Abstract:
The present invention provides a developing apparatus that has a developing container for containing a developer therein, a developer carrying member provided in an opening portion of the developing container, the developer carrying member developing an electrostatic image on an image bearing member, and seal member provided in the opening portion for preventing leakage of the developer from an end portion of the opening portion, the seal member contacting with the end portion of the developer carrying member except for an end edge thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a developing apparatus used in an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer using the electrophotographic method or the electrostatic recording method to develop an electrostatic image on an image bearing member.  
           [0003]    2. Related Background Art  
           [0004]    In an image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic method, it has heretofore been practised to visualize an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member as a toner image by a developing apparatus.  
           [0005]    As examples of such a developing apparatus, there have been proposed various dry type monocomponent developing apparatuses. Also, when visualizing the electrostatic latent image, a developer carrying member is adopted to carry a developer to the image bearing member such as a photosensitive drum.  
           [0006]    There has heretofore been proposed a contact monocomponent developing method of effecting development by using an electrically semiconductive developing roller or a developing roller having a dielectric layer formed on the surface thereof as the developer carrying member, and pressing it against the surface layer of a photosensitive body.  
           [0007]    In such a system, the developing roller contacts with the surface of the photosensitive body and is rotated to thereby effect development and therefore, an elastic material is generally used for the developing roller. Also, functions required of the developing roller include that a necessary developing nip can be obtained, that the developing roller has a sufficient recovering property for a compressive force to the contact, that a toner on the developing roller obtains a desired charging polarity and charging amount, that the surface of the developing roller is excellent in the releasing property with respect to a developer (hereinafter referred to also as the toner) and the toner does not film on the surface of the roller, etc.  
           [0008]    Therefore, as the construction of the developing roller, use is generally made of such a multilayer construction that satisfies functions required of the vicinity of the surface of the developing roller and functions required of the interior of the developing roller.  
           [0009]    A developing roller of such a multilayer construction generally has a surface layer formed on an elastic layer as an underlying layer by dip coating, roll coating or the like.  
           [0010]    Also, as compared with a magnetic developing apparatus which uses a magnetic toner and can easily hold the toner on the surface of a developing sleeve by the action of a magnetic field, in a developing apparatus using a non-magnetic toner as a developer, a magnetic attracting force cannot be used and therefore, it becomes difficult to prevent the leakage of the toner out of the developing apparatus.  
           [0011]    Here, the developing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 8 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 8 shows the structure of the developing apparatus, and is a view of a developing container  24  as it is seen from the opening portion side thereof.  
           [0012]    A developing roller  25  is disposed in the opening portion of the developing container  24 . This developing roller  25  is rotated in the direction of arrow B. Also, the developing roller is supplied with a toner by an elastic roller (not shown) located upstream of the position of the contact portion between the developing roller  25  and an elastic blade  27  with respect to the direction of rotation and contacting with the developing roller  25 .  
           [0013]    The toner supplied to the developing roller  25  is carried to the contact portion between the elastic blade  27  and the developing roller  25  with the rotation of the developing roller  25  and is made into a thin layer.  
           [0014]    Thereafter, the toner is carried onto a photosensitive body (not shown) which is an image bearing member, whereby the development of an electrostatic latent image is effected.  
           [0015]    Also, a flexible seal member  26  lightly contacting with the developing roller  25  is provided in a toner collecting portion (the downstream side of the developing roller with respect to the direction of rotation thereof) which is the lower portion of the developing container  24 , to thereby permit the passage of the toner unused for development and prevent the toner in the developing container  24  from leaking out of the lower portion of the developing container  24 .  
           [0016]    Further, end portion seal members  29  formed of a fibrous material such as woolen felt or polytetrafluoroethylene (herein referred to as PTFE) pile or a foamed material such as polyurethane foam or sponge rubber are provided in the gaps between the opposite end portions of the developing roller  25  and the opening portion of the developing container  24  to thereby prevent the leakage of the toner from between the developing container  24  and the lengthwisely opposite end portions of the developing roller  25 .  
           [0017]    However, the developing roller having its surface layer formed by dip coating, roll coating or the like as described above is liable to cause the unevenness of coat on the end portions of the surface layer during the formation of the surface layer.  
