CN100545767C

CN100545767C - Clearer and use the handle box and the image forming apparatus of this clearer

Info

Publication number: CN100545767C
Application number: CNB2005100817102A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 成瀬修; 矢野英俊; 赤藤昌彦; 渡边一彦
Original assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
Priority date: 2004-05-11
Filing date: 2005-05-11
Publication date: 2009-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2025-05-11
Also published as: CN1700122A; JP2005321735A

Abstract

A kind of clearer that is used to clean the surface of rotating material, comprise: spring leaf, when contacting with the surface of rotating material, its tip that is provided in spring leaf rotates material against this, rotate the surface of material with cleaning, wherein this spring leaf has the first surface in the face of this rotation material, with with the first surface opposed second surface, and wherein this spring leaf has sunk part in the rear section of its second surface, it has basal surface and wall; And back up pad, it is configured to support this spring leaf, wherein this back up pad have in the face of the first surface of this rotation material and with first surface opposed second surface and tip end surface; Wherein this spring leaf contacts with this back up pad by such mode, makes the basal surface of blade sunk part contact with tip end surface with the first surface of this back up pad respectively with wall.

Description

Clearer and use the handle box and the image forming apparatus of this clearer

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of clearer that is used to clean the material that will clean, and relate more specifically to a kind of clearer that comprises the spring leaf that supports and combine with this support.In addition, the present invention also relates to a kind of handle box and image forming apparatus that uses this clearer.

Background technology

The photoelectric image forming device typically comprises array apparatus down:

(1) image bearing member (such as photoreceptor), configuration is used for carrying electrostatic latent image;

(2) charging device, configuration is used for this image bearing member is charged;

(3) irradiation unit, configuration are used for this image bearing member of using the imaging irradiate light to be recharged, to form electrostatic latent image on this image bearing member;

(4) developing apparatus, configuration is used for using the developer that comprises toner that this electrostatic latent image is developed, to prepare toner image on this image bearing member;

(5) transfer device, configuration are used for this toner image is transferred on the reception material; With

(6) cleaning device, configuration is used for removing the toner-particle that remains on this image bearing member after this image transfer process.

This cleaning device typically comprises the clearer with cleaning blade.The concrete example of this blade comprises metal blade, and by resilient material, such as the blade of making by urethane rubber.The shortcoming of metal blade is that the part that this metal blade contacts with image bearing member can be out of shape, thereby the tip of this metal blade can not closely contact with this image bearing member.Therefore, if dimensional accuracy that should the tip is relatively poor or the surface ratio of this image bearing member that will clean is more coarse, between the surface of the tip of this blade and this image bearing member, just form little space.When between the surface of the tip of this blade and this image bearing member little space being arranged, the toner-particle that remove passes this space, just causes occurring cleaning relatively poor problem.On the contrary, spring leaf can be along the surface deformation of this image bearing member, even when the surface ratio of therefore relatively poor when this most advanced and sophisticated dimensional accuracy or this image bearing member that will clean is more coarse, this spring leaf also can closely contact with this surface.So this spring leaf has better cleaning than metal blade.The employed concrete example of this spring leaf comprises rubber.

Recently, need a kind of photoelectric image forming device that can produce high quality graphic.In order to produce high-quality image, importantly use the toner of spherical and small particle diameters.Particularly, typically used the spherical toner that produces by polymerization now.The advantage of this spherical toner is to have better transfer efficiency than producing and have erose toner by atomization method.Yet the shortcoming of spherical toner is that the toner-particle that remains on the image bearing member can not well be removed, and causes occurring cleaning relatively poor problem (the background fouling problem promptly occurs, wherein the background area of image is polluted by toner-particle).

Explained later is employed conventional clearer in the surface of cleaning image forming part.

Typically, the cleaning blade is arranged to and can be contacted with the image rotating load bearing component, and this blade acts on the image rotating load bearing component simultaneously, to strike off the toner-particle that remains on this image bearing member.Since be used for this cleaning blade resilient material, have high friction coefficient such as urethane rubber with respect to image bearing member, when using resilient material as the cleaning blade, the cleaning blade can not slide on the surface of this image bearing member smoothly.Therefore, to go wrong be exactly the image bearing member pulling that the tip of blade is rotated, promptly this blade is pushed upset in the opposite direction, after this this problem is referred to as upset blade problem, perhaps should vibration occur in the tip.Yet because there are toner-particle in pressing between the surface of this blade and this image bearing member or title crack (nip) and join the fine powder of this toner as the fluidity reinforcing agent, this blade can slide on this image bearing member.

From image bearing member scrape from some toner-particle still remain on the tip of this blade because this image bearing member rotates.Remain on this toner-particle on this point of blade and reduced friction factor between blade and the image bearing member.Therefore, can carry out clean operation well, and can not produce upset blade problem.

On the contrary, spherical toner can not remain on the tip of blade.Therefore just can not reduce the friction factor between blade and the image bearing member.In this case, the surface of image bearing member is ground, cause forming the fine powder of the photographic layer of image bearing member.Formed like this fine powder polymerization also adheres on this blade and the part that this image bearing member contacts.Therefore, toner-particle can easily pass through this contact portion, causes occurring cleaning relatively poor problem.

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 1 is depicted as the clearer of prior art.Clearer 1A comprise can be bonded to each other back up pad 2A and spring leaf 3A.This spring leaf 3A with as image bearing member and shown in the surface pressing of the photoreceptor 4A that rotates on the direction of arrow A contact.Blade 3A with the lip-deep toner-particle T that also remains in photoreceptor 4A after the transfer process scrape from.This spring leaf 3A is made of plastics, and for example urethane rubber, and this back up pad 2A for example is made of metal.About this point, the front portion of the surperficial 5A of this back up pad 2A combines with the rear portion 7A of the surperficial 6A of this blade 3A, this surface 5A is facing to the surface of photoreceptor 4A, and after this be referred to as first surface, after this this surface 6A is referred to as the rear surface (this rear surface sometimes is referred to as second surface) of blade 3A.The front portion of spring leaf 3A extends to the side of photoreceptor 4A from the end face 9A of back up pad 2A, and does not combine with this back up pad 2A.

Here, to the surface of photoreceptor 4A, so blade 3A receives the reacting force N from this photoreceptor 4A with the surface pressure of this blade 3A.Therefore this spring leaf 3A distortion, thereby generation bending as shown in Figure 2 large.Particularly, the boundary member 10A place of this blade 3A between rear portion 7A and anterior 8A is crooked sharp, as shown in Figure 2.Therefore, the entire first portion of the front surface 11A of blade 3A contacts with the surface of photoreceptor 4A at contact area AR.Just, the main body of this blade 3A contacts with the surface of photoreceptor 4A.In this case, the lip-deep pressure that blade 3A affacts this photoreceptor 4A is lower, thereby and has reduced the cleaning capacity of blade 3A.Especially, under the situation of spherical toner with higher circularity, when toner contacts with blade 3A, the rotation of this spherical toner, thus this toner is clamp-oned pressing between the surface of blade 3A and this photoreceptor 4A when rotated.Finally, this toner-particle passes this pressing, thereby the background fouling problem occurs.Just, this clearer 1A has relatively poor cleaning capacity.

When attempting to address this problem, in open (after this being called JP-A) JP2000-147970A of the Jap.P. of not examining, a kind of clearer 1B has been proposed, as shown in Figure 3.This clearer 1B also has spring leaf 3B and back up pad 2B.This blade 3B has groove 12B, and this back up pad 2B is inserted in wherein.The whole surface of this groove 12B combines with this back up pad 2B.In this clearer, this spring leaf 3B receives the reacting force N from photoreceptor 4B, so this blade 3B is crooked on the direction shown in the arrow M easily.Yet the bottom surface of the groove 12B of this blade 3B combines with the end face 9B of back up pad 2B, thereby the bending of blade 3B is not as so big under the situation of blade 3A.Just, the area part of the surperficial 11B that contacts with the surface of this photoreceptor 4A of blade 3B is not as so big under the situation of blade 3A.

In this case, also combine with the surperficial 14B of this groove 12B owing to be inserted into the back side 13B of the back up pad 2B of groove 12B, surperficial 14B can not slide on the direction shown in the arrow B.Therefore, blade 3B receives acting force, thereby can not be crooked.As a result, the deformation quantity of this blade 3B is less.In this case, this blade 3B is extremely little with the area part that this photoreceptor 4B contacts, so the pressure that this blade 3B affacts on this photoreceptor 4B changes very big in blade 3B (promptly on the direction perpendicular to the paper surface that comprises Fig. 3) in the radial direction.Therefore, this clearer 1B has relatively poor cleaning capacity.Especially, when this toner is spherical toner, the non-constant of the cleaning capacity of this clearer.

Therefore, in order to allow clearer have good cleaning capacity, need allow its blade suitably crooked, make the tip of this blade at suitable contact area with the material that will clean, such as contacting with photoreceptor, can cause the contact pressure of blade to increase like this, and blade is in its pressure inequality in the radial direction.

JP-A 2001-312191 discloses a kind of image forming apparatus, its use has the spherical toner of another shape factor S F-2 of from 100 to 140 shape factor S F-1 and from 100 to 120, and clearer with cleaning blade, it is got the surface of carrying parts with this image and contacts, thus with respect to the sense of rotation of this image bearing member against this image bearing member.In this image forming apparatus, control various conditions, to prevent to remain in the pressing between the surface that toner-particle on this image bearing member passes this blade and this image bearing member.Particularly, these conditions are as follows:

(1) line pressure of blade: 20 to 60gf/cm (promptly 0.196 to 0.588N/cm);

(2) blade hardness: 50 to 80 °; With

(3) repel elasticity: 10 to 50%.

JP-A 06-289760 discloses a kind of image bearing apparatus with cleaning device, wherein the clean metal blade that keeps by maintaining body contacts with the surface of image bearing member, and it has at the tip of this blade and the pressing mechanism between this maintaining body.In this image forming apparatus, this maintaining body is pressed into the tip of blade on the surface of this image bearing member, and this pressing mechanism auxiliaryly is pressed into the tip of this blade on the surface of this image bearing member.

Yet,, find that disclosed technology can not prevent fully that residual spherical toner particle from passing this pressing in JP-A2001-312191, because line pressure is lower than 60gf/cm (being 0.588N/cm) as the result of inventor's research.Therefore, inventor of the present invention has studied the mechanism of the relatively poor problem of aforesaid cleaning.As its result, inventor of the present invention finds that this mechanism is as follows.

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 4 is depicted as the structure of cleaning blade and image bearing member (being photoreceptor).The tip of this cleaning blade 3 contacts with the surface of photosensitive drums 4, thereby against the photosensitive drums 4 of on direction A, rotating.About this point, this blade 3 contacts with the surface of this photosensitive drums 4 with initial contact angle θ, and the deformation quantity that this blade produced is (d).

This initial contact angle is defined as by line F (promptly when blade 3 does not contact with photoreceptor 4, the line of these blade 3 first surfaces) and the formed angle of line G, and line G is the tangent line at intersection point place on the surface of line F and photoreceptor 4.In addition, deformation quantity (d) is defined as the distance between line G and the line H, and this line H is parallel to line G and passes through the edge 3b of blade 3 when this blade does not contact with photoreceptor.

When set cleaning blade 3 had this structure, as shown in Figure 4, this processing was as follows:

(1) at first, the edge 3b of blade 3 contacts with the surface of photoreceptor 4; And

(2) then, blade 3 moves, thus at contact point along the normal of photoreceptor near this surface, and do not change the posture of blade, make this cleaning appliance that structure as shown in Figure 4 be arranged.

The rear section and the sheet metal 2 of cleaning blade 3 stick together, and sheet metal 2 is fixed on (not shown) on the shell as holding components and its.The thickness t 1 of blade 3 is preferably from 0.5mm to 2.0mm.The length t4 of blade 3 forward part is preferably from 3.0mm to 10.0mm.The material that is adapted at being used for blade 3 comprises resilient material, as rubber.More preferably, blade 3 adopts hardness from 65 ° to 80 ° and repel the polyurethane of elasticity (repulsion elasticity) from 20% to 60%.

The schematic section of Fig. 5 is depicted as the tip portion of blade 3 when photoreceptor 4 does not rotate.In this case, this cleaning blade 3 is in photoreceptor 4 contacts, and deformation quantity is d.After this this state is referred to as sliding mode (slip state).

The schematic section of Fig. 6 is depicted as the tip portion of blade when photoreceptor 4 rotates on direction A.In this case, because the friction force between this blade and the photoreceptor surface, edge 3b of this cleaning blade 3 can move on direction A, and finally a part of tip end surface of blade contacts with surface with photoreceptor 4.After this this state is referred to as tacky state (stick state).Label 3a represents the first surface of blade 3 tip portions.

(promptly in the time of photoreceptor 4 rotations) in this case, the restoring force of blade 3 deformation part and the kinetic force of friction balance between this blade 3 and the photoreceptor 4.On the contrary, when photoreceptor stopped, the tip portion of this blade kept deformation, because the stiction between this blade 3 and the photoreceptor 4 is greater than the restoring force of this blade 3 deformation part.Therefore, constant and static friction just can keep tacky state greater than the restoring force of the deformation tip portion of blade when kinetic friction.

In tacky state, the area part that this blade 3 contacts with the surface of photosensitive drums 4 is less than the area part under the sliding mode.In addition, in tacky state, owing to the friction force that is subjected to from photoreceptor 4, deformation takes place in the marginal portion of point of blade, as shown in Figure 6.When this blade in sliding mode, can't produce this deformation.The direction of restoring force effect makes the pressure of 3 pairs of photoreceptors 4 of this blade increase.So under tacky state, the area part that blade contacts with photoreceptor is less, the elasticity of compression generation effect of blade in addition makes blade increase the pressure of photoreceptor.Therefore, the pressure under tacky state is greater than the pressure under the sliding mode, thereby and is difficult to occur the problem that toner passes.Therefore, preferably during clean operation, stably keep tacky state.

The inventor tests, and wherein cleans blade and contacts with the surface of transparent cylinder, and this transparent cylinder and photosensitive drums have same friction attribute, to observe the contact portion of this blade and cylinder carefully.Particularly, when rotating cylinder, use the camera group of this transparent cylinder inside to observe blade and the contact portion that has the transparent cylinder of toner-particle on it, how to pass through the pressing between them to determine toner-particle.As test findings, find toner-particle on the longitudinal direction of blade, and produce the part of stick-slip (stick-slip movement) some part by this contact portion at blade.Stick-slip means, when being 0 in the position of the edge of tacky state lower blade 3 3b as shown in Figure 6 (at initial point), edge 3b moves in the upstream region on the point of scope from+8 μ m to+15 μ m with respect to the rotation direction of this cylinder.

As the result of this test and other test, just after one or several spherical toner particle was by a part of contact portion, this blade began to produce stick-slip in discovery.

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 7 is depicted as the contact portion on the surface of blade 3 and photoreceptor 4, and the spherical toner particle is from wherein passing through.In Fig. 7, the contact portion that in a single day toner-particle of presenting by the rotation of photosensitive drums 4 is in blade 3 and photosensitive drums 4 just stops.The toner-particle that is stopped by blade 3 begins to rotate then.In this case, the driving force of toner-particle rotation is the friction force that rotation produced by photoreceptor 4.Then, the toner-particle of this rotation is invaded the pressing between blade 3 and the photoreceptor 4.Toner-particle rotates and makes blade 3 generation deformation simultaneously by this pressing on by the direction shown in the arrow.So this toner-particle is by this blade 3.

As mentioned above, elastic deformation takes place in the edge of blade 3 under tacky state, as shown in Figure 6.When the spherical toner particle passes through blade in this state, because the reacting force of the photoreceptor 4 of the restoring force adverse effect of the deformation of blade and blade does not act on the blade.Therefore, the edge 3b of blade 3 moves with respect to the rotation direction of photoreceptor 4 on updrift side owing to restoring force, and has the shape under the tacky state.As its result, this blade-section has sliding mode.This part be depicted as among Fig. 8 by dotted line around 3b '.The part adjacent with this part 3b ' keeps tacky state, as shown in Figure 8.Therefore, the power that act on this part 3b ' is diffused on this adjacent part.As a result, there are not enough acting forces to act on the part 3b ' that produces sliding mode.Therefore, toner-particle passes this part 3b ' continuously.Move at downstream direction marginal portion with this part 3b ' of sliding mode, to produce tacky state once more.Yet owing to pass the toner-particle of this pressing, promptly owing to the restoring force of blade, the edge of this part 3b ' begins moving on the upstream direction once more between sliding mode position and the tacky state position midway.Therefore, this part 3b ' repetition stick-slip is until the toner-particle that does not pass this part of vane 3b '.So many toner-particles once pass this part, cause relatively poor problem occurring cleaning, the background fouling problem promptly appears, and wherein the background area of image is by toner contamination.

In addition, as present inventor's test findings,, but also can produce the relatively poor problem of cleaning according to the material that is used for this blade even when blade does not produce stick-slip.

Particularly, once the toner-particle that was stopped by blade 3 began to rotate and promote a part of blade 3, made this partial blade produce deformation simultaneously.Final this toner-particle passes this partial blade.After toner-particle has just passed this part,, just can prevent stick-slip if blade has lower repulsion elasticity.Even yet in this case, when blade has higher hardness, also relatively poor cleaning problems can occur.Though will explain this mechanism in detail below, should mechanism be summarized as follows.

When blade has lower hardness and lower repulsion elasticity, the toner-particle that is passed therethrough and the blade-section of deformation produces huge deformation, and resume speed is lower.Therefore when this deformation partly recovered, other toner-particle just passed this part.Therefore, this recovery operation is subjected to the stopping of toner-particle subsequently.So any toner-particle can pass this part, cause occurring cleaning relatively poor problem.

Here, the contact pressure of blade is high more, and this blade is removed effect with regard to having good more toner.Therefore, if contact pressure can be provided with very high, preferably just can avoid this toner to pass problem.Yet when contact pressure was too high, the load on the image bearing member seriously increased, thereby just was difficult to stably rotate this image bearing member.The problem of Chu Xianing is exactly in addition, and the surface of this image bearing member is caused shortening the life-span of image bearing member by heavy wear.Therefore, contact pressure has the upper limit.

So, be difficult to ideally prevent that at present this toner from passing problem.

In addition, when the friction factor of image bearing member changes, also can cause occurring stick-slip, and the friction force that the result causes forming between the surface of blade and image bearing member changes also.Particularly, when friction factor reduced, the restoring force of the blade formed friction force that becomes between the surface than blade and image bearing member was big, thereby this blade produces sliding mode.When blade produced sliding mode, this restoring force became less than friction force, thereby this blade turns back to tacky state owing to the rotation of image bearing member.

