JP2002091193A - Cleaner for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device with a cleaner capable of removing paper powder, etc., bitter into the front end of the cleaning blade and capable of preventing cleaning failure. SOLUTION: A groove 23 is formed in the top of a transfer case 21 so as to extend in the direction of the width of a transfer belt 10, and a blade cleaning jig 30 for removing foreign matter is movably attached in the direction of the groove. The blade cleaning jig 30 has a knob member 31 and a cleaning member 32. The knob member 31 has a holding portion 33 and a sealing portion 34. When the image forming device is in operation, the blade cleaner jig 30 is kept withdrawn. When the front end of the cleaning blade 15 is cleaned, the knob member 31 is operated in order to move the cleaning member 32 along the front end of the cleaning blade 15. Thus, sticking paper powder and waste toner are removed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device used for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, etc., which is suitable mainly for cleaning a transfer belt and a photosensitive member. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some of the above-mentioned image forming apparatuses employ a transfer / conveyance apparatus using a transfer belt. In general, a cleaning mechanism using a cleaning blade is used to remove waste toner and paper dust attached to the surface.

In a conventionally used cleaning mechanism, when paper dust or the like is caught between the transfer belt and the tip of the cleaning blade, the cleaning blade is insufficiently adhered to the transfer belt, resulting in poor cleaning. There was a disadvantage that it would.

Therefore, in order to prevent such a cleaning failure, the transfer belt is slightly rotated after a series of image forming operations is completed, so that the paper dust and waste toner caught at the tip of the cleaning blade are dropped, and unnecessary cleaning is performed. Paper dust was prevented from accumulating on the tip of the cleaning blade.

FIG. 5 conceptually shows a transfer / transport apparatus having a general horizontal transport path configuration and an image forming section of an image forming apparatus provided with the transfer / transport apparatus. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a photosensitive drum as an image carrier, around which a charging device 2, an optical writing device 3,
A first developing device 4, a second developing device 5, a registration roller 6,
A transfer / conveyance device 7, a cleaning device 8, and the like are provided.

The transfer / conveyance device 7 is provided on an endless transfer belt 10 disposed opposite to the photosensitive drum 1, a driving roller 11 and a driven roller 12 around which the transfer belt 10 is wound, and a back surface of the transfer belt 10. A bias applying roller 13 for applying a transfer bias and a cleaning device 14 for cleaning the surface of the transfer belt 10 are provided. The cleaning device 14 includes a cleaning blade 15 for scraping paper dust and waste toner during a printing operation;
The transfer device includes a waste toner accommodating space 17 for accommodating the scraped paper dust and the waste toner 16, and drops the paper dust and the waste toner 16 scraped off by the reverse rotation operation of the transfer belt 10 to the waste toner accommodating space 17. 18, so that it can be carried out.

However, in an image forming apparatus employing the configuration of the vertical conveyance paper passage, a waste toner accumulation region formed by the thickness of the cleaning blade is generated at the tip of the cleaning blade for cleaning the surface of the transfer belt. Cheap. Therefore, even if the above-described reversing operation is performed, the paper dust and waste toner at the tip of the cleaning blade do not fall off, and the above-described cleaning failure due to the bite of the paper dust may occur.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a transfer conveyance device having a vertical conveyance path configuration. The same or similar parts as in the example of FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the figure, paper dust and waste toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 15 are deposited on a waste toner accumulation area 20 formed at the tip of the cleaning blade 15 by the thickness of the blade, and overflow from the part to transfer case 21. It falls into the waste toner accommodating section 22 inside. In this case, since the toner accumulation region 20 is formed due to the direction in which gravity acts, even if the transfer belt 10 is rotated in the reverse direction after a series of printing operations is completed, paper dust and waste toner are stored in waste toner. Since the toner cannot fall into the case 17 and remains in the toner accumulation region 20 at the tip of the cleaning blade 3, the cleaning failure easily occurs due to the paper dust bite as described above.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus capable of removing paper dust or the like caught at the tip of the cleaning blade and improving or preventing occurrence of defective cleaning. It is an object to provide a cleaning device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus capable of maintaining good cleaning performance without damaging the tip of the cleaning blade during cleaning.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a cleaning device for an image forming apparatus; And a foreign matter removing means for removing foreign matter such as paper dust and toner adhering to the tip of a cleaning blade which slides and cleans the surface of the member to be cleaned. A cleaning member slidable between the blade and the blade is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the cleaning member is in contact with the member to be cleaned. It moves along the edge while contacting the edge.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus for an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the cleaning member is provided between the cleaning blade and the member to be cleaned. One or more linear members disposed below the leading edge of the cleaning blade, and the linear member is disposed between the cleaning blade and the member to be cleaned by moving the linear member from one side of the leading edge of the cleaning blade to the other side. It is characterized in that it can be pulled up with.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in the cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, at least a surface of the cleaning member is made of foamed polyurethane.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in the cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, at least a surface of the cleaning member is a polyurethane film.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in the cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the linear member is a nylon line.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in the cleaning apparatus for an image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the linear member is a polyester line.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, portions common to the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. Further, in the following description, only the cleaning of the transfer belt is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is suitable for cleaning a photosensitive member or the like.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the cleaning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of FIG. 1 as viewed from above. The apparatus of this embodiment has basically the same configuration as the transfer apparatus having the conventional vertical transfer path configuration shown in FIG. 6, but is provided on the top of the transfer case 21 in the width direction of the transfer belt 10 (see FIG. A groove 23 is provided along the direction perpendicular to the paper surface), and a blade cleaning jig 30 as a foreign matter removing member is movably mounted in the groove 23 in the groove direction. Blade cleaning jig 30
Can move in parallel along the tip of the cleaning blade 15 by moving along the groove 23.

