JP2013007850A - Image carrier cleaning device, control method of image forming apparatus and image carrier cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image carrier cleaning device including a lubricant cleaning member that adjusts the rotation speed thereof to supply appropriate amount of lubricant to an image carrier, and a control method of an image forming apparatus and an image carrier cleaning device.SOLUTION: An image carrier cleaning device according to the present invention includes: a lubricant body 51 formed of columnar lubricant to be supplied on an image carrier 1, and rotatably held in the cleaning device; lubricant supply means 52 that rotates while contacting the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 1 and the lubricant body 51 to supply lubricant from the lubricant body 51 to the image carrier 1; lubricant cleaning means 54 that rotates while contacting the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant body 51 to remove impurities on the lubricant body 51; and adjustment means that controls the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means 54 and the lubricant body 51 to adjust the amount of lubricant supplied to the image carrier 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image carrier cleaning apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a method for controlling an image carrier cleaning apparatus.

  In an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method, a lubricant is used to reduce friction between the image carrier and a cleaning blade for cleaning the surface of the image carrier and to clean the surface of the image carrier. Is done. By using a lubricant, from the surface of the image carrier that has undergone processes such as charging, developing, and transferring, impurities including ions or ozone generated in the charging process, and residual toner and toner used in the developing and transferring processes Residues such as external additives contained in can be effectively removed. The lubricant is obtained by scratching a lubricant bar which is a lump of lubricant with an application brush, and can be supplied onto the image carrier from the application brush. The supplied lubricant needs to be uniformly applied on the image carrier in order to prevent deterioration in printing quality due to uneven application of the lubricant. Further, the amount of lubricant (application amount) supplied on the image carrier needs to be adjusted so that the friction coefficient on the image carrier is within a predetermined value range.

  In relation to uneven application of the lubricant, in order to avoid uneven application of the lubricant, there is a technique of scraping the surface of the lump of the lubricant so as to eliminate unevenness (for example, Patent Document 1). According to this technique, the surface of the lubricant is scraped, so that the unevenness of the lubricant surface is leveled and the amount of the lubricant scraped off by the application brush becomes uniform. Accordingly, the amount of lubricant supplied is constant, and uneven application of the lubricant is prevented.

  In addition, there is a technique of applying a bias voltage to the application brush in order to adjust the application amount of the lubricant supplied onto the image carrier in relation to the application amount of the lubricant (for example, Patent Document 2). According to this technology, by applying a bias voltage to the application brush, the amount of lubricant supplied to the image carrier is increased, the frictional force between the image carrier and the cleaning blade is increased, and the cleaning performance by the cleaning blade is increased. To improve.

  Even in the inventions described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the surface of the image carrier is cleaned by the cleaning blade, but the cleaning blade cannot sufficiently remove the residue. Particularly in an image carrier that has been worn by frictional force between the image carrier and the cleaning blade, external additives composed of fine particles on the surface of the image carrier pass through the cleaning blade, and residues on the image carrier are removed. hard. Residues left on the surface of the image carrier removed by the cleaning blade are picked up by the application brush when the application brush supplies the lubricant onto the image carrier. The picked up residue adheres to the lubricant bar when the application brush scrapes the lubricant from the lubricant bar. The residue on the lubricant bar remains on the lubricant bar or is picked up again by the application brush and attached to the image carrier. As a result, the lubricant is not uniformly applied on the image carrier due to the residue, and uneven application of the lubricant occurs. The uneven application of the lubricant adversely affects charging and development, and reduces the printing quality.

JP 2010-271416 A JP 2010-230931 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made based on the above problems, and an image carrier cleaning device, an image forming apparatus, and an image carrier provided with a lubricant cleaning member capable of preventing uneven application of lubricant due to a residue on the surface of the image carrier A method for controlling a body cleaning device is provided. The present invention also provides an image carrier cleaning device, an image forming apparatus, and an image carrier provided with a lubricant cleaning member capable of supplying an appropriate amount of lubricant to the image carrier by adjusting the rotational speed of the lubricant cleaning member. Provided is a method for controlling a cleaning device.

  The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

  (1) The lubricant to be supplied onto the image carrier is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is rotated in contact with the lubricant body held rotatably and the outer peripheral surfaces of the image carrier and the lubricant body. The lubricant supply means for supplying the lubricant from the lubricant body to the image carrier, the lubricant cleaning means for removing impurities on the lubricant body by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant body, An image carrier cleaning device comprising: a lubricant cleaning unit and an adjusting unit that adjusts an amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier by controlling a peripheral speed of the lubricant body.

  (2) The image carrier cleaning device according to (1), wherein the adjusting unit controls a peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning unit based on a printing rate which is a ratio of a printing area to a recording medium area.

  (3) The image carrier cleaning device according to (1) or (2), wherein the adjusting unit controls a peripheral speed of the lubricant body based on a degree of wear of the lubricant body.

  (4) The image carrier cleaning device according to any one of (1) to (3), further including a variable unit that varies a contact force of the lubricant cleaning unit with respect to the lubricant main body.

  (5) The image carrier cleaning device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the lubricant cleaning unit is an elastic member having an outer peripheral portion formed in a hair shape or a foam shape.

  (6) The image carrier cleaning device according to any one of (1) to (5), further including a scraper that contacts the lubricant cleaning unit and removes impurities on the lubricant cleaning unit.

  (7) An image forming apparatus comprising the image carrier cleaning device according to any one of (1) to (6) above.

  (8) The lubricant supply means, the lubricant body, and the lubricant cleaning means are in a refresh mode in which the image carrier is forcibly rotated, after a trouble occurs in the image forming apparatus, or when the image forming apparatus is turned on. The image forming apparatus according to (7), which is driven to rotate for a predetermined time later.

  (9) A lubricant to be supplied onto the image carrier is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is rotated in contact with the lubricant main body held rotatably and the outer peripheral surfaces of the image carrier and the lubricant main body. The lubricant supply means for supplying the lubricant from the lubricant body to the image carrier, the lubricant cleaning means for removing impurities on the lubricant body by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant body, A method for controlling an image carrier cleaning device comprising: a lubricant cleaning means and an adjustment means for adjusting an amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier by controlling a peripheral speed of the lubricant supply means. A step of setting a peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means by the adjusting means in order to adjust the amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier; The method of the image bearing member cleaning device comprising the steps of setting a peripheral speed of the agent itself.

  (10) The step of setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means is based on the step of calculating the printing rate, which is the ratio of the printing area to the area of the recording medium, by the adjusting means, and based on the calculated printing rate, Setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means so that an appropriate amount of the lubricant is supplied to the image carrier by the adjusting means, and controlling the image carrier cleaning apparatus according to (9) above Method.

  (11) The step of setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant body, the step of calculating the degree of wear of the lubricant body by the adjustment means, and the adjustment means based on the calculated degree of wear of the lubricant body Setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant main body so that an appropriate amount of the lubricant is supplied to the image carrier, and the method for controlling the image carrier cleaning device according to the above (9) or (10) .

  According to the present invention, by providing the lubricant cleaning member for removing the residue on the lubricant bar, the residue on the lubricant bar can be efficiently removed, and uneven application of the lubricant on the image carrier can be prevented. . Further, according to the present invention, by controlling the peripheral speeds of the lubricant cleaning member and the lubricant bar, an appropriate amount of lubricant can be supplied to the image carrier, and high-quality printing is possible.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows schematically the cleaning member which concerns on this embodiment, and its periphery mechanism. It is a figure which shows roughly a mode that the lubricant cleaning member which concerns on this embodiment removes a residue. It is a graph which shows the correlation showing the change of the lubricant application amount to a photoconductor drum with respect to the peripheral speed of a lubricant cleaning member and a lubricant bar. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process for adjusting the lubricant supply amount by setting the peripheral speed of a lubricant cleaning member and a lubricant bar based on a printing rate. It is the graph which showed the correlation with the lubricant application amount and the peripheral speed of a lubricant bar. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which controls the peripheral speed of a lubricant bar based on the wear degree of a lubricant bar.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the following description does not limit the technical scope and terminology described in the claims. In addition, the dimensional ratios and the like in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation, and may differ from the actual ratios and the like.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 is also called a tandem color image forming apparatus, and performs color image formation by four sets of image forming units. The image forming apparatus A prints image data on a recording medium such as printing paper using an electrophotographic image forming process.

  The image forming apparatus A performs color image formation by four sets of image forming units. The four image forming units include an image forming unit 10Y that forms a yellow (Y) image, an image forming unit 10M that forms a magenta (M) image, and an image forming unit that forms a cyan (C) color image. The unit 10C is an image forming unit 10K that forms a black (K) color image.

  The image forming unit 10Y includes a photosensitive drum 1Y, and a charging unit 2Y, an optical writing unit 3Y, a developing device 4Y, and a drum cleaner 5Y arranged around the photosensitive drum 1Y. Similarly, the image forming unit 10M includes a photosensitive drum 1M, and a charging unit 2M, an optical writing unit 3M, a developing device 4M, and a drum cleaner 5M disposed around the photosensitive drum 1M. The image forming unit 10C includes a photosensitive drum 1C, and a charging unit 2C, an optical writing unit 3C, a developing device 4C, and a drum cleaner 5C arranged around the photosensitive drum 1C. The image forming unit 10K includes a photosensitive drum 1K, and a charging unit 2K, an optical writing unit 3K, a developing device 4K, and a drum cleaner 5K disposed around the photosensitive drum 1K. The photosensitive drums 1Y, 1M, 1C and 1K of the image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C and 10K, charging units 2Y, 2M, 2C and 2K, optical writing units 3Y, 3M, 3C and 3K, and drums The cleaners 5Y, 5M, 5C, and 5K are configured to have similar functions. Therefore, in the following description, symbols Y, M, C, or K are not used unless otherwise specified.

  The drum cleaner 5 is located below the photosensitive drum 1, applies a lubricant on the photosensitive drum 1, and removes the residue on the photosensitive drum 1. A drum cleaner 5 serving as an image carrier cleaning device supplies a lubricant bar (lubricant body) 51 formed by forming a lubricant to be supplied to the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 into a cylindrical shape, and supplies the lubricant bar 51 to the photosensitive drum 1. A lubricant application brush (lubricant supply means) 52, a leveling blade 53 for leveling the lubricant on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, a lubricant cleaning member 54 for removing residues adhering to the lubricant bar 51, and on the surface of the cleaning member A scraper 55 for sweeping away the residual material and a cleaning blade 56 for pressing the photosensitive drum 1 to remove the residual material are provided. Details will be described later.