On the contrary, when the friction factor of parts of images load bearing component was more relatively large than other parts, friction force became greater than the restoring force of deformation part, thereby the marginal portion of this blade is further dragged on direction A by image bearing member, as shown in Figure 6.When this part with big friction factor was passed blade, the restoring force of blade became greater than friction force, thereby blade produces sliding mode.When this blade produced sliding mode, friction force became greater than the restoring force of blade, thereby this blade produces tacky state owing to the rotation of image bearing member.In this case, when blade had sliding mode, many toner-particles passed the pressing between this cleaning blade and this image bearing member.

When using the toner-particle of preparing by atomization (pulverization method), this toner-particle rests on the contact portion of this blade and image bearing member, thereby the friction force that forms between the surface of the edge 3b of blade 3 and image bearing member 4 reduces.Thereby the surface of the edge of blade and image bearing member can stably form pressing, and is difficult to produce stick-slip, thus can be good scrape toner-particle.On the contrary, because the spherical toner particle can not rest on the blade, blade repeats stick-slip, thereby forms unsettled pressing, causes occurring relatively poor cleaning problems.

Before this, the relatively poor cleaning problems that the stick-slip owing to blade produces has been described.Yet the reason that produces relatively poor cleaning problems is not limited to stick-slip.In the clearer of the prior art shown in Fig. 4, stress concentrates on blade 3 near near the part 3s the edge 2b of metal profile 2, causes occurring the warpage of part 3s, and wherein blade 3 is in the rapid bending of part 3s.

Pass problem in order to prevent toner, blade 3 is pressed onto on the photoreceptor with the tip portion that photosensitive drums 4 contacts with predetermined line pressure.Therefore, the outside amount of bow of this tip portion (promptly opposite with photoreceptor 4 direction) is (d), thereby produces bending stress.Bending stress maximum at part 3s.In addition, the stress that is applied to this blade 3 is not limited to this bending stress, and is included in the compressive stress that acts on the direction that is parallel to Fig. 4 center line F.Can not bear these stress as fruit part 3s, 3s is with regard to warpage for this part.As fruit part 3s warpage, blade 3 just can not be used predetermined line pressure to photoreceptor 4, thereby causes occurring relatively poor cleaning problems.

Summary of the invention

Correspondingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a kind of clearer, wherein blade is pressed onto on the surface of the material (such as photoreceptor) that will clean with uniform line pressure, to scrape the particle (such as toner-particle) on this material, and it produces the relatively poor problem of cleaning hardly, and wherein many toner-particles pass the pressing (nip) between this blade and this material simultaneously.

Another object of the present invention provides a kind of image forming apparatus and handle box, and it can stably produce high-quality image, and can not produce the background contamination problem.

In brief, it is obviously simple that after this these purposes of the present invention and other purpose will become, and it can obtain by a kind of clearer, and it comprises:

Spring leaf, when contacting with the surface of rotating material, its tip that is provided in this spring leaf rotates material against this, to clean the surface of this rotation material, wherein this spring leaf has the first surface in the face of this rotation material, with with the first surface opposed second surface, and wherein this spring leaf has sunk part in the rear section of its second surface, and it has basal surface and wall; With

Back up pad, it is configured to support this spring leaf, wherein this back up pad have in the face of the first surface of this rotation material and with first surface opposed second surface and tip end surface;

Wherein this spring leaf contacts with this back up pad by such mode, makes the basal surface of blade sunk part contact with tip end surface with the first surface of this back up pad respectively with wall.

This blade preferably satisfies relation of plane down:

t1＜t2，

Wherein t1 represents the thickness of point of blade part, and t2 represents the maximum ga(u)ge of blade forward part.

One of them relation below this clearer preferably satisfies:

T1＜t2≤t3+t1, or t3+t1≤t2,

Wherein t3 represents the thickness of back up pad.

This clearer preferably satisfies relation of plane down:

θ1≤θ2，

Wherein the tangent line on the surface of θ 1 expression spring leaf first surface and this rotation material is in the angle of contact point formation, and wherein the tip of this spring leaf contacts with the surface of this rotation material; And the first surface of θ 2 these spring leafs of expression and the formed angle of line of the coboundary that is connected this contact point and this sunk part.

This blade preferably has the JIS A hardness from 65 ° to 80 °.

This blade preferably has in the time of 24 ℃ ± 3 ℃ and is no more than 30% repulsion elasticity coefficient, and repels elasticity coefficient and change be no more than 350% from 10 ℃ to 40 ℃ temperature range.

This clearer preferably includes the reinforcing member that is connected with a part of second surface of this spring leaf.

This reinforcing member preferably is connected with the surface of the tip end surface of the second surface of this spring leaf and this back up pad.

This reinforcing member preferably is bonded together with the surface of the wall of the sunk part of the surface of the second surface of this back up pad and this spring leaf.

The Young modulus that this reinforcing member is preferably had is greater than the Young modulus of this spring leaf.

This spring leaf preferably has elastic reinforcement (such as elastic plate, elasticity viscose glue or metal forming) on its a part of second surface, and wherein this elastic reinforcement is connected with this part second surface of spring leaf and a part of tip end surface of this back up pad.

This elastic reinforcement preferably has same widths basically on the longitudinal direction of this clearer.

The width that this elastic reinforcement preferably has is less than the length of this blade forward part.

The JIS A hardness that this elastic reinforcement preferably has is not less than the hardness of this blade.

Replacedly, provide a kind of clearer, it comprises:

Spring leaf, it is configured to against the image bearing member that rotates, and the tip of this spring leaf contacts with the surface of rotating material simultaneously, and produces tacky state, to remove toner-particle; With

Back up pad, it is configured to support this spring leaf, wherein after toner-particle has just passed this spring leaf and a part of tip that the surface of this image bearing member contacts, this part tip of spring leaf with the direction of the direction of rotation of image bearing member on the length that moves less than 8 μ m.

This spring leaf preferably has the JIS A hardness from 70 ° to 80 °, and in the time of 23 ℃, have repulsion elasticity coefficient, and wherein this blade is pressed onto on this image bearing member with line pressure from 0.784N/cm (80gf/cm) to 1.176N/cm (120gf/cm) 8% to 30%.

This clearer preferably includes pressing component, it is provided on the normal direction, on the contact point of this image bearing member and spring leaf tip portion, push a part of second surface of this spring leaf, the second surface of this spring leaf is relative with the first surface of this spring leaf, and the first surface of this spring leaf and this image bearing member surface are faced.

This pressing component is preferably only pushed the tip portion of this spring leaf, preferably by such mode, makes on the normal direction of this image bearing member pressure to be applied on the surface of image bearing member.

The tip portion that has this spring leaf of elastomeric element between this pressing component is preferably only pushed, wherein the repulsion elasticity coefficient of this elastomeric element is greater than the coefficient of this spring leaf.

Replacedly, this pressing component comprises piezoelectric element and voltage controller, and it is configured to control the voltage that is applied on this piezoelectric element.

Replacedly, this pressing component can comprise the sheet metal of thickness from 0.1mm to 0.5mm, and the one end is fixed on this sheet metal, and sheet metal is bent, and pushes the tip portion of spring leaf with the restoring force of using this crooked metal sheet.

As another aspect of the present invention, a kind of handle box is provided, it comprises:

Image bearing member, it is configured to bearing toner image thereon;

Clearer, it is configured to clean the surface of this image bearing member;

Wherein this clearer is above-mentioned any clearer, and wherein this handle box is installed in this image forming apparatus separably.

This handle box preferably has heat insulating construction.

Also as another aspect of the present invention, provide a kind of image forming apparatus, it comprises:

Image bearing member, it is configured to carry in its surface electrostatic latent image;

Developing apparatus, it is configured to use the developer that comprises toner to come developing electrostatic latent image, to form toner image on the surface of this image bearing member;

Transfer device, it is configured to this toner image is transferred on the reception material; With

Clearer, it is configured to clean the surface of this image bearing member;

Wherein this clearer is above-mentioned any clearer.

Replacedly, provide a kind of image forming apparatus, it comprises:

Image bearing member, it is configured to when rotating in one direction, in its surface bearing toner image; With

Clearer, it is configured to clean the lip-deep toner-particle that remains in this image bearing member, and wherein this clearer comprises:

Back up pad;

Spring leaf, it has from 8.0% to 30% repulsion elasticity coefficient, and 70 ° to 90 ° JISA hardness, wherein the first surface of this spring leaf is facing to the surface of image bearing member, and the second surface of the spring leaf relative with it is connected with this back up pad; With

Reinforcing member, it is positioned on the second surface of this spring leaf when contacting with this back up pad;

This spring leaf wherein is set, makes its image bearing member against this rotation, the tip of this blade contacts with the surface of this image bearing member with the line pressure from 0.784N/cm (80gf/cm) to 1.176N/cm (120fg/cm) simultaneously.

This spring leaf preferably has convex shape, and the thick core of this spring leaf is as reinforcing member, and wherein the rear wall of this thick core contacts with the tip end surface of this back up pad.

This reinforcing member is preferably located on the second surface of this spring leaf, and the rear surface of this reinforcing member contacts with the tip end surface of this back up pad.

This spring leaf is preferably made by polyurethane elastomer.

In addition, this toner can comprise lubricant.Replacedly, this image forming apparatus can comprise the lubricant feeder, and it is configured to the surperficial supply of lubricant to this image bearing member.Replacedly, this photoreceptor can comprise lubricant, filling agent and/or cross-linked resin at its outermost layer.This cross-linked resin preferably comprises the charge transport group in its molecule.

The description of the preferred embodiment for the present invention below considering, and, can clearly obtain these and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention in conjunction with appended accompanying drawing.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 shows that the synoptic diagram of existing clearer;

Figure 2 shows that the synoptic diagram of clearer shown in Fig. 1, its generation deformed state that is pressed;

Figure 3 shows that the synoptic diagram of another background clearance device;

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 4 is used for explaining how the background clearance device is installed to image bearing member;

The schematic section of Fig. 5 is depicted as when this image bearing member does not rotate, the tip portion of this blade shown in Fig. 4;

The schematic section of Fig. 6 is depicted as when this image bearing member rotates, the tip portion of this blade shown in Fig. 4;

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 7 is depicted as the contact portion of this blade and the surface of this image bearing member that the spherical toner particle passes therethrough;

The skeleton view of Fig. 8 is depicted as the tip portion of this blade, and wherein partial blade produces sliding mode, and the other parts blade produces tacky state;

The synoptic diagram of Fig. 9 is depicted as the main body of the embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 10 and 11 synoptic diagram are depicted as the embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

Figure 12 and 13 synoptic diagram are depicted as other embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The chart of Figure 14 is depicted as the relation between the JIS A hardness of this spring leaf and this blade applications line pressure on the want clean Surface;

The chart of Figure 15 is depicted as the repulsion elasticity coefficient of spring leaf and the correlativity of temperature;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 16 is depicted as another image forming apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 17 and 18 synoptic diagram are depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 19-21 is depicted as other embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 22 is depicted as another embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 23 A and 23B is used to explain the mode of the circularity of determining toner-particle;

Figure 24 and 25 synoptic diagram are depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 26 is depicted as the tip portion of this blade shown in Figure 24 and 25;

Figure 27 and 28 synoptic diagram are depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

Figure 29 and 30 synoptic diagram are depicted as other embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 31 to 34 is depicted as other embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention;

The schematic section of Figure 35 to 38 is depicted as and is used at the employed photoreceptor example of image forming apparatus of the present invention;

The signal enlarged drawing of Figure 39 A to 39C is depicted as the part that this blade contacts with this photoreceptor;

Shown in Figure 40 for having the clearer of conventional structure, wherein metallic support is connected with banded cleaning blade;

Figure 41 and 42 synoptic diagram are depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 43 is depicted as another embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 44 is depicted as and is used for the non-contact charger that uses at image forming apparatus of the present invention;

The synoptic diagram of Figure 45 is depicted as another embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention; With

The synoptic diagram of Figure 46 A and 46B is depicted as other example of the cleaning blade of reinforcing of the present invention.

Embodiment

Before explaining clearer of the present invention, explain the image forming apparatus that can use this clearer.

Fig. 9 is the main body of the embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention.Main body 15 comprises the photosensitive drums 4 as image bearing member.This photosensitive drums 4 is rotated on direction A.At first, use 16 pairs of these photosensitive drums 4 of charger to charge, make its surface have the electric charge of predetermined polarity.Light illuminator 17 uses laser beam L to shine the charging surface of this photosensitive drums 4, causes forming electrostatic latent image on the surface of photosensitive drums 4.Use 18 pairs of these electrostatic latent images of developing apparatus to develop, cause on photosensitive drums 4, forming toner image.

In the lower part of main body 15, be provided with the paper feeder 21 that comprises carton 19 and paper-feed roll 20.Present on direction C by paper-feed roll 20 and to be installed in the uppermost paper P of paper in the carton 19.By many paper-feed roll is fed to this paper P in the pressing between transfer belt 23 and this photosensitive drums 4, it rotates on direction D by

roller

22 and 24 when being trailed.Because be applied with transfer voltage as on the roller 22 of transfer roll, the toner image that is formed on the photosensitive drums 4 just is transferred on the paper P.By transfer belt 23 the paper P that carries this toner image above it is delivered to fixing device 25, and by this toner image of fixing device 25 photographic fixing.15 couples of paper P by this fixing device 25 discharge from main body, and it is deposited on the paper disc 26.The cleaning device 27 that use has clearer 101 cleans toner-particle and the paper dirt that adheres on the transfer belt 23.

Use the clearer 1 of cleaning device 28 to scrape the toner-particle that after transfer process, also remains on this photosensitive drums 4, be removed with surface from this photosensitive drums 4.The toner feeding means 30 that use is arranged in the shell 29 of this cleaning device 28 is presented the toner-particle of removing from the surface of this photosensitive drums 4 like this.Then, discharge lamp 31 uses the surface of these photosensitive drums 4 of rayed, remains in the lip-deep quantity of electric charge of photosensitive drums 4 with minimizing, makes this photosensitive drums 4 have initial surface voltage.

Then with this clearer 1 of detailed description.Figure 10 and 11 is depicted as clearer embodiment of the present invention.As shown in Figure 10 and 11, this clearer 1 has back up pad 2 and spring leaf 3.As shown in Figure 11, this back up pad 2 is the long thin plates that extend on its longitudinal direction LL, and it typically is made up of high hardness material, such as metal and animi resin.Spring leaf typically is made up of the material of resilient material, such as polyurethane elastomer.

As shown in Figure 9, the rear section 32 of back up pad 2 is fixed on the shell 29 of this cleaning device 28.In addition as shown in Figure 10, the surface pressing of the edge 3b of the tip portion of this spring leaf 3 and photoreceptor 4, the material that promptly will clean contacts, to clean the surface of this photoreceptor by removing remaining toner particle T on this photosensitive drums 4.About this point, blade 3 is set, make it against the photosensitive drums 4 of on direction A, rotating.

As mentioned above, the rear section 32 of the back up pad 2 of clearer 1 is fixed on the shell of cleaning device 28.Yet might support this clearer by this shell 29, thereby can in Fig. 9, swing on the direction shown in the arrow E or on the direction of the axle that is parallel to photosensitive drums 4.

With reference to Figure 10,

mark

5 and 13 represents that respectively this back up pad 2 is in the face of the first surface of this photosensitive drums 4 and the back side opposite with this first surface 5.In addition, the tip end surface of the forward part of mark 9 these back up pads 2 of expression, it is opposite with rear section 32.

This spring leaf 3 has sunk part 33.This sunk part 33 limits by first surface (being the bottom surface) 34 and second surface (being wall) 35.In this embodiment shown in Figure 10, the angle that forms by bottom surface 34 and wall 35 is approximately 90 °.Whole bottom surface 34 is bonded together with the first surface 5 of this back up pad 2, and the tip end surface 9 of whole wall 35 and this back up pad 2 is bonded together.So this spring leaf 3 is connected with this back up pad 2 with wall 35 by bottom surface 34.Spring leaf 3 for example is bonded together by use bonding agent and back up pad 2, or spring leaf and back up pad 2 is Unitarily molded.

As preceding a kind of adhesive bonding method, for example operable a kind of method wherein uses bonding agent to be bonded together by elastic plate and the back up pad that polyurethane elastomer is made and can be cut to have preliminary dimension.As a kind of adhesive bonding method in back, for example operable a kind of method, wherein will be coated with bonding agent above it and dry then back up pad is installed in the mould, and the polyurethane elastomer that will form liquid then sends in this mould, follow crosslinked this elastic body.

As shown in Figure 10, when pushing the surface, thereby when blade 3 received reacting force N from the surface of this photosensitive drums 4, the most advanced and sophisticated edge 3b of the spring leaf 3 of clearer 1 contacted with the surface of photosensitive drums 4.Thereby it is these blade 3 generation deformation, thereby crooked on direction M.When deformation took place blade 3, the wall 35 of blade 3 applied power F on the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2.Because wall 35 contacts with the tip end surface 9 of back up pad 2, the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2 receives this power F.Therefore, this blade 3 and distortion within bounds, it is different from the common blade 3A shown in Fig. 1.Therefore, the contact area that the blade 3 of clearer 1 of the present invention can't produce blade and photoreceptor excessively increases, thus the problem that the excessive pressure of blade reduces.So blade 3 can be pushed photoreceptor by higher pressure, so this clearer 1 has good cleaning capacity.

In addition, because this spring leaf 3 is not connected with the back side 13 of this back up pad 2, it is different from the common blade 3B shown in Fig. 3, can not prevent bending blade.Therefore, this blade 3 is suitably crooked, and blade 3 has suitable area with this part that the surface of this photosensitive drums 4 contacts.Therefore, blade 3 can be gone up at the longitudinal direction LL of blade 3 (as shown in Figure 11) and apply uniform pressure on the surface of photosensitive drums 4.Therefore, even when this toner is spherical toner, this spring leaf also can be removed the lip-deep toner-particle T that remains in this photosensitive drums 4 effectively.

As shown in Figure 10, any part of blade 3 is not connected with the region S at the back side 13 of this back up pad 2 and contacts.Therefore, can reduce the amount of the resilient material that is used for this blade 3, cause reducing the cost of this spring leaf 3.

Figure 12 and 13 synoptic diagram are depicted as other embodiment of clearer of the present invention.Figure 12 has identical structure with the clearer shown in Figure 10 basically with the clearer shown in 13.Because it is identical having the parts of same reference numerals, just no longer explain the parts shown in Figure 10 here.

In the clearer shown in Figure 10-13 1, the extension of mark 36 expression blades 3, it extends to the photoreceptor 4 that will clean.This extension 36 has tip portion 36A and other parts 36B.In this case, the thickness t 1 of tip portion 36A (is t1＜t2) less than the maximum ga(u)ge t2 of other parts.When t1＜t2, when clearer 1 is removed the remaining toner particle T that moves on direction A, can prevent the stick-slip of blade 3, thereby can stably remove residual toner-particle T from the surface of photosensitive drums 4.

