Developing device and method for locating a toner restricting member at a developing device

Claim 2

A developing device for depositing a toner comprising: a casing; a toner carrier rotatably mounted within the casing and having a surface for receiving a tone; and a tone restricting member nonrotatably mounted within the casing parallel to and urged into contact with the toner carrier, the tone restricting member including a ridge retaining rod and an elastic contact unit secured to an outer surface of the retaining rod, the contact unit extending axially along the retaining rod and having a single contact area with a distal end extending from the retaining rod for contacting the surface of the toner carrier, the contact area extending from the retaining rod to a height smaller than a diameter of the retaining rod; whereby, upon rotation of the toner carrier, a thin layer of toner is deposited on the toner carrier after passing between the contact unit and the toner carrier.

Claim 3

The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rod is circular in cross-section.

Claim 4

The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rod has an annular cross-section.

Claim 5

The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rod is polygonal in cross-section.

Claim 6

The developing device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining rod is hollow and has an angular cross-section.

Claim 7

The developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the contact unit includes a section fixed directly to the retaining rod.

Claim 8

The developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the contact unit has a base seat secured to the retaining rod and formed integral with and adjacent a proximal end of the contact area in a downstream direction relative to the direction of rotation of the toner carrier.

Claim 9

The developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base seat is formed adjacent the contact area in an upstream and a downstream direction relative to the direction of rotation of the toner carrier.

Claim 10

The developing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base seat is annular in cross-section and extends around the outer surface of the retaining rod.

Claim 11

A developing device for depositing a toner comprising: a casing; a toner carrier rotatably mounted in the casing and having a surface for receiving a toner; and a toner restricting member nonrotatably mounted in the casing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, in each position the toner restricting member being parallel to and urged into contact with the toner carrier, the toner restricting member including a rigid retaining rod and an elastic contact unit secured to an outer surface of the retaining rod, the contact unit extending axially along the retaining rod and having a plurality of contact areas arranged circumferentially around the retaining rod and extending from the retaining rod for contacting the surface of the toner carrier, one corresponding contact area contacting the toner carrier when the toner restricting member is in a given predetermined position, each contact area extending from the retaining rod to a height smaller than a diameter of the retaining rod; whereby, upon rotation of the toner carrier, a thin layer of toner is deposited on the toner carrier after passing between the contact unit and the toner carrier.

Claim 12

A developing device for depositing a toner comprising: a casing; a toner carrier rotatably mounted in the casing and having a surface for receiving a toner; and a toner restricting member nonrotatably mounted in the casing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, in each position the toner restricting member being parallel to and urged into contact with the toner carrier, the toner restricting member including a rigid retaining rod and an elastic contact unit secured to an outer surface of the retaining rod, the contact unit extending axially along the retaining rod and having a plurality of contact areas arranged circumferentially around the retaining rod and extending from the retaining rod for contacting the surface of the toner carrier, one corresponding contact area contacting the toner carrier when the toner restricting member is in a given predetermined position, each contact area extending from the retaining rod to a height smaller than a diameter of the retaining rod; whereby, upon rotation of the toner carrier, a thin layer of toner is deposited on the toner carrier after passing between the contact unit and the toner carrier.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 10, wherein the retaining rod is circular in cross-section.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 10, wherein the retaining rod has an annular cross-section.

Claim 15

The device according to claim 10, wherein the retaining rod is angular in cross-section.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 10, wherein the retaining rod is hollow and angular in cross-section.

Claim 17

The developing device according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the contact unit includes a plurality of noncontiguous contact areas circumferentially spaced about and extending from the retaining rod.

Claim 18

The developing device according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the contact unit has a base seat which is annular in cross-section and is secured about the outer surface of the retaining rod, the contact areas being arranged around and extending from the base seat.

Claim 19

The developing device according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the contact unit has the plurality of contact areas formed into a continuous unit.

Claim 22

The device according to claim 10, further including two mounting members, each mounting member secured to one end of the retaining rod, the casing defining two openings, each opening for nonrotatably receiving a mounting member in one of a plurality of predetermined positions.

Claim 23

The device according to claim 19, wherein the mounting members and openings have a square cross-section.

Claim 24

The device according to claim 19, wherein the mounting members have a hexagonal cross-section and the openings have a square cross-section.

Claim 25

The device according to claim 10, wherein the contact unit has an outer surface with an angular cross-section and is secured about the outer surface of the retaining rod.

Claim 26

The device according to claim 22, wherein the contact unit has an outer surface with a hexagonal cross-section and is secured about the outer surface of the retaining rod.

Claim 29

A method as in claim 24, comprising the additional steps of: unmounting the toner restricting member from the predetermined position within the casing to thereby separate the corresponding contact area from the toner carrier; remounting the toner restricting member nonrotatably within the casing in a different predetermined position so that a different corresponding contact area contacts the toner carrier.