PROTECTIVE AGENT SUPPLY DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a protective agent supply device supplying an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus with a solid image carrier protective agent containing fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, while preventing or suppressing uneven abrasion, and to provide a process cartridge having the protective agent supply device, the image forming apparatus having the protective agent supply device or the process cartridge, and an image forming method using the protective agent supply device, the process cartridge, or the image forming apparatus.

SOLUTION: A protective agent 42Y includes a facing surface S facing a rotating member 47Y and contains at least fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant. The facing surface S has a width G in a direction of E1 along a rotating direction D1 at a position facing the facing surface S of the rotating member 47Y. A position X on the facing surface S at the center of the width G in the E1 direction is located in an upstream side in the E1 direction with respect to a position Y on the facing surface S that is positioned vertically down from a rotation center O of the rotating member 47Y onto the facing surface S, and a distance d between the position X and the position Y satisfies 0COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT