Patent ID: 7239832

Claim:
A developer regulation member, comprising: developer regulation means for regulating an amount of developer carried on a developer carrying member, said developer regulation means comprising a first regulation portion formed of a first material which has a Shore D hardness of not less than 70 degrees or is metal, and a second regulation portion which is disposed opposite to the developer carrying member and is formed of a material different from the first material from which said first regulation portion is formed, wherein said second regulation portion has an edge which is in contact with the developer carrying member, wherein said second regulation portion has an inclined portion at said edge, and wherein said first and second regulation portions are laminated together and said second regulation portion satisfies the following relationships: −20 <t−a< 25 and t−b< 25, where t represents a thickness (μm) in a lamination direction of said second regulation portion, a represents a length (μm) of said inclined portion of said second regulation portion in the lamination direction, and b represents a length (μm) of said inclined portion of said second regulation portion in a direction perpendicular to the lamination direction.