The blade cleaning jig 30 includes a knob member 31.
And the cleaning member 32, and the knob member 31
And a seal portion 34 for closing the groove 23 from below while closing the opening from above and holding the knob member 31 to the transfer case 21. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the seal member 33 closes the groove 23 of the transfer case 21 when the blade cleaning jig 30 is retracted from the area of the transfer belt 10, and waste toner is removed from the outside of the transfer case 21. Prevent from blowing out.

The operation of the blade cleaning jig 30 will be described with reference to FIG. The blade cleaning jig 30 is retracted to the position A in the drawing when the image forming apparatus is in the operating state. When cleaning the tip of the cleaning blade 15 as needed, the knob 31 is operated to
Is moved along the tip of the cleaning blade 15. At the time of cleaning, as indicated by the position B, the cleaning member 3
2 is the edge of the cleaning blade 15 and the transfer belt 1
0, and removes paper dust and waste toner adhering to the cleaning blade 15.

Here, as the surface material of the cleaning member 32, it is preferable to use a polyurethane foam or a polyurethane film. When the foamed polyurethane is used, the foamed polyurethane has an appropriate frictional force and adheres gently to the cleaning blade 15 without damaging the cleaning blade 15. Further, since paper powder and waste toner are taken into the myriad of holes existing in the foamed polyurethane, the cleaning ability can be maintained for a long period of time. On the other hand, even when a polyurethane film is used, it has an appropriate frictional force and adheres supplely to the cleaning blade 15,
There is no damage to the cleaning blade 15. Further, the scraped-off paper powder and waste toner fall into the waste toner storage space 22 without stopping at the cleaning member 32 due to the surface property of the polyurethane.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the cleaning device according to the present invention. The apparatus of this embodiment also has basically the same configuration as the transfer / transport apparatus having the conventional vertical transport path configuration shown in FIG. 6, except that a grease forming a foreign matter removing unit is located below the edge of the cleaning blade 15. Reference numeral 35 is attached with a double-sided tape 36.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an operation of removing paper dust and the like in the apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. A handle 37 is provided at an end of the grease 35, and when removing paper dust or the like, the handle 37 is held in a hand and the grease 35 is pulled out in a direction indicated by an arrow C in the drawing. The tex 35 enters between the cleaning blade 15 and the transfer belt 10 when it is pulled out, and removes paper dust and the like attached to the tip of the cleaning blade 15. By attaching a plurality of tex 35 to the cleaning blade 15, the cleaning operation of the cleaning blade 15 can be performed by the number of the tex 35.

It is preferable to use a nylon line or a polyester line for the teeth 35. Since these tex materials are widely and generally used, they are not only inexpensive, but also have good surface properties and come into contact with a suitable frictional force, so that they can damage the cleaning blade 15. Paper dust and the like can be efficiently removed without giving.

[0025]

The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects is as described above, so that the paper dust or the like caught at the tip of the cleaning blade can be easily removed, and the cleaning failure can be reduced. Improve,
Alternatively, there is an effect that occurrence of defective cleaning can be prevented beforehand.

The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claims 4 to 6 is as described above.
In addition to the above common effects, there is an effect that good cleaning performance can be maintained without damaging the tip of the cleaning blade during cleaning.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a cleaning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of FIG. 1 as viewed from above.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the cleaning device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an operation of removing paper dust and the like in the apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view conceptually showing a transfer conveyance device having a general horizontal conveyance path configuration and an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus provided with the transfer conveyance device.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a transfer conveyance device having a general vertical conveyance path configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 photoconductor drum 2 charging device 3 optical writing device 4 first developing device 5 second developing device 6 registration roller 7 transfer transport device 8 cleaning device 10 transfer belt 11 drive roller 12 driven roller 13 bias applying roller 14 cleaning device 15 cleaning Blade 16 Paper dust and waste toner 17 Waste toner storage space 18 Transport device 20 Waste toner storage area 21 Transfer case 22 Waste toner storage part 23 Groove 30 Blade cleaning jig 31 Knob member 32 Cleaning member 33 Holding part 34 Seal part 35 Tes 36 Both sides Tape 37 Handle A A Evacuation position B Cleaning position C Pull-out direction

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning device for an image forming apparatus, which removes foreign matters such as paper dust and toner adhering to a tip of a cleaning blade that slides and cleans a surface of a member to be cleaned such as a transfer belt and a photoreceptor. A cleaning device for an image forming apparatus, comprising: foreign matter removing means, wherein the foreign matter removing means has a cleaning member slidable between the surface of the member to be cleaned and the cleaning blade. 2. The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member moves along the edge of the cleaning blade in contact with the member to be cleaned. . 3. The cleaning member is one or more linear members disposed below a leading edge of the cleaning blade between the cleaning blade and the member to be cleaned, and the cleaning member is formed of the cleaning blade. 2. The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device can be pulled up from the cleaning blade and the member to be cleaned from one side of the leading edge toward the other side. 4. The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least a surface of said cleaning member is made of foamed polyurethane. 5. The cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least a surface of said cleaning member is a polyurethane film. 6. A cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said linear member is a nylon line. 7. A cleaning device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said linear member is a polyester line.