           [0018]    Therefore, for example, in the outermost peripheral portion of the end surfaces of the elastic layer, unstably the surface layer cannot be applied thereto or conversely the surface layer becomes thick. Also when the opposite end portions of the surface layer of the developing roller are lengthwisely inside the elastic layer, it is sometimes the case that when the surface layer is to be applied by roll coating or the like, the surface layer cannot be sufficiently applied at the beginning and end of the application.  
           [0019]    When by the use of such a developing roller, the developing operation is repeated a number of times by the conventional developing apparatus as shown in FIG. 8, the end portions of the surface layer of the developing roller  25  have their surface layer peeled off by long-period use because the frictional contact thereof with the end portion seal members  29  is repeated, and with it as an occasion, the peeling-off of the surface layer of the developing roller  25  progresses to the lengthwisely central portion of the developing roller  25 .  
           [0020]    This state will now be described with reference to FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 9, the peeling-off  90  at the end portions of the developing roller  25  progresses to the central portion of the developing roller  25 .  
           [0021]    As the result, gaps are formed between the opening portion of the developing container  24  and the end portion seal members  29  and the sealing property of the seal members to the leakage of the toner is reduced.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0022]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing apparatus in which the peeling-off of the surface layer of a developer carrying member is prevented.  
           [0023]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a developing apparatus in which the leakage of a developer from the end portions of the apparatus is prevented.  
           [0024]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a developing apparatus comprising:  
           [0025]    a developing container for containing a developer therein;  
           [0026]    a developer carrying member provided in an opening portion of the developing container, the developer carrying member developing an electrostatic image on an image bearing member; and  
           [0027]    seal member provided in the opening portion for preventing leakage of the developer from an end portion of the opening portion;  
           [0028]    the seal member contacting with the end portion of the developer carrying member except for an end edge thereof.  
           [0029]    Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus provided with a first embodiment of a developing apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 shows the front structure of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 shows the front structure of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 shows the front structure of a second embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 shows the cross-section al structure of an embodiment of a process cartridge according to the present invention.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIGS. 7A and 7B are conceptional views of the developing apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 shows the structure of a developing apparatus.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 shows the construction of the developing apparatus.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0039]    Some preferred embodiments of this invention will hereinafter be described in detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative disposition, etc. of constituent parts described in these embodiments, unless otherwise specifically described, are not intended to restrict the scope of this invention thereto.  
         [0040]    Also, in the following drawings, members similar to the members shown in the drawings used in the description of the prior art and the members shown in the drawings already described are given the same reference numerals.  
       First Embodiment of the Developing Apparatus  
       [0041]    An image forming apparatus provided with a first embodiment of a developing apparatus according to the present invention will first be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus provided with the first embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0042]    Referring to FIG. 1, a photosensitive drum  1  on which a latent image is to be formed is rotated in the direction of arrow A, and is uniformly charged by a charging apparatus  2  for charging the photosensitive drum  1 , and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface thereof by a laser beam  3  from an exposing unit for writing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum  1 .  
         [0043]    This electrostatic latent image is developed and visualized as a toner image by a developing apparatus  4  disposed in proximity to the photosensitive drum  1 .  
         [0044]    In the present embodiment, so-called reversal developing which forms a toner image on an exposed portion is effected.  
         [0045]    The visualized toner image on the photosensitive drum  1  is transferred to paper  13  which is a recording medium by a transferring roller  9 .  
         [0046]    Any untransferred toner not transferred but residual on the photosensitive drum  1  is scraped off by a cleaning blade  10 , and is contained in a waste toner containing container  11 , and the thus cleaned photosensitive drum  1  repeats the above-described action and repetitively effects image formation.  
         [0047]    On the other hand, the paper  13  to which the toner image has been transferred is subjected to the fixing process by a fixing apparatus  12  and is discharged out of the apparatus and thus, the printing operation is completed.  
         [0048]    The developing apparatus  4  according to the present embodiment will be further described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the reference numeral  14  designates a developing container as the developer container of the present invention containing therein a non-magnetic toner  8  as the developer of the present invention which is a monocomponent developer.  
