JP2001305907A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an excellent transfer image having no abnormal image such as an image in a worm-eaten state, image blur or nonuniformity in dot peak area by leveling lubricant after applying the lubricant to the surface of a member to be coated after cleaning in an intermediate transfer type image forming device. SOLUTION: A cleaning blade 15a abuts on the surface of a photoreceptor belt 1 on the upstream side of a lubricant applying position by a brush roller 82, and a lubricant levering blade 85 abuts on the surface of the photoreceptor belt on the downstream side thereof. Thus, the surface of the photoreceptor belt from which residual toner is removed by the cleaning blade and which becomes a clean state is coated with the lubricant, and then the surface of the lubricant is leveled so that the layer of the lubricant whose thickness is uniform is obtained. Thus, the abnormal image such as an image in the worm- eaten state, an image blur and a nonuniformity in dot peak area is prevented, and also the coating function of the brush roller is maintained over a long team.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer.
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus of an intermediate transfer type in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer member, and the toner image on the intermediate transfer member is secondarily transferred to a transfer material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus of this type, a plurality of toner images sequentially formed on an image bearing member are sequentially superimposed on an intermediate transfer body that moves endlessly and primary-transferred, and a primary transfer is performed on the intermediate transfer body. 2. Description of the Related Art An intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus that collectively transfers a primary transfer image (toner image) to a transfer material in a batch manner is known. In recent years, image forming apparatuses using this intermediate transfer method have been
It is advantageous in that it can be reduced in size and in that there are few restrictions on the type of transfer material onto which a visualized image is finally transferred. Therefore, it is particularly likely to be used as a color image forming apparatus.

In such an image forming apparatus, a lubricant is applied to the surface of an image carrier or an intermediate transfer member to prevent transfer failure during primary transfer and secondary transfer of each color toner image. A technique for reducing the adhesive force with the adhesive is already known.

[0004] The applicant first rotates the application brush while keeping it in contact with a solid lubricant (hereinafter referred to as a solid lubricant), and transfers the lubricant onto the application brush to form an image carrier or an intermediate member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-332324 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 1-332324 have proposed a method of applying a liquid to a surface of a member to be coated such as a transfer body.
0-254295). As a result, the coefficient of static friction μs of the surface of the member to be applied to the toner is reduced, so that the toner image can be satisfactorily transferred to the transfer material.

[0005]

However, even when a lubricant is applied, the transfer of the toner image is not performed well, and a so-called "bug bite" in the image portion or a so-called "image blur" occurs. It has been found that there are various abnormal images, such as insufficient toner adhesion on the blurred image portion and a blurred image called so-called "buzziness".

Here, since the toner remains on the surface of the member to be coated even after the toner image is transferred, it is necessary to clean the residual toner. Then, two steps of applying the lubricant after the transfer and cleaning the residual toner are performed.
The following two patterns can be considered as the positional relationship on the member to be coated in one process. In other words, there are two patterns, that is, the relationship between the post-cleaning application in which the lubricant is applied first and the cleaning is performed later, and the relationship in the post-cleaning application in which the cleaning is performed first and the lubricant is applied later. Since the mechanism of abnormal image generation differs depending on each pattern, the description will be made below for each pattern.

