Developing apparatus

Claim 2

A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, said apparatus comprising: a developer container for receiving a one-component nonmagnetic developer; a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying the one-component nonmagnetic developer and for conveying the one-component nonmagnetic developer from said developer container to a developing area for developing the electrostatic latent image; a developer regulating member for regulating the thickness of a layer of the one-component nonmagnetic developer conveyed to the developing area by said rotatable developer carrying member; and an elastic rotatable member disposed within said developer container for forming a nip portion with said rotatable developer carrying member at a position upstream from said developer regulating member with respect to the direction of rotation of said developer carrying member, said elastic rotatable member comprising a surface having projections and recesses thereon, and said elastic rotatable member rotating in the same direction as said developer carrying member, wherein a circumferential speed V 1 (mm/sec) of said rotatable developer carrying member, a circumferential speed V 2 (mm/sec) of said elastic rotatable member, a width d (mm) of the nip portion between said rotatable developer carrying member and said elastic rotatable member, and a number N (/mm) per unit length of the projections on the surface of said elastic rotatable member in the direction of rotation of said elastic rotatable member are set so as to satisfy the relationship: V.sub.2 ≧V.sub.1 /4, and ≦ N×d×(V.sub.1 +V.sub.2)/V.sub.1 ≦40.

Claim 3

A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic rotatable member comprises a surface layer comprising a foam elastic member having cells as said recesses, and cell walls as said projections.

Claim 4

A developing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said foam elastic member comprises a rubber elastic member.

Claim 5

A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said elastic rotatable member comprises a mesh.

Claim 6

A developing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic rotatable member comprises an elastic skin layer having said projections and said recesses coated on a foam elastic member.

Claim 7

A developing apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said developer regulating member regulates the thickness of the layer of the one-component developer to a thickness smaller than a minimum gap between the image bearing member and said rotatable developer carrying member at the developing area, and wherein said rotatable developer carrying member triboelectrically charges the developer to a polarity for developing the electrostatic latent image.

Claim 8

A developing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a power supply for applying an oscillating bias voltage to said rotatable developer carrying member.

Claim 9

A developing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the width of the nip portion is between 1 and 8 mm.

Claim 10

A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, said apparatus comprising: a developer container for receiving a one-component nonmagnetic developer; a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying the one-component nonmagnetic developer and conveying the one-component nonmagnetic developer from said developer container to a developing area for developing the electrostatic latent image, said rotatable developer carrying member triboelectrically charging the one-component nonmagnetic developer to a polarity for developing the electrostatic latent image; a developer regulating member contacting said rotatable developer carrying member for regulating the thickness of a layer of the one-component nonmagnetic developer conveyed to the developing area by said rotatable developer carrying member; and an elastic rotatable member disposed within said developer container for forming a nip portion with said rotatable developer carrying member at a position upstream from said developer regulating member with respect to the direction of rotation of said rotatable developer carrying member, said elastic rotatable member comprising a surface having projections and recesses thereon, and said elastic rotatable member rotating in the same direction as said developer carrying member, wherein a circumferential speed V 1 (mm/sec) of said rotatable developer carrying member, a circumferential speed V 2 (mm/sec) of said elastic rotatable member, a width d (mm) of the nip portion between said rotatable developer carrying member and said elastic rotatable member, and a number N (/mm) per unit length of the projections on the surface of said elastic rotatable member in the direction of rotation of said elastic rotatable member are set so as to satisfy the relationship: V.sub.2 ≧V.sub.1 /4, and 6≦N×d×(V.sub.1 +V.sub.2)/V.sub.1 ≦40.

Claim 11

A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, said apparatus comprising: a developer container for receiving a one-component nonmagnetic developer; a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying the one-component nonmagnetic developer and conveying the one-component nonmagnetic developer from said developer container to a developing area for developing the electrostatic latent image, said rotatable developer carrying member triboelectrically charging the one-component nonmagnetic developer to a polarity for developing the electrostatic latent image; a developer regulating member contacting said rotatable developer carrying member for regulating the thickness of a layer of the one-component nonmagnetic developer conveyed to the developing area by said rotatable developer carrying member; and an elastic rotatable member disposed within said developer container for forming a nip portion with said rotatable developer carrying member at a position upstream from said developer regulating member with respect to the direction of rotation of said rotatable developer carrying member, said elastic rotatable member comprising a surface having projections and recesses thereon, and said elastic rotatable member rotating in the same direction as said developer carrying member, wherein a circumferential speed V 1 (mm/sec) of said rotatable developer carrying member, a circumferential speed V 2 (mm/sec) of said elastic rotatable member, a width d (mm) of the nip portion between said rotatable developer carrying member and said elastic rotatable member, and a number N (/mm) per unit length of the projections on the surface of said elastic rotatable member in the direction of rotation of said elastic rotatable member are set so as to satisfy the relationship: V.sub.2 ≧V.sub.1 /4, and 6≦N×d×(V.sub.1 +V.sub.2)/V.sub.1 ≦40.

Claim 12

A developing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said elastic rotatable member comprises a surface layer comprising a foam rubber elastic member having cells as said recesses, and cell walls as said projections.

Claim 13

A developing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the surface of said elastic rotatable member comprises a mesh.

Claim 14

A developing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said elastic rotatable member comprises an elastic skin layer having said projections and said recesses coated on a foam rubber elastic member.

Claim 15

A developing apparatus according to any one of claims 9-12, wherein said developer regulating member comprises an elastic blade, and regulates the thickness of the layer of the one-component developer to a thickness smaller than a minimum gap between the image bearing member and said rotatable developer carrying member at the developing area.

Claim 16

A developing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a power supply for applying an oscillating bias voltage to the developer carrying member.

Claim 17

A developing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the width of the nip portion is between 1 and 8 mm.