         [0049]    This developing apparatus  4  is provided with a developing roller  5  as the developer carrying member of the present invention located in an opening portion extending lengthwisely in the developing container  14  and disposed in opposed relationship with the photosensitive drum  1 , and is adapted to develop and visualize the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum  1 .  
         [0050]    The developing roller  5  is in contact with the photosensitive drum  1  with a contact width. The specific developing operation is such that the non-magnetic toner  8  in the developing container  14  is sent toward an elastic roller  6  with the rotation of an agitating member  16  in the direction of arrow C.  
         [0051]    Next, by the elastic roller  6  being rotated in the direction of arrow D, the non-magnetic toner  8  is carried to the vicinity of the developing roller  5 , and in the contact portion between the developing roller  5  and the elastic roller  6 , the non-magnetic toner  8  carried on the elastic roller  6  frictionally contacts with the developing roller  5  and is thereby subjected to frictional charging, and adheres onto the developing roller  5 .  
         [0052]    Thereafter, with the rotation of the developing roller  5  in the direction of arrow B, the non-magnetic toner  8  is sent under the pressure contact of an elastic blade  7 , and is formed into a thin layer on the developing roller  5 .  
         [0053]    The layer of the non-magnetic toner  8  formed as the thin layer on the developing roller  5  is uniformly carried to a developing portion which is a portion opposed to the photosensitive drum  1 .  
         [0054]    In this developing portion, the layer of the non-magnetic toner formed as the thin layer on the developing roller  5  develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum  1  as a toner image by a DC voltage applied to the developing roller  5 .  
         [0055]    Any undeveloping toner not consumed in the developing portion is collected from the lower portion of the developing roller  5  with the rotation of the developing roller  5 .  
         [0056]    A seal member  17  comprising a flexible sheet is provided in this collecting portion and permits the passage of the undeveloping toner into the developing container  14  and also prevents the non-magnetic toner  8  in the developing container  14  from leaking from the lower portion of the developing roller  5 .  
         [0057]    This collected undeveloping toner on the developing roller  5  is scraped off from the surface of the developing roller  5  in the contact portion between the elastic roller  6  and the developing roller  5  and at the same time, fresh toner is supplied onto the developing roller  5  by the rotation of the elastic roller  6 , and the aforedescribed action is repeated.  
         [0058]    Also, in the present embodiment, in order to prevent the leakage of the non-magnetic toner  8  from the vicinity of the end portions of the developing roller  5  to the outside, i.e., the so-called toner leakage, end portion seal members  19  as the seal members of the present invention are discretely provided near the end portions of the developing roller. In FIG. 2, however, for the facility of description, the end portion seal members  19  are seen through and shown.  
         [0059]    Here, the end portions of the opening portion of the developing container will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIGS. 7A and 7B show conceptional views of the developing apparatus according to the present invention. The following description is the description of the end portions of the opening portion of the developing apparatus and therefore, in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the members including the developing roller usually provided in the developing apparatus are not shown.  
         [0060]    First, as shown in FIG. 7A, the developing apparatus  72  is provided with an opening portion  71  as the opening portion of the developer container of the present invention. Through this opening portion  71 , the developer is carried from the interior to the exterior of the developing apparatus  72 . This opening portion  71  is provided from the center to the side portions of the developing apparatus  72 .  
         [0061]    Accordingly, in this case, the end portions of the opening portion  71  include the side portions of the developing apparatus  72 . That is, when the seal members are disposed on the end portions of the opening portion  71 , the seal members  73  are disposed on the side portions of the developing apparatus  72 , as shown in FIG. 7B.  
         [0062]    While the foregoing is the case where the seal members are disposed on the end portions of the opening portion referred to in the present invention, the present invention is not restricted to the case as described above, but the seal members can be disposed on the end portions of opening portions of other various shapes.  
         [0063]    Also, in the example shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a portion  70  which is a portion forming the opening portion  71  in the developing apparatus  72  is formed by the frame of the developing apparatus  72 , whereas the present invention is not restricted to such a case.  
         [0064]    For example, the portion  70  which is the portion forming the opening portion  71  may be an elastic blade or other seal member.  