First, the mechanism of occurrence of an abnormal image in a post-application cleaning pattern will be described. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of a lubricant application section having the above-described post-application cleaning configuration. As shown in this figure, an application brush 80 as an application member is provided on the surface of the belt 1 to be applied, which is an image carrier or an intermediate transfer member, so as to abut on the surface thereof. The cleaning blade 15a is in contact. Thus, after the lubricant is applied to the surface of the belt 1 to be applied by the applying brush 80, the surface is cleaned by the cleaning blade 15a. In the case of such post-application cleaning, a lubricant is applied to the surface of the member to be applied in a state where the toner remains without being removed. Here, the portion corresponding to the character portion of the image originally carried on the surface of the member to be coated has a large amount of residual toner on the surface of the member to be coated even after transfer to the transfer material, and the portion other than the character portion is substantially Has no residual toner. When the amount of residual toner adhered is large, a large amount of lubricant is scraped off together with the toner by the application brush and the cleaning blade at the cleaning position, so that the lubricant on the surface of the member to be coated after passing through the cleaning position is removed. Unevenness occurs in the application amount. In particular, when the same image is continuously output, such a bias is remarkable because a portion of the surface of the member to be coated which has a large amount of residual toner is always the same. In addition, since the residual toner adheres to an application member such as an application brush, the application brush becomes dirty,
It becomes difficult to continue to apply the lubricant uniformly over a long period of time. If a uniform lubricant layer cannot be formed on the surface of the member to be coated, the static friction coefficient μs on the surface may be biased or may not be low enough to transfer the toner, resulting in transfer unevenness. The result is an abnormal image such as eating, blurring of the image, or blurring.

Next, the mechanism of the occurrence of an abnormal image in the pattern of application after cleaning will be described. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of a lubricant application portion having a configuration of the post-cleaning application. As shown in this figure, a coating brush 80 as a coating member is provided in contact with the surface of the belt 1 to be coated, which is an image carrier or an intermediate transfer member, and is provided on the upstream side in the surface movement direction of the belt 1 to be coated. The cleaning blade 15a is in contact. Thus, after the surface of the belt 1 to be coated is cleaned by the cleaning blade 15a, the lubricant is applied by the application brush 80. If such post-cleaning application is performed, the lubricant after application is not scraped off by the application brush and the cleaning blade, so that the above-described trouble in the post-application cleaning configuration can be prevented. However, if the surface of the member to which the lubricant is applied enters the transfer position as it is and the transfer is performed, an abnormal image may be generated even though the static friction coefficient μs of the surface is within an appropriate range. Do you get it. This is because the lubricant particles are not so fine as to form a uniform layer just after being applied, so that the layer thickness becomes uneven on the surface of the member to be coated, which affects the transferability of the toner. understood. If a uniform lubricant layer cannot be formed on the surface of the member to be coated, the static friction coefficient μs on the surface will not be uniform, or will not be low enough to transfer the toner, and transfer unevenness will occur. This results in an abnormal image such as blurred image and blurred image.

Here, the applicant of the present invention has disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-29
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5451 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-260614 propose a device capable of uniformly applying a lubricant to a member to be coated. Of these, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-260614 discloses a technique in which the density of the bristle of an application brush for applying a lubricant is increased to enable uniform application of the lubricant to the image carrier. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-295451 discloses that the amount of the lubricant carried on the lubricant carrying member is made uniform on the lubricant carrying member, and then applied to the carried member, thereby making the lubricant uniform. The coating is made possible. However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-260614, since the surface of the supported member is cleaned after the application of the lubricant, the adhesion of the residual toner to the application brush cannot be completely prevented. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-2
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 95451 discloses a method for uniformly applying a lubricant for the purpose of improving the cleaning performance of a supported member to which the lubricant has been applied. However, it is not described that the above problem can be prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus which is free from abnormal images such as worms, blurred images, and blurred images. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining a stable transfer image.

[0011]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, comprising: an image carrier for carrying a toner image on an endlessly movable surface; and an image carrier having an endlessly movable surface. An intermediate transfer member that carries the toner image by primary transfer of the toner image on the image carrier at a position facing the carrier, and the toner image carried on the intermediate transfer member is used as a transfer material. In an image forming apparatus that performs secondary transfer, a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant to a toner image non-bearing area before carrying a toner image on at least one surface of the image carrier and the intermediate transfer body. A cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the member to be coated before the lubricant is applied, and a lubricant leveling means for uniformly leveling the lubricant applied by the lubricant application means on the surface to be coated. It is characterized by having .