As shown in Figure 10-13, this blade 3 is taper near the forward part 36C of the other parts 36B of tip portion 36A in addition, and promptly the thickness of this part 36C changes gradually.Therefore, even when the part of blade 3 has different thickness t 1 and t2, also can avoid blade problem in part 36 in certain any rapid bending.

Suppose that the thickness that this back up pad 2 has is t3, as shown in Figure 12 and 13, this clearer 1 shown in Figure 12 satisfies relation: t3+t1 〉=t2＞t1.When satisfying this and concern, can reduce the integral thickness of blade 3.In this case, can reduce different levels between the surface of part 36A and 36B.Therefore, when blade is preferably prepared by cross-linked material, the deformability of material in the crosslinking Treatment can be minimized, have highly accurate blade thereby can provide.

On the contrary, the clearer of this shown in Figure 13 1 satisfies relation: t3+t1≤t2.(thickness of the other parts 36B of blade is bigger) in this case can widen the area of the wall 35 of this sunk part 33.Therefore, the tip portion 9 of this back up pad 2 can be safely and receiver wall 35 stably, thereby can avoid this blade in the sharply crooked problem of a part safely.

As shown in Figure 13, suppose that be θ 1 by blade 3 in the face of the first surface 11 of this photoreceptor 4 contacts these 4 lip-deep somes 4c places of photoreceptor of blade 3 with photoreceptor wherein the formed angle of tangent line, and the top by wall 35 is θ 2 with the line L1 of contact 4c and the first surface 11 formed angles of blade 3, preferably satisfies relational expression θ 1≤θ 2.When angle θ 2 increased, the area of the wall 35 of this sunk part 33 also increased, thereby can avoid blade a bit sharply crooked at certain safely, and the problem that contacts with this photoreceptor of the main body of blade.In addition, the photosensitive drums 4 that can avoid rotating drags the blade deflection problem of blade 3 tip portions, thereby clearer 1 can have good cleaning capacity.This angle θ 2 is preferably from 20 ° to 30 °.

This angle θ 1 is preferably from 15 ° to 25 °.When angle θ 1 is too small, the main body of this blade 3 contacts with the surface of this photoreceptor 4, thereby has reduced the ability that blade scrapes the remaining toner particle.On the contrary, when this angle θ 1 is excessive, will occur by the big caused blade deflection problem of friction force between the surface of this blade 3 and this photoreceptor 4.When the tip portion of blade is dragged by photoreceptor 4, bad cleaning problems not only occurs, and this clearer is not worked.Therefore, abnormality appears in this image forming apparatus.

The chart of Figure 14 is depicted as the relation between the lip-deep line pressure that spring leaf 3 (shown in Figure 10-13) and this blade 3 be applied to photoreceptor 4, and the JIS A hardness of itself and blade is proportional.In Figure 14, JIS A hardness is that the front of 90 ° blade is represented by solid line (a), and JIS A hardness is front (b) expression by a dotted line of 80 ° blade.In addition, the JIS A hardness front that is respectively the blade of 70 ° and 60 ° is represented by dotted line (c) and two empty chain line (d) respectively.Can know from Figure 14 and to see that the hardness of blade is high more that the applied line pressure of this blade is just big more.

Yet, when the hardness of this blade is too high, surperficial easy inhomogeneous contact of blade and photoreceptor 4, the problem that causes occurring can not as one man clean exactly.In addition, when hardness during, this blade creep easily itself,, the problem that occurs easily reduces along with the time thereby being exactly the line pressure and the elasticity of blade greater than 80 °.

On the contrary, cross when low when the hardness of this blade, the change speed of line pressure is too little, and promptly the variation of line pressure is less.Yet, must produce huge deformation in order to increase this spring leaf of line pressure.In this case, the area of the contact portion of blade and photoreceptor must increase, because the hardness of blade is lower, it is even that pressure distribution becomes in addition.Therefore, preferably from 65 to 80 ° of the JIS A hardness of blade 3, and line pressure is preferably from 40 to 120gf/cm (0.392 to 1.176N/cm).In this case, this clearer has good cleaning capacity.

Because this spring leaf 3 has repulsion elasticity, this spring leaf can repel the remaining toner particle that contacts with blade in clean operation.When the spherical toner particle is removed on the surface of photoreceptor 4, preferably use to have the high flexible blade that repels.Yet the spherical toner particle had just entered the pressing between the surface of the edge of blade and photoreceptor before being repelled by blade.Even when employed this blade has higher repulsion elasticity coefficient, can not improve toner and remove efficient.On the contrary, when employed blade had lower repulsion elasticity coefficient, the spherical toner particle was difficult to enter this pressing, caused having improved cleaning capacity.Therefore, preferably use blade to remove the spherical toner particle with low repulsion elasticity coefficient.Can not provide this low flexible blade that repels that has by the content that increases hard section in the polyurethane composition.

About this point,, the repulsion elasticity of employed material and the correlativity of temperature have been considered in the time of the design blade owing to the increase along with temperature of the repulsion elasticity of spring leaf increases.As our test findings, find when the blade with repulsion elasticity coefficient is used as blade 3, its at normal temperatures (24 ± 3 ℃) be no more than 30%, and it changes speed and be no more than 350% from 10 to 40 ℃ temperature range, even when temperature change, this blade also has good cleaning capacity.

The chart of Figure 15 is depicted as the repulsion elasticity coefficient of spring leaf and the correlativity of temperature.In (h), have only the elastic repulsion coefficient of spring leaf (e) to be no more than 30% at normal temperatures at spring leaf (e), and its change speed is no more than 350% from 10 to 40 ℃ temperature range.Therefore, preferably use this blade.

With reference to Figure 12, this clearer 1 has reinforcing member 37, and the back side 6 of itself and this blade 3 and the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2 are bonded together.In this case, the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2 not only receives the wall 35 from sunk part 33, and receives the power F from this reinforcing member 37.Therefore, this back up pad 2 can more safely be born this spring leaf, thereby and spring leaf can avoid safely in certain a bit sharply crooked problem.

With reference to Figure 13, this clearer 1 has reinforcing member 38, and the wall 35 of the sunk part 33 of itself and this blade 3 and the back side 13 of this back up pad 2 are bonded together.In this case, this reinforcing member 38 and this back up pad 2 can receive by second surface 35 applied force F.Therefore, thus spring leaf can avoid safely in certain a bit sharply crooked problem.

Bonding agent can be used as reinforcing member 37 and 38.When this reinforcing

member

37 and 38 has lower hardness, can not produce above-mentioned effect preferably.Therefore, this reinforcing

member

37 and 38 Young moduluss that had are preferably more than the Young modulus of this spring leaf 3.Particularly, when the Young modulus of blade 3 from 5.88 * 10 ⁶To 1.47 * 10 ⁷(promptly 60 to 150kgf/cm for Pa ²) time, preferably use Young modulus from 9.8 * 10 ⁸To 2.94 * 10 ⁹(promptly 10000 to 30000kgf/cm for Pa ²) epoxy resin as this reinforcing member 37 and 38.When preparing this reinforcing

member

37 and 38, preferably apply this epoxy resin.

This image forming apparatus shown in Fig. 9 comprises handle box, and wherein photoreceptor 4, charger 16, developing apparatus 18, cleaning device 28 and discharge lamp 31 are unified in the cell enclosure 39.This handle box 40 is installed in the main body 15 of this image forming apparatus separably.This handle box 40 is not limited to this, and comprises that the image bearing member that will clean and cleaning device 28 can be used as this handle box 40 as any handle box of main device, and they are integrated fitting together.

This image bearing member can be photoreceptor or from photoreceptor toner image is transferred to intermediate transfer medium above it.In the image forming apparatus of transfer medium, can use above-mentioned clearer 1 to remove the toner-particle that after toner image being transferred to the reception material, also remains on these intermediate transfer medium in use.In this image forming apparatus, use the concrete example of the parts that clearer of the present invention cleans to comprise photoreceptor, intermediate transfer medium and transfer belt 23.As shown in Figure 9, use the surface of 27 pairs of these transfer belt 23 of cleaning device to clean, it comprises the clearer 101 that has same structure with clearer 1.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 16 is depicted as another image forming apparatus that uses clearer of the present invention.This image forming apparatus has four

handle box

40Y, 40C, 40M and 40Bk that are arranged side by side.Yellow (yellow), blue or green (cyan), pinkish red (magenta) and black toner image are respectively formed on

photoreceptor

4Y, 4C, 4M and the 4Bk.This toner image is transferred on the reception paper of presenting by transfer belt 123.So, this full color toner image is received on the paper to this by fixing device 25.This image forming apparatus comprises

cleaning device

28Y, 28C, 28M and 28Bk, it comprises clearer 1Y, 1C, 1M and 1Bk (it is a clearer of the present invention) respectively, and the clearer 127 that is used for this transfer belt 123, it comprises clearer 201, it is a clearer of the present invention.These clearers have identical structure with clearer 1.

Figure 17 and 18 is depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention.With reference to Figure 17, clearer 1 has back up pad 2, blade 3 and elastic

reinforcement 41.Label

5,13 and 9 expression this back up pads 2 are in the face of the first surface of photoreceptor 4 (i.e. the material that will clean), the back side of the back up pad 2 opposite with this surface 5, and the tip end surface of back up pad 2.

Label

11 and 6 expression this spring leafs 3 are in the face of the first surface of photoreceptor 4, and the back side opposite with this front surface 11.The rear section and the forward part of

label

7 and 8 these spring leafs 3 of expression.As shown in Figure 17, have only the rear section 7 at the back side 6 and this back up pad 2 to be bonded together, and the part of the forward part 8 of this spring leaf 3 and this elastic reinforcement 41 are bonded together.In this embodiment, elastic reinforcement 41 is made up of elastic plate.This elastic reinforcement 41 can by with form blade 3 identical materials and other low-cost rubber, make such as natural rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber and butadiene rubber.

When this back up pad 2, spring leaf 3 and elastic reinforcement 41 were adhered to each other, employed method can be used bonding agent or Unitarily molded method.Preceding a kind of method is as follows.Thereby spring leaf for example is to have institute by the cutting polyurethane elastomer to want the polyurethane elastomer of size, and itself and the back up pad 2 that is made of metal are bonded together to become one.Using bonding agent to be bonded together with blade 3 and back up pad 2 by the elastic reinforcement 41 that elastic plate is made then becomes one.A kind of method in back is as follows.Bonding agent is coated on the back up pad, and dry then.After being installed in this back up pad in the mould, the polyurethane elastomer that forms liquid being sent in the mould, and carried out crosslinked then.Using bonding agent that the combination of elastic reinforcement and spring leaf of preparing like this and back up pad is bonded together then becomes one.

As shown in Figure 17, the most advanced and sophisticated edge of the spring leaf 3 of clearer 1 contact with the surface of photoreceptor 4, so this blade 3 receives the reacting force N from the surface of photosensitive drums 4 when pushing the surface.Thereby deformation takes place in blade 3, and is crooked on direction M.In this case, because elastic reinforcement 41 is bonded together with this spring leaf 3 and this back up pad 2, deformation also takes place with this spring leaf 3 in this elastic reinforcement 41.

When this blade 3 and elastic reinforcement 41 produces deformation, the rear section 35 of this reinforcing member 41 ' tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2 is applied power F.Because this second surface 35 ' be connected with the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2, the tip end surface 9 of the supported plate 2 of power F receives.Therefore, blade 3 is excessive deformation not, and it is different from the common blade 3A shown in Fig. 1.Therefore, the contact area that the blade 3 of clearer 1 of the present invention can't produce blade and photoreceptor excessively increases, thus the problem that the excessive pressure of blade reduces.So blade 3 can be pushed photoreceptor by higher pressure, so this clearer 1 has good cleaning capacity.

In addition, because this spring leaf 3 is not connected with the back side 13 of this back up pad 2, it is different from the common blade 3B shown in Fig. 3, can not prevent bending blade.Therefore, this blade 3 is suitably crooked, and blade 3 has suitable area with this part that the surface of this photosensitive drums 4 contacts.Therefore, blade 3 can be gone up at the longitudinal direction LL of blade 3 (as shown in Figure 18) and apply uniform pressure on the surface of photosensitive drums 4.Therefore, even when this toner is spherical toner, this spring leaf also can be removed the lip-deep toner-particle T that remains in this photosensitive drums 4 effectively.

As shown in Figure 19, this elastic reinforcement 41 can be made by elastic adhesive.The concrete example of this elastic adhesive comprises that silicon changes polymer adhesive, urethane adhesive, epoxy adhesive lamp, and it can be one-pack type bonding agent or two-component-type bonding agent.For example pass through at the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad 2 and the back side 6 formed corners use divider applying liquid elastic adhesives of this spring leaf 3, and crosslinked then coated bonding agent, and form this elastic reinforcement 41.By using elastic adhesive, this blade 3 can have suitable crooked attribute, and can not produce the problem of spring leaf fluctuation.Therefore, this blade has good planarity and good rectilinearity.This is that the contraction of this bonding agent is very little because when bonding agent is crosslinked.Other structure of clearer shown in Figure 19 1 and basic operation are all identical with clearer shown in Figure 15 1, therefore save the explanation to it.

As shown in Figure 17 and 19, any part of this blade 3 and reinforcing member 41 is not connected with the region S at the back side 13 of this back up pad 2 and contacts.Therefore, can reduce the amount of the resilient material that is used for this blade 3, cause reducing the cost of this spring leaf 3.

As shown in Figure 18, the width W 1 of this reinforcing member 41 is a constant on the longitudinal direction LL of this clearer 1 basically.No matter this elastic reinforcement 41 is to make by elastic adhesive or by the following metal forming of explaining, this clearer 1 can have this structure.When this clearer had this structure, this spring leaf 3 can contact equably with the surface of photoreceptor, thereby this clearer has good cleaning attribute.

As shown in Figure 17 and 19, the width W 1 of this reinforcing member 41 is shorter than the width W 2 of the forward part 8 of this blade 3.When consider this elastic reinforcement 41 and spring leaf 3 be combined as resilient material the time, the thickness of the tip portion of this resilient material is less than the thickness of its core.Therefore, when clearer 1 is removed residual toner-particle T from the surface of the photoreceptor that rotates at direction A, can prevent stick-slip.Therefore, this clearer 1 can have good cleaning capacity.

As shown in Figure 17 and 19, the tip portion of this reinforcing member 41 is taper.Because the thickness of this reinforcing member 41 reduces to the back side 6 of this blade 3, so can avoid this blade safely at certain a bit rapid buckling problem.

Figure 20 and 21 is depicted as other embodiment of clearer of the present invention.The thickness of supposing this spring leaf 3 is t1, and the gross thickness of spring leaf 3 and reinforcing member 41 is t2, and the thickness of this back up pad 2 is t3, and this clearer 1 shown in Figure 20 satisfies relation: t3+t1 〉=t2＞t1.In this case, can reduce the total thickness t 2 of blade 3 and reinforcing member 41.

On the contrary, the clearer of this shown in Figure 21 satisfies relation: t3+t1≤t2.In this case, this spring leaf 3 has relatively large thickness with the combination of this reinforcing member 41, thereby the area of the rear surface 35 of this reinforcing member 41 can be widened.Therefore, the tip end surface 9 of this back up pad can be safely and the rear surface 35 that stably holds this reinforcing member 41.Therefore, can avoid this blade at certain a bit rapid buckling problem safely.

As shown in Figure 21, suppose that be θ 1 by blade 3 in the face of the first surface 11 of this photoreceptor 4 contacts the lip-deep some 4c place of this photoreceptor of blade 3 with photoreceptor wherein the formed angle of tangent line, and the top by wall 35 is θ 2 with the line L1 of contact 4c and the surface 11 formed angles of blade 3, preferably satisfies relational expression θ 1≤θ 2.When angle θ 2 increased, the area that adds the rear surface 35 of solid 41 also increased, thereby can avoid blade a bit sharply crooked at certain safely, and the problem that contacts with this photoreceptor of the main body of blade.In addition, the photosensitive drums 4 that can avoid rotating drags the blade deflection problem of blade 3 tip portions, thereby clearer 1 can have good cleaning capacity.This angle θ 2 is preferably from 20 ° to 30 °.

This angle θ 1 is preferably from 15 ° to 25 °.When angle θ 1 is too small, the main body of this blade 3 contacts with the surface of this photoreceptor 4, thereby has reduced the ability that blade scrapes the remaining toner particle.On the contrary, when this angle θ 1 is excessive, will occur because the friction force greatly between the surface of this blade 3 and this photoreceptor 4 makes the photosensitive drums 4 of this rotation drag the blade deflection problem of the tip portion of blade 3.When the tip portion of blade is dragged by photoreceptor 4, bad cleaning problems not only occurs, and this clearer is not worked.Therefore, abnormality appears in this image forming apparatus.

The JIS A hardness that this elastic reinforcement 41 has preferably is not less than the hardness of this spring leaf 3.In this case, can avoid blade a bit sharply crooked safely at certain, and the problem that contacts with this photoreceptor of the main body of blade.

JIS A hardness (Hs) has following relation of plane with Young modulus (E):

E＝(7.32+Hs)/(0.454×(100-Hs))[Mpa]。

This elastic reinforcement can be made from 0.05 to 0.5mm metal forming by thickness.

In this embodiment, satisfy the relation shown in Figure 14.Therefore, preferably from 65 to 80 ° of the JIS A hardness of blade 3, the line pressure of blade 3 is preferably from 40 to 120gf/cm (0.392 to 1.176N/m).In this case, this clearer has good cleaning capacity.

Be similar to the clearer of first embodiment, preferably use to have and lowly repel flexible blade and remove the spherical toner particle.By increasing the content of hard section in the polyurethane composition, can provide this low flexible blade that repels that has.In addition, the preferred repulsion elasticity coefficient of using that blade had (24 ± 3 ℃) at normal temperatures is no more than 30%, and its change speed is no more than 350% from 10 to 40 ℃ temperature range.In this case, even when environment temperature changes, this blade also has good cleaning capacity.

In addition, be similar to the clearer of first embodiment, preferably use spring leaf (e), its elastic repulsion coefficient is no more than 30% at normal temperatures, and its change speed is no more than 350% from 10 to 40 ℃ temperature range.

When the turning that the tip end surface 9 in the surface 43 of passing through this elastic reinforcement 41 and this back up pad 2 limits forms reinforcing member 37, as shown in Figure 20, simultaneously bonding with it, this tip end surface 9 not only receives the power F from the surface 35 of this elastic reinforcement 41, and receives the power from this reinforcing member 37.Therefore, this back up pad 2 can be born this elastic reinforcement 41 safely, thereby and can avoid blade a bit sharply crooked at certain safely, and the problem that contacts with this photoreceptor of the main body of blade.

When the turning that limits at the rear surface 35 and the back side 13 by this elastic reinforcement 41 forms reinforcing member 38, as shown in Figure 21, simultaneously bonding with it, can receive power F by the tip end surface 9 of this reinforcing member 38 and this back up pad 2 safely from the rear surface 35 of this elastic reinforcement 41, thereby can avoid blade a bit sharply crooked safely, and the problem that contacts with this photoreceptor of the main body of blade at certain.