  Note that the photosensitive drum 1, the lubricant bar 51, the application brush 52, or the lubricant cleaning member 54 can be individually driven by a driving unit such as a motor (not shown) connected to each of them according to an instruction from the control unit 90. In particular, since the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 formed into a columnar shape decreases with time, the control unit 90 appropriately adjusts the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 in consideration of the decreased outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51. can do. Details will be described later.

  Next, an electrophotographic process for printing an image on a recording medium by the image forming apparatus A will be described.

  First, a document is placed on a document table having a slit SL, and the placed document is scanned and exposed by an optical system of a scanning exposure device of the image reading device SC, and reflected light from the document is passed through a mirror. It is read and photoelectrically converted by the line image sensor. The image information signal for each color generated by photoelectric conversion is subjected to analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression processing, and the like by an image processing unit (not shown), and then image formation of the corresponding color is performed. Input to the optical writing unit 3 of the unit 10.

  The optical writing unit 3 of the image forming unit 10 writes an image information signal to the photosensitive drum 1 and forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 based on the image information signal. Specifically, the photosensitive drum 1 has a photosensitive layer made of a resin such as polycarbonate including an organic photoconductor (OPC) on a metal substrate. The surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is charged by ions generated by a charging unit 2 composed of a corona discharge electrode such as a scorotron type, and the optical writing unit 3 scans and exposes the photosensitive drum 1 on the basis of an image information signal. To do. The exposed portion of the charged photosensitive drum 1 has a reduced potential, and a charge pattern (electrostatic latent image) corresponding to the image information signal is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. The developing device 4 attaches toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 using electrostatic force, and forms a toner image corresponding to each color.

  The intermediate transfer belt 6 is an endless belt, is wound around a plurality of rollers, and is supported so as to be able to run. The toner images of the respective colors formed on the image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 6 traveling by the primary transfer units 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K, and each color (Y, M, C , K) is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 6 by superimposing a color image (toner image).

  The paper transport unit 20 transports a recording medium S such as printing paper. The recording medium S is accommodated in the paper feed trays 291, 292 and 293, fed by the first paper feed unit 21, and conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 7 A via the loop forming roller pair 22 and the registration roller pair 23. Is done. In the secondary transfer unit 7A, the color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 6 is transferred onto the recording medium S. The recording medium S to which the color image has been transferred is heated and pressurized at the nip portion N of the fixing device 30, whereby the toner image on the recording medium S is melted and fixed. Then, the recording medium S is discharged out of the apparatus by the paper discharge roller 25.

  Further, the image forming apparatus A has a duplex conveying path 24 for printing on both sides of the recording medium S. After the toner image is fixed on one surface of the recording medium S by the fixing device 30, the recording medium S is transported from the fixing device 30 to the lower duplex transport path, switched back, and then transported again to the loop forming roller pair 22. Is done. The above-described units of the image forming apparatus A are connected to the control unit 90 via wiring (not shown) and the like, and are appropriately controlled by the control unit 90. In addition, the image forming apparatus A may include components other than the components described above, or may not include some of the components described above.

  Next, the configuration of the control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 90 of the image forming apparatus A.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 90 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 91, a memory 92, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 93, and a communication I / F (Interface) unit 94. These are connected to be communicable with each other by an internal bus 95 such as PCI Express (registered trademark).

  The CPU 91 executes control of each unit and each unit of the image forming apparatus A and various arithmetic processes (for example, rasterization (Raster Image Processing: RIP) process) according to the program. In addition, the CPU 91 counts and accumulates the number of pixels of the printed image, counts and accumulates the number of printed printing sheets, or the lubricant corresponding to the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54. Processing for calculating the peripheral speed of the bar 51 is executed. Further, the CPU 91 executes processing for counting the cumulative number of revolutions after the consumables such as the lubricant bar 51 are replaced. In addition, the CPU 91 functions as an adjusting unit that adjusts the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 by controlling the peripheral speed of a rotating member such as the lubricant bar 51. Each function of each unit of the image forming apparatus A is exhibited by the CPU 91 executing a corresponding program.

  The memory 92 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing various programs and various data, a RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing programs and data as a work area, and the like.

  The HDD 93 stores various programs including the OS (Operating System) and various data. For example, the HDD 93 stores a program for calculating a ratio (printing rate) of the total number of pixels of an image printed within a predetermined time to the total number of pixels of printing paper, and each of the image forming apparatuses A based on the printing rate. A program for driving the components is stored. The HDD 93 stores a program for calculating the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 corresponding to the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54. Further, the HDD 93 stores information on the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51 corresponding to the cumulative rotation speed of the lubricant bar 51. For example, the degree of wear is a value of the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 corresponding to the cumulative rotational speed.

  The communication I / F unit 94 is an interface for communicating with an external device on the network 100, and is a network interface based on standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, FDDI (Fiber-Distributed Data Interface), USB, IEEE1394. Serial interfaces such as SCSI, parallel interfaces such as SCSI and IEEE1284, wireless communication interfaces such as BLUETOOTH (registered trademark), IEEE802.11, HomeRF, and IrDA can be used.