In the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, at least one of the surfaces of the image carrier and the intermediate transfer member includes:
After removing residual toner and the like remaining on the surface by a cleaning unit in a toner image non-supporting region before the toner image is supported, a lubricant is applied by a lubricant applying unit. As a result, the lubricant is applied to the surface of the member to be coated on which no foreign matters such as residual toner adhere. Thereafter, the surface of the applied lubricant is evenly leveled by a lubricant leveling means. Accordingly, even when the lubricant is applied after the cleaning of the residual toner, a uniform layer of the applied lubricant can be formed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the lubricant applying means is a brush-like means for abutting against the surface of the member to be coated and applying a lubricant to the surface of the member to be coated. It is characterized by using a member.

In the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, an inexpensive application brush is used to apply the lubricant. In the present invention, since the lubricant can be applied by bringing the brush-like member into contact with the surface of the member to which the foreign matter such as residual toner does not adhere, foreign matter such as residual toner adheres to the brush-like member. Therefore, it is possible to apply the lubricant satisfactorily over a long period of time.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the first or second aspect, a lubricant leveling blade is used as the lubricant leveling means.

In the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the lubricant applied to the surface of the member to be coated is evenly leveled by a blade before the toner image is carried on the surface of the member, thereby ensuring a uniform layer of the lubricant. So that it can be formed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the third aspect, the lubricant leveling blade is made of an elastic material.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the lubricant applied to the surface of the member to be coated is leveled by an elastic lubricant leveling blade. Even if it makes contact, the impact on the surface of the member to be coated is absorbed by the lubricant leveling blade. Also, when the lubricant leveling blade is originally placed in contact with the surface of the member to be coated, when the surface of the member to be coated is impacted by the relative movement between the surface of the member to be coated and the blade for leveling the lubricant, The leveling blade absorbs.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect.
In the image forming apparatus of 2, 3, or 4, the static friction coefficient of the surface of the image carrier is α, the static friction coefficient of the surface of the intermediate transfer body is β, and the static friction coefficient of the surface of the transfer material is γ,
The relationship among α, β, and γ is such that α ≦ β ≦ γ.

Here, the larger the static friction coefficient μs of the surface, the larger the adhesion of the toner. When a toner image is transferred from a surface having a small toner adhesion to a surface having a large toner adhesion, transferability is not impaired. Conversely, when a toner image is transferred from a surface having a large toner adhesive force to a surface having a small toner adhesion force, the toner is not transferred and remains at a transfer source or the toner is reversely transferred, so that a transfer failure is likely to occur. Become.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration, the toner image is sequentially transferred from the surface of the image carrier to the surface of the intermediate transfer member and from the surface of the intermediate transfer member to the surface of the transfer material. The friction coefficient μs is set to be equal to or less than the surface static friction coefficient μs of the transfer destination. As a result, transfer failure of the toner image due to transfer of the toner image from the side having the larger static friction coefficient μs to the side having the smaller static friction coefficient is prevented. In this image forming apparatus, a lubricant is applied to at least one of the surface of the image carrier and the intermediate transfer body so that the static friction coefficient of the surface is in the above relationship, and the applied lubricant is uniformly applied. Since it can be formed in a layered form, the transferability can be reliably improved.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a color copying machine as an image forming apparatus will be described below. First, a schematic configuration and operation of the color copying machine according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the entire color copying machine according to the present embodiment. In FIG.
A belt-shaped photoreceptor (hereinafter, referred to as a “photoreceptor belt”) 1 as an image carrier is bridged between the rotating rollers 2 and 3, and driven by the rotating rollers 2 and 3 in a direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. Clockwise). Around the photoreceptor belt 1, a charging device 4 as a charging unit for uniformly charging the surface of the photoreceptor, a neutralization lamp, a laser writing unit 5 as an exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image, a photoreceptor belt A cleaning unit 15 containing yellow, magenta, cyan, and black developers (hereinafter, referred to as toner);
Revolver developing device 6 integrally including two developing units
And so on. The revolver 6 is mounted on the circumference 9
There is a mechanism for selecting the developing unit by rotation of 0 degrees.

