Development device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

摘要

A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and a planar metal developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer carried by the developer bearer to the development range. The developer bearer includes a developer carrying range having surface unevenness, and the developer regulator includes a fixed end portion held by a regulator holder and a free end portion to contact a surface of the developer bearer.

主权项

1. A development device comprising:
a developer bearer to carry by rotation, one-component developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, the developer bearer including a developer carrying range having surface unevenness; and a planar metal developer regulator including a fixed end portion held by a regulator holder and a free end portion, metal of the planar metal developer regulator is to contact a surface of the developer bearer to adjust an amount of one-component developer carried to the development range, wherein: the free end portion of the developer regulator is constructed of a material having a degree of hardness lower than a degree of hardness of the developer bearer, an edge portion on a free end side of the developer regulator contacts the surface of the developer bearer, the developer regulator further comprises an opposed face facing the developer bearer and an end face on the free end side, the edge portion on the free end side that contacts the surface of the developer bearer is adjacent to a line formed by a virtual plane extending along the opposed face and a virtual plane extending along the end face on the free end side, the edge portion on the free end side that contacts the surface of the developer bearer is disposed in an upstream orientation relative to a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and the edge portion on the free end side is a furthest position on the free end side of the opposed face from the fixed end portion of the developer regulator.