  The network 100 includes a LAN in which computers and network devices are connected according to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI, and a WAN in which LANs are connected by a dedicated line.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the lubricant cleaning member for cleaning the lubricant bar according to the present embodiment to remove residues will be described in detail.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the cleaning member and its peripheral mechanism according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the drum cleaner 5 as the image carrier cleaning device according to the present embodiment includes a lubricant bar 51, an application brush 52, a leveling blade 53, a lubricant cleaning member 54, a scraper 55, and a cleaning blade 56. Is provided. These components are disposed below the photosensitive drum 1 and above the casing 13.

  The lubricant bar 51 has a cylindrical solid lubricant for removing excess toner attached to the photosensitive drum 1 or reducing friction between the photosensitive drum 1 and the cleaning blade 56. It is molded into Specifically, the lubricant has a function of reducing the force of excess toner adhering to the photoreceptor 1 by being applied onto the photoreceptor drum 1 and improving the cleaning on the photoreceptor drum 1. As a result, the lubricant prevents filming from occurring on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Further, the lubricant is applied onto the photosensitive drum 1 to reduce friction between the photosensitive drum 1 and the cleaning blade 56 and suppress the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 from becoming rough. By increasing the amount of lubricant applied to some extent, the cleanliness of the photosensitive drum 1 can be improved. In the present embodiment, the lubricant bar 51 is driven to rotate about the central axis of the cylinder. The lubricant can be formed from, for example, zinc stearate (ZnSt), calcium stearate (CaSt), or the like. The lubricant bar 51 is rotatably held.

  The application brush 52 supplies a lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1. Brush fibers made of acrylic carbon or the like are planted around the core of the application brush 52 with a desired pile density, pile diameter, and pile length. Or you may wind and paste the sheet | seat which planted the brush fiber around a metal core. The application brush 52 is driven to rotate about the core bar as a rotating shaft while being in contact with the cylindrical lubricant bar 51, thereby scraping off the solid lubricant with the brush and attaching the scraped lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1 ( Supply). At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the application brush 52 is rotationally driven so that the respective outer peripheral surfaces in the nip portion between the lubricant bar 51 and the application brush 52 are relatively moved in the same direction (this rotation direction). Is referred to as forward rotation). Conversely, the application brush 52 may be rotationally driven so that the outer peripheral surfaces of the nip portions of the two rotating bodies travel in opposite directions (this rotational direction is referred to as reverse rotation). Further, in order to adjust the supply amount of the lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1, the relative rotational speed of the application brush 52 with the lubricant bar 51 is changed, or the pressing force of the application brush 52 against the lubricant bar 51 is changed. be able to. For example, the lubricant bar 51 and the application brush 52 may be pressed by a pressing spring (not shown) or the like. In addition to such a pressing spring, a mechanism (not shown) for manually increasing the pressing force may be further provided as a variable means.

  The peripheral speed of the application brush 52 is controlled only within a predetermined speed range. That is, the upper limit of the peripheral speed of the application brush 52 is defined for mechanical structural reasons. The lower limit of the peripheral speed of the application brush 52 is defined by the speed for supplying the required amount of lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the amount of lubricant (the amount of lubricant supplied) supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 by the application brush 52 is not adjusted, but the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 is controlled. Control lubricant supply. By doing so, the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 can be adjusted so that the friction coefficient (μ) on the photosensitive drum 1 is 0.2 to 0.4. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The leveling blade 53 uniformly applies the lubricant onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Specifically, the leveling blade 53 is pressed against and fixedly supported by the photosensitive drum 1 that is rotationally driven, and is applied onto the photosensitive drum 1 by the application brush 52 while the photosensitive drum 1 is rotationally driven. The adhered lubricant is uniformly applied on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. By uniformly applying the lubricant onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, uneven coating can be prevented, and accuracy in subsequent charging and developing processes can be maintained. The leveling blade 53 is made of urethane rubber or the like, and has an elastic force, a contact angle with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, or a free length from a support member (not shown) that supports the leveling blade 53. Is appropriately set.

  The lubricant cleaning member 54 contacts the lubricant bar 51 and picks up the residue on the lubricant bar 51. Brush fibers are planted around the core of the lubricant cleaning member 54 at a desired pile density, pile diameter and pile length. Or the sheet | seat which planted the brush fiber is wound around a metal core, and is stuck. The brush fibers are made of, for example, acrylic carbon, polyester, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), nylon, or the like. Alternatively, urethane foam can be used instead of brush fibers. Any hairy or foamed elastic body may be used on the outer periphery of the lubricant cleaning member 54. Further, the lubricant cleaning member 54 may be swung in the axial direction with respect to the lubricant bar 51 in order to improve its cleaning performance. Further, the contact force of the lubricant cleaning member 54 with respect to the lubricant bar 51 can be adjusted by using, for example, a spring member (not shown) or the like, with reference to the nip width between the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51, the amount of biting, and the like. .