The laser writing unit 5 includes a semiconductor laser (not shown), a polygon mirror rotated by a drive motor, an f-θ lens, and a mirror housed in a unit case. ing.

The upper rotating roller 3 of the photosensitive belt 1
An intermediate transfer belt 10 as an intermediate transfer member is provided at a portion where the intermediate transfer belt is wound. The intermediate transfer belt 10 has belt rotation rollers 11 and 12
And is rotated in the direction of arrow B (counterclockwise) in the figure by the driving of the belt rotation roller 11. A bias roller 13 having conductivity is provided on the back surface of the intermediate transfer belt at a contact portion with the photosensitive belt 1. A cleaning unit 16 for an intermediate transfer belt and an intermediate transfer belt 10
A transfer roller 14 as a secondary transfer unit is provided so as to come into contact with and separate from the transfer roller 14.

Photosensitive belt cleaning unit 15
Are a cleaning blade 15a for cleaning the residual toner on the photoreceptor belt 1;
b and 15c. The intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 16 includes a cleaning blade 16a for cleaning the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10, an auger 16b for conveying toner, and the like. The cleaning blade 16a for the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a position separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 during image formation, and abuts on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 as shown in FIG. Is done.

The waste toner scraped off from the intermediate transfer belt 10 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 16.
An auger 16b provided in the inside thereof conveys the toner in the front of the drawing, and is further conveyed to a waste toner collecting container 15c by a conveying unit (not shown). As a result, the waste toner scraped off from the photoreceptor belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt 10 by the cleaning blades 15a and 16a, respectively, is collected in the collection container 15c.
When a predetermined amount or more of waste toner is stored in the collection container 15c, the collection container 15c is appropriately replaced.

The photosensitive belt 1 is coated with a lubricant by a coating means provided in the cleaning unit 15. Similarly, a lubricant is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 10 by a lubricant applying means provided in the cleaning unit 16. The photoreceptor belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt 10 are members to be coated in the present embodiment, and a lubricant applying unit will be described later in detail because it is a characteristic part of the present embodiment.

The photosensitive belt 1, the charging device 4,
Intermediate transfer belt 10, cleaning unit 15, 1
6 and the like are integrally formed as a process cartridge 31, and the waste toner collecting container 15c is removably incorporated in the process cartridge 31 so that it can be replaced when the end of its life. Further, the revolver developing device 6 can also be replaced when the life expires. The front frame 8 of the main body of the color copier has a structure that can be opened in order to facilitate exchangeability and processing of a jammed sheet. Also, the process cartridge 3
The case exterior portion on the side of the one registration roller pair 20 also has a function as a conveyance guide for transfer paper conveyed from the paper feed table 12 to the transfer section.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the front frame 8 of the color copying machine is opened. Front frame 8
Is supported on the main body frame 9 so as to be openable and closable about a rotation support shaft 9 a passing through the center of rotation of the belt rotation roller 12, and is normally closed with respect to the main body frame 9. When the front frame 8 is opened, the lock mechanism (not shown) of the front frame 8 is released, and the front frame 8 is opened as shown in FIG. The front frame 8 holds a pair of conveyance rollers 19, a pair of registration rollers 20, a transfer roller 14, and the like, which constitute a part of the transfer paper conveyance path. Moving. As a result, the transfer paper transport path is exposed, and the waste toner collecting container 15
It becomes possible to exchange c and to process jammed paper. By replacing the waste toner collecting container 15c in this manner, the life of the process cartridge can be extended. Also, when opening and closing the front frame 8,
Various units relating to image formation are immovable, and problems such as toner scattering and leakage do not occur.

