus of 5.0 MPa to 25.0 MPa.

  The developer regulating blade 23 in which the blade member 20 and the support member 21 are integrated with each other through the adhesive layer 22 is fixed to the developer container 24 at a portion up to the fixing point 25 at the mounting portion of the developer regulating blade of the developer container. Has been. A pressure contact 26 on the free end side of the developer regulating blade 23 is pressed against the developer carrier 27 and exerts a pressure contact force F. The developer regulating blade 23 can be fixed to the developer container 24 by a known method such as adhesion or screwing.

  The blade member is not particularly limited, but a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer having toner charging characteristics suitable for the corresponding development process are preferable. And what is necessary is just to satisfy that the tensile elasticity modulus is an elastic body smaller than 130 MPa, and that the tensile elasticity modulus of a contact bonding layer is 5.0 MPa or more and 25.0 MPa or less. Therefore, the blade member is preferably a resin or elastomer containing a urethane bond, an ester bond, a urethane bond, or the like.

  The thermoplastic resin and elastomer used for the blade member have a higher tensile elastic modulus if the resin hardness (Shore D hardness) is higher. Therefore, in order to realize a sufficient function as a blade member, the tensile elastic modulus A material with low characteristics is suitable.

Unlike a metal material, such a resin material thermally expands in proportion to the average expansion coefficient as shown in the following (formula 1) and (formula 2) by a slight temperature change.
ε = α · Δt (Formula 1)
Δl = ε · l (Formula 2)
Here, ε is strain, and α, Δt, l and Δl are average expansion coefficient (unit: 1 / ° C.), temperature change (unit: ° C.), product length (unit: mm), elongation, respectively. Amount (unit: mm).

Furthermore, this strain causes a thermal stress on the blade member as shown in (Equation 3), and the strain is loaded on the adhesive layer. Therefore, in the case of an adhesive layer with a low tensile elastic modulus, the thermal stress of the blade member is lost. Deviation occurs at the interface between the adhesive layer and the blade member, and the blade member extends. This deviates from the original tip shape, changes the amount of toner taken in, and causes image defects such as density unevenness and streaks.
σ = ε · E = E · α · Δt (Formula 3)
Here, σ is a thermal stress (unit: MPa) generated in the blade member due to a temperature change, and E is a tensile elastic modulus (unit: MPa).

Usually, the average expansion coefficient of the resin material is 1.3 × 10 ⁻⁴ / ° C. or more and 2.3 × 10 ⁻⁴ / ° C. or less, and in a severe environment of 40 ° C., 2.0 × 10 ⁻³ or more and 4. A strain of 6 × 10 ⁻³ or less is generated. Therefore, when the environment changes from 20 ° C. to 40 ° C., when the product width is 16 mm, the maximum elongation is about 37 μm on one side and thermal stress is generated about 0.6 MPa.

  If the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is larger than the thermal stress of the blade member, it is considered that the elongation of the blade member is suppressed, but since the blade member and the support member are bonded via the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer The thermal stress of the blade member must be absorbed in the vicinity of the interface. Therefore, it is considered that an adhesive layer having a very large tensile elastic modulus is necessary. From such a viewpoint, the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is preferably 5.0 MPa or more and 25.0 MPa or less, and more preferably 8.0 MPa or more and 12.0 MPa or less.

  When the tensile elastic modulus of the blade member is 130 MPa or more and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is less than 5.0 MPa, the thermal stress of the blade member in a harsh environment at 40 ° C. exceeds the holding force of the adhesive layer, and only the blade member Expands. As a result, image defects such as density unevenness and streaks occur due to abnormal tip shape.

  When the tensile elastic modulus of the blade member is 130 MPa or more and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is greater than 25.0 MPa, the blade member does not expand because the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is sufficient. However, when the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is increased, the function of the original adhesive layer, which prevents the adherend from peeling off from physical impact, is impaired. Therefore, the blade member is peeled off from the support member during image printing. , Toner uptake becomes abnormal and sharp vertical streak defects occur.

  From such a viewpoint, the thickness of the blade member is preferably 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less, and more preferably 20 μm or more and 30 μm or less in order to realize the function of the blade member and suppress a minute dimensional change due to thermal expansion.

  From the same point of view, the thickness of the adhesive layer is preferably 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less, in order to realize sufficient elasticity and adhesive function as the adhesive layer and sufficiently withstand the thermal stress of the blade member. The following is more preferable.

  The adhesive used for the adhesive layer is preferably a two-component curable adhesive that cures with urethane bonds used for dry lamination and the like. The main agent is a polyester and the curing agent is optimally an isocyanate. Further, the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer can be adjusted by changing NCO / OH, and an adhesive prepared by mixing the main agent and the curing agent so that this ratio is 5 to 8 is preferable.

  When the developer amount regulating blade of the present invention is used, it is possible to suppress minute dimensional changes due to thermal expansion of the blade member even in a severe environment of 40 ° C. When this developer amount regulating blade is incorporated in a developing device of an electrophotographic apparatus, a good image free from density unevenness and streaks can be formed.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a developing device using the developer amount regulating blade 23 configured as shown in FIG.

  The developing device includes a developer container 12 containing a developer 16 and a developer carrier (developing sleeve) 13 facing the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 which is an image carrier rotating in the direction of arrow a. The developing device supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 to visualize it as a toner image.

  The developer carrier 13 has a substantially right half circumferential surface that protrudes into the developer container 12 as viewed in the figure, and a substantially left half circumferential surface is exposed to the outside of the developer container 12 so as to face the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11. , Are rotatably arranged. A minute gap is provided between the developer carrier 13 and the electrophotographic photoreceptor 11. The developer carrier 13 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow b with respect to the rotational direction a of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11. In the developer container 12, a developer amount regulating blade 23 according to the present invention is provided above the developer carrier (developing sleeve) 13, and a position upstream of the contact portion 17 in the rotation direction of the developing sleeve 13. Further, a developer supply roller 15 is provided. The developer amount regulating blade 23 is provided so as to be inclined downward toward the upstream side in the rotational direction of the developing sleeve 13, and the blade member is opposed to the upper outer peripheral surface of the developing sleeve 13 in the rotational direction at the contact portion 17. It is in contact. The developer supply roller 15 is in contact with a portion of the developing sleeve 13 opposite to the electrophotographic photoreceptor 11 and is rotatably supported.

  The developer supply roller 15 rotates in the direction of the arrow c, and the toner 16 on the developer supply roller 15 is rubbed against the development sleeve 13 at a portion (nip portion) in contact with the development sleeve 13. Stick on top. Thereafter, with the rotation of the developing sleeve 13, the toner 16 enters between the developer amount regulating blade 23 and the developing sleeve 13 at the contact portion 17. When the toner passes there, the toner is further rubbed by both the surface of the developing sleeve 13 and the developer amount regulating blade 23 and sufficiently charged by friction.

  The charged toner 16 exits the contact portion 17 between the developer amount regulating blade 23 and the developing sleeve 13 to form a thin layer on the developing sleeve 13 and is opposed to the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 with a minute gap. It is conveyed to the developing unit. In the developing unit, the toner 16 on the developing sleeve 13 is transferred between the developing sleeve 13 and the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 in accordance with the electrostatic latent image of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 11 by the applied developing bias. The toner image is visualized as a toner image by adhering to and developing the electrostatic latent image. Note that the development bias is also a DC voltage. An alternating voltage in which an alternating current is superimposed on a direct current may be used, but the alternating voltage is preferable because there is little development unevenness or the like.

  The toner 16 remaining on the developing sleeve 13 without being consumed in the development in the developing unit returns to the developer container 12 from the lower portion of the developing sleeve 13 as the developing sleeve 13 rotates. The returned toner 16 is peeled off from the developing sleeve 13 by the developer supply roller 15 at the contact portion with the developing sleeve 13. At the same time, new toner 16 is supplied onto the developing sleeve 13 by the rotation of the elastic roller 15, and the new toner 16 is conveyed again to the contact portion 17 between the developing sleeve 13 and the developer amount regulating blade 23.

  On the other hand, most of the removed toner 16 is conveyed and mixed into the toner 16 in the developer container 12 as the developer supply roller 15 rotates, and the charged charge of the removed toner 16 is dispersed. The

  FIG. 3 shows an example of an electrophotographic apparatus suitable for employing the developing device of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 51 denotes an electrophotographic photosensitive member as an image carrier, which is a drum type electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive support such as aluminum and a photosensitive layer formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof as basic constituent layers. It is rotationally driven at a predetermined peripheral speed in the clockwise direction on the drawing around the support shaft. The charging member 52 is a corona discharger that is in contact with the photosensitive member 51 and performs primary charging processing on the surface of the photosensitive member so as to have a predetermined polarity and potential. This may be a charging roller.

  The surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 51 that has been uniformly charged by the charging member 52 is then exposed to target image information (laser beam scanning exposure, slit exposure of a document image, etc.) by the exposure means L, so An electrostatic latent image 53 corresponding to target image information is formed on the surface. The latent image is then sequentially visualized as a toner image by the developing device 54.

