JP2006079065A - Image carrier cleaning device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress generation of a liquid ring by surely removing developer from the surface of a photoreceptor. <P>SOLUTION: A cleaning roller 272 is formed by a rotational axis 274, a center part absorption member 275 which cylindrically surrounds the rotational axis 274 and an edge part absorption member 276 which is adjacent to both edges of the axis direction of the center part absorption member 275 and cylindrically surrounds the rotational axis 274. The center part absorption member 275 and the edge part absorption member 276 absorb the developer remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 while rotating in an upstream of the rotational direction of the photoreceptor 2 from a cleaning blade 271. The center part absorption member 275 contacts an area in which a toner image of the photoreceptor 2 is formed and the edge part absorption member 276 contacts an area in which both edge parts of the cleaning blade 271 contact, namely, an area in which the liquid ring is easily generated on the photoreceptor 2. An amount of the developer held by the edge part absorption member 276 is less than an amount of the developer which can be held by the center part absorption member 275. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image carrier cleaning device that collects a developer from an image carrier that carries a toner image in an image forming process, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine that includes the image carrier cleaning device.

  In an image forming apparatus that visualizes a toner image using a liquid developer from an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor as an image carrier, a liquid developer in which toner is dispersed in an insulating liquid is used for development. The electrostatic latent image is developed as the used and charged toner moves in the insulating liquid by electrostatic force. In order to improve the development efficiency, it is better to shorten the moving distance of the charged toner. Therefore, a thin layer of a micron unit of the liquid developer is formed on the developer carrier, and the thinned liquid developer is used as the image carrier. It is desirable to develop it in contact with the liquid developer, and in particular, a high-viscosity liquid developer of 100 to 10,000 mPa · s tends to be used. In order to form a high-quality image, it is necessary to remove the developer remaining on the photosensitive member after the toner image is transferred to an intermediate transfer member or the like.

  For removing the developer remaining on the photosensitive member, for example, a cleaning blade 302 that contacts the photosensitive member 301 is used as shown in the perspective view of FIG. The developer remaining on the photosensitive member 301 is blocked by a cleaning blade 302 that contacts along the axial direction of the photosensitive member 301, and forms a liquid pool 303 at the contact portion of the cleaning blade 302. Part of the developer is pushed by the rotating photoreceptor 301 and moved from the liquid reservoir 303 onto the cleaning blade 302 and removed from the photoreceptor 2, while part of the developer is removed from the center of the cleaning blade 302. It moves from the part to the end part. The developer that has moved to the end portion of the cleaning blade 302 flows out of the end portion and adheres around the photosensitive member 301 to form an annular liquid ring 304.

  The liquid ring 304 moves downward due to gravity when the photosensitive member 301 is stopped, forming a liquid sag, causing contamination in the apparatus, or wrapping around between the back surface of the cleaning blade 302 and the photosensitive member 301 by capillary action, It generates fog, dirt in the machine, and color mixing in multicolor machines.

  Patent Document 1 includes a cleaning blade that discharges residual developer to the side of an effective image forming area of a photosensitive drum, and a recovery path that receives the discharged residual developer, and the recovery path is an end surface of the photosensitive drum. Has been proposed. In Patent Document 1, since the collection path is provided, the configuration becomes complicated, and the developer flowing on the side surface of the photoconductor may return to the photoconductor surface.

In Patent Document 2, a plurality of protrusions facing the upstream side in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member are provided in the vicinity of the contact portion of the cleaning blade with the photosensitive member, and the developer contacting the protrusions is trapped to form a convex meniscus. Thus, an image forming apparatus that prevents the developer from moving in the ridge line direction has been proposed. In Patent Document 2, if the photosensitive member rotates at a high speed due to a request for high-speed printing and the amount of developer that needs to be removed per time increases, there is a possibility of flowing out from the end of the cleaning blade.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-030157 JP 2000-352915 A

  The present invention is a simple and small image carrier that can reliably remove a developer from the surface of an image carrier such as a photoconductor to suppress generation of a liquid ring and prevent fogging, in-machine dirt, color mixing in a multicolor machine, and the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device and an image forming apparatus including the image carrier cleaning device.