An image forming operation in the above-structured color copying machine will be described. The photosensitive belt 1 is a charging device 4
After being uniformly charged by the laser writing unit 5
Is exposed by scanning the laser beam L modulated based on the image information, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface.
The image information used for exposure is monochromatic image information obtained by decomposing a desired full-color image into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black color information. Laser light L generated by a semiconductor laser (not shown) based on this image information is rotationally scanned by a polygon mirror driven at high speed by a driving motor, passed through an f-θ lens, and adjusted in optical path by a reflection mirror. You.

The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor belt 1 is developed with a predetermined yellow toner, magenta toner, cyan toner, and black toner by the revolver developing device 6, respectively. Are sequentially formed.

Each single-color image (toner image) formed on the photosensitive belt 1 rotating in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 is applied to the bias roller 13 for each of the single colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Due to the predetermined transfer bias, primary transfer is performed by superimposing the intermediate transfer belt 10 sequentially on the intermediate transfer belt 10 rotating in the direction of arrow B in synchronization with the photosensitive belt 1. The images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 are fed from a paper feed table (paper feed cassette) 17 through a paper feed roller 18, a transport roller pair 19, and a registration roller pair 20, and the timing is adjusted. The recording medium conveyed to the transfer section is collectively rotated by the transfer roller 14 and secondarily photographed. After the completion of the secondary transfer, the image is fixed by the fixing device 50 to complete a full-color image. The recording material on which the full-color image has been formed is fed to a discharge roller pair 5
After that, the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge stack section 52 through the sheet stack 1.

At the time of repeat copying, image formation on the photoreceptor belt 1 is performed at a predetermined timing following the image forming process of the first sheet, for example, a black (fourth color) image, for example, the second sheet, for example, yellow (first color). Proceed to an image forming process. In the intermediate transfer belt 10, a second yellow toner image is formed in a region where the surface is cleaned by the cleaning blade 16 a following the batch secondary transfer process of the first four-color superimposed image to the recording medium. The primary transfer is performed. After that,
The operation is similar to that of the first sheet.

The above is the description of the copy mode for obtaining four full colors, but in the case of the three-color copy mode and the two-color copy mode, the same operation as described above is performed for the designated color and the number of times. become. In the case of the single-color copy mode, only the developing unit of that color is set in the developing operation (spring) until the predetermined number of sheets is completed, and the intermediate transfer belt 10 reciprocates while being in contact with the photosensitive belt 1. Drive at a constant speed in the direction
6a also performs a copying operation in a state in which it is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 10.

In the present embodiment, a lubricant is applied to the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 and the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 so that the static friction coefficient μs of both can be maintained at an appropriate value. Here, the means for applying the lubricant to the photoreceptor belt 1 and the means for applying the lubricant to the intermediate transfer belt 10 have the same configuration, and therefore, the means for applying the lubricant to the photoreceptor belt 1 will be described below as an example. . FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of the lubricant application device according to the present embodiment, in which the periphery of a lubricant application device 80 as a lubricant application unit for applying a lubricant to the photoreceptor belt 1 is partially enlarged. . The lubricant applying device 80 includes a cleaning unit 1 for the photosensitive belt 1.
5, a solid lubricant 81 and a solid lubricant 8
And a brush roller 82 as a brush-like member for applying the photosensitive drum 1 to the photosensitive belt 1. Solid lubricant 81
Is obtained by dissolving a lubricating oil additive containing zinc stearate as a main component and then solidifying it by cooling, and is molded into a bar shape. The solid lubricant 81 is held by the lubricant holding member 83, and presses the solid lubricant 81 against the brush roller 82 via the lubricant holding member by a pressure spring attached to the photoreceptor belt cleaning unit housing 15d. .
The brush roller 82 is provided in contact with the photoreceptor belt 1, and by rotating the brush roller 82, the solid lubricant 81 is scraped to the brush roller 82 side, and the brush roller 8 is rotated.
The lubricant adhering to 2 comes into contact with the photoreceptor belt 1 and adheres to the surface of the photoreceptor belt.