  The lubricant cleaning member 54 picks up the residue on the lubricant bar 51 and simultaneously picks up the powdery lubricant on the lubricant bar 51. That is, a part of the lubricant scraped from the lubricant bar 51 (for example, 80% of the scraped lubricant) is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 by the application brush 52 as described above. On the other hand, the remaining lubricant is scraped off into a powder form, remains on the surface of the lubricant bar 51, and is picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54. Since the lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 is swept down together with the residue by a scraper 55 described later, the amount of the lubricant is reduced by the amount picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54. On the other hand, the lubricant that has not been picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 remains on the lubricant bar 51 as it is, and is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 together with the lubricant newly scraped off by the application brush 52. Accordingly, the amount of lubricant varies depending on the amount of lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54. Thus, the amount of lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 affects the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1. Here, the amount of lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 depends on the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The scraper 55 removes the residue picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 from the lubricant cleaning member 54. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the scraper 55 abuts against the lubricant cleaning member 54 with a predetermined abutting force, and sweeps the residue downward from the abutted end. The scraper 55 is made of, for example, SUS (stainless steel), PET, PAI (polyamideimide (registered trademark)), and is formed into a sheet shape, a plate shape, or the like. The scraper 55 is fixedly supported to the lubricant cleaning member 54 by a support member (not shown). The contact force of the scraper 55 with respect to the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set so as to bite 1 mm, for example, when the outer peripheral portion of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is made of a brush. The elastic force of the scraper 55, the contact angle with the lubricant cleaning member 54, the free length from the support member, and the like can be set as appropriate.

  The cleaning blade 56 removes impurities on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Specifically, the cleaning blade 56 removes impurities such as excess toner that has not been transferred on the photosensitive drum 1 and ion products generated by charging. The cleaning blade 56 is made of urethane rubber or the like, and is fixedly supported at an acute angle with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 as shown in FIG. The elastic force of the cleaning blade 56, the contact angle that contacts the photosensitive drum 1, the pressing force, the length, and the like can be set as appropriate.

  Next, the function of the lubricant cleaning member 54 to remove the residue on the lubricant bar 51 and the effect of the change in the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 at that time will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  4 schematically shows a cross-section of the drum cleaner 5 as the lubricant cleaning member 54 driven to rotate at different peripheral speeds removes residue on the lubricant bar 51, and FIG. 4 is a graph showing a correlation representing a change in the amount of lubricant applied to the photosensitive drum 1 with respect to the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51. In FIG. 4, for convenience of explanation, only a part of the configuration around the lubricant cleaning member 54 is illustrated, and other configurations are omitted. Further, only a part of the photosensitive drum 1 is indicated by a dotted line.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the plurality of residues G on the photosensitive drum 1 are transferred onto the lubricant bar 51 via the application brush 52. The lubricant cleaning member 54 according to this embodiment removes the residue G from the lubricant bar 51 so that the residue G transferred onto the lubricant bar 51 returns to the application brush 52 and is not transferred onto the photosensitive drum 1 again. pick up. The lubricant cleaning member 54 is driven to rotate relative to the lubricant bar 51 to pick up the residue G from the lubricant bar 51.

  Also, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the lubricant scraped off from the lubricant bar 51 does not necessarily supply all of the scraped lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1, but a part thereof. (For example, 80% of the scraped lubricant) is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 as a plurality of lubricants K, while the others are attached as a plurality of lubricants K ′ onto the lubricant bar 51.

  Residue G and lubricant K ′ remaining on the lubricant bar 51 are picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54. The residue G and the lubricant K ′ picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 are swept down by the scraper 55 at the contact T.

  At this time, if the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is slower than the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51, the lubricant K ′ picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 is picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 as shown in FIG. The total amount will be limited. Specifically, even if the lubricant K ′ is on the lubricant bar 51, the lubricant cleaning member 54 cannot pick up all the lubricant K ′ because the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is slow. The contact portion P that is a part of the surface layer portion of the lubricant cleaning member 54 that contacts the nip portion with the lubricant bar 51 passes through the scraper 55 and is picked up by the contact portion P even if the surface is clean. The amount of is fixed. In other words, there is a limit to the amount of lubricant that can be picked up per unit area. Accordingly, if the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is slow and the contact portion P passes through the nip portion for a long time, the lubricant K ′ may accumulate in the nip portion and may not be partially picked up. That is, when the peripheral speed is low, the amount of the lubricant K ′ that the lubricant cleaning member 54 can pick up per unit time is limited, and is smaller than when the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is high. As a result, some lubricant K ′ remains on the lubricant bar 51.

  On the other hand, when the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is higher than the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51, the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is high as shown in the lubricant cleaning member 54 of FIG. The cleaning member 54 can pick up more lubricant K ′. Specifically, the contact portion P of the lubricant cleaning member 54 passes through the scraper 55, and even if the amount of lubricant picked up by the contact portion P whose surface is clean is determined, the periphery of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is Since the speed is high, the part that is always clean comes into contact with the lubricant bar 51 as the contact part P. Therefore, the lubricant does not accumulate and cannot be picked up. That is, when the time for the contact portion P of the lubricant cleaning member 54 to pass through the nip portion is short, more lubricant can be picked up than when the peripheral speed is low. As a result, there is little or no lubricant K 'remaining on the lubricant bar 51.

  Therefore, when the peripheral speed of the cleaning member 54 is low, more lubricant K ′ remains in the lubricant bar 51. Since the remaining lubricant K ′ is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1, the lubricant supply amount increases. On the contrary, when the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is high, more lubricant K ′ is removed from the lubricant bar 51 by the lubricant cleaning member 54. As more lubricant K 'is removed from the lubricant bar 51, the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 is also reduced. As described above, the lubricant supply amount (application amount) to the photosensitive drum 1 varies depending on the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54.