  An image carrier cleaning device according to the present invention is an image carrier cleaning device that recovers a developer from an image carrier that carries a toner image in an image forming process, and includes a cleaning blade, a cleaning roller, and a squeezing member. The blade comes into contact with the toner image bearing area of the image carrier, blocks and removes the developer on the surface of the moving image carrier, and is upstream of the cleaning blade in the moving direction of the image carrier surface. The cleaning roller located has a central absorption member and two end absorption members, and the central absorption member contacts the region where the toner image is formed on the image carrier and absorbs the developer. Each end absorbing member adjacent to both ends in the axial direction of the part absorbing member has a smaller amount of developer that can be held than the center absorbing member, and the cleaning blade Both end portions in contact with each region of the image bearing member passes through absorbing the developer, stop member squeezes the developer absorbed in central absorbent member and the end-absorbing member.

  The two end absorbing members may have the same amount of developer that can be held. The central absorption member and the two end absorption members may be bonded to one rotation shaft, and the central absorption member and each end absorption member may not be bonded.

  The cleaning roller may have a deformation preventing member that does not penetrate the developer on the outer side in the axial direction of the end absorbing member. Further, the deformation preventing member may be configured such that the diaphragm member is separated from the central absorbing member and the two end absorbing members by the developer. It is good to have a size that does not touch when squeezing out. The cleaning roller may have a shielding member that does not penetrate the developer between the central absorbent member and the end absorbent member, and the shielding member includes a diaphragm member from the central absorbent member and the two end absorbent members. It is desirable to have a size that does not contact when the developer is squeezed out.

  The cleaning roller may include a tightening member that tightens the periphery of the central absorption member and the two end absorption members in a mesh shape. The central absorbing member has a cut on the surface, and the cut may be such that, when rotating, the end in the axial direction contacts the image carrier first, and the central portion in the axial direction contacts the image carrier later. It is preferable to provide an end diaphragm member that contacts the outer surface in the axial direction of the edge absorbing member and squeezes the developer absorbed by the edge absorbing member. The edge diaphragm member further includes a cleaning roller from the image carrier. When leaving, it is good to leave | separate from an edge part absorption member.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the image carrier cleaning device described above.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, by reducing the amount of the developer that can be held by the end absorbing member, the developer absorbed by the end absorbing member is prevented from growing the liquid ring, and the center portion The absorbing member sufficiently absorbs the developer in the region where the toner image is carried and can suppress the occurrence of the liquid ring of the image carrier.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to uniformly absorb the liquid rings generated at both end portions of the image carrier and prevent the occurrence of unevenness. According to the invention of claim 3, it can be easily manufactured by not bonding the central absorption member and the end absorption member to each other at the boundary, and it is possible to prevent the image carrier from being damaged by the adhesive having high hardness.

  According to invention of Claim 4, a developer can be enclosed in a center part absorption member and an edge part absorption member, and the developer absorbed by the center part absorption member and the edge part absorption member is the axis | shaft of an edge part absorption member. It is possible to prevent the liquid ring from exuding from the outside in the direction. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the deformation preventing member can be prevented from coming into contact with the image carrier and greatly deformed, so that the initial function can be continued for a long period of time, and the image carrier can be prevented from being damaged.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the developer absorbed by the central absorbent member having a large amount of developer that can be held from moving to the end absorbent member having a small amount of developer that can be held. According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the shielding member from coming into contact with the image carrier and greatly deforming it, so that the initial function can be continued for a long time, and the image carrier can be prevented from being damaged.

  According to the eighth aspect of the invention, since the deformation of the end portion absorbing member to the outside is suppressed by the tightening member, the occurrence of the liquid ring on the outer side in the axial direction of the end portion absorbing member can be suppressed. According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the developer is collected in the central portion, the developer is prevented from moving to the end absorbing member, and the liquid ring is prevented from being generated from the outside in the axial direction of the end absorbing member. it can.