As the solid lubricant 81, a dry solid hydrophobic lubricant can be used. In addition to zinc stearate, barium stearate, lead stearate, iron stearate, nickel stearate, Those having a stearic acid group such as cobalt stearate, copper stearate, strontium stearate, calcium stearate, cadmium stearate, and magnesium stearate can be used. In addition, the same fatty acid groups such as zinc oleate, manganese oleate, iron oleate, cobalt oleate, lead oleate, magnesium oleate, copper oleate, and palmitic acid, zinc cobalt palmitate, copper palmitate, and palmitine Magnesium acid, aluminum palmitate, and calcium palmitate may be used. In addition, fatty acids such as lead caprylate, lead caproate, zinc linolenate, cobalt linolenate, calcium linolenate, and cadmium licolinolenate, and metal salts of fatty acids can also be used. further,
Waxes such as candelilla wax, carnauba wax, rice wax, wood wax, oba oil, beeswax, and lanolin can also be used.

Next, the features of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a cleaning blade 15a as cleaning means is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 on the upstream side in the moving direction with respect to the lubricant application position by the brush roller 82, and A lubricant leveling blade 85 as a lubricant leveling means is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 on the downstream side in the moving direction. In the present embodiment, the cleaning blade 15a is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 from the counter direction, and the lubricant leveling blade 85 is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor from the trailing direction. These cleaning blade 15a and lubricant leveling blade 85
Are both made of rubber which is an elastic body.

In the above configuration, the residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 after the primary transfer of the toner image carried on the surface to the intermediate transfer belt 10 is first removed by the cleaning blade 15a. As a result, the brush roller 82 comes into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 in a clean state, and the lubricant is applied. When the applied lubricant passes through the contact position of the lubricant leveling blade 85 on the downstream side in the moving direction of the photoreceptor belt surface, the surface is leveled and evenly spread, and the lubricant having a uniform thickness is formed. Layer.

As described above, after the residual toner is cleaned, a lubricant is applied, and the lubricant is further leveled to form a uniform layer, so that the photosensitive belt 1 is cleaned only after the lubricant is applied. For post-cleaning,
Both of the above-described problems that occur in the case of post-cleaning application in which a lubricant is applied after cleaning can be prevented. That is, the post-cleaning causes a deviation in the amount of lubricant applied, resulting in a deviation in the static friction coefficient of the surface, and a non-uniform lubricant layer cannot be formed on the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 by the post-cleaning coating. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormal images such as insect biting, image blur, blur, and the like, and to maintain the application function of the brush roller 82 for a long period of time. Further, since rubber is used for the lubricant leveling blade, even if the photoreceptor belt 1 is driven in a state in which the lubricant leveling blade is in contact, the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 is not damaged.

As described above, the cleaning is performed on the upstream side in the belt surface moving direction of the lubricant application and the lubricant is leveled on the downstream side. It is also provided for the intermediate transfer belt 10. For this reason, the cleaning unit 16 of the intermediate transfer belt 10 is also provided with a lubricant applicator 90 and a lubricant leveling blade (not shown) in addition to the cleaning blade 16a. As a result, the same effect as that of the photosensitive belt 1 can be obtained for the intermediate transfer belt 10.

Further, in the present embodiment, the relationship between the static friction coefficients α and β of the final photoreceptor belt surface and the intermediate transfer belt surface after applying the lubricant and the static friction coefficient γ of the transfer paper is α The lubricant applied to the photoreceptor belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt is selected so that ≤β≤γ. As a result, the surface static friction coefficient μs of the transfer source is always equal to or smaller than the surface static friction coefficient μs of the transfer destination, and it is possible to prevent the transfer failure of the toner image.

The relationship between the static friction coefficients α, β, and γ of the surfaces of the photoreceptor belt 1, the intermediate transfer belt 10, and the transfer paper after the application of the lubricant is such that α ≦ β ≦ γ. In addition to the method of changing the lubricant to be applied, the amount of the lubricant to be applied may be changed with the same lubricant, or the original material of the photoreceptor belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt 10 may be changed to the coefficient of static friction of the surface. Such as selecting from a viewpoint,
There are various methods.

