Patent ID: 9207568
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A developing unit for supplying a toner in a developing agent, in which the toner and a carrier are mixed, to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, the developing unit comprising: an agitating region in which the developing agent is agitated; a developing member which supplies the toner to the image carrier by attaching the developing agent on an outer circumference thereof, and which comprises a rotating sleeve, and a magnetic pole member including a regulating pole and a catch pole adjacent the regulation pole and disposed on an upstream side of the regulating pole for attaching the developing agent to an outer circumference of the sleeve and disposed inside the sleeve; a first regulating member which faces the regulating pole to form a first regulating gap between the first regulating member and the outer circumference of the sleeve; a second regulating member which forms a second regulating gap at an upstream side of the first regulating gap based on a rotating direction of the developing member, between the second regulating member and the outer circumference of the sleeve; and a third regulating member which forms a third regulating gap at an upstream side of the second regulating gap, between the third regulating member and the outer circumference of the sleeve, and which forms a recovery path for recovering excessive developing agent that may not pass through the first and second regulating gaps; wherein a distance from a center of the developing member to a vertical line passing through an upstream end of the second regulating member is greater than a radius of the developing member, and a downstream end of the third regulating member is located between the regulating pole and the catch pole, and wherein the third regulating member comprises a regulating surface forming the third regulating gap with an outer circumference of the developing member, and a downstream end of the regulating surface is located within a range of ±10° based on a location between the regulating pole and the catch pole at which a magnetic force in a normal direction is lowest.