  According to the invention of claim 10, the end absorbing member can be brought into contact with the image carrier in a state where the amount of the developer held is small, and the developer flows out from the end absorbing member to form the liquid ring on the image carrier. It can be prevented from being generated. According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the end diaphragm member from being fixed to contact with the end absorbing member for a long time, prevent the end absorbing member from being deformed, and stably absorb the developer for a long time. The effect can be obtained.

  According to the invention of claim 12, by reducing the amount of the developer that can be held by the end absorption member, the developer absorbed by the end absorption member is prevented from growing the liquid ring, and the center portion With the absorbing member, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus capable of sufficiently absorbing the developer in the region carrying the toner image and suppressing the occurrence of the liquid ring of the image carrier.

  As shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes a charger 21, an exposure device 22, a developing device 23, a photoconductor sweep device 24, and an intermediate device in order around the photoconductor 2. A transfer member 25, a charge eliminating lamp 26, and a first image carrier cleaning device 27 are arranged. Around the intermediate transfer member 25, an intermediate transfer member sweep device 251, a secondary transfer roller 252, and a second image carrier cleaning member. The apparatus 253 is disposed and includes a sheet feeding unit 3, a fixing device 4, and a sheet discharge unit 5.

  The photosensitive member 2 as an image carrier that forms an image by reversal development is formed of a material such as a-Si or OPC, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow at a constant speed by a driving unit such as a motor during image formation. The charger 21 uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor 2 in the dark with a roller, a charger, or the like. The exposure device 22 forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating an original light image onto the surface of the charged photoreceptor 2 with an LED, a laser scanning optical system, or the like.

  The developing device 23 includes a developer storage tank 231, a stirring / conveying screw 232, a coating roller 233, a foreign matter removing blade 234, an intermediate roller 235, a cleaning blade 236, and a developing roller 237.

  A liquid developer is stored in the developer storage tank 231, and is stirred and transported by the stirring / conveying screw 232. It is preferable to use a high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid developer having a viscosity of 50 to 10,000 mPa · s and a concentration of 5% to 40%, depending on the purpose. A toner having a particle diameter of submicron to about 6 μm is selected according to the purpose. As the carrier liquid, a highly insulating material such as silicone oil, normal paraffin, Isopar M (trademark), vegetable oil, mineral oil or the like is used.

  The application roller 233 is an application member whose surface is engraved with a uniform pattern, and draws the developer from the developer storage tank 231. The foreign matter removing blade 234 is disposed close to the surface of the application roller 233 and removes foreign matter from the pumped developer.

  The intermediate roller 235 functions as an intermediate application member that applies the developer applied from the application roller 233 to the surface of the development roller 237, and removes excess developer on the surface of the application roller 233, thereby removing the application roller 233. It functions as a doctor roller that regulates the amount of developer carried on the surface of the toner. The intermediate roller 235 has an elastic layer made of an elastic material such as urethane rubber on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft, and has a slipping layer on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The material of the elastic layer may be another material as long as it does not swell or dissolve with the carrier liquid and the developer.

  The cleaning blade 236 is formed of a metal blade or a rubber blade, contacts the intermediate roller 235, and removes the developer remaining on the intermediate roller 235 after applying the developer from the intermediate roller 235 to the developing roller 237. A roller type cleaning member may be used instead of the cleaning blade. The developing roller 237 is rotatably disposed in the developer storage tank 231, and the developer applied from the intermediate roller 235 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 to be visualized and visualizes it. To form a toner image.

  The photoconductor sweep device 24 removes excess developer from the surface of the photoconductor 2 after the toner image is formed by the sweep roller 241 in contact with the photoconductor. The sweep roller 241 is applied with a bias that generates an electric field that removes the toner in the non-image area and compresses the toner in the image area onto the photosensitive member 2. A plurality of sweep rollers 241 may be used.