  The toner image is then transferred from a sheet feeding means (not shown) to the transfer section between the electrophotographic photoreceptor 51 and the transfer means 55 at an appropriate timing by the transfer means 55 in synchronization with the rotation of the electrophotographic photoreceptor 51. The image is sequentially transferred onto the surface of the transferred transfer material P. The transfer means 55 in this example is a corona discharger, and the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 51 is transferred to the surface side of the transfer material P by charging the reverse polarity of the toner from the back of the transfer material P. The transfer means may be a transfer roller. In addition, in color LBP that outputs a color image using four color toners, each color toner image is temporarily transferred to an intermediate transfer member such as a roller or a belt in order to develop and visualize the four color images. The toner image that has become a color image is transferred to the surface side of the transfer material P. The transfer material P that has received the transfer of the toner image is separated from the surface of the photoreceptor 51, sent to the heat fixing roller pair 58, subjected to image fixing, and output as an image formed product.

  Thereafter, the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member 51 after the image transfer is cleaned by the cleaning unit 56 after removing adhering contaminants such as transfer residual toner, and if necessary, the residual charge and the electrostatic afterimage are removed by the charge eliminating unit. And repeatedly used for image formation.

  It should be noted that a plurality of elements of the electrophotographic apparatus such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing device, and a cleaning unit can be integrally incorporated as a process cartridge. By doing so, the process cartridge can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. For example, the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the developing device and, if necessary, a charging member, a cleaning unit, and the like are integrally incorporated in the process cartridge, and can be detachably configured using a guide unit such as a rail of the apparatus main body.

  Examples of the electrophotographic apparatus that can use the developing device of the present invention include copying machines, laser beam printers, LED printers, and electrophotographic application apparatuses such as an electrophotographic plate making system.

  The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples and comparative examples. Unless otherwise specified, “parts” and “%” represent “parts by mass” and “% by mass”, respectively, and reagents and the like used were commercially available high-purity products.

(Example 1)
A polyester elastomer “Hytrel 4047” (trade name, Toray DuPont Co., Ltd.) was prepared as a raw material for the blade member. This was melt extruded at 230 ° C. onto a polypropylene surface transfer sheet (thickness 0.1 mm, surface roughness Rz _jis 0.3 μm) so that the thickness after solidification was 20 μm. The obtained two-layer sheet thickness was 0.12 mm.

  On the other hand, as a polyurethane-based adhesive, a polyester-based main agent “ADCOAT AD76-P1” (trade name, manufactured by Toyo Morton Co., Ltd.) and an isocyanate-based curing agent “CAT-10L” (trade name, manufactured by Toyo Morton Co., Ltd.) are used. An adhesive mixed with OH = 6 was prepared. This adhesive was applied in advance to a phosphor bronze support member having a spring elasticity of 0.10 mm so that the thickness after drying was 10 μm. Subsequently, the polyester elastomer layer surface of the two-layer sheet prepared above was bonded to the surface of the adhesive layer. The obtained laminated sheet was cut into a shape having a length of 200 mm in the longitudinal direction and a width of 22 mm, and the surface transfer sheet was peeled off to obtain a developer amount regulating blade.

  The tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer was obtained by aging the polyurethane adhesive so that the thickness after curing was 0.5 mm in a Teflon (trade name) container for 7 days. The adhesive film was peeled off and measured with a tensile tester.

  After placing the developer amount regulating blade obtained above in an electric furnace at 40 ° C. for 7 days, a laser ultra-deep shape measuring machine “VK-8500” with the blade member stretched based on the phosphor bronze cut surface (product) Name, manufactured by Keyence Corporation).

The obtained developer amount regulating blade was incorporated into a developing device of a laser beam printer “Lasershot” (trade name) manufactured by Canon Inc. Thereafter, in a low-temperature and low-humidity environment at 12 ° C. and 10 RH%, the presence or absence of density unevenness and vertical stripes due to the initial image was confirmed, and comprehensive evaluation was performed according to the following criteria.
(Double-circle): Resin elongation is less than 2 μm, and neither solid black nor halftone has density unevenness and vertical stripes.
○: Resin elongation is 2 μm or more and less than 5 μm, but there is no density unevenness and vertical stripes in both solid black and halftone.
Δ: Resin elongation is 5 μm or more and less than 10 μm, and solid black is not confirmed, but halftone has slight unevenness and vertical stripes that can be confirmed, but there is no problem in actual images.
X: Resin elongation is 10 μm or more, density unevenness and vertical stripes occur in both solid black and halftone. Alternatively, even when the blade member floats and peels off in severe storage at 40 ° C., and density unevenness and vertical stripes occur due to this, the evaluation does not function as a developer amount regulating blade. It was.