Be similar to the clearer of above-mentioned first embodiment, bonding agent can be used as reinforcing member 37 and 38.When this reinforcing

member

37 and 38, preferably apply this epoxy resin.

Be similar to the clearer of above-mentioned first embodiment, the clearer of second embodiment also can be used for image forming apparatus (for example image forming apparatus shown in Fig. 9) and handle box (for example handle box shown in Figure 16).

To explain the clearer of the 3rd embodiment then.At first explain the printer that uses this clearer.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 22 is depicted as the image forming apparatus (being printer) that uses clearer of the present invention.

This printer is included in direction A and goes up image bearing member 4 (being photoreceptor), charger 16, light illuminator 17, the developing apparatus 18 with developer roll 18a, transfer device 124, cleaning device 28 and the discharger 31 that rotates.This cleaning device 28 comprises clearer 301, and it is a clearer of the present invention.This photoreceptor 4 comprises: the aluminium cylinder, be formed on the photographic layer on the circumferential surface of this aluminium cylinder and be formed on this photographic layer and comprise the outermost layer of polycarbonate resin.The friction factor on this photoreceptor surface from 0.3 to 0.6.

Charge equably in the surface of 16 pairs of photoreceptors 4 of this charger.This charger 16 is by when contacting charging unit photoreceptor surperficial, charging unit is applied bias voltage, charging unit perhaps is set very near the surface of this photoreceptor, photoreceptor 4 is charged, cause the electric charge of formation on this photoreceptor is wanted polarity and voltage.The concrete example of this charging unit comprises transfer roll and the band of being made by resilient material, and the scorotron charger that uses line electrode and grid electrode.This charger is not limited to this, can use various known chargers.

Light illuminator 17 uses the view data of optical modulation to shine the charged surface of this photoreceptor 4, to form electrostatic latent image on photoreceptor 4.The device that the concrete example of this light illuminator comprises has laser diode (LD) or light emitting diode (LED), but is not limited to this.

This developing apparatus 18 uses and comprises that the developer of toner develops to this electrostatic latent image, to form toner image on this photoreceptor 4.Developing apparatus 18 comprises the developer roll 18a as the developer load bearing component, and wherein is provided with the magnetic field production part regularly.This developer roll 18a rotates when carrying developer in its surface.So developer is sent to the developing regional of this developer roll 18a in the face of photoreceptor 4.In this embodiment, employed magnetic brush development method has been used the bi-component developer that comprises toner and carrier.In this magnetic brush development method, the carrier in the bi-component developer owing to hold up in the magnetic field in this developer roll, causes forming magnetic brush at developing regional.The development bias voltage can be applied on this developer roll 18a.In this case, form electric potential difference between the surface of the surface of developer roll 18a and photoreceptor 4.Therefore, the toner in this developer is attracted by electrostatic latent image, causes forming toner image.This developing apparatus 18 is not limited to this, and can use known developing apparatus.

The toner image that this transfer device 124 will be formed on the photoreceptor 4 is transferred on the reception material P that presents on the direction B.This transfer device 124 will contact with photoreceptor 4 such as the transfer member of transfer roll with predetermined pressure, thereby forms pressing between this transfer member and this photoreceptor 4.

This transfer device 124 is applied to transfer bias on this reception material P, and the opposite charge of its polarity and employed toner causes forming electric field, thereby the toner image on the photoreceptor 4 is transferred on this reception material P.The concrete example of transfer member comprises transfer roll and the band of being made by resilient material, and the scorotron charger that uses line electrode and grid electrode.This transfer member is not limited to this, can use various known charge devices.Then the reception material of bearing toner image above it is delivered to fixing device, this toner image is received on the material P to this at this.Discharge from the reception material P of this image forming apparatus then to the toner image that carries photographic fixing to some extent in the above.

This cleaning device 28 is removed the lip-deep toner-particle that also remains in this photoreceptor 4 after this transfer operation.This cleaning device 28 uses the blade of clearer 301 of the present invention to scrape toner-particle.Fallen in this cleaning device 28 by the toner-particle that this blade scraped.The toner-particle of collecting is like this delivered in the waste material toner bottle (not shown) by toner feed mechanism (not shown).Collect the toner that is stored in this waste material toner bottle by the maintenance repairer.Replacedly, collected toner-particle can turn back to this developing apparatus 18, to reuse.

Discharger 31 is removed the lip-deep electric charge that also remains in this photoreceptor 4 after clean operation, makes this photoreceptor 4 to form ready for operation for next image.In this case, the device that uses light emitting diode (LED) is as discharger 31, but this discharger is not limited to this.

Recently, need a kind of image forming apparatus that can produce high-quality and high-definition image.In order to produce the image of high definition, preferably use the spherical toner that has than small particle diameters.Therefore, employed toner comprises particle diameter from 2.0 to 10 μ m in the 3rd embodiment, and average circularity is not less than 0.98 toner-particle.Determine this circularity by following method:

(1) will mix with 0.1 to 0.5ml surfactant (sodium alkyl benzene sulfonate) from 100 to the 150ml water of wherein removing impurity, and to the sample that wherein adds 0.1 to 0.5g;

(3) use ultrasonic dispersing machine that this potpourri was carried out dispersion treatment 1 to 3 minute, to obtain suspending liquid, from 3000 to 10000/μ l of the concentration of wherein existing sample particle;

(4) use from Sysmex Corp., fluid type image dissector FPIA-2000 determine the shape and the distribution of shapes of toner-particle, to determine the average circularity of this toner.

Determine the circularity of toner-particle by following equation:

Circularity=L2/L1

Wherein, as shown in Figure 23 A and 23B, L1 represents the girth of this particle image, and L2 represents to have with this particle image the girth of the circular image of equal area (s).

Can produce spherical toner by following method:

(1) will be by heat-treating such as the prepared erose toner that has of the method (kneading/pulverization method) of the method for mixing/atomization; With

(2) prepare toner by polymerization.

Yet the method that is used to make spherical toner is not limited to this.

Be difficult to from the surface of photoreceptor, ideally remove this spherical toner by routine cleaning blade.

As mentioned above, the reason that produces bad cleaning problems is the stick-slip (being little vibration) that is used to remove the point of blade of toner-particle.Therefore think,, just can avoid a large amount of spherical toners to pass pressing between the surface of blade and photoreceptor if can prevent stick-slip.As the result of inventor's investigation, find that repulsion elasticity coefficient and this stick-slip are closely related.Below with the detailed description inventor's investigation.

Test 1

The structure that is used to test 1 clearer as shown in Figure 4.This cleaning blade 3 is set, thereby makes it, and be θ with respect to the contact angle that the surface (being line G) of this photoreceptor 4 has against the photoreceptor 4 that on direction A, rotates.In addition, the most advanced and sophisticated edge of blade 3 contacts with the surface of photoreceptor 4, and deformation quantity is (d).

In test 1, each in 12 blades all is made from a variety of materials, and has different repulsion elasticity and hardness, itself and metal profile as back up pad 3 is glued together, and assesses the cleaning attribute of this cleaning blade.Particularly, observing determining whether to occur stick-slip, and when whether can remove the spherical toner particle, cleaning test, wherein removing spherical toner particle on the photoreceptor 4 by each cleaning blade.This clean conditions is as follows:

(1) contact angle (θ): 20 °

(2) deformation quantity (d): 1.0mm

(3) translational speed on photoreceptor surface: 100mm/ second

(4) thickness of blade (t1): 2.0mm

(5) length of forward part (t4): 7.0mm

(6) line pressure of blade: 40gf/cm.

Here, this line pressure is determined like this:

1) be that the pressure transducer of the paper mold (sheet-form) of 0.1mm is installed on the photoreceptor with thickness;

2) will clean blade and be installed on this pressure transducer, and make the tip of this blade be in tacky state, with the load (unit is a gram) of measuring (promptly on this photoreceptor) on this sensor; With

3) with determined like this load divided by this blade in the length of (be photoreceptor axially on) on the longitudinal direction of blade (unit be centimetre), to determine the line pressure of this blade.

This paper mold sensor has a plurality of electrodes that are arranged on two different directions (being X and Y direction), and it is vertical mutually and use film to cover.These electrodes have piezoresistive material and the charge generating material of being arranged to be similar to lattice.When pressure was applied on the intersection point of lattice, the resistance of material changed along with pressure.Can determine this resistance by the electric current that on X and Y direction, flows through.Therefore, by checking electric current, just can determine to be applied to the load on this sensor.

Result for testing as shown in following table 1.The cleaning capacity of following this blade of assessment:

1) is formed on the photoreceptor being formed into the straight burr image that has 5% image area ratio on the reception paper of A4 size;

2) remove toner image on this photoreceptor by each blade, receive on the paper and be not transferred to;

3) observe the surface of this photoreceptor, whether to also have remaining toner-particle on the surface of determining this photoreceptor.

Cleaning capacity is divided into following four grades:

◎: the spherical toner particle is removed from the surface of this photoreceptor basically fully.

Zero: removed the spherical toner particle from the surface of photoreceptor preferably.

△: some spherical toner particles of residue on the surface of photoreceptor.

*: the many spherical toner particles of residue on the whole surface of photoreceptor.

Table 1

Blade	Repulsion elasticity coefficient (%) in the time of 23 ℃	JIS A hardness (°)	Stick-slip	Cleaning capacity
Blade	Repulsion elasticity coefficient (%) in the time of 23 ℃	JIS A hardness (°)	Stick-slip	Cleaning capacity	No.1	8	65	No	△
No.2	8	70	No	○	No.1	8	65	No	△
No.2	8	70	No	○	No.3	8	80	No	○
No.4	20	65	No	△	No.3	8	80	No	○
No.4	20	65	No	△	No.5	20	70	No	○
No.6	20	80	No	○	No.5	20	70	No	○
No.6	20	80	No	○	No.7	30	65	No	△
No.8	30	70	No	△	No.7	30	65	No	△
No.8	30	70	No	△	No.9	30	80	No	○
No.10	40	65	YES	×	No.9	30	80	No	○
No.10	40	65	YES	×	No.11	40	70	YES	×
No.12	40	80	YES	△	No.11	40	70	YES	×

Annotate: Yes: No is arranged: do not have

From table 1, can know and see, repel elasticity and be no more than any blade of 30%, no matter how its hardness can not produce stick-slip.In other words, repel elasticity and be not less than any blade of 40%, no matter how its hardness all can produce stick-slip.Therefore consider that its reason is as follows.When deformation takes place because toner-particle passes therethrough in the partial blade with high repulsion elasticity coefficient, the high quick-recovery of this part.Therefore, can be easily move on oppositely opposite with direction A at the tip of this blade, because the recovery energy of blade is greater than the energy of the friction between the surface of blade and photoreceptor.

On the contrary, have low the repulsion under the flexible situation at blade, the part that toner-particle has passed therethrough is with low quick-recovery.Therefore, move on oppositely opposite with direction A lentamente at the tip of this blade, because the recovery energy of blade is less than the energy of the friction between the surface of blade and photoreceptor.Therefore, before producing this sliding mode, blade turns back to this tacky state.So, have the low blade that repels elasticity coefficient and can't produce stick-slip, so the problem that a large amount of toner-particle passes blade simultaneously can be avoided.

Even when use had the blade of identical repulsion elasticity coefficient, its cleaning capacity increased along with the increase of the hardness (JIS A hardness) of blade.Consider that its reason is as follows.When use has the blade of same rigidity, this partial blade easy deformation that toner-particle passes therethrough, thus toner-particle passes from this part easily.Especially, have at blade under the situation of low repulsion elasticity coefficient and soft, this partial deformation that toner-particle passes therethrough is huge, and this part resume speed is slow in addition.Therefore, toner-particle subsequently partly passes from this deformation.Be in the part that returns to form if toner-particle passes, the recovery of this part is prevented from so, and ensuing toner passes this part.So the deformation that keeps this part does not have toner-particle until the back, thereby cause many toner-particles by (being

blade number

1,4 and 7 cleaning capacities) with " △ " grade.On the contrary, when blade had higher hardness, toner-particle was not easy to be out of shape by toner-particle from this part of wherein passing through, thus the problem that can avoid many toner-particles to pass from this part continuously.

So, find that by not keeping the deformation that is produced by the toner-particle promotion, blade can prevent stick-slip by using suitable blade material, thus the problem that can avoid many toner-particles partly to pass from this deformation continuously.Particularly, the hardness that has when blade 3 is from 70 ° to 80 °, and repels elasticity coefficient at from 8% to 30% o'clock, just can avoid relatively poor cleaning problems.

As mentioned above, the defined phenomenon of this stick-slip is, wherein when the position of the most advanced and sophisticated edge 3b of blade 3 is 0 (being initial point) under tacky state as shown in Figure 6, this edge, tip 3b move to respect in the upstream region of the rotation direction of this photoreceptor from+8 μ m straight+point 15 mu m ranges.Therefore, when edge 3b moved in the upstream region point+8 mu m ranges straight from 0 μ m, this blade was defined as the blade that does not produce stick-slip.

Test 2

Carry out another test, wherein in the line pressure that changes blade when checking the cleaning capacity of this blade, use each blade that is numbered in 2,3,5,6 and 9 to remove toner-particle on the photoreceptor 4, it has good cleaning capacity.

The result is as shown in table 2.

Table 2

Blade	Repel elasticity coefficient (%)	Hardness	Line pressure	Stick-slip	Cleaning capacity
Blade	Repel elasticity coefficient (%)	Hardness	Line pressure	Stick-slip	Cleaning capacity	No.2	8	70	40	No	○
No.2	8	70	60	No	○	No.2	8	70	40	No	○
No.2	8	70	60	No	○	No.2	8	70	80	No	◎
No.2	8	70	100	No	◎	No.2	8	70	80	No	◎
No.2	8	70	100	No	◎	No.2	8	70	120	No	◎
No.3	8	80	40	No	○	No.2	8	70	120	No	◎
No.3	8	80	40	No	○	No.3	8	80	60	No	○
No.3	8	80	80	No	◎	No.3	8	80	60	No	○

No.3	8	80	100	No	◎
No.3	8	80	100	No	◎	No.3	8	80	120	No	◎
No.5	20	70	40	No	○	No.3	8	80	120	No	◎
No.5	20	70	40	No	○	No.5	20	70	60	No	○
No.5	20	70	80	No	◎	No.5	20	70	60	No	○
No.5	20	70	80	No	◎	No.5	20	70	100	No	◎
No.5	20	70	120	No	◎	No.5	20	70	100	No	◎
No.5	20	70	120	No	◎	No.6	20	80	40	No	○
No.6	20	80	60	No	○	No.6	20	80	40	No	○
No.6	20	80	60	No	○	No.6	20	80	80	No	◎
No.6	20	80	100	No	◎	No.6	20	80	80	No	◎
No.6	20	80	100	No	◎	No.6	20	80	120	No	◎
No.9	30	80	40	No	○	No.6	20	80	120	No	◎
No.9	30	80	40	No	○	No.9	30	80	60	No	○
No.9	30	80	80	No	◎	No.9	30	80	60	No	○
No.9	30	80	80	No	◎	No.9	30	80	100	No	◎
No.9	30	80	120	No	◎	No.9	30	80	100	No	◎

Clearly from table 2 see that as long as line pressure is from 80 to 120gf/cm the time,

cleaning blade

2,3,5,6 and 9 just has outstanding cleaning capacity (i.e. " ◎ " grade).Just, this blade can be removed the spherical toner particle on the photoreceptor basically fully.

Test 3

Carry out another test, with the relation between the cleaning capacity of the contact angle θ (as shown in Figure 4) that detects this blade and blade.This test condition is as follows:

(1) translational speed on photoreceptor surface: 100mm/ second

(2) thickness of blade (t1): 2.0mm

(3) length of forward part (t4): 7.0mm

(4) line pressure of blade: 80gf/cm

(5) the repulsion elasticity coefficient of blade: 25%

(6) the JIS A hardness of blade: 75 °.

Method in appraisal procedure such as the above-mentioned test 1.

The result is as shown in table 3.

Table 3

Contact angle (θ)	Cleaning capacity	Note
Contact angle (θ)	Cleaning capacity	Note	14	△	The first surface of blade contacts with photoreceptor
16	△	The first surface of blade contacts with photoreceptor	14	△	The first surface of blade contacts with photoreceptor
16	△	The first surface of blade contacts with photoreceptor	18	◎	Not unusual
20	◎	Not unusual	18	◎	Not unusual
20	◎	Not unusual	22	◎	Not unusual
24	◎	Not unusual	22	◎	Not unusual
24	◎	Not unusual	26	◎	Not unusual
28	△	Produce abnormal sound (noise)	26	◎	Not unusual
28	△	Produce abnormal sound (noise)	30	×	Blade is dragged by photoreceptor

Can know from table 3 and to see that when the contact angle of blade during from 18 ° to 26 °, blade has outstanding cleaning capacity, promptly can remove the spherical toner particle fully from the surface of photoreceptor basically.When contact angle was no more than 16 °, this blade had the cleaning capacity of " △ " grade, and just a spot of toner-particle also remains on the surface of photoreceptor.This is because this blade contacts with this photoreceptor with the first surface that photoreceptor is faced.In this case, the area of contact portion increases, thereby the line pressure of blade reduces, and causes the reduction of cleaning capacity.

On the contrary, when contact angle was 28 °, blade produced noise, and cleaning capacity reduces.This is because the tip end surface of this blade contacts with this photoreceptor, thereby produces unusual stick-slip.When contact angle was 30 °, the photoreceptor that the tip of blade is rotated dragged, thereby damaged the surface of photoreceptor.So the contact angle of blade is preferably from 18 ° to 26 °.

If use conventional clearer, be difficult to obtain line pressure high as clearer of the present invention (80 to 120gf/m).

Explain the clearer of the 4th embodiment then.

First example of the 4th embodiment

For example, this metallic support 2 is set in the employed method, makes it most advanced and sophisticated near this contact point in order to increase the line pressure of blade.In this case, the deformation quantity of blade (d) increases.If the problem that the main body of blade contacts with photoreceptor, will appear greater than a certain value in this deformation quantity.Therefore, this contact area increases, thereby line pressure reduces.As a result, line pressure can not increase.

In the structure that clearer had of first example of the 4th embodiment, this clearer has the pressing component of pushing vacuum side of blade on the longitudinal direction of blade, to increase the line pressure of blade.

The schematic section of Figure 24 is depicted as first example of the 4th embodiment of clearer of the present invention.Figure 25 is the skeleton view of clearer shown in Figure 24.

Cleaner blade 303 is set, thereby makes it against the photoreceptor 4 that rotates on direction A, its edge contacts with this photoreceptor 4 with angle θ simultaneously, and deformation quantity is (d).Blade 3 is by repelling the elastomeric element that elasticity coefficient from 8 to 30% and hardness are made from 70 ° to 80 ° urethane rubber.This blade 303 preferably has the thickness (t1) from 1.0 to 5.0mm, and its deformation quantity (d) preferably from 0.5 to 2.0mm.In this first example, this contact angle (θ) and this deformation quantity (d) are made as 20 ° and 1.0mm respectively.

