Patent ID: 6196958
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A toner supply roll comprising:a metal shaft; anda cylindrical soft polyurethane sponge structure integrally formed on an outer circumferential surface of said metal shaft,said cylindrical soft polyurethane sponge structure having a hardness of not higher than 350 g, and including a skin layer,said sponge structure having a network of cells, and said skin layer having an outer circumferential surface and openings which are open in said outer circumferential surface and which communicate with respective radially outermost ones of said cells which are located adjacent to said outer circumferential surface of said skin layer,each of said openings having a size within a range of 100-800 .mu.m, and a total area of said openings being at least 20% of a total area of said outer circumferential surface of said skin layer, andsaid sponge structure having a plurality of helical protrusions formed on said outer circumferential surface of said skin layer so as to extend helically about an axis of said sponge structure, said helical protrusions being arranged in a circumferential direction of said sponge structure, so as to form a plurality of helical recesses each of which is interposed between adjacent ones of said helical protrusions, said plurality of helical protrusions and said plurality of helical recesses cooperating to define a toothed profile in transverse cross section in a plane perpendicular to said axis.