         [0065]    Also, since the developer carrying member is the developing roller, the carrying property for the developer can be improved.  
         [0066]    Also, the developer carrying member is comprised of a surface layer and at least one underlying layer and therefore, with the close contact property with the seal members taken into account, the sealing property can be more improved.  
         [0067]    Here, reference is had to FIG. 3 to further describe the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows the front structure of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0068]    [0068]FIG. 3 is a view of the developing apparatus  4  as it is seen in the direction from the photosensitive drum  1 , and the developing roller  5  is not shown therein.  
         [0069]    The side surface portions of the end portion seal members  19  are disposed so as to contact with the opposite end surface portions of the elastic blade  7  to thereby prevent the leakage of the toner from the opposite end portions of the elastic blade  7 .  
         [0070]    The material of the end portion seal members  19  may preferably be a fibrous material such as woolen felt or PTFE pile, or a foamed material such as polyurethane foam or sponge rubber. In the present embodiment, woolen felt is used.  
         [0071]    Description will now be made of the developing roller  5  used in the present embodiment. The surface of the developing roller  5  in the present embodiment has a moderate degree of unevenness for heightening the probability of frictional contact with the non-magnetic toner  8 , and effecting the carrying of the non-magnetic toner  8  well, and as the developing roller, use is made of an elastic roller  5  comprising two layers, i.e., a silicon rubber layer as an underlying layer, and a surface layer of a urethane material covering the silicon rubber layer.  
         [0072]    The surface layer is formed on the silicon rubber layer by dip coating. Also, the hardness of the developing roller  5  is such hardness that becomes 50° when an Asker C hardness meter is weighted by 1 kg.  
         [0073]    The developing roller  5  of such low hardness is high in its close contact property with the end portion seal members  19  and therefore is high in the sealing property to the end portion leakage of the non-magnetic toner  8 . Accordingly, the hardness of the developing roller  5  may preferably be within the range of 40° to 60° when the Asker C hardness meter is weighted by 1 kg.  
         [0074]    When the above-described developing operation is repeated by the use of the above-described developing roller  5 , it is difficult to stably coat the outermost peripheral portion of the end surfaces of the elastic layer during the formation of the surface layer because the surface layer of the developing roller  5  is formed by dip coating, as previously described.  
         [0075]    Therefore, if the end portions of the developing roller  5  are on the end portion seal members  19 , the peeling-off of the end portions of the surface layer will be caused by the frictional contact between the end portions of the developing roller  5  and the end portion seal members  19 .  
         [0076]    When the above-described developing operation is further repeated, the peeling-off of the end portions of the surface layer progresses to the lengthwisely central portion of the developing roller  5  and as the result, gaps are created between the end portion seal members  19  and the developing roller  5  and the leakage of the toner occurs.  
         [0077]    So, in the present embodiment, design is made such that as shown in FIG. 4, the end portions E of the surface layer of the developing roller  5  as the end portions of the developer carrying member of the present invention are outside the opening portion of the developing container and do not contact with the end portion seal members  19 . FIG. 4 shows the front structure of the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0078]    By doing so, the end portions E of the surface layer of the developing roller  5  do not frictionally contact with the end portion seal members  19  and therefore, even when the developing operation is repetitively performed, the peeling-off of the end portions is not caused and the peeling-off of the surface layer of the developing roller  5  is not caused, and the seal against the leakage of the non-magnetic toner  8  can be sufficiently kept.  
         [0079]    Also, by adopting a construction in which the end portions of the developing roller  5  are outside the opening portion of the developing container and do not contact with the end portion seal members  19 , there is no level difference such as seams in the lengthwise direction of the developing roller  5  from the opening portion of the developing container  4  onto the end portion seal members  19 , and further by the hardness of the developing roller  5  being set to low hardness, the close contact property heightens in the pressure contact portions of the developing roller  5  with the end portion seal members  19 , and the sealing property against the leakage of the non-magnetic toner from the end portions has more heightened.  
         [0080]    While the developing roller  5  used in the present invention is one of a two-layer construction, the effect of the present invention can of course be obtained even when a developing roller of a single layer or three or more layers is used.  