(Example 2)
Polyester elastomer “Hytrel 3046” (trade name, manufactured by Toray DuPont Co., Ltd.) is used as a raw material for the blade member, the thickness of the blade member is 30 μm, the NCO / OH of the adhesive is 4, and the film thickness is 5 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

(Example 3)
Polyester elastomer “Hytrel 3046” (trade name, manufactured by Toray DuPont Co., Ltd.) is used as a raw material for the blade member, the blade member thickness is 20 μm, the adhesive NCO / OH is 8, and the film thickness is 10 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

Example 4
As a raw material of the blade member, polyamide elastomer “Daiamide E47S1” (trade name, manufactured by Daicel Degussa Co., Ltd.) is used. The thickness of the blade member is 50 μm, the adhesive NCO / OH is 4, and the film thickness is 5 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

Example 4
As a raw material of the blade member, polyamide elastomer “Daiamide E47S1” (trade name, manufactured by Daicel Degussa Co., Ltd.) was used. The thickness of the blade member was 10 μm, the adhesive NCO / OH = 8, and the film thickness was 15 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except for the above. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 1)
A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the adhesive NCO / OH was set to 3. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 3, and the results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 2)
A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the thickness of the blade member was 10 μm and the film thickness of the adhesive was 15 μm. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 3, and the results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 3)
Polyester elastomer “Hytrel 5557” (trade name, manufactured by Toray DuPont Co., Ltd.) is used as a raw material for the blade member, the blade member thickness is 20 μm, the adhesive NCO / OH is 3, and the film thickness is 10 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

(Comparative Example 4)
Polyester elastomer “Hytrel 5557” (trade name, manufactured by Toray DuPont Co., Ltd.) is used as a raw material for the blade member, the blade member thickness is 20 μm, the adhesive NCO / OH is 10, and the film thickness is 15 μm. A developing blade was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that. Hereinafter, evaluation was made in the same manner as in Example 1, and the results are shown in Table 1.

  From the results in Table 1, it can be seen that, as in Comparative Examples 1 and 3, if the tensile modulus of the adhesive layer is low, the blade member is stretched greatly, and accordingly, image defects such as density unevenness and vertical stripes occur. . Also, if the tensile modulus of the adhesive layer is extremely high as in Comparative Examples 2 and 4, there is an effect on the resin elongation, but the original properties of the adhesive layer cannot be obtained, and if placed in a harsh environment of 40 ° C., the blade member Floating or peeling occurred. Due to the cause, the toner is not taken in uniformly and image defects such as vertical stripes occur. On the other hand, if the tensile elastic modulus of the blade member is 130 MPa or less and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is 5.0 or more and 25 or less as in Examples 1 to 5, toner uptake is inhibited. There is no extreme resin elongation, and no vertical stripes are generated on the image, and good results can be obtained.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a developer amount regulating blade of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a developing device using the developer amount regulating blade of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of an electrophotographic apparatus. It is a schematic diagram of an example of the conventional developing device.

Explanation of symbols

11 Electrophotographic photosensitive member 12 Developer container 13 Developer carrier (developing sleeve, developing roller)
14 Developer amount regulating blade 15 Developer supply roller (elastic roller)
16 Developer (toner)
17 Contact portion of developer amount regulating member 20 Blade member 21 Support member 22 Adhesive layer 23 Developer amount regulating blade 24 Developer container 25 Fixing point of developer amount regulating blade 26 Pressure contact of developer amount regulating blade 27 Developer Carrier (developing sleeve, developing roller)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 51 Electrophotographic photosensitive member 52 Charging member 53 Electrostatic latent image 54 Developing device 55 Transfer means 56 Cleaning means 58 Fixing roller F Pressure contact force of developer regulating blade to developer carrier L Exposure means P Transfer material

Claims (5)

A film-like blade member has a laminated structure in which a support member is bonded via an adhesive layer, and comes into contact with a developer carrying body for carrying and transporting the developer on the surface, and on the surface of the developer carrying body. In the developer amount regulating blade that regulates the amount of developer carried,
A developer amount regulating blade, wherein the blade member is an elastic body having a tensile elastic modulus of 130 MPa or less, and the tensile elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is from 5.0 MPa to 25.0 MPa.   The developer amount regulating blade according to claim 1, wherein the blade member has a thickness of 10 μm to 50 μm.   The developer amount regulating blade according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of 5 μm or more and 15 μm or less.   The developer amount regulating blade according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is made of a reactive curable adhesive.   A developer carrying body for carrying the developer on the surface and carrying it out of the developer container, and development for regulating the amount of the developer carried on the surface of the developer carrying body in contact with the developer carrying body A developing device having at least a developer amount regulating blade, wherein the developer amount regulating blade is the developer amount regulating blade according to claim 1.

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