In the present embodiment, the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 is cleaned using the cleaning blade 15a. However, instead of the cleaning blade, cleaning is performed by applying a bias to a medium resistance to low resistance conductive brush. A brush may be used.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be applied to all devices utilizing the technical idea of the present invention. The photoreceptor and the intermediate transfer member may have any of a belt shape, a drum shape, and a roller shape.

[0045]

According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, a uniform layer of the lubricant can be formed on the surface of the member to be coated. In the intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus, and it is possible to obtain a good transfer image free from abnormal images such as insect bite, image blur, and blurring. .

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the lubricant can be satisfactorily applied over a long period of time by using a brush-like member for applying the lubricant, a good transfer image can be obtained over a long period with an easy configuration. There is an excellent effect that can be obtained.

According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect, since a uniform layer of the lubricant can be formed by the blade, the structure as the lubricant leveling means is easy, and good transfer without abnormal images is achieved. There is an excellent effect that an image can be reliably obtained.

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the surface of the member to be coated can be prevented from being impacted by the contact of the lubricant leveling blade, the surface of the member to be coated can be uniformly dispersed without damaging the surface of the member. There is an excellent effect that a layer can be formed. Further, since the lubricant leveling blade is relatively moved while being in contact with the surface of the member to be applied, the impact on the surface of the member to be coated can be suppressed.
Even in such a case, there is an excellent effect that a uniform layer of the lubricant can be formed without damaging the surface of the member to be coated.

According to the image forming apparatus of the fifth aspect, a uniform layer of the lubricant can be formed, and the static friction coefficient μ of the surface can be increased.
There is an excellent effect that a transfer failure of the toner image due to the transfer of the toner image from the side where s is large to the side where s is small can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire color copying machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a state where a front frame of the color copying machine is opened.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of a lubricant application device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of a lubricant application section having a cleaning after application configuration.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view in the vicinity of a lubricant application section having a configuration of application after cleaning.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 photosensitive belt 2, 3 rotating roller 4 charging device 5 laser writing unit 6 revolver developing device 8 front frame 9 main body frame 10 intermediate transfer belt 11, 12 rotating roller 13 bias roller 14 transfer roller 15 cleaning unit for photosensitive belt Reference Signs List 16 cleaning unit for intermediate transfer belt 17 paper feed cassette 18 paper feed roller 19 transport roller pair 20 registration roller pair 80 lubricant application device (for photoreceptor belt) 81 solid lubricant 82 brush roller (for photoreceptor belt) 85 lubricant Leveling blade 90 Lubricant application device (for intermediate transfer belt) 92 Brush roller (for intermediate transfer belt)

Claims (5)

[Claims] An image bearing member carrying a toner image on an endlessly moving surface, and a toner image on the image bearing member having an endlessly moving surface is primarily transferred at a position facing the image bearing member. And an intermediate transfer member for carrying the toner image, wherein the toner image carried on the intermediate transfer member is secondarily transferred to a transfer material. At least one of the image carrier and the intermediate transfer member A lubricant applying means for applying a lubricant to a toner image non-supporting area of the surface before carrying the toner image, and a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the member to be coated before the lubricant is applied, An image forming apparatus comprising: a lubricant leveling means for evenly leveling the lubricant applied by the lubricant applying means on the surface to be coated. 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lubricant applying means is a brush-like member which abuts on a surface of a member to be coated and applies a lubricant to the surface of said member to be coated. Image forming device. 3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lubricant leveling blade is used as said lubricant leveling means. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said lubricant leveling blade is made of an elastic material. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the static friction coefficient of the surface of the image carrier is α, the static friction coefficient of the surface of the intermediate transfer member is β, and the static friction coefficient of the surface of the transfer material is β. An image forming apparatus, wherein the static friction coefficient is γ, and the relationship among α, β, and γ is α ≦ β ≦ γ.