       Second Embodiment of the Developing Apparatus  
       [0081]    A second embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention will now be described. This embodiment is such that the construction of the developing roller as the developer carrying member of the present invention is changed relative to that in the aforedescribed first embodiment.  
         [0082]    In the other points, the image forming operation and developing operation of the present embodiment are similar to those of the aforedescribed first embodiment and therefore need not be described.  
         [0083]    [0083]FIG. 5 shows the front structure of the second embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the developing roller  20  as the developer carrying member of the present invention is comprised of an underlying layer  21  as the underlying layer of the present invention and a surface layer  22  as the surface layer of the present invention.  
         [0084]    This second embodiment is characterized in that the opposite end portions of the surface layer  22  of the developing roller  20  are lengthwisely inside the underlying layer  21  which is an elastic layer.  
         [0085]    Also, the hardness of the developing roller  20  is 50° (Asker C hardness meter, weighting by 1 kg) in the portion thereof including the surface layer  22 . As regards the material of the developing roller  20 , the developing roller  20  is an elastic roller comprising two layers, i.e., a silicon rubber layer and a surface layer  22  of a urethane material covering the silicon rubber layer.  
         [0086]    The developing roller  20  of such low hardness is high in the close contact property with the end portion seal members  19  and therefore is high in the sealing property against the end portion leakage of the toner. Accordingly, the hardness of the developing roller  20  may preferably be not less than 40° and not more than 60° when the Asker C hardness meter is weighted by 1 kg.  
         [0087]    The surface layer  22  is formed on the underlying layer  21  which is an elastic layer by roll coating. When the surface layer is to be applied by roll coating, there is a case where from the viewpoint of the manufacturing method therefor, the surface layer is not sufficiently applied at the beginning and end of application.  
         [0088]    If the developing operation is performed by the use of such a developing roller  20 , gaps will be created in the end portions of the surface layer of the developing roller  20  and the leakage of the toner will occur.  
         [0089]    So, the present embodiment adopts a construction as shown in FIG. 5 wherein the end portions E of the surface layer as the end portions of the developer carrying member of the present invention which are the end portions of the surface layer  22  of the developing roller  20  are disposed outside the opening portion of the developing container.  
         [0090]    By adopting such a construction, the end portions E of the surface layer do not abut against the end portion seal members  19  as the seal members of the present invention. By doing so, the end portions E of the surface layer of the developing roller  20  do not frictionally contact with the end portion seal members  19  and therefore, even when the developing operation is repetitively performed, the peeling-off of the end portions is not caused, and the peeling-off of the surface layer of the developing roller  20  does not occur and the sealing against the leakage of the toner is sufficiently kept.  
         [0091]    Also, the end portions E of the surface layer of the developing roller  20  are located outside the opening portion of the developing container and do not abut against the end portion seal members  19  and therefore, there are no level differences such as seams in the lengthwise direction on the developing roller  20  from the opening portion of the developing container onto the end portion seal members  19 , and further the hardness of the developing roller  20  is set to low hardness, whereby the close contact property is heightened in the pressure contact portion of the developing roller  20  with the end portion seal members  19 , and the sealing property against the end portion leakage of the toner is more heightened.  
         [0092]    While the developing roller used in the present invention is of a two-layer construction, of course the effect of the present invention can be obtained even when a developing roller of a single layer or three or more layers is used.  
       Embodiment of the Process Cartridge  
       [0093]    While in the description of each embodiment of the above-described developing apparatus, the developing apparatus has been described as a developing apparatus of such a construction that it is fixed in the main body of the image forming apparatus and supplies only the toner, use may be made of a process cartridge comprising a developing apparatus detachably mountable on the main body of the image forming apparatus.  
         [0094]    That is, use may be made of a process cartridge comprising a developing apparatus, a photosensitive drum, a cleaning blade, a waste toner containing container, a charging apparatus, etc. formed integrally with one another and detachably mountable with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus.  
         [0095]    Such a process cartridge will now be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows the cross-sectional structure of an embodiment of a process cartridge according to the present invention.  
         [0096]    As shown in FIG. 6, this process cartridge  60  is provided with a photosensitive drum  1  exposed to a laser beam  3 , a charging roller  2 , a developing apparatus  4  containing a non-magnetic toner  8 , and a waste toner containing container  11  provided with a cleaning blade  10  as main members.  