With reference to Figure 24 and 25, thickness is set to support component 304 from 1.0 to 5.0mm sheet metal.This support component 304 is set makes it face the back side of this blade 303.One end of this support component 304 is fixed on the back up pad 302, and the other end uses the connector 305 between them to be fixed on the tip portion of blade 303.This support component 304 uses only pushes the tip portion at blade 303 back sides by its restoring force that its bending produced.Because restoring force only acts on the tip portion of blade 303, resulting line pressure is greater than the pressure that obtains by the conventional method of wherein having only deformation quantity (d) to increase.

In this example, the restoring force of support component 304 can be sent to the tip portion of blade and the contact point of blade and photoreceptor 4 effectively, thereby can obtain higher line pressure.

Photoreceptor 4 during turning produces vibration usually, and it produces by the center of departing from photoreceptor, and the surface of this photoreceptor has less roughness and expansion in addition.For this blade can be kept in touch with the surface of this photoreceptor, blade is made by the resilient material such as rubber, and this blade contacts with this surface when bending in addition.In this first example, the pressing component of this support component is fixed on the tip portion of blade.If this support component is a rigidity, this blade can keep contacting with the surface of photoreceptor, and it during turning produces vibration and has less roughness and expansion.Therefore, the sheet metal of thickness from 1.0 to 5.0mm is as this support component, this sheet metal bending simultaneously.When this support component had this structure, this support component can not prevent that the surface of blade and aforesaid this photoreceptor from keeping in touch.Suitable material as this back up pad includes stainless steel (SUS) and phosphor bronze.

In this example, this support component 304 is set, make that its back side with blade 303 is parallel, the restoring force of this support component is parallel to the normal effect of this vacuum side of blade.When the pressing component of this support component only was fixed on the point of blade back side partly, the restoring force of support component was sent to the tip portion of the first surface of this blade opposite with its back side.Yet in the tacky state of this blade, the tip portion of this blade contacts with the surface of this photoreceptor, as shown in Figure 6.Therefore in this example, the restoring force of this support component is sent to the contact portion of blade by following method.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 26 is depicted as the tip portion of blade of this first example of this clearer the 4th embodiment.This clearer has connector 305, and it is between the tip portion of this support component 304 and blade 303, and the use bonding agent is bonded together with it.As shown in Figure 26, this connector 305 cooperates with the sunk part D of blade 303.When blade contacted with the surface of photoreceptor with angle θ, the bottom surface of this sunk part D was parallel to the surface of photoreceptor.The entire upper surface of this connector 305 is connected with the surface of this support component 304, and the whole lower surface of connector is connected with the bottom surface of this sunk part D.Therefore, the lower surface of this connector 305 is parallel to the surface of photoreceptor 4.

The component quilt of the restoring force of this support component 304 on the direction that is parallel to the photoreceptor surface is from the counterforce counteraction of the wall of this sunk part D.On the contrary, the restoring force of this support component 304 directly is sent on the bottom surface of this sunk part D at the component that is parallel on the photoreceptor 4 normal to a surface directions.So the restoring force of this support component 304 has only normal component to be sent on the contact portion of blade.Therefore, can apply high line pressure to this contact portion.

In this first example, can apply high pressure to this photoreceptor, particularly from 80 to 120gf/cm pressure.

Second example of the 4th embodiment

To explain second example of the 4th embodiment then.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 27 is depicted as second example of the 4th embodiment of clearer of the present invention.Figure 28 is the skeleton view of the clearer shown in Figure 27.

This clearer is identical with above-mentioned first example, and difference is that the structure of the structure of this pressing component and first example is different.Particularly, the plate formed by rigid material of support component 314.On the longitudinal direction of spacing with rule a plurality of springs 316 are being set regularly between the tip portion of the tip portion of this support component 314 and this blade 303 at blade.So, the elasticity by spring 316 with blade 303 by on the surface that is pressed in photoreceptor 4.Spring 316 is connected by the adhesive phase between them 317 with the tip portion of blade 303.In this second example, use the coil form compression spring of silk thickness from 0.5 to 1mm as this spring 316.

In this second example, can apply high pressure to this photoreceptor, particularly from 80 to 120gf/cm pressure.

The 3rd example of the 4th embodiment

To explain the 3rd example of the 4th embodiment of clearer of the present invention then.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 29 is depicted as another example of the 4th embodiment of this clearer.

This clearer is identical with above-mentioned first example, and difference is that this connector 305 is substituted by elastomeric element 318.Particularly, this elastomeric element 318 is made by repelling the elasticity resilient material (such as rubber) bigger than the elasticity of blade 303.Be similar to this first example, the restoring force of this support component 304 can be sent to the contact portion of blade 303 tip portions effectively by elastomeric element 318.Because this elastomeric element 318 has bigger repulsion elasticity, even when more coarse and expansion, blade 303 also can keep in touch with the surface of photoreceptor.

When the surface of photoreceptor 4 near on the direction of blade 3 when mobile because the inhomogeneous rotation of photoreceptor and the roughness and the expansion on photoreceptor surface, blade 303 produces deformation, to comply with the surface of this photoreceptor 4, promptly keeps in touch with the surface of photoreceptor 4.Because this blade has from 8 to 30% relatively low repulsion elasticity coefficient, so the resume speed of blade is slower.Therefore, when this photoreceptor 4 on the direction that discharges from blade 303 when mobile, exist blade can not comply with a kind of situation that moves of photoreceptor.In order to prevent this problem, be used for this elastomeric element 318 with repelling the elasticity resilient material bigger than the elasticity of blade 303.When this blade 303 because the roughness on the inhomogeneous rotation of photoreceptor and photoreceptor surface and expand and produce deformation and when recovering, this elastomeric element 318 is complied with moving of blade.Therefore, when blade 303 recovered, the restoring force of this elastomeric element 318 was sent to blade 303.Therefore, the resume speed of blade can obtain increasing.So, when this photoreceptor 4 on the direction that discharges from blade 303 when mobile, this blade 303 can be complied with moving of photoreceptor.

So, even when this photoreceptor 4 near blades 303 or on the direction of its release when mobile, the 3rd example can be complied with moving of photoreceptor.

The 4th example of the 4th embodiment

To explain the 4th example of the 4th embodiment of clearer of the present invention then.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 30 is depicted as another example of the 4th embodiment of this clearer.

This clearer is identical with above-mentioned first example, and difference is that this connector 305 substitutes by piezoelectric element 309 and at the voltage controller 310 that control applies voltage during voltage.In addition, the difference of the 4th example and first example is that this support component made by the rigid plate that is similar to second example.

Preferably multilayer piezoelectric element is used for this piezoelectric element 309.These piezoelectric elements have the higher relatively characteristic frequency from 50 to 100KHz.In addition, this piezoelectric element can produce bigger power.By using relatively thin blade, this blade can be in response to this high frequency piezoelectric element.The voltage that is applied by this voltage controller 310 produces deformation to piezoelectric element 309 on such direction, make that the interval between blade 303 and the support component 304 broadens or shortens.Therefore, when applying voltage,, can increase the pressure of this blade to this photoreceptor so that this element produces deformation on the direction of widening the interval between blade 303 and the support component 304 to this piezoelectric element 309.By using this piezoelectric element, when wanting, can apply higher pressure to blade 303 and photoreceptor 4.Particularly, when wanting to clean this photoreceptor surperficial, predetermined voltage is applied on this piezoelectric element 309.When not wanting to clean this photoreceptor surperficial, applied voltage or use relatively low voltage not on this piezoelectric element 309, thus contact with this blade with lower pressure.By making in this way, can reduce the wearing and tearing on the surface of photoreceptor 4, cause prolonging the life-span of this photoreceptor.

In the 4th example, be applied to voltage on this voltage controller 310 by adjusting, can be at the time of the wanting pressure of adjusting vane 303 easily.Therefore,, be applied to voltage on this piezoelectric element, pressure that might adjusting vane by adjusting for example according to by such as the amount of remaining toner particle on the determined photoreceptor of the detecting device of optical sensor.For example, when the amount of toner during greater than scheduled volume, control voltage is to increase the pressure of blade.On the contrary, when the amount of toner during less than scheduled volume, control voltage is to reduce the pressure of blade.By using this cleaning device, can clean with alap pressure, and prevent relatively poor cleaning problems, and prolong the life-span of this photoreceptor simultaneously.

In first to fourth embodiment, by pressing component is provided, push this clearer, but might obtain this higher line pressure by the shape or the similar approach of adjusting vane with 80 to 120gf/cm relatively low line pressure.

Test 4

Assess the cleaning capacity of the clearer of first to fourth example.

Each clearer is installed in Ricoh Co., assesses the cleaning capacity of blade among the image forming apparatus IMAGIO NEO352 that Ltd. makes.In addition, this is evaluated under the lower by contrast line pressure condition and carries out.Identical in 1 to 3 of the evaluation process of this blade and test.

The clean conditions of the blade of first to fourth example is as follows:

(1) contact angle (θ): 20 °

(2) deformation quantity (d): 1.0mm

(3) line pressure of blade: 90gf/cm

(4) thickness of blade (t1): 2.0mm

(5) length of free end portion (t4): 7.0mm

(6) the repulsion elasticity of blade: 25%

(7) the JIS A hardness of blade: 75 °.

In addition, the clean conditions of contrast example 1 and 2 blade is same as described above, and difference is that this line pressure changes into 70gf/cm (contrast example 1) and 125gf/cm (contrasting example 2).

The result is as shown in table 4.

Table 4

Can know from table 4 and to see that the cleaning capacity comparison that the clearer of first to fourth example has is than good many of the clearer of example 1.In addition, the clearer of first to fourth example has good durability, therefore can stably produce the image of excellent picture quality a very long time.The blade of contrast example 2 produces the problem of blade deflection, and wherein blade is dragged by photoreceptor, thereby this image forming apparatus stops.This is because the too high reason of line pressure.As the result of inventor's test, be limited to 120gf/cm on the discovery line pressure.

Will explain another embodiment of this image forming apparatus (printer) then.

This printer comprises handle box, wherein be integrated with photoreceptor at least and comprise one of them the cleaning device of clearer of first to fourth example, and it can be installed in this image forming apparatus discretely.This handle box can comprise other device, such as charging device and developing apparatus.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 31 is depicted as another embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention, comprising handle box.This handle box comprises: photoreceptor 4, as image bearing member; Charger is disposed for this photoreceptor 4 is charged; Developing apparatus 18 is configured to latent electrostatic image developing on this photoreceptor 4; And cleaning device 28.Usually, handle box has the space that is used to hold by the collected used toner of this cleaning device.Yet because spherical toner can be used for this printer, it has good transfer printing attribute, and the amount of waste material toner is than little under the situation of using the atomizing toner.Therefore, the amount of space that holds this waste material toner can be reduced, thereby this handle box can be dwindled.In addition, the conventional processing box has complicated structure, therefore the handle box that is difficult to more renew.Yet handle box of the present invention as shown in Figure 31 has good replacing attribute.Therefore, this handle box is better than routine techniques.

Will explain another embodiment of this image forming apparatus (full color printer) then.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 32 is depicted as this full color printer.This printer has intermediate transfer medium 427, and it flatly is provided with, and it is stretched tightly by a plurality of roller 430a and 430b.These intermediate transfer medium 427 rotate on direction D.Four handle box 428Y, 428M, 428C and 428K have the structure identical with the processor shown in Figure 31, and they have cleaning device of the present invention respectively, and it is arranged side by side along these intermediate transfer medium 427.Handle box 428Y, 428M, 428C and 428K use Huang, magenta, green grass or young crops and black toner respectively.By main transfer device 429Y, 429M, 429C and the formed transfer electric field of 429K the color toner image mainly is transferred on these intermediate transfer medium, cause forming the full color toner image, wherein on these intermediate transfer medium 427, printing Huang, magenta, green grass or young crops and black toner image.This full color toner image is delivered to second transfer area, and here second transfer device 432 is faced with these intermediate transfer medium 427.By second transfer device, 432 formed transfer electric field this full color toner image is transferred on the reception paper P then, it periodically delivers to second transfer area on direction E.The reception paper P that carries this full color toner image in the above is sent to the fixing device (not shown) then, makes this full color toner image is received on the paper to this.Discharge from this reception paper P of this image forming apparatus then to full color toner image with photographic fixing.

The order that is provided with of the handle box of Huang, magenta, green grass or young crops and black image is not limited to the order shown in Figure 32, and can these handle boxes be set according to any order.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 33 is depicted as this full color printer.This printer also has four

color processing box

428Y, 428M, 428C and 428K, and it has cleaning device of the present invention respectively.This printer uses feed shelf 434 to replace the intermediate transfer medium.Rotate this feed shelf 434 by a plurality of

roller

430a and 430b, it is stretched tightly and is received paper P to transmit simultaneously.To be transferred on this reception paper P with being formed on four color toner image sequences on the photoreceptor, make this color toner doubling of the image to cause forming the full color toner image.As mentioned above, can these handle boxes be set according to any order.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 34 is depicted as this full color printer.The similar of this printer is in the full color printer shown in Figure 32, difference is that its this printer has band cleaning device 435, and it is configured to remove and remains in stretch the tightly lip-deep toner-particle of these intermediate transfer medium 427 by

roller

430a, 430b and 430c.This band cleaning device 435 has identical structure with the cleaning device of first to fourth example.The cleaning blade of this band cleaning device 435 is configured to contact with the surface of intermediate transfer medium 427 on the roller 430c.Because this cleaning device 435 is cleaning devices of the present invention, thus can be good remove the lip-deep spherical toner particle that remains in these intermediate transfer medium.

Will explain the photoreceptor that in image forming apparatus of the present invention, uses then.

The schematic section of Figure 35 to 38 is depicted as the example that is used for the photoreceptor that uses at image forming apparatus of the present invention.

Photoreceptor shown in Figure 35 has conductive substrate 401, and is positioned at this individual layer photographic layer 402 above conductive substrate 401, and it comprises charge generating material and charge transport material.

Photoreceptor shown in Figure 36 has conductive substrate 401 and comprises the charge generation layer of charge generating material and the charge transport layer that comprises charge transport material, and it is positioned at this above conductive substrate 401 with this order.

Photoreceptor shown in Figure 37 has the charge transport layer 405 of conductive substrate 401, individual layer photographic layer 402 and filling material modification, and it is positioned at this above photographic layer 402, and comprises filling material in its surface portion.

Photoreceptor shown in Figure 38 has the charge transport layer 405 of conductive substrate 401, charge generation layer 403, charge transport layer 404 and filling material modification, and it is positioned at this above charge transport layer 404.

Charge transport layer 404 shown in photographic layer 402 shown in Figure 35 and Figure 36 might comprise filling material in its surface portion, to improve physical strength.

The material that is suitable as this conductive substrate 401 comprises that specific insulation is no more than 10 ¹⁰The material of Ω cm.The concrete example of this material comprises plastic cylinder, plastic sheeting or paper, be formed with metal by deposition or sputter in its surface, such as aluminium, nickel, chromium, nickel-chrome, copper, gold, silver, platinum etc., or metal oxide, such as tin oxide, indium oxide etc.In addition, can use sheet metal, such as aluminium, aluminium alloy, nickel and stainless steel.Metallic cylinder also can be used as this basic unit 401, its preferably by such as impact contraction processing or directly the contraction method for processing will prepare to produce such as aluminium, aluminium alloy, nickel and stainless metal tubulature, and by disposal routes such as cutting, superfinishing, polishings the surface of this pipe is handled then.Further, the metal such as the endless band of nickel, stainless steel etc. also can be used as this basic unit 401.

And, will comprise that in basic unit the applying liquid of adhesive resin and conducting powder is coated in the above-mentioned support, such basic unit can be used as basic unit 401.The concrete example of this conducting powder comprises carbon black, acetylene black, metal powder, such as aluminium, nickel, iron, nickel-chrome, copper, zinc, silver etc., and metal oxide, such as conductive tin oxide, ITO etc.The concrete example of adhesive resin comprises the thermoplastic resin of knowing, thermosetting resin and optical cross-linked resin are such as polystyrene, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, Styrene-Butadiene, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, polyester, Polyvinylchloride, vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyarylate, phenoxy resin, polycarbonate, the cellulose ethanoate resin, ethyl cellulose resin, the tygon butyral resin, the tygon formaldehyde resin, tygon toluene, the poly-N-vinyl carbazole, acryl resin, silicones, epoxy resin, melamine resin, urethane resin, phenolics, resins such as alkyd resin.

Can form this conductive layer by applying suitable coating liquid, wherein in appropriate solvent, disperse or dissolve conducting powder and adhesive resin, such as tetrahydrofuran, methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, toluene equal solvent.

In addition, the basic unit that has conductive material also can be used as basic unit 401, wherein use the pyrocondensation pitch tube to form conductive resin membrane on the surface of cylindrical basic unit, it forms such as the resin combination by Polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyester, polyvinylidene chloride, tygon, chlorinated rubber and fluorine resin (for example TEFLON).

Next, will explain the photographic layer of photoreceptor of the present invention.

In photoreceptor of the present invention, photographic layer 402 can be the mixed type photographic layer that wherein is dispersed with charge generating material (CGM) and charge transport material (CTM), or has the multilayer photographic layer of CGL and CTL.

At first, the multilayer photographic layer that explanation is comprised charge generation layer (CGL) 403 and charge transport layer (CTL) 404.

This CGL403 comprises the CGM as principal ingredient, and comprises adhesive resin alternatively.For this CGL 403, can use known CGM such as inorganic CGM and organic C GM.The concrete example of inorganic CGM comprises: crystallization selenium, amorphous selenium, selenium-tellurium, selenium-tellurium-halogen, selenium-arsenic compound, amorphous silicon etc.In addition, preferably can use wherein free linkage, perhaps with the amorphous silicon of the free linkage of boron atom end-blocking with hydrogen atom or halogen atom.

The instantiation of organic C GMs comprises phthalocyanine color, for example metal phthalocyanine and metal-free phthalocyanine, Azulene salt pigment, squaric acid methine pigment, have the carbazole skeleton AZO pigments, have the AZO pigments of triphenylamine; Azo dyes with the AZO pigments of diphenylamine, AZO pigments, AZO pigments, Ju You oxadiazole skeleton with Fluorenone skeleton with dibenzothiophene skeleton; Have organic pigments such as the AZO pigments of two stilbene skeletons, AZO pigments, AZO pigments, perylene pigment, anthraquinone pigment, condensed ring quinone pigments, quinone imines pigment, diphenyl methane pigment, triphenyl methane pigment, benzoquinones pigment, naphthoquinones pigment, cyanine pigment, azomethine pigment, indigo pigment, benzimidazole pigment with diphenylethyllene carbazole skeleton with Er Ben Yi Xi oxadiazole skeleton.