  In addition to the lubricant cleaning member 54, factors relating to the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 include the application brush 52 and the lubricant bar 51. Below, the influence which these components have on the lubricant coating amount will be described in detail.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a correlation representing a change in the amount of lubricant applied to the photosensitive drum 1 with respect to the peripheral speeds of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the application brush 52. Note that the peripheral speed (Vc) of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is a peripheral speed relative to the peripheral speed (Vw) of the lubricant bar 51. The peripheral speed (Vb) of the application brush 52 shown on the horizontal axis in FIG. 5 is controlled between the lower limit (Vb1) and the upper limit (Vb2) when printing is performed. Further, the amount of lubricant applied to the photosensitive drum 1 (the amount of lubricant K) shown on the vertical axis is controlled in a range from K1 to K2. In this range, the friction coefficient of the photosensitive drum 1 is stably maintained. When the lubricant cleaning member 54 is rotationally driven at a standard peripheral speed with respect to the lubricant bar 51 (for example, Vc: Vw = 1: 1), the correlation between the peripheral speed of the application brush 52 and the lubricant application amount is , Indicated by curve L1.

  When the lubricant cleaning member 54 is driven at a low speed (for example, Vc: Vw = 1: 2), the correlation between the peripheral speed of the application brush 52 and the lubricant application amount is shown by a curve L2. As indicated by the curve L2, the amount of lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 is small, so that a larger amount of lubricant remains on the lubricant bar 51, and the amount applied to the photosensitive drum 1 is larger. Become.

  On the other hand, when the lubricant cleaning member 54 is driven at a high speed (for example, Vc: Vw = 3: 2), the correlation between the peripheral speed of the application brush 52 and the lubricant application amount is shown by a curve L3. As indicated by the curve L3, the amount of lubricant picked up by the lubricant cleaning member 54 per unit time increases, so that there is no or less lubricant remaining on the lubricant bar 51, and the amount of application to the photosensitive drum 1 is reduced. Will be less.

  Accordingly, the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is controlled in consideration of the correlation between the peripheral speeds of the lubricant bar 51 and the lubricant cleaning member 54 with respect to the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1. The amount of lubricant supplied to 1 can be optimized.

  Hereinafter, a specific mode for controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 will be described in detail.

(Aspect 1)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for adjusting the lubricant supply amount by determining the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 based on the printing rate and then controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51. Note that the procedure shown in FIG. 6 is stored in the memory 92 or the HDD 93 as a program and executed by the CPU 91.

  As shown in FIG. 6, first, the start of the printing process is detected (step S11). In this step, based on the image information signal based on the document placed in the slit SL shown in FIG. 1 or the image information signal received from the network 100 via the communication I / F unit 94, the image forming unit The start of the printing process by A is detected.

  Subsequently, the printing rate is calculated (step S12). In this step, the printing rate in the printing process detected in step S11 is compared with a predetermined reference value (5%, 20%). Specifically, from the start of the printing process detected in step S11, the number of pixels of an image printed (including image printing) on the recording medium S is counted and integrated. The printing rate is calculated by dividing the accumulated number of pixels by the area of the recording medium S to be printed. The calculation of the printing rate is executed, for example, every 15 seconds after the printing process is started.

  When it is determined that the printing rate is 5% or more and less than 20% (step S12: 5% or more and less than 20%), the peripheral speed (Vc) of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to 500 m / s (step S13). In this step, since it is determined in step S12 that the printing rate is 5% or more and less than 20%, that is, the printing load is a standard level during normal printing, there is not much residue G on the photosensitive drum 1. As estimated, the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is left at the standard peripheral speed.

  Subsequently, the peripheral speed (Vw) of the lubricant bar 51 is set to 500 m / s (step S14). In this step, since the printing load is a standard level, according to the relationship (curve L1) shown in FIG. 5, the supply amount of the lubricant to the photosensitive drum 1 is not changed, and the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is changed. It is set constant with respect to Vc (Vc: Vw = 1: 1).

  When it is determined that the printing rate is 20% or more (step S12: 20% or more), the peripheral speed (Vc) of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to 600 m / s (step S15). In this step, since it is determined in step S12 that the printing rate is 20% or more, that is, the printing load is high, it is estimated that there is a large amount of residue G on the photosensitive drum 1, and therefore the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 Is set to 600 m / s, which is a peripheral speed faster than usual.

  Subsequently, the peripheral speed (Vw) of the lubricant bar 51 is set to 900 m / s (step S16). In this step, since the printing load is high, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is changed to the lubricant cleaning so that the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 is increased according to the relationship (curve L2) shown in FIG. It is set to 1.5 times the member 54 (Vc: Vw = 2: 3).

  When it is determined that the printing rate is less than 5% (step S12: less than 5%), the peripheral speed (Vc) of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to 400 m / s (step S17). In this step, since it is determined in step S12 that the printing rate is less than 5%, that is, the printing load is low, it is estimated that the residual G on the photosensitive drum 1 is small, so the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 Is set to 400 m / s, which is a peripheral speed slower than usual. Since the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is slow, the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51 is simultaneously reduced.