         [0097]    Also, the developing apparatus  4  is provided with a developing roller  5  as the developer carrying member of the present invention similar to one used in the aforedescribed first embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention, an elastic roller  6 , an elastic blade  7 , a seal member  17  and end portion seal members  19  as the seal members of the present invention.  
         [0098]    The operations of these members are similar to the operations of the aforedescribed first and second embodiments of the developing apparatus according to the present invention and therefore need not be described. Also in the process cartridge shown in FIG. 6, the end portion seal members  19  are disposed so as to abut against the other portions than the end portions of the developing roller  5 .  
         [0099]    In the developing apparatus shown in FIG. 6, however, as the developing roller, not only use may be made of the developing roller  5  used in the aforedescribed first embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention, but also use may be made of the developing roller  20  used in the aforedescribed second embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention.  
         [0100]    Thus, again in an embodiment of the process cartridge according to the present invention, there can be obtained an effect similar to that of the aforedescribed first and second embodiments of the developing apparatus according to the present invention and also, the convenience to the user can be further improved because the developing apparatus  4  is formed integrally with the photosensitive drum  1 , etc.  
       Embodiment of the Image Forming Apparatus  
       [0101]    An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will now be described. The embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an embodiment provided with the first embodiment or the second embodiment of the developing apparatus according to the present invention or an embodiment of the process cartridge.  
         [0102]    That is, this image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus provided with image forming means for reading the image of an original, and effecting image formation on a sheet material by the developing apparatus or the process cartridge shown as the first embodiment or the second embodiment or an embodiment, on the basis of the read image information. Also, as apparatuses to which the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied, mention can be made of a printer, a facsimile apparatus, a copier, etc.  
         [0103]    Accordingly, in the embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, there can be obtained an effect similar to that of the aforedescribed first and second embodiments of the developing apparatus according to the present invention and an embodiment of the process cartridge according to the present invention.  
         [0104]    As described above, according to the present invention, the seal members abut against the other portions than the end portions of the developer carrying member and therefore, the end portions of the developer carrying member do not be frictionally contacted by the seal members and thus, the peeling-off of the developer carrying member can be prevented and it becomes possible to prevent the leakage of the developer.  
         [0105]    Also, when the developer carrying member is formed by a developing roller, level differences can be easily eliminated in the lengthwise direction of the developer carrying member from the opening portion of the developing container onto the seal members and therefore, the sealing property against the leakage of the developer is further improved.  
         [0106]    Also, the developer carrying member is constituted by a plurality of layers such as the surface layer and one or more underlying layers and thus, there can be provided a construction which takes into account the close contact property with the seal members, and the sealing property can be more improved.  
         [0107]    Also, the surface layer is formed by dip coating or roll coating and therefore, the developing nip can be secured by various kinds of coating, and the recovering property to a compressive force can be maintained and a desired charging polarity and charging amount can be obtained, and the developer carrying member is excellent in the releasing property with respect to the developer, and can restrain the filming of the developer.  
         [0108]    Also, the seal members are disposed inside the lengthwise end portions of the developer carrying member and therefore, for example, even when the developer carrying member is constituted by a plurality of layers, the end portions of at least the surface layer do not abut against the seal members and thus, the sealing property between the developer carrying member and the seal members can be improved.  
         [0109]    Also, since the hardness of the developer carrying member is within the range of 40° to 60° as measured when the Asker C hardness meter is weighted by 1 kg, the close contact property between the developer carrying member and the seal members heightens, and the sealing property against the leakage of the developer can be improved.  
         [0110]    Also, since the seal members are formed of woolen felt, PTFE pile or other fibrous material, or polyurethane foam, sponge rubber or other foamed material, the seal members can be formed more easily.  
         [0111]    Also, the process cartridge is a process cartridge provided with the developing apparatus according to the present invention, and detachably mountable on an apparatus in which the developer is carried by this developing apparatus and therefore, the convenience to the user can be further improved.  
         [0112]    While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not restricted to these embodiments, but all modifications within the technical idea of the invention are possible.