  The intermediate transfer member 25 is applied with a transfer bias, and rotates in conjunction with the photosensitive member 2 while being in contact therewith. The toner image formed on the photosensitive member 2 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer member 25 at a contact portion with the intermediate transfer member 25. The neutralization lamp 26 removes residual potential remaining on the photoreceptor 2 after the primary transfer. The first image carrier cleaning device 27 removes the developer remaining on the photoreceptor 2 after the primary transfer.

  The intermediate transfer member sweeping device 251 removes excess developer from the surface of the intermediate transfer member 25 on which the toner image has been primarily transferred by the sweep roller 254 that is in contact with the intermediate transfer member 25. The sweep roller 254 is given a potential that forms an electric field that does not peel off the toner image on the intermediate transfer member 25. The secondary transfer roller 252 disposed facing the intermediate transfer member 25 conveys the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer member 25 onto the transfer material while transporting the transfer material with the intermediate transfer member 25 interposed therebetween. Secondary transfer. The second image carrier cleaning device 253 removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 25 after the secondary transfer. The secondary transfer may be performed by a corona discharge method, an adhesive transfer method, a thermal transfer method, or the like.

  The sheet feeding unit 3 feeds transfer materials such as copy sheets and OHP sheets loaded on the sheet feeding tray 31 by a sheet feeding roller 32 and temporarily stops them by a registration roller 33 so that the position and timing of the toner image on the intermediate transfer member 25 are stopped. Are fed to the contact portion between the secondary transfer roller 252 and the intermediate transfer member 25. The fixing device 4 heats and pressurizes the transfer material on which the toner image is secondarily transferred, fixes the toner image on the transfer material, and discharges it to the paper discharge unit 5. The fixing device 4 may use a thermal transfer method, solvent fixing, UV fixing, pressure fixing, or the like.

  The first image carrier cleaning device 27 includes a cleaning blade 271, a cleaning roller 272, and a diaphragm member 273. The cleaning blade 271 is in contact with the photosensitive member 2 along the axial direction of the photosensitive member 2, has a width wider than an image formation width, and remains on the photosensitive member 2 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer member 25. Collect the agent.

  As shown in the front view of the vicinity of the cleaning roller in FIG. 2, the cleaning roller 272 is adjacent to the rotating shaft 274, the central absorbing member 275 surrounding the rotating shaft 274 in a cylindrical shape, and both axial ends of the central absorbing member 275. Thus, it is formed of an end absorbing member 276 that surrounds the rotating shaft 274 in a cylindrical shape. The central absorbent member 275 and the end absorbent member 276 formed of an elastic foam are bonded only to the rotation shaft, and are not bonded to each other at the boundary. It can be easily manufactured by not adhering to each other at the boundary, and the photosensitive member 2 can be prevented from being damaged by the adhesive having high hardness.

  The central absorbing member 275 and the end absorbing member 276 are in contact with the photosensitive member 2 with a wider width in the axial direction than the cleaning blade 271 as a whole, upstream of the cleaning blade 271 in the rotation direction of the photosensitive member 2, and the surface moving direction is The developer remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 2 is absorbed while rotating so as to be opposite to the moving direction of the surface of the photoconductor 2. The central absorption member 275 contacts the area where the toner image of the photoconductor 2 is formed, and the end absorption member 276 generates an area where both ends of the cleaning blade 271 contact on the photoconductor 2, that is, a liquid ring is generated. Touching an area that is easy to do.

  The amount of developer held by the end absorbing member 276 is reduced compared to the amount of developer that can be held by the central absorbing member 275. By reducing the amount of developer that can be held by the end absorption member 276, the developer absorbed by the end absorption member 276 is prevented from growing the liquid ring, and the developer that forms the liquid ring is forced. Can be recovered. The end absorbing member 276 is desirably formed so as to hold the same amount of developer, and the liquid ring generated at both ends of the photoreceptor 2 can be uniformly absorbed by the end absorbing member 276. Occurrence can be prevented.

  The central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 are individually manufactured, and are fitted into one rotation shaft 274 in order to form the cleaning roller 272, whereby the amount of developer held only at both ends of one absorption member Can be manufactured more easily and at a lower cost than when different regions are formed.

