Patent ID: 8995899
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A protecting agent-supplying device comprising: a rotation member configured to rotate in a certain direction; an image bearing member-protecting agent including a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, and being in the form of a solid, wherein a production apparatus for the image bearing member-protecting agent includes a lower mold, a pair of side molds, a pair of end molds, and an upper mold, wherein the side molds are disposed so as to sandwich the lower mold and form side surfaces of the image bearing member-protecting agent, and the end molds are disposed so as to sandwich the lower mold and the side molds and form end surfaces of the image bearing member-protecting agent, wherein the image bearing member-protecting agent is scraped off by the rotation of the rotation member in the certain direction, and supplied to an image bearing member, so as to protect the image bearing member, wherein the image bearing member-protecting agent is disposed to have a surface facing the rotation member, which surface has a width G in a direction along the certain direction, and wherein a center of the width G on the surface facing in the direction along the certain direction is defined as a position X, and a line of intersection between the surface facing the rotation member and a plane extended from the rotational center of the rotation member perpendicular to the surface facing the rotation member is defined as a position Y, and the position X is located upstream in the direction along the certain direction from the position Y, and a distance d between the position X and the position Y satisfies the relation represented by a formula 0<d≦G/2.