These CGM can separately or unite use.

Comprise suitable binder resin among the CGL alternatively, comprising resins such as polyamide, polyurethane, epoxy resin, polyketone, polycarbonate, polyarylate, silicones, acryl resin, tygon butyral resin, tygon formaldehyde resin, tygon ketone, polystyrene, poly-N-vinyl carbazole, polyacrylamides.

These resins can separately or be united use.

In addition, the charge transport polymkeric substance can be as the adhesive resin of this CGL.Further, can in this CGL, add low-molecular-weight CTM if desired.

This CGL 403 can comprise CTM.

CTM is divided into positive electricity hole transporting material and electron transport materials.In addition, CTM also can be divided into low-molecular-weight CTM and charge transport polymkeric substance.

The instantiation of electron transport materials comprises that electronics accepts material, for example chloranil, bromine quinone, tetracyanoethylene, four cyanogen quinoid bismethanes, 2,4,7-trinitro--9-Fluorenone, 2,4,5,7-tetranitro-9-Fluorenone, 2,4,5,7-tetranitro xanthone, 2,4,8-trinitro-thioxanthones, 2,6,8-trinitro--4H-indeno [1,2-b] thiophene-4-ketone, 1,3,7-trinitro-dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide etc.

These electron transport materials can separately or be united use.

The concrete enforcement of hole transporting material comprises: oxazole derivant, oxadiazole derivant, imdazole derivatives, triphenylamine derivant, 9-(to diethylaniline vinyl anthrene), 1, and 1-is two-(4-dibenzyl aminophenyl) propane, styryl anthrene, styryl pyrazoline, phenyl hydrazones, α-phenyl stilbene derivatives, thiazole, triazole derivative, azophenlyene derivant, acridine derivatives, benzofuran derivatives, benzimidizole derivatives, thiophene derivant etc.

These hole transporting materials can separately or be united use.

Can also use following charge transport polymkeric substance.For example, have carbazole ring such as poly-N-vinyl carbazole polymkeric substance, have the polymkeric substance that is disclosed in the hydrazone skeleton among the JP-A57-78402 for example, be disclosed in the many silylenes compound among the JP-A63-285552 for example and have the polymkeric substance that is disclosed in the triarylamine skeleton among the 07-325409 for example.

This CGL comprises as the CGM of principal ingredient and adhesive resin, still can comprise adjuvant, such as emulsion, spreading agent, surfactant and silicone oil.

Be applicable to that the method that forms CGL comprises film forming method and casting method for making in a vacuum.

The concrete example of the film forming method in the vacuum comprise vacuum evaporation method, glow discharge decomposition method, ion plating, sputtering method, reactive sputtering, CVD (chemical vapour deposition) method, etc. method.Can one of them form above-mentioned inorganic and organic material layer by these methods.

The casting method for making that is used to form CGL typically comprises the following steps:

(1) passes through one or more above-mentioned organic or inorganic CGM and solvent, such as tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexanone, dioxane, ethylene dichloride, butanone etc., be mixed together the formation coating liquid with adhesive resin alternatively, and use bowl mill, masher, sand mill etc. then with these dispersion of materials, to produce the CGL coating liquid;

(2) if desired, can be with the dilution of this CGL coating liquid, and by such as dip-coating, spray, be coated with the method that limit and ring be coated with it is coated in the basic unit; And

(3) dry coated liquid is to form CGL.

The thickness of CGL is preferably from about 0.01 to about 5 μ m, and more preferably from about 0.05 to about 2 μ m.

Will explain CTL 404 then.

Typically by preparing the CTL coating liquid, wherein dissolving or be dispersed with the potpourri of CTM and adhesive resin or charge transport polymeric material in solvent, and apply this coating liquid then, then dry and obtain CTL.The thickness of CTL is from 10 to 100 μ m preferably.When producing high-definition picture, this thickness is from 10 to 30 μ m preferably.

The instantiation that is used as the polymkeric substance of the binder resin among the CTL comprises thermoplastic resin and thermoset resin, polystyrene for example, styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene/butadiene copolymers, phenylethylene/maleic anhydride copolymer, polyester, Polyvinylchloride, vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyarylate, polycarbonate, the cellulose ethanoate resin, ethyl cellulose resin, the tygon butyraldehyde, tygon formaldehyde, tygon toluene, acryl resin, silicones, fluorine resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, urethane resin, phenolics, and alkyd resin, but be not restricted to above-mentioned resin.

These polymeric materials can separately or be united use.These polymkeric substance can carry out copolymerization with CTM.

The concrete example of the CTM that uses in CTL 404 comprises above-mentioned low-molecular-weight electron transport materials, hole transporting material and charge transport multipolymer.When using low-molecular-weight electron transport materials, be included in from 20 to 200 parts of the molecular weight that molecular weight added per 100 parts in the multipolymer composition of this CTL, and preferably from 50 to 100 parts.When using the charge transport multipolymer, the multipolymer that preferably uses the resinous principle of the charge transport composition of 100 parts of molecular weight wherein and 0 to 500 part of molecular weight to carry out copolymerization.

Be applicable to that the solvent in the CTL coating liquid comprises ketone for example methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone and cyclohexanone; Ethers is dioxane, tetrahydrofuran and ethyl cellulose for example; The aromaticity solvent is toluene and dimethylbenzene for example; Halogen-containing solvent is chlorobenzene and methylene chloride for example; The ester class is ethyl acetate and butyl acetate for example; Deng.These solvents can separately or be united use.

If do not form the CTL405 of filling material modification described below, just form CTL404.This CTL can comprise filling material in its surface portion.

When in CTL404, using filling material, can use organic filling material and inorganic filler.Suitable organic filling material comprises the fluorine resin powder, such as teflon, silicones powder, amorphous carbon powder etc.

The concrete example of inorganic filler comprises: metal powder, such as copper, tin, aluminium, indium; Metal oxide, such as silicon dioxide, tin oxide, zinc paste, titanium dioxide, aluminium oxide, zirconia, indium oxide, antimony oxide, bismuth oxide, calcium oxide, mix antimony tin oxide, mix the indium oxide of tin; Metal fluoride is such as tin fluoride, calcium fluoride and aluminum fluoride; Potassium titanate, boron nitride etc.These filling materials can be used alone or in combination.

In these filling materials, preferably use inorganic filler, because it has higher hardness and lower scatter properties.In these inorganic fillers, preferably use silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide and aluminium oxide.These filling materials can be carried out surface treatment, to be dispersed in preferably among CTL coating liquid and the resulting CTL.

Can use suitable dispersion machine that one or more these filling materials are mixed with adhesive resin, solvent etc., to obtain the CTL coating liquid.The mean diameter of the main particle of filling material from 0.01 to 0.8 μ m preferably among the CTL is so that this CTL has good transparency and abrasion resistance.

Filling material can be included among the CTL equably.Yet the part of being shone that exists such situation: CTL to be exposed under the imaging light is had higher relatively rest potential.For fear of this problem, can be by the concentration of Change of Class filling material, make the concentration of surface portion be higher than the concentration in this layer bottom.Replacedly, this CTL can comprise multilayer, and the concentration of filling material is according to the upwards direction rising on (surface) in the feasible layer.

When comprising filling material in the surface portion at CTL, the thickness of this part (being the degree of depth) preferably is no less than 0.5 μ m, and more preferably is no less than 2 μ m.

When forming the CTL405 of filling material modification, obtain CTL404 by applying this coating liquid, it comprises the potpourri of CTM and adhesive resin or comprises the CTM unit and the multipolymer of bonding agent unit by dissolving in appropriate solvent or dispersion, carries out drying then.The thickness of CTL404 is from 10 to 100 μ m preferably, and when producing high-resolution image, from 10 to 30 μ m.Concrete example as the material of the adhesive resin of CTL404 comprises above-mentioned thermoplastic resin and thermosetting resin.These resins can be used alone or in combination.In addition, also can use the multipolymer that comprises CTM composition and adhesive ingredients.

The concrete example of the CTM that uses in CTL404 is included in above-mentioned low-molecular-weight CTM and the charge transport multipolymer that uses among the CGL403.

This CTL404 can comprise adjuvant, such as low-molecular-weight adjuvant (for example antioxidant, plastifier, lubricant and ultraviolet light absorber), and levelling agent (leveling agents).These adjuvants can be used alone or in combination.Be included in that per 100 parts molecular weight adds the low molecular weight additives of 0.1 to 200 part of molecular weight in the copolymer material of this CTL404, and preferably add 0.1 to 30 part molecular weight.From 0.001 to 5 part of the molecular weight of the levelling agent that copolymer material adds of per 100 parts of molecular weight.

Will explain the CTL405 of this filling material modification then.

The CTL of this filling material modification (FR-CTL) 405 comprises CTM, adhesive resin and inorganic filler at least.This FR-CTL405 comprises the functional layer with good charge conveying function and the combination of good mechanical permanance.This FR-CTL405 has almost the same higher electric charge locomotivity with conventional CTL, so FR-CTL405 is different from conventional protective seam.

This FR-CTL405 is as the outermost layer of multilayer photoreceptor, and the CTL of the functional separation that it comprises has a plurality of layers.Just, this FR-CTL405 uses with the CTL404 that does not comprise inorganic filler, promptly is not to use this FR-CTL405 separately.Therefore this FR-CTL405 is different from single CTL, and it disperses inorganic filler as adjuvant.

When in FR-CTL405, using filling agent, also can use the above-mentioned inorganic filler that in CTL404, uses.Especially, preferably be used alone or in combination silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide and aluminium oxide.

Be similar to above-mentioned CTL404, can use surface conditioning agent that this inorganic filler is handled, to improve its dispersibility.

Can pass through, and use suitable dispersion machine that they are disperseed then, and obtain being used for the coating liquid of FR-CTL405 inorganic filler, adhesive resin, low-molecular-weight CTM and solvent.The mean diameter of the main particle of filling material from 0.01 to 0.8 μ m preferably among the FR-CTL405 is because resulting FR-CTL405 has good transparency and abrasion resistance.Suitable painting method comprises that dip coating, spraying process, ring are coated with that method, rolling method, gravure are coated with method, jet pipe is coated with method, curtain coating method etc.

The thickness of FR-CTL405 preferably is not less than 0.5 μ m, and more preferably is not less than 2 μ m.

Next will explain individual layer photographic layer 402.

Typically can form this individual layer photographic layer 402 by following method:

(1) constituent of dissolving or dispersion such as CGM, CTM and adhesive resin in appropriate solvent is to form coating liquid; And

(2) apply this coating liquid and dry, to form photographic layer 402.

This coating liquid can comprise adjuvant, such as plastifier, levelling agent and antioxidant.

The concrete example of adhesive resin is included in the above-mentioned resin that uses among the CTL404, and the above-mentioned resin that uses in CGL403 that uses with the above-mentioned resin-bonded of using in CTL404.In addition, also can use above-mentioned charge transport polymkeric substance.

The adhesive resin that is included in per 100 parts of molecular weight in this photographic layer 402 preferably adds the CGM of 5 to 40 parts of molecular weight.The adhesive resin that is included in per 100 parts of molecular weight in this photographic layer 402 preferably adds the CTM of 0 to 190 part of molecular weight, and preferably adds 50 to 150 parts molecular weight.

Typically obtain photographic layer 402 by following method.

(1) with the dissolving of CGM, CTM and adhesive resin or be dispersed in the solution, such as tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, ethylene dichloride and cyclohexane, to obtain coating liquid; And

(2) apply this coating liquid by being coated with method such as dip coating, spraying process and limit, and dry then, to form photographic layer 402.

The thickness of individual layer photographic layer 402 is from 5 to 25 μ m preferably.

When this photographic layer 402 was outermost layer, photographic layer 402 can comprise filling material in its surface portion.In this case, filling material can be included in this layer 402 equably.Yet, can be similar to the situation of CTL404, the concentration of pressing the Change of Class filling material makes the concentration of surface portion be higher than the concentration in this layer bottom.Replacedly, this photographic layer 402 can comprise multilayer, and the concentration of filling material is according to the upwards direction rising on (surface) in the feasible layer.

The photoreceptor that is used for using at image forming apparatus of the present invention can comprise internal coating, and it is formed between conductive substrate 401 and photographic layer 402 or the CGL403.Form this internal coating, for example: strengthen the bonding of photographic layer and basic unit 401, prevent from resulting image, to form ripple (moir é), improve the coating quality on upper strata, reduce the rest potential in the resultant photoreceptor, and/or prevent that electric charge from injecting photographic layer from basic unit 401.

This internal coating mainly comprises resin.Because be coated with the photographic layer coating liquid on the internal coating, it typically comprises organic solvent, the resin that uses in internal coating preferably has good resistance to common organic solvent.

This resinoid instantiation that is used for internal coating comprises water soluble resin, for example: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), casein and sodium polyacrylate; Alcohol-soluble resin is nylon copolymer and methoxy nylon for example; And crosslinkable resin for example urethane resin, melamine resin, alkyd-melamine resin and epoxy resin.

In addition, internal coating can comprise fine powder, such as metal oxide (for example titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide, zirconia, tin oxide and indium oxide).The suitable painting method that typically uses these materials, appropriate solvent and be similar to photographic layer forms this internal coating.

In addition, for example by sol-gal process, use silane coupling agent, titanium couplant or chromium couplant to form metal oxide layer, it also can be used as this internal coating.

Further, this internal coating preferably also can be used the aluminium oxide layers that forms by anodizing, and supports organic compound layer such as poly-terephthaldehyde, and the perhaps inorganic compound layer by vacuum vapor deposition method formation is such as SiO, SnO ₂, TiO ₂, ITO or CeO ₂

This internally coated thickness is from 0 to 20 μ m preferably, and from 1 to 10 μ m more preferably.

Above-mentioned each layer can comprise adjuvant, such as antioxidant, plastifier, lubricant and ultraviolet light absorber, low-molecular-weight CTM and levelling agent.

The instantiation of antioxidant comprises as follows:

(a) phenolic compound

2; the 6-BHT; 2; 4; the 6-tri-butyl-phenol; n-octadecane base-3-(4 '-hydroxyl-3 '; 5 '-DI-tert-butylphenol compounds) propionic ester; styrenated phenol; 4-methylol-2; the 6-DI-tert-butylphenol compounds; 2; the 5-di-tert-butyl hydroquinone; cyclohexylphenol; the fourth hydroxyanisol; 2; 2 '-methylene-two-(4-ethyl-6-tert-butyl phenol); 4; 4 '-isopropylidene biphenol; 1; two (4-hydroxyphenyl) cyclohexanes of 1-; 4; 4 '-methylene-two (2; the 6-DI-tert-butylphenol compounds); 2; two (2 '-hydroxyl-the 3 '-tert-butyl group-5 '-the methyl-benzyl)-4-methylphenols of 6-; 1; 1; 3-three-(2-methyl-4-hydroxyl-5-tert-butyl-phenyl) butane; 1; 3; 5-trimethyl-2,4,6-three (3; the 5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyl benzyl) benzene; four [methylene-3-(3 '; 5 '-di-tert-butyl-hydroxy phenyl) propionic ester] methane; three (3, the 5-di-tert-butyl-hydroxy phenyl) isocyanates; three [β-(3, the 5-di-tert-butyl-hydroxy phenyl) propiono-oxygen ethyl] isocyanates; 4; 4 '-thiobis (4-methyl-6-tert butyl phenol); 4,4 '-thiobis (4-methyl-6-tert butyl phenol) etc.

(b) amines

Phenyl-, phenyl-, N; N '-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (PPD), N; N '-two-betanaphthyl-p-phenylenediamine (PPD), N-cyclohexyl-N '-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (PPD), N-phenyl-N '-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (PPD), N-phenylene-N '-isopropyl-p-phenylenediamine (PPD), 2-maloyl group-Alpha-Naphthyl amine, 6-ethoxy-2; 2; 4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline etc.

(c) sulfocompound

Thiobis (β-naphthalene alcohol), thiobis (N-phenyl-), 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, lauryl mercaptan, curing tetramethylammonium, tetramethyl sulfo-disulfide, dibutyl nickel dithiocarbamate, proxam, dilauryl thiodipropionate, distearyl thiodipropionate etc.

(d) phosphorus-containing compound

Triphenyl phosphite ester, diphenyl decyl phosphite ester, phenyl isodecyl phosphite ester, three (nonyl phenyl) phosphite ester, 4,4 '-butadienyl-two (3-methyl-6-tert butyl phenyl-two-tridecyl phosphite ester), distearyl-five erythritol diphosphites, three lauryl phosphonodithious acid esters etc.

The suitable plasticizer that is used for photographic layer comprises following compound but is not restricted to this:

(a) phosphate

Triphenyl, three (tolyl) phosphate, trioctylphosphine phosphate, octyl group diphenyl phosphoester, three (chloro ethyl) phosphate, tolyl diphenyl phosphoester, Tributyl phosphate ester, three-ethylhexyl dihydrogen phosphate, triphenyl etc.

(b) phthalic ester

Repefral, diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate (DHP), two-2-ethylhexyl phthalic ester, diisooctyl phthalate, di-n-octyl phthalate, dinonyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, diisooctyl phthalate, two (undecyl) phthalic ester, two (tridecyl) phthalic ester, the dicyclohexyl phthalic ester, butyl benzyl phthalic ester, butyl lauryl phthalic ester, methyl oil base phthalic ester, the octyl-decyl phthalic ester, the dibutyl fumarate, dioctyl fumarate etc.

(c) aromaticity carboxylate

Trioctylphosphine triphen pregnancy acid esters, three n-octyl mellitates, octyl group oxo benzoic ether etc.

(d) binary fatty acid ester

The dibutyl adipate; the di-n-hexyl adipate; two-2-ethylhexyl adipate; the di-n-octyl adipate; the positive decyl adipate of n-octyl; the diiso decyl adipate; DAA di alkyl adipate; two capryl adipates; two-2-ethylhexyl azelate; the dimethyl sebacate; the diethyl sebacate; the dibutyl sebacate; the di-n-octyl sebacate; two-2-ethylhexyl sebacate; two-2-ethoxyethyl group sebacate; the dioctyl succinate; the diiso decyl succinate; dioctyl tetrahydrophthalic acid ester; di-n-octyl tetrahydrophthalic acid ester etc.

(e) aliphatic ester derivatives

Butyl oleate, monoolein, methyl acetyl ricinoleate, five erythritol ester classes, two or five erythritols, six esters, triacetin, tributyorin etc.

(f) esters of oxyacids

Methyl acetyl ricinoleate, butyl acetyl group ricinoleate, butyl phthalyl glycolate, tributyl acetyl group citrate etc.

(g) epoxy compound

Epoxidised soybean oil, epoxidised Linseed oil, butyl epoxy stearate, decyl epoxy stearate, octyl group epoxy stearate, benzyl epoxy stearate, dioctyl epoxy hexahydrophthalic acid ester, didecyl epoxy hexahydrophthalic acid ester etc.