  Subsequently, the peripheral speed (Vw) of the lubricant bar 51 is set to 200 m / s (step S18). In this step, since the printing load is low, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is changed to the lubricant cleaning so that the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 does not increase according to the relationship (curve L3) shown in FIG. It is set to 0.5 times the member 54 (Vc: Vw = 2: 1).

  Note that the peripheral speeds of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 set in steps S13 to S18 can be continued for a period (15 seconds) at which the printing rate is calculated. Thereafter, these cycles are set based on the newly calculated printing rate.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the printing process is completed (step S19). In this step, it is determined whether or not the printing process detected in step S11 has been completed. If it is determined that the printing process has not been completed (step S19: NO), the process returns to step S12.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the printing process has been completed (step S19: YES), the process for controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 is terminated based on the printing rate.

  As described above, according to aspect 1, according to the correlation between the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 shown by the curves L1 to L3 in FIG. The peripheral speed is determined. That is, since the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is adjusted based on the printing rate, it is possible to prevent lubricant application unevenness by removing the residue. Further, since the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is set in accordance with the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 according to the relationship shown in FIG. 5, an appropriate amount of lubricant can be supplied to the photosensitive drum 1. Accordingly, an appropriate amount of lubricant can be supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 while removing the residue on the lubricant bar 51.

(Aspect 2)
Next, in addition to aspect 1, an aspect in which an appropriate amount of lubricant is supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 by controlling the peripheral speed in consideration of the decrease in the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 7 is a graph showing the correlation between the lubricant application amount and the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar based on the degree of wear of the lubricant bar. . Note that the procedure shown in FIG. 8 is stored as a program in the memory 92 or the HDD 93 and executed by the CPU 91.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents the peripheral speed (Vw) of the lubricant bar 51, and the vertical axis represents the amount of lubricant consumed by the application brush 52 scraped from the lubricant bar 51. That is, when it is assumed that the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 is not changed, more lubricant is consumed by increasing the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51. Therefore, as the lubricant wears out and the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 decreases, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 must be increased in order to maintain a constant amount of wear.

  The procedure of the process for controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 based on the consumption amount of the lubricant bar 51 (reduction in outer diameter) is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, first, the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51 is detected (step S21). In this step, for example, the cumulative number of rotations obtained by counting the number of rotations after the lubricant bar 51 starts being used in the image forming apparatus A is detected.

  Subsequently, the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 is estimated (step S22). In this step, the cumulative rotational speed of the lubricant bar 51 detected in step S21 and the amount of decrease in the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 corresponding to the cumulative rotational speed are estimated. The amount of decrease in the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 may be a predetermined value measured in advance corresponding to the rotational speed. For example, if the rotational speed detected in step S21 is 5,000 for the lubricant bar 51 whose rotational speed until it is completely consumed is 10,000, the outer diameter is reduced to half in this step. It is guessed.

  Subsequently, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is determined (step S23). In this step, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is determined using the relationship between the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 and the amount of lubricant consumption shown in FIG. It is determined. Specifically, for example, when it is estimated that the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 estimated in step S22 is 1/2 of the original, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is inversely proportional to the radius of the lubricant bar 51. In this step, the peripheral speed is reset to twice the set peripheral speed in order to maintain a constant lubricant consumption.

  Thereafter, the process for controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 based on the consumption amount of the lubricant bar 51 is terminated.

  Note that the processing shown in steps S21 to S23 may be executed when printing processing is executed, for example, after steps S14, S16, or S18 in FIG.

  As described above, according to aspect 2, in addition to the effect of aspect 1, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 can be appropriately controlled according to the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51 so that the desired amount of lubricant is supplied.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, since the residue is removed by the lubricant cleaning member 54, lubricant application unevenness due to the residue can be prevented. Such a residue is reliably removed by appropriately changing the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 51 according to the printing state. For example, when the printing rate becomes high (20% or more), the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set fast from 500 m / s to 600 m / s in order to remove more residue. Here, even if the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to be high, the lubricant bar 51 of the lubricant bar 51 does not excessively decrease so that the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 does not decrease excessively. The peripheral speed is set slower than the lubricant cleaning member 54. On the other hand, when the printing rate is low (less than 5%), the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to be slow from 500 m / s to 400 m / s in order to reduce the consumption of the lubricant. Here, even if the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is set to be slow, the lubricant bar 51 of the lubricant bar 51 does not excessively increase so that the amount of lubricant supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 does not increase excessively, as shown in FIG. The peripheral speed is set faster with respect to the lubricant cleaning member 54. By such control, even when the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is changed, it is possible to reliably supply the photosensitive drum 1 with an amount of lubricant that provides a stable friction coefficient. As described above, even if the lubricant supply amount is controlled to follow the curve L2 or L3, the supply amount is controlled to follow the curve L2 when the printing rate is a normal level (5% or more and less than 20%). Therefore, the lubricant supply amount is always adjusted to a stable amount.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the peripheral speed of the lubricant bar 51 is controlled to be an appropriate peripheral speed according to the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51. Therefore, even when the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 decreases with time, an appropriate amount of lubricant can be supplied to the photosensitive drum 1 in accordance with the degree of wear.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

  In the above embodiment, the peripheral speeds of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 are set based on the calculated printing rate. However, it is not limited to this. For example, in the refresh mode in which the photosensitive drum 1 is forcibly rotated for correction operation or the like of the image forming apparatus A, a trouble occurs in the image forming apparatus A after a paper jam (jam) is cleared in the image forming apparatus A. The peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 may be controlled at an arbitrary timing, such as at the time of the first printing process later or after the image forming apparatus A is turned on. In this case, for example, the peripheral speed (Vc) of the lubricant cleaning member 54 after a trouble has occurred can be set to 500 m / s, and the Vc after power-on can be set to 400 m / s. By doing so, even when a residue is generated in the lubricant bar 51 due to an unexpected situation, the residue can be reliably removed and an appropriate amount of lubricant can be supplied.

