| 主权项 |
1. A developing device comprising:
a developing-device housing that has an opening facing an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, the developing-device housing containing developer including toner and a carrier; a developer carrier that faces the image carrier and is rotatable while carrying the developer, the developer carrier being configured to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier with the developer; a developer-thickness-regulating member that is a substantially long magnetic member having a substantially circular sectional shape and extending parallel to an axial direction of the developer carrier, the developer-thickness-regulating member facing the developer carrier at a position on an upstream side in a direction of rotation of the developer carrier with respect to a position where the developer carrier faces the image carrier, the developer-thickness-regulating member being configured to regulate a thickness of a layer of the developer on the developer carrier at a regulating gap provided between the developer carrier and the developer-thickness-regulating member; and sealing members that seal a gap between the developer-thickness-regulating member and the developing-device housing, wherein the sealing members include
first sealing members provided at two respective ends of the developer-thickness-regulating member, the ends being on respective outer sides of an effective developer-transporting area of the developer carrier, the first sealing members preventing rotation of the developer-thickness-regulating member by being in contact with the developer-thickness-regulating member at respective first portions of the gap between the developer-thickness-regulating member and the developing-device housing excluding a portion across the developer-thickness-regulating member from the regulating gap, the first sealing members sealing the respective first portions; anda second sealing member extending over an area of the developer-thickness-regulating member that corresponds to the effective developer-transporting area of the developer carrier, the second sealing member being provided at a second portion of the gap between the developer-thickness-regulating member and the developing-device housing excluding the portion across the developer-thickness-regulating member from the regulating gap, the second sealing member being in contact with the developer-thickness-regulating member at a contact pressure lower than a contact pressure at which the first sealing members are in contact with the developer-thickness-regulating member, the second sealing member sealing the second portion. |