  The aperture member 273 has a roller shape wider than the entire width of the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276, and contacts the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 so as to crush them. The developer impregnated in 275 and the end absorbing member 276 is squeezed out and removed. Since the developer is squeezed out from the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 and the state in which the holding amount is small is maintained, the occurrence of the liquid ring of the photoreceptor 2 can be prevented. The diaphragm member 273 may have other shapes such as a plate shape in addition to the roller shape.

  The first image carrier cleaning device 27 has the cleaning roller 272 in contact with the photosensitive member 2 when it is necessary to clean the photosensitive member 2 during an image forming process, etc. When there is no need to clean 2, the cleaning roller 272 is moved away from the photoreceptor 2 as shown in FIG. 3.

  The second image carrier cleaning device 253 has the same structure and the same structure as those of the first image carrier cleaning device 27 except that the image carrier from which the developer is removed is not the photosensitive member 2 but the intermediate transfer member 25. To work. The first image carrier cleaning device 27 removes developer from various image carriers that carry toner images developed in the image forming process, such as toner images developed with electrostatic latent images and transferred toner images. Can be removed. If an image carrier is used in the image forming process, the image forming apparatus 1 may be various types of image forming apparatuses such as one that directly transfers a toner image from a photosensitive member to a transfer material without using an intermediate transfer member.

  According to the image forming apparatus 1, generation and growth of the liquid ring in the photosensitive member 2 and the intermediate transfer member 25 which are image carriers can be suppressed, and fogging, in-machine contamination, color mixing in a multicolor machine, and the like can be prevented.

  As shown in the plan view of FIG. 4A and the side view of the cleaning roller of FIG. 4B, the cleaning roller 6 of the photoconductor cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus of the second embodiment is the first embodiment. The cleaning roller 272 according to the embodiment further includes a deformation preventing member 61 outside the end absorbing member 276. The deformation preventing member 61 is formed of an elastic member into which the developer cannot permeate, and is formed in a circular shape. As shown in the side view of the cleaning roller and the diaphragm member in FIG. Has a diameter d2 that is slightly smaller than the diameter d1 when crushed most.

  The end absorbing member 276 that has contacted the photoconductor 2 is prevented from being deformed toward the center by the center absorbing member 275, and is prevented from being deformed outward by the deformation preventing member 61 on the opposite side. By suppressing the outward deformation by the deformation preventing member 61, it is possible to prevent the same place from being continuously deformed when the machine is stopped or the like, and durability is increased. Since the deformation preventing member 61 is not impregnated with the developer, the developer can be contained in the central absorbing member 275 and the end absorbing member 276, and the development absorbed by the central absorbing member 275 and the end absorbing member 276 can be contained. It can suppress that an agent exudes from the axial direction outer side of the edge part absorption member 276, and can prevent generating a liquid ring.

  By making the diameter of the deformation prevention member 61 smaller than the diameter when the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 are most crushed, the deformation prevention member 61 comes into contact with the photosensitive member 2 and greatly deforms. Thus, the initial function can be continued for a long time, and the photosensitive member 2 can be prevented from being damaged. By constituting the deformation preventing member 61 with an elastic member, it is possible to have a bite-in follow-up property due to deformation, and it is possible to reduce the component accuracy and assembly accuracy and to prevent the photoreceptor 2 from being damaged.

  As shown in the plan view of FIG. 6, the cleaning roller 7 of the photoconductor cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus of the third embodiment is the same as the end portion of the cleaning roller 272 of the first embodiment. A shielding member 71 is provided between the absorbing member 276 and the absorbing member 276. The shielding member 71 is formed in a circular shape by an elastic member into which the developer cannot permeate. The diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter when the central absorbing member 275 and the end absorbing member 276 are most crushed by the diaphragm member 273.