(h) binary alcohol esters

Diethylene glycol dibenzoate, triethylene glycol two-2 Ethylbutanoic acid ester etc.

(i) chlorine-containing compound

The methyl esters of the methyl esters of chlorinated paraffin, askarel, chlorinated fatty acid, methoxyl chlorinated fatty acid etc.

(j) petchem

Polypropylene adipate, polypropylene sebacate, acetylation polyester etc.

(k) sulfonic acid

Para toluene sulfonamide, orthotoluene sulfonamide, to toluene sulfone acetamide, adjacent toluene sulfone acetamide, toluene sulfone-N-buserelin, to toluene sulfone-N-cyclohexyl amide etc.

(l) citric acid derivant

Triethyl citrate, triethyl acetyl group citrate, tributyl citrate, tributyl acetyl group citrate, three-2-ethylhexyl acetyl group citrate, n-octyl decyl acetyl group citrate etc.

(m) other compound

Terphenyl, partially hydrogenated terphenyl, camphor, 2 nitro biphenyl, dinonyl naphthalene, methyl rosin ester etc.

The suitable lubricant that is used for photographic layer comprises following compound but is not restricted to this:

(a) hydro carbons

Whiteruss, solid paraffin, microcrystalline wax, low molecular weight polyethylene etc.

(b) fatty acid

Lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidonic acid, docosyl acid etc.

(c) fatty acid amide

Stearmide, palmitamide, oleamide, methylene distearyl acid amides, ethylidene stearmide etc.

(d) ester compounds

The polyglycerol esters of the low-carbon-ester of fatty acid, the polyol ester of fatty acid, fatty acid etc.

(e) alcohols

Cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, polyglycol, polyglycereol etc.

(f) metallic soaps

Lead stearate, cadmium stearate, barium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, dolomol etc.

(g) natural wax

Brazil wax, wax rhimba wax, beeswax, whale oil, insect wax, montan wax etc.

(h) other compound

Silicon compound, fluorine compounds etc.

The suitable ultraviolet light absorber that is used for photographic layer comprises that following compound list is not restricted to this:

(a) Benzophenone compound

2-Viosorb 110,2,4-dihydroxy benzenes ketone, 2,2 ', 4 '-trihydroxy benzene ketone, 2,2 ', 4,4 '-tetrahydroxy benzene ketone, 2,2 '-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzene ketone etc.

(b) salicylate compound

Phenyl salicytate, 2,4-two-tert-butyl-phenyl-3,5-two-tertiary butyl-4-hydroxy benzoic ether etc.

(c) benzotriazole cpd

(2 '-hydroxyphenyl) benzotriazole, (2 '-hydroxyl-5 '-aminomethyl phenyl) benzotriazole, (2 '-hydroxyl-the 3 '-tert-butyl group-5 '-aminomethyl phenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole etc.

(d) alpha-cyanoacrylate ester compounds

Ethyl-2-cyano group-3,3-diphenylacrylate ester, methyl-2-methoxycarbonyl base-3-(to methoxyl) acrylate etc.

(e) quenching compound (metal complex)

Nickel (2,2 '-thiobis (uncle's 4-octyl group) phenol ester)-n-butylamine, nickel dibutyl dithiocaarbamate salt, cobalt dicyclohexyl phosphorodithioate etc.

(f) HALS (bulky amine)

Two (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate, two (1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate, 1-[2-{3-(3, the 5-di-tert-butyl-hydroxy phenyl) propionyloxy } ethyl]-4-{3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionyloxy }-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl pyridine, 8-benzyl-7,7,9,9-tetramethyl-3-octyl group-1,3,8-thriazaspiro [4,5] 11 carbon-2,4-diketone, 4-benzoyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidine etc.

Will explain the example of preparation photoreceptor then, but this pre-Preparation Method is not limited to this.

Form internal coating

Following composition is mixed, obtain internal coating with preparation.

6 parts of alkyd resin solutions (BEKKOZOL 1307-60-EL is made by Dainippon Ink andChemicals Inc)

4 parts of melamine resins (SUPER BEKKAMINE G-821-60 is made by Dainippon Ink andChemicals Inc)

40 parts of titanium oxides (CR-EL is made by Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd)

200 parts of methyl ethyl ketones.

This internal coating coating liquid is coated on the aluminium drum that diameter is 30mm, and dry then.So it is the internal coating of 3.5 μ m that preparation has obtained thickness.

Form CGL

Following composition is mixed, obtain the CGL coating liquid with preparation.

2 parts of titanium dioxide phthalocyanine colors

0.2 part of polyvinyl butyral resin (XYHL is made by Union Carbide Corp.)

50 parts of tetrahydrofurans.

This CGL coating liquid is coated on this internal coating, and dry then, obtain the CGL that thickness is 0.2 μ m with preparation.

Form the CTL that does not comprise inorganic filler

Following composition is mixed, obtain a CTL coating liquid with preparation.

12 parts of the polycarbonate of Z type (the viscosity average molecular weight is 50000, is made by Teijin ChemicalsLtd)

10 parts of CTM with following molecular formula (A)

100 parts of tetrahydrofurans

1 part of the silicon oil solution of 1% tetrahydrofuran (silicone oil: KF50-100CS, by Shin-Etsu ChemicalCo., Ltd. makes).

The one CTL coating liquid is coated on the CGL, and dry then, do not comprised that with preparation inorganic filler and thickness are the CTL of 28 μ m.

Form FR-CTL

The mixed lacquer machine that use comprises zirconia particles mixes following composition and disperseed two hours, obtains comprising the FR-CTL coating liquid of inorganic filler with preparation.

4 parts of the polycarbonate of Z type (the viscosity average molecular weight is 50000, is made by Teijin Chemicals Ltd)

3 parts of CTM with molecular formula (A)

0.7 part of Alpha-alumina (SUMICORUNDUM AA-03, by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd makes)

280 parts of cyclohexanone

80 parts of tetrahydrofurans.

By spraying process this FR-CTL coating liquid is coated on the CTL, and dry then, obtain the FR-CTL that thickness is 1.5 μ m with preparation.

So just make this photoreceptor.

This photoreceptor can have as outermost protective seam.Its concrete example comprises by forming the protective seam that amorphous si-layer prepares on the surface of photoreceptor, and comprise filling material, such as aluminium oxide and tin oxide and be formed on protective seam on the charge transport layer.

Replacedly, also can use protective seam with cross-linked structure.Can obtain this cross-linked structure by using the activated monomer that has a plurality of crosslinked functional groups in molecule, this molecule produces crosslinked by it is used the light and heat bundle.Crosslinked protective seam have higher abrasion resistance.

Consider electrical stability, permanance and the life-span of resulting protective seam (being resulting photoreceptor), preferably use the activated monomer that in a part or the whole of part, has the charge transport function.By using this monomer, resulting protective seam has desirably combined charge delivery capability and permanance.

It is as follows to be adapted at the activated monomer that uses in this protective seam:

(1) has the substituent compound of hydrolysis in the molecule with charge transport composition and silicon atom;

(2) has the compound of charge transport composition and hydroxyl in the molecule;

(3) has the compound of charge transport composition and carboxyl in the molecule;

(4) has the compound of charge transport composition and epoxy radicals in the molecule;

(5) has the compound of charge transport composition and isocyanate group in the molecule.

Can be used alone or in combination these potpourris.

More preferably, preferably use has the activated monomer of triaromatic amine structure as the monomer with charge transport function, because resulting multipolymer has good electrical stability and chemical stability and higher carrier movability.In addition, known single function or bi-functional monomer or oligomer can use with this activated monomer, regulating the viscosity of this coating liquid, the lax pressure that is applied on this crosslinked CTL, and make resulting layer have lower surface energy and low-friction coefficient.

When carrying out cross-linking reaction, preferably use the heat polymerization initiating agent, under relatively low temperature, to carry out cross-linking reaction efficiently by heating.

When carrying out cross-linking reaction, preferably use light polymerization initiator by light.The material that is suitable as light polymerization initiator comprises that absorbing wavelength is no more than the ultraviolet light generation radiation of 400nm or the material of ion.This light polymerization initiator can use with above-mentioned heat polymerization initiating agent.

This crosslinked protective seam has good abrasion resistance, but has the crack usually, because if layer is thin, the volume of this layer in cross-linking reaction reduces.In order to prevent this problem, can form multi-protective layer, it has lower floor that comprises the low-molecular weight polymer that wherein is dispersed with filling material and the upper strata with cross-linked structure.

An example of this protective seam is as follows.

Following composition is mixed, with the preparation layer coating liquid that be protected.

182 parts of methyltrimethoxy silane

40 parts of dihydroxymethyl triphenylamines

225 parts of 2-propyl alcohol

106 parts of 2% acetate

1 part in triacetyl pyruvic acid aluminium.

This coating liquid is formed on the CTL, and dry then.Under 110 ℃ resulting layer being carried out heat cross-linking then handled 1 hour.So preparation obtains the crosslinked protective seam that thickness is 3 μ m.

Another example of this protective seam is as follows.

30 parts of hole transporting materials with following molecular formula

30 parts of acrylic monomerss with following molecular formula

1-hydroxyl-cyclohexyl-0.6 part of phenyl-ketone (light polymerization initiator)

50 parts of monochloro-benzenes

50 parts of methylene chloride.

By spraying process this coating liquid is coated on the CTL.Coated this being placed on intensity then is 500mW/cm ²Following 30 seconds of the light that metal halide lamp sent, crosslinked to carry out.So just preparation obtains the crosslinked protective seam that thickness is 5 μ m.

Will explain the 5th embodiment of this clearer then.

As mentioned above, the reason that produces relatively poor cleaning problems is the stick-slip (being little vibration) that is used to remove the point of blade of toner-particle.

No matter the generation of stick-slip whether and the friction force (Fbp) that is produced between photoreceptor 4 and the cleaning blade 3 and the restoring force (Fbr) of flexible cleaning blade 3 close.

Particularly, (when being Fbp＞Fbr), the tip portion of cleaning blade moves (being that blade is stuck) as shown in Figure 22 along the surface of photoreceptor 4 on direction A greater than Fbr as Fbp.On the contrary, when Fbp＜Fbr, the tip portion of this cleaning blade moves (being that blade slides) in the opposite direction.As the inventor's test findings, find that toner-particle passes the pressing between blade and the photoreceptor surface when blade slides.

Find that also the frequency that stick-slip occurs is just lower after the toner of removing from the surface of photoreceptor by kneading/atomization preparation.Therefore, even when using spherical toner, also can realize good clean operation by preventing stick-slip.Particularly, the frequency of stick-slip occurs by reduction, by reducing the displacement of tip in stick-slip of blade, can avoid toner to pass problem in addition, wherein toner-particle passes the pressing between blade and the photoreceptor.Yet, when contacting with the surface of photosensitive drums 4, just can't avoid occurring stick-slip by the blade of making such as the resilient material of urethane rubber.The inventor finds a kind of clearer, even when blade produces stick-slip, also can remove the spherical toner particle from the surface of photoreceptor well.

In order to check this stick-slip, use lens to observe the most advanced and sophisticated edge of the blade that contacts with the surface of photoreceptor 4 carefully with high power amplification.Resulting observed result is as follows.As shown in Figure 39 A, the edge of blade 3 forms deflector 503c owing to the surface with photoreceptor 4 contacts.Be added to load centralization on the blade 3 in this deflector 503c.So blade 3 is owing to formed friction force between the edge of photoreceptor 4 and blade 3 produces tacky state, and on the rotation direction A of photoreceptor 4, move.When the restoring force of blade 3 became greater than friction force, blade 3 produced sliding mode, and moves on the direction opposite with A.So the edge of blade 3 produces stick-slip, promptly seesaws.

About this point, the surperficial formed angle θ 3 of this blade and photoreceptor 4 (promptly actual cleaning angle) also changes.Particularly, when this blade produces tacky state (when this edge is dragged on direction A by this photoreceptor 4), angle θ 3 reduces.When blade 3 produced sliding mode, this angle was more relatively large than the angle under the adhesion state.Therefore, when the amplitude of the stick-slip of blade more hour, (d θ) is more little in the variation of angle θ 3.The inventor thinks that variation (d θ) is more little, and cleaning stability is just good more.Clean stable ∝ (1/d θ)

About this point, clear angle θ 3 of this reality and variation (d θ) are defined as follows.Determine this cleaning angle from the image of describing contact portion.Particularly, as shown in Figure 39 A, this cleaning viewpoint definition is for by at this blade and diameter being the formed angle of tangent line that the tangent line located of contact that the spherical toner particle of 7 μ m contact and the contact that contacts with the spherical toner particle at this photoreceptor are located.More specifically, the diameter that draws in the image of the marginal portion of blade is the circle of 7 μ m, determining contact point, and then at the contact point tangent line that draws.Just record two formed angles of tangent line (promptly cleaning angle) then.

Change (d θ) and be defined as poor between the maximal value (θ 3max) of actual cleaning angle θ 3 and the minimum value (θ 3min), it is as shown in Figure 39 B and 39C.

Change (d θ)=θ 3max-θ 3min

After removing spherical toner, toner has not just rested on the edge of blade and the part of the pressing between the photoreceptor, so friction force is difficult to act on the edge of blade.Therefore, produce serious stick-slip.At least this cleaning blade 3, photoreceptor 4 and toner T jointly influence this stick-slip.

The inventor further carries out several tests, and notice is forwarded on the repulsion elasticity and hardness of blade, can not produce the cleaning blade of stick-slip with research and development.Particularly, the repulsion elasticity increase along with blade produces serious stick-slip.Along with the increase of blade hardness, the deformation of blade reduces, thereby just is difficult to produce stick-slip.

Test 5

Carry out this test, with the relation between the stick-slip of the physical attribute that detects blade and blade.

The inventor carries out this test, and wherein cleaning blade as shown in Figure 4 contacts with the surface of rotating transparent cylinder, and it has identical friction factor with the surface of photosensitive drums, with the contact portion of observation blade and this cylinder carefully.Particularly, observe this blade and have the contact portion of the transparent cylinder of toner-particle on it, assessing the cleaning capacity of this blade, and understand relation between the variation (d θ) of the repulsion elasticity coefficient of this blade and hardness and actual cleaning angle.This test condition is as follows:

(1) deformation quantity (d): 1.0mm

(2) friction factor of rotating cylinder (μ): 0.3 to 0.6 (being with method to record) by Euler

(3) translational speed of drum surface: 100mm/ second

(4) contact angle (β): 20 °

(5) thickness of blade (t1): 2.0mm

(6) length of free end portion (t4): 7.0mm

The result is as shown in table 5.

Table 5

Blade	REC ^＊ (％)	Hardness (°)	θ3	θ3min	θ3max	dθ	Cleaning capacity
Blade	REC ^＊ (％)	Hardness (°)	θ3	θ3min	θ3max	dθ	Cleaning capacity	No.13	8	70	44	38	52	14	△
No.14	47	72	46	23	47	29	×	No.13	8	70	44	38	52	14	△
No.14	47	72	46	23	47	29	×	No.15	11	81	50	47	57	10	○
No.16	50	78	48	23	53	30	×	No.15	11	81	50	47	57	10	○
No.16	50	78	48	23	53	30	×	No.17	63	70	43	35	66	31	×
No.18	17	71	44	33	52	19	△	No.17	63	70	43	35	66	31	×
No.18	17	71	44	33	52	19	△	No.19	18	80	51	42	58	16	○
No.20	23	72	45	38	51	18	△	No.19	18	80	51	42	58	16	○
No.20	23	72	45	38	51	18	△	No.21	24	79	49	44	66	20	○
No.22	30	81	46	45	66	21	○	No.21	24	79	49	44	66	20	○
No.22	30	81	46	45	66	21	○	No.23	35	79	41	39	62	23	×
No.24	45	83	38	32	61	29	×	No.23	35	79	41	39	62	23	×

REC ^*: repel elasticity coefficient

Cleaning capacity is divided into following Three Estate:

Zero: the spherical toner particle is removed from this drum surface fully.

△: residual on the part cylinder have a pomphoid toner-particle, and perhaps residual on the surface of whole cylinder have a small amount of spherical toner particle.

*: residual on the whole surface of photoreceptor have a pomphoid spherical toner particle, perhaps a large amount of particles.

From table 5, can know and see, be numbered 15,19,21 and 22 blade hardness and be approximately 80 ° and repel elasticity coefficient and be no more than 30%, its variation (d θ) is no more than 20 ° (amplitude that is stick-slip is less), so this blade has good cleaning capacity.On the contrary, repel elasticity coefficient and be no more than about 35% blade and have bigger variation (d θ), so this blade has relatively poor cleaning capacity.So, have the low blade that repels elasticity coefficient and have good cleaning capacity.

In addition, can know from table 5 and see that the variation (d θ) of blade is more little usually, blade just has good more spherical toner cleaning capacity.Yet the variation that is numbered 13,18 and 20 blade is no more than 20 °, but this blade has relatively poor cleaning capacity.In order to find its reason, the inventor carries out another test, and the condition of wherein assessing the cleaning capacity of blade numbering 13-24 is: 20 ° contact angle, the deformation quantity (d) of measuring the line pressure of blade is 1.0mm and 0.7mm.The result is as shown in table 6.

Table 6

Blade	REC (％)	Hardness	Line pressure (d=1.0 mm)	Cleaning capacity	Line pressure (d=0.7 mm)	Cleaning capacity
Blade	REC (％)	Hardness	Line pressure (d=1.0 mm)	Cleaning capacity	Line pressure (d=0.7 mm)	Cleaning capacity	No.13	8	70	0.49	△	0.3234	×
No.14	47	72	0.7056	×	0.5292	×	No.13	8	70	0.49	△	0.3234	×
No.14	47	72	0.7056	×	0.5292	×	No.15	11	81	0.7938	○	0.5096	×
No.16	50	78	0.9604	×	0.784	×	No.15	11	81	0.7938	○	0.5096	×
No.16	50	78	0.9604	×	0.784	×	No.17	63	70	0.5194	×	0.3332	×
No.18	17	71	0.6762	△	0.392	×	No.17	63	70	0.5194	×	0.3332	×
No.18	17	71	0.6762	△	0.392	×	No.19	18	80	0.833	○	0.4802	×
No.20	23	72	0.7154	△	0.5488	×	No.19	18	80	0.833	○	0.4802	×
No.20	23	72	0.7154	△	0.5488	×	No.21	24	79	0.7742	○	0.588	×
No.22	30	81	0.8036	○	0.5096	×	No.21	24	79	0.7742	○	0.588	×
No.22	30	81	0.8036	○	0.5096	×	No.23	35	79	0.8134	×	0.5096	×
No.24	45	83	0.784	×	0.4802	×	No.23	35	79	0.8134	×	0.5096	×

By

blade

13 and 15 relatively,

blade

18 and 19,

blade

20 and 21 data, they have similar repulsion elasticity coefficient, but have different cleaning capacities, can obtain following discovery.

