Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A developing apparatus comprising: a housing for storing a developing agent therein and having an outlet port of a first width, said developing agent flowing from inside of said housing through said outlet port; a developing agent carrier for carrying said developing agent flowing from said outlet port and feeding said developing agent; and an elastic member, pressed against the surface of the developing agent carrier with a second width greater than the first width, to apply the developing agent thereto, so that the developing agent is applied to the surface of the developing agent carrier by the elastic member to form a layer on the surface of the developing agent carrier, and that the layer is opposed to an image bearing member at a predetermied space to deposit the developing agent on a latent image on the image bearing member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A developing apparatus comprising: a housing for storing a developing agent therein and having an outlet port of a first width, said developing agent flowing from inside of said housing through said outlet port; a developing agent carrier for carrying said developing agent flowing from said outlet port and feeding said developing agent; and an elastic member, pressed against the surface of the developing agent carrier with a second width greater than the first width, to apply the developing agent thereto, so that the developing agent is applied to the surface of the developing agent carrier by the elastic member to form a layer on the surface of the developing agent carrier, and that the layer is opposed to an image bearing member at a predetermied space to deposit the developing agent on a latent image on the image bearing member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing has an inner width substantially equal to the second width of said developing agent carrier and a portion of said developing agent carrier is positioned in said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing includes a regulating member arranged at an upstream side of said elastic member along a feeding direction of said developing agent by said developing agent carrier, wherein said regulating member has said outlet port at a portion opposing said developing agent carrier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said housing has a front wall, said elastic member is fixed to said front wall and said regulating member is formed at a lower portion of said front wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said regulating member includes, an opening formed at a substantially central portion thereof to define said outlet port; and projections, formed at two side portions of said opening, for substantially preventing a flow of said developing agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein leading ends of said projections have rigidity and are slightly spaced apart from a surface of said developing agent carrier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein leading ends of said projections have a low friction coefficient and are in contact with a surface of said developing agent carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing agent carrier has a width larger than that of said elastic member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said developing agent carrier has non-contact portions, which are not pressed against said elastic member, at two side portions thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said non-contact portions correspond to non-developing portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said projections extend along a direction substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction of said developing agent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said projections obliquely extend along a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of said developing agent carrier and regulate said developing agent toward a central portion of said developing agent carrier.