  By installing the blocking member 71 between the central absorbent member 275 and the end absorbent member 276, the developer absorbed by the end absorbent member 276 from the central absorbent member 275 having a large amount of developer that can be held. It can be prevented from moving. By making the diameter of the shielding member 71 smaller than the diameter when the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 are crushed, the central absorption member 275 and the end absorption member 276 come into contact with the photoreceptor 2. In this case, the initial function can be continued for a long period of time by preventing a large deformation, and the photoconductor 2 can be prevented from being damaged. By forming the shielding member 71 with an elastic member, it is possible to provide a biting follow-up property due to deformation, and it is possible to reduce component accuracy and assembly accuracy, and to prevent the photoreceptor 2 from being damaged. Furthermore, you may provide the deformation | transformation prevention member 61 of 2nd Embodiment.

  As shown in the plan view of FIG. 7A and the side view of the cleaning roller of FIG. 7B, the cleaning roller 8 of the photoconductor cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus of the fourth embodiment is the first embodiment. The cleaning roller 272 according to the embodiment includes a tightening member 81 that covers the center absorbing member 275 and the end absorbing member 276 so as to tighten. The fastening member 81 has elasticity and has a mesh shape that allows the developer to pass therethrough. Since the deformation of the end absorption member 276 to the outside is suppressed by the tightening member 81, generation of a liquid ring in the photoconductor 2 near both ends of the end absorption member 276 can be prevented. Furthermore, the deformation preventing member 61 of the second embodiment may be provided, and the deformation preventing member 61 further suppresses the deformation of the end absorption member. Moreover, you may provide the shielding member 71 of 3rd Embodiment.

  As shown in the plan view of FIG. 8A and the A1-A2 cross-sectional view of FIG. 8B, the cleaning roller 9 of the photoconductor cleaning device provided in the image forming apparatus of the fifth embodiment is the first embodiment. In the cleaning roller 9 of the form, the central absorbing member 275 has a cut 91 such as a slit or groove on the surface. The notches 91 are provided so as to be inclined from the end toward the center, and are provided so that both ends first come into contact with the photoreceptor 2 when the cleaning roller 9 is rotated, and the center comes into contact with the photoreceptor 2 later. By the cuts 91, the developer is collected at the center, the developer can be prevented from moving to the end absorbing member 276, and the liquid ring can be prevented from being generated from the outside in the axial direction of the end absorbing member 276. The notches 91 are formed in a spiral shape that is symmetrical in the axial direction as shown in the figure, for example. By forming it in a spiral shape, the developer can be guided without interruption when the cleaning roller 9 rotates, and can be guided more continuously by increasing the rotation ratio of the cleaning roller 9 relative to the photoreceptor 2. The notches 91 may intersect in the vicinity of the central portion, or may be interrupted in the middle. Furthermore, durability of the center part absorption member 275 can be improved by providing the mesh member 81 of 4th Embodiment.

  As shown in the side view of FIG. 9A, the first image carrier cleaning device 10 provided in the image forming apparatus of the sixth embodiment absorbs the end diaphragm member 101 and the end blade 102 at the end. It is provided near the member 276 and is fixed to the case of the first image carrier cleaning device 10. The end diaphragm member 101 is a roller having a rotation axis in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis direction of the cleaning roller 272, and contacts the outer peripheral edge of each side surface of the end absorbing member 276 and the flat portion near the outer peripheral edge. The developer absorbed in the end absorbing member 276 is squeezed out. The end blade 102 is squeezed out from the end absorbing member 276 and removes the developer attached to the surface of the end squeezing member 101.