The line pressure that blade 13 has is 0.4N/cm (50gf/cm), and the line pressure that blade 15 has is 0.7938N/cm (81gf/cm).The line pressure that blade 18 has is 0.6762N/cm (69gf/cm), and the line pressure that blade 19 has is 0.833N/cm (85gf/cm).The line pressure that blade 20 has is 0.7154N/cm (73gf/cm), and the line pressure that blade 21 has is 0.784N/cm (80gf/cm).So along with the reduction of blade hardness, pressure reduces in detail.

Even when blade has stable pressing, if line pressure is too small, the spherical toner particle also enters this pressing easily.Therefore, need to increase the line pressure of blade, enter pressing to prevent the spherical toner particle.Because the spherical toner particle can enter pressing than the toner-particle of preparing by atomization is easier relatively, so needs higher line pressure is applied in this pressing.

The hardness that blade 16 has is that 78 ° and line pressure are 0.9601N/cm (98gf/cm), and it is enough to prevent that the spherical toner particle from entering pressing.Yet because this blade has 50% height repulsion elasticity coefficient, this blade produces stick-slip, thereby and can not remove the spherical toner particle preferably.The line pressure that blade 23 has is 0.7938N/cm (81gf/cm), and it is enough to prevent that the spherical toner particle from entering pressing.Yet because this blade has 35% height repulsion elasticity coefficient, this blade produces stick-slip, thereby and can not remove the spherical toner particle preferably.

Blade

15 and 19 has good cleaning capacity under the condition of the deformation quantity that is no more than 20% repulsion elasticity coefficient and 1.0mm.Yet when deformation quantity was 0.7mm, blade had relatively poor cleaning capacity.Think that its reason is, because deformation quantity reduces, line pressure is reduced to 0.784N/cm (80gf/cm) or still less, thereby can not prevent entering of spherical toner particle.

Therefore, the conclusion of this test is exactly, and in order to be that 0.3 to 0.6 material surface is removed the spherical toner particle from friction factor, preferably needs following conditions:

The repulsion elasticity coefficient of blade: 8.0 to 30% (under 23 ℃)

Hardness: 70 to 90 °

Line pressure: be no more than 0.784N/cm (80gf/cm).

Will study the shape of cleaning blade then.

Shown in Figure 40 for having the clearer of conventional structure, wherein metal profile 602 is connected with banded cleaning blade 603.When using this cleaning blade, pressure concentrates on the part 603s of blade 603, and it is near the end 602b of metal profile 602.In this case, do not have enough physical strengths as fruit part 603s, the problem of appearance is exactly that part 603s becomes warpage before the end-of-life of blade and other parts.When blade became warpage, high line pressure just can not be applied on blade and the contact point that the surface of want cleaning material contacts, thereby can not avoid toner-particle to pass the problem of the pressing between blade and this material surface.

For example, when being when listed hardness is 70 ° blade 13 in the use table 5 and 6 under 20 ° the condition at deformation quantity (d) for 1.0mm and contact angle β, the line pressure that is applied on the blade is 0.49N/cm (50gf/cm), and it is far smaller than the lower limit (0.784N/cm) of this line pressure.By using the reinforcing member of clearer, can avoid warpage issues.Will explain improved clearer then.

Figure 41 and 42 synoptic diagram are depicted as another embodiment of clearer of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 42, this clearer has convex surface blade 620, and it has thick core 620 γ and thin end 620 α and 620 β.Being somebody's turn to do the back side of thin end 620 β and the rear end of thick core 620 γ is connected with metal profile 602.So this clearer has ruggedized construction, can be disperseed because act on the pressure of the part of close this back up pad leading edge of blade.Therefore, can avoid warpage issues.

Test 6

Blade

13,18 and 20 listed in the table 5 and 6 can not obtain higher line pressure, has the ruggedized construction shown in Figure 42 thereby it is made amendment, with measure the blade 13 revised ', 18 ' and 20 ' line pressure.Revise the hardness of blade and repel elasticity coefficient as follows, it is identical with

blade

13,18 and 20 respectively.

Blade 13 ': 70 ° of hardness, repel elasticity coefficient 8.0%;

Blade 18 ': 71 ° of hardness, repel elasticity coefficient 17%;

Blade 20 ': 72 ° of hardness, repel elasticity coefficient 23%;

Other condition is as follows:

t3：1.6mm

t1：2.0mm

t4：7.0mm

t7：11mm

t5：4.0mm

t6：1.6mm

The result is as shown in table 7.

Table 7

From table 7, can know and see, each reinforced blade 13 ', 18 ' and 20 ' have higher line pressure, it is higher than the lower limit (0.784N/cm) of this line pressure.Therefore, might clean the surface of the material that will clean preferably.

Because these blades listed

blade

15,19,21 and 22 in table 5 and 6 has relatively low hardness, blade can closely contact with the surface of the material that will clean.Therefore, this reinforced blade has the better cleaning ability.

Yet when deformation quantity (d) was 1.0mm, reinforced blade had too high line pressure, and it is higher than upper limit 1.176N/cm.When line pressure was too high, the problem that is occurred was exactly to apply higher driving torque to photoreceptor, and had shortened the life-span of institute's cleaning material.Therefore, the upper limit of line pressure is approximately 1.17N/cm (120gf/cm).In this embodiment, preferably deformation quantity (d) be use under the condition of 0.7mm blade 13 '.

Will explain image forming apparatus of the present invention then with said structure.

Shown in Figure 43 is another embodiment of image forming apparatus of the present invention, and it has used cleaning equipment of the present invention.

Image forming apparatus 900 comprises: be used as image bearing member and the photosensitive drums 4 of rotating on direction A, charger 16, light illuminator 17, the developing apparatus 18 with developer roll 18a, transfer device 905, fixing device 25, discharger 31, lubricant feeder 910, it comprises fluid lubricant 932, brush 931 and spring 933, and the cleaning device 28 with clearer 903 of the present invention.As mentioned above, in photoreceptor 4 ground connection, formed toner image on the photoreceptor 4 is transferred on the reception paper P that presents on the direction B by transfer device 905.

Below explain in detail the charger 16 that in this image forming apparatus, uses.

This charger has used the corona charging method that adopts corona charging.In corona charging method, high voltage applications to set charging wire, with near on the material surface (such as photoreceptor) that will charge, is produced corona charging, thereby this material is charged between this charging wire and material.Yet corona discharge produces the material such as ozone and nitrogen oxide (NOx).This discharging product forms nitric acid or nitrate film on the surface of photoreceptor, this film has a negative impact to the attribute of photoreceptor.Therefore, preferably prevent to produce this discharging product.

Recently, various contact charging methods and short distance mise-a-la-masse method have been developed, to reduce the amount of the discharging product that is produced.In these methods, voltage is applied on the charging unit such as roller, brush and blade, and contacts with the surface of photoreceptor, or be provided with close with it, with surface charging to photoreceptor.The advantage that these charging methods had is can reduce the voltage that is applied, and can reduce the amount of discharging product.In addition, the size of charging device can be reduced, and preferably undersized image forming apparatus can be used for.

Will explain an embodiment of this non-contact charger.

When using spherical toner, its relatively poor cleaning problems of easier appearance under the situation of using conventional atomizing toner.Even when using clearer of the present invention, it is difficult to produce relatively poor cleaning problems, and just in case toner-particle is when passing pressing between blade and the photoreceptor surface, this non-contact charger can not polluted by toner-particle yet, thereby can prevent the bonding problem that forms abnormal image owing to toner-particle and charger.

With reference to Figure 43, AC voltage is applied on the charger 16, its be provided with the surface of photoreceptor 4 near so that this photoreceptor is charged.Reason is as follows, when this charger contacts with photoreceptor, must use resilient material as charger 16, so that the contact attribute of this charger with the photoreceptor surface to be provided.When using this resilient material, the width of the pressing between this charger and the photoreceptor increases, thereby the material in the protective seam of photoreceptor or lip-deep other impurity adhere on this charger easily.Therefore, in order to prevent this problem, preferably use non-contact charger.

The synoptic diagram of Figure 44 is depicted as and is used for the non-contact charger (short distance charger) that uses at image forming apparatus of the present invention.

Charger 707 has charging roller 721, partition 722, spring 715 and electric power source 716.Charging roller 721 has a 721a and is used as the roller segment 721b of live part, and is charged in the surface of photoreceptor 4.Partition 722 connects the non-image formation part 712 that is positioned at photoreceptor 4 two ends, with the little spacing 714 of formation between the surface 711 of the surface of roller segment 721b and photoreceptor 4.Rotate charging roller 721 by the rotation of photoreceptor 4.Formed spacing 714 is from 1 to 100 μ m usually, and from 30 to 65 μ m preferably.In this embodiment, this spacing is set to 50 μ m.

Spring 715 presses a 721a, to keep spacing 714 even.

Power source 716 is connected with charging roller 721.This power source 716 will be applied on this charging roller 721 with the dc voltage of AC voltage stack, producing discharge in spacing 714, thereby to the surface charging of photoreceptor 4.By applying the dc voltage that superposes with AC voltage, even when this spacing changes, also can be so that the electromotive force of the photoreceptor of charging is even.

Charging roller 721 has the metal core and the resistance key-course that is formed on this metal core as conductive supporting.In this embodiment, the diameter of charging roller 721 is 10mm.

The surface of this charging roller 721 is made such as rubber and resin, and preferably is formed from a resin by known materials.When rubber is used on the surface of this charging roller 721, be difficult to keep spacing 714 even, because rubber absorbs water or bending easily.According to the condition of charging roller 721, there be the core and the situation that the surface of photoreceptor contacts of this charging roller, cause the charging of photoreceptor inhomogeneous.When using rubber, this problem is difficult to repair.Therefore hard material can preferably be used in the surface of photoreceptor, such as resin.

In order on charging roller, to form hard formation, preferably can use following material.Particularly, will comprise that thermoplastic resin (such as tygon, polypropylene, polymethylmethacrylate and polystyrene) and the resin bed that is dispersed in the ion-conducting copolymer in this thermoplastic resin form as this resistance key-course.Preferably use crosslinking chemical to carry out crosslinked to the surface of this resin bed.Particularly, can comprise this crosslinked surface of preparation in the treating fluid that contains isocyanate compound by this resin bed is immersed.

Shown in Figure 45 is the image forming apparatus that uses the cleaning blade of this embodiment.This image forming apparatus has handle box 800, and it comprises the cleaning device with back up pad 602 and blade 603 at least, and photosensitive drums 4, and they are combined.In this handle box, also be provided with charger 16 and developing apparatus 18.When the life-span of blade and photoreceptor expired, the user changed this processing unit by using new handle box, just can easily change this device.This handle box has heat insulating construction, to reduce the temperature variation in the handle box.When using urethane rubber as blade, if changes in environmental conditions, the repulsion elasticity coefficient of blade also changes, thereby produces the problem of the clean-up performance variation of cleaning device.When handle box has this heat insulating construction, can prevent this problem.Can be by forming this heat insulating construction on the inwall that heat Insulation film (such as foamed material) is adhered to handle box, but be not limited to this method.

Will explain first example of the 5th embodiment of this clearer then.

As shown in Figure 41, first example of the 5th embodiment has thick core 620 γ as reinforcing member, to prevent the warpage of blade.Yet this reinforcing member is not limited to this.Preferably the tip portion from pressure concentrated part 603s to blade is provided with reinforcing member on the surface of blade.

Figure 46 A and 46B are depicted as other example of the cleaning blade of reinforcing member.

Clearer shown in Figure 46 A has metallic support 602, length is that t8 and thickness are that t7 and thickness are the spring leaf 630 of t1 with reinforcing member 630A and the length that the thickness of metallic support 602 is all t3 mutually.In this example, the free-ended length t9 of spring leaf is 3.0mm, but length t6 is not limited to this.Metallic support 602 is not that the partial blade of t4 contacts with length.

Reinforcing member 630A is made by the material identical and different with this metallic support, and it is adhered on the back side of this spring leaf 630.The material of hardness that preferably uses hardness to be higher than the hardness of spring leaf 630 and be lower than metallic support 602 is as this reinforcing member.

It is t4 and thickness less than the reinforcing member 640A and the length of the thickness of metallic support 602 is that t7 and thickness are the spring leaf 640 of t1 that clearer shown in Figure 46 B has metallic support 602, length.Reinforcing member 640A adheres on the free whole back side partly of this spring leaf 640, but the length of reinforcing member 640A is not limited to this.

By using this simple reinforcing member, can reinforcing member clearer (comprising conventional clearer), thus and prevent warpage issues.This reinforcing member not only can be used for table 5 and 6 listed blades, the lower cleaning capacity deficiency that has of its hardness owing to them, and can be used to have the blade of good cleaning capacity.In addition, this reinforcing member can be used for the blade of high rigidity, because exist this high rigidity blade also can produce the situation of warpage issues.

In addition, have the vane thickness t1 of the clearer of structure shown in Figure 40 by adjusting,, can obtain being no more than the line pressure of line pressure lower limit (0.784N/cm) with the deformation quantity (d) of the marginal portion of adjusting vane.

Will explain another example of the 5th embodiment of this clearer then.

The blade of the 5th embodiment of this clearer uses has the low material that repels elasticity coefficient, to prevent stick-slip.Yet,, also can prevent stick-slip by reducing the friction factor on photoreceptor 4 surfaces.

As shown in Figure 43, this image forming apparatus has lubricant feeder 910, and it uses hairbrush 931 that lubricant 932 is coated on the surface of photoreceptor 4.By on the surface of photoreceptor, applying lubricant, when this technology is used in combination with clearer of the present invention, can prevent stick-slip more safely to reduce its friction factor.When using spherical toner, the amplitude of stick-slip depends on the friction factor on this photoreceptor surface to a great extent.By reducing the friction factor on photoreceptor surface, can reduce the chance that stick-slip occurs significantly.

Replacedly, can in toner or in the outermost layer of this image bearing member (such as photoreceptor), comprise lubricant.

Test 7

Blade

13 and 18 with the reinforcing member shown in Figure 42 will be modified, and the

blade

15 and 19 that does not have reinforcing member is installed on the image forming apparatus shown in Figure 43, simultaneously add or do not add lubricant, with the variation d θ of the actual cleaning angle θ that assesses this blade to the surface of photoreceptor 4.

This test condition is as follows:

The coefficientoffriction of photoreceptor: be no more than 0.2 (when being with method to measure by Euler)

The linear speed of photoreceptor: 100mm/ second

Contact angle (β): 20 °

The result is as shown in table 8.

Table 8

REC ^*: repel elasticity coefficient

From table 8, can know and see, when applying lubricant on the surface at this photoreceptor, can reduce and change d θ.Therefore, can reduce the chance that stick-slip occurs.

The material that is suitable as lubricant comprises the material with layer structure, such as zinc stearate.Because amorphous molecule forms hierarchy in having the material of layer structure, this material has such attribute, and when shearing force was applied to it, these layers were separated from each other, thereby make the surface of this photoreceptor have low-friction coefficient.Other material also can be used as lubricant, such as fatty acid, soap, wax, silicone oil.

The concrete example of fatty acid comprises: undecanoic acid, dodecylic acid, tridecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, octadecanoid acid, Heptadecanoic acide, arachidic acid, octacosanoic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid, capric acid, caproic acid etc.The concrete metal example of fatty acid metal salts comprises zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, aluminium, calcium etc.

The application requires the right of priority respectively at Japanese patent application JP2004-141653, JP2004-142191, JP2004-194300 and the JP2004-151225 of on May 11st, 2004, on May 12nd, 2004, on June 30th, 2004 and application on May 21st, 2004, and comprise its theme, it is hereby incorporated by reference.

Described the present invention now all sidedly, obviously, those skilled in the art do not break away from as described here the spirit and scope of the present invention can make many changes and modification to it.

Claims

1. clearer that is used to clean the surface of rotating material comprises:

Spring leaf, when contacting with the surface of rotating material, its tip that is provided in this spring leaf rotates material against this, to clean the surface of this rotation material, wherein this spring leaf have in the face of the first surface of this rotation material and with the first surface opposed second surface; With

Wherein this spring leaf has elastic reinforcement on its a part of second surface, and wherein this elastic reinforcement only is connected with this part second surface of spring leaf and this tip end surface of this back up pad,

Wherein have only rear section and this back up pad of second surface of this spring leaf bonding, and the part of the forward part of the second surface of this spring leaf and this elastic reinforcement are bonding.

2. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this spring leaf does not contact with the second surface of this back up pad.

3. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this blade satisfies relation of plane down:

t1＜t2，

Wherein t1 represents the thickness of described spring leaf, and t2 represents the gross thickness of described spring leaf and described elastic reinforcement.

4. according to the clearer of claim 3, wherein this clearer further comprises: the reinforcing member that the corner that limits by the tip end surface in the surface of this elastic reinforcement and this back up pad forms, and this clearer satisfies relation of plane down:

t1＜t2≤t3+t1，

Wherein t3 represents the thickness of back up pad.

5. according to the clearer of claim 3, wherein this clearer further comprises: the reinforcing member that the corner that limits by the second surface in the rear surface of this elastic reinforcement and this back up pad forms, and this clearer satisfies relation of plane down:

t3+t1≤t2

Wherein t3 represents the thickness of back up pad.

6. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this clearer further comprises: the reinforcing member that the corner that limits by the second surface in the rear surface of this elastic reinforcement and this back up pad forms, and this clearer satisfies relation of plane down:

θ1≤θ2，

Wherein the first surface of θ 1 expression spring leaf and this surface of rotating material are in the angle of the tangent line formation of contact point, and wherein the tip of this spring leaf contacts with the surface of this rotation material; And the first surface of θ 2 these spring leafs of expression and the formed angle of line of the top of the rear surface that is connected this contact point and this elastic reinforcement.

7. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this spring leaf has the JIS A hardness from 65 ° to 80 °.

8. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this spring leaf has in the time of 24 ℃ ± 3 ℃ and is no more than 30% repulsion elasticity coefficient, and repels elasticity coefficient and change be no more than 350% from 10 ℃ to 40 ℃ temperature range.

9. according to the clearer of claim 1, further comprise:

The reinforcing member that the corner that limits by the tip end surface in the surface of this elastic reinforcement and this back up pad forms.

10. according to the clearer of claim 1, further comprise:

The reinforcing member that the corner that limits by the second surface in the rear surface of this elastic reinforcement and this back up pad forms.

11. according to the clearer of claim 9 or 10, wherein the Young modulus that this reinforcing member had is greater than the Young modulus of this spring leaf.

12. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this elastic reinforcement comprises elastic plate.

13. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this elastic reinforcement comprises elastic adhesive.

14. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this elastic reinforcement has same widths on the longitudinal direction of this clearer.

15. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein the width that has of this elastic reinforcement is less than the length of this blade forward part, this forward part does not contact with this back up pad.

16. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein the JIS A hardness that has of this elastic reinforcement is not less than the hardness of this blade.

17. according to the clearer of claim 1, wherein this elastic reinforcement comprises metal forming.