  By squeezing out the developer held on the end absorbing member 276 by the end squeezing member 101, the end absorbing member 276 can be brought into contact with the photoconductor 2 in a state where the held developer is small, and end absorption is performed. It is possible to prevent the developing solution from flowing out from the member 276 and generating a liquid ring on the photosensitive member 2. As shown in FIG. 10A, during the image forming process, the end diaphragm member 101 is in contact with the end absorbing member 276 of the cleaning roller 272 disposed so as to be in contact with the photosensitive member 2. As shown in FIG. 5B, when the image forming process is stopped, the end roller member 272 is fixed to the first image carrier cleaning device 10 by moving the cleaning roller 272 away from the photosensitive member 2. Is separated from the end absorbing member 276 and is prevented from being fixed to contact with the end absorbing member 276 for a long time, the deformation of the end absorbing member 276 can be prevented, and the developer absorbing effect can be stably stabilized for a long time. Can be obtained.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus. It is a front view near the cleaning roller It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning before and behind the movement of a cleaning roller. It is a block diagram of the cleaning roller which has a deformation | transformation prevention member. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of a cleaning roller and an aperture member. It is a block diagram of the cleaning roller which has a shielding member. It is a block diagram of the cleaning roller which has a clamping member. It is a block diagram of the cleaning roller which has a notch. It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of an edge part throttle member and an edge part blade. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of a cleaning roller and an edge part aperture member. It is a block diagram of the conventional cleaning apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; Image forming apparatus, 2; Photoconductor, 3; Paper feeding part, 4; Fixing apparatus, 5;
6; Cleaning roller, 7; Cleaning roller, 8; Cleaning roller,
9; cleaning roller, 10; first image carrier cleaning device, 21; charger,
22; exposure device, 23; developing device, 24; photoreceptor sweep device, 25; intermediate transfer member,
26; static elimination lamp, 27; first image carrier cleaning device, 31; paper feed tray,
32; paper feed roller, 33; registration roller, 61; deformation preventing member, 71; shielding member,
81; tightening member, 91; notch, 101; end throttle member, 102; end blade,
231; developer storage tank, 232; stirring / conveying screw, 233; application roller,
234; foreign matter removing blade, 235; intermediate roller, 236; cleaning blade,
237; Development roller, 241; Sweep roller, 251; Intermediate transfer member sweep device,
252; secondary transfer roller, 253; second image carrier cleaning device,
254; sweep roller, 271; cleaning blade,
272; cleaning roller, 273; diaphragm member, 274; rotating shaft,
275; center absorbing member, 276; end absorbing member.

Claims (12)

An image carrier cleaning apparatus for recovering a developer from an image carrier carrying a toner image in an image forming process,
A cleaning blade, a cleaning roller, and a diaphragm member;
The cleaning blade contacts and removes the developer on the surface of the image bearing member that is in contact with the toner bearing region of the image bearing member,
The cleaning roller located upstream of the cleaning blade with respect to the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier has a central absorption member and two end absorption members, and the central absorption member is the image carrier. A developer that absorbs the developer by contacting a region where the toner image is formed on the upper portion, and that each of the end absorbing members adjacent to both axial ends of the central absorbing member can be held more than the central absorbing member. The developer is absorbed in contact with each region on the image carrier through which both ends of the cleaning blade pass,
The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm member squeezes the developer absorbed by the central absorption member and the end absorption member.   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the two edge absorbing members have the same amount of developer that can be held.   The said center part absorption member and two said edge part absorption members are adhere | attached on one rotating shaft, The said center part absorption member and each said edge part absorption member are not adhere | attached. Image carrier cleaning device.   4. The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning roller has a deformation preventing member that does not penetrate the developer on an axially outer side of the end absorption member. 5.   5. The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the deformation preventing member has a size such that the diaphragm member does not come into contact when the developer is squeezed out of the central absorbing member and the two end absorbing members.   6. The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning roller has a shielding member that does not penetrate the developer between the central absorption member and the end absorption member. 7.   The image bearing member cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein the shielding member has a size such that the diaphragm member does not come into contact when the developer is squeezed out from the central absorption member and the two end absorption members.   8. The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning roller includes a tightening member that tightens the periphery of the central portion absorbing member and the two end portion absorbing members in a mesh shape. 9. The central absorbent member has a cut on the surface,
9. The cut portion according to claim 1, wherein, when rotating, the end in the axial direction comes into contact with the image carrier first, and the central portion in the axial direction comes into contact with the image carrier later. Image carrier cleaning apparatus.   The image carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an end diaphragm member that contacts an axially outer surface of the end absorber and squeezes the developer absorbed by the end absorber. Cleaning device.   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein the end diaphragm member is separated from the end absorption member when the cleaning roller is separated from the image carrier. An image forming apparatus comprising the image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1.

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