  In the above embodiment, the residue on the lubricant bar 51 is removed by controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the contact force may be increased by using a variable means for manually increasing the contact force of the lubricant cleaning member 54 with respect to the lubricant bar 51. By doing so, the residue can be reliably removed from the lubricant bar 51 even when a large amount of residue is predicted to be generated, such as when the printing rate exceeds 80%. In this case, the degree of wear of the lubricant bar 51 may be calculated by weighting the rotational speed of the lubricant bar 51 or the like.

  In the above embodiment, the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 is controlled based on the printing rate of 5% and 20%. However, it is not limited to this. Any print rate measurement may be used. Further, the period for calculating the printing rate and the time for rotationally driving the lubricant cleaning member 54 and the lubricant bar 51 at the changed peripheral speed are not limited to 15 seconds. Any period may be set.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the amount of reduction | decrease of the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 was estimated from the accumulated rotation speed of the detected lubricant bar 51 by step S21 and 22 of FIG. However, it is not limited to this. For example, a sensor that measures the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 may be attached, and the outer diameter of the lubricant bar 51 may be calculated based on the measured value of the sensor.

  Further, after determining whether or not the printing process is finished in step S16 of FIG. 6, the process shown in FIG. 6 is finished. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the processing shown in FIG. 6 may be terminated at any time when it is determined that the printing processing has been completed by another program or the like that manages the printing processing.

  Further, setting values such as the printing rate and the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning member 54 may be set by an application such as a printer driver installed in a PC (Personal Computer) connected via a network.

A image forming apparatus,
G residue,
K, K 'lubricant,
P contact part,
S recording medium,
SC image reader SL slit,
1Y, 1M, 1C, 1K photosensitive drum,
2Y, 2M, 2C, 2K charging unit,
3Y, 3M, 3C, 3K optical writing unit,
4Y, 4M, 4C, 4K developing device,
5Y, 5M, 5C, 5K drum cleaner,
6 Intermediate transfer belt,
7A Secondary transfer part,
7Y, 7M, 7C, 7K primary transfer part,
10Y, 10M, 10C, 10K image forming unit,
13 casing,
20 Paper transport section,
21 Paper feed unit,
22 Loop forming roller pair,
23 Registration roller pair,
24 Double-sided conveyance path,
25 Paper discharge roller,
291, 292, 293 paper feed trays,
30 fixing device,
51 lubricant bar,
52 Application brush,
53 Leveling blade,
54 Lubricant cleaning member,
55 scraper,
56 Cleaning blade,
80 operation display section,
90 control unit,
91 CPU,
92 memory,
93 HDD,
94 Communication I / F part,
100 network.

Claims (11)

A lubricant body formed into a cylindrical shape for supplying the lubricant to be supplied onto the image carrier, and a lubricant body held rotatably;
Lubricant supply means for supplying the lubricant from the lubricant body to the image carrier by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the image carrier and the lubricant body;
A lubricant cleaning means for removing impurities on the lubricant body by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant body;
Adjusting means for adjusting the amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier by controlling the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means and the lubricant body;
An image carrier cleaning device having:   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting unit controls a peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning unit based on a printing rate that is a ratio of a printing area to an area of the recording medium.   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit controls a peripheral speed of the lubricant body based on a degree of wear of the lubricant body.   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising a variable unit that varies a contact force of the lubricant cleaning unit with respect to the lubricant main body.   The image carrier cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lubricant cleaning means is an elastic member having an outer peripheral portion formed in a hair shape or a foam shape.   The image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising a scraper that contacts the lubricant cleaning unit and removes impurities on the lubricant cleaning unit.   An image forming apparatus comprising the image carrier cleaning device according to claim 1.   The lubricant supply means, the lubricant body, and the lubricant cleaning means are predetermined in a refresh mode in which the image carrier is forcibly rotated, after a trouble has occurred in the image forming apparatus, or after powering on the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image forming apparatus is driven by time rotation. A lubricant body formed into a cylindrical shape for supplying the lubricant to be supplied onto the image carrier, and a lubricant body held rotatably;
Lubricant supply means for supplying the lubricant from the lubricant body to the image carrier by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the image carrier and the lubricant body;
A lubricant cleaning means for removing impurities on the lubricant body by rotating in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the lubricant body;
A method for controlling an image carrier cleaning device, comprising: adjusting means for adjusting an amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier by controlling peripheral speeds of the lubricant cleaning means and the lubricant supply means. Because
In order to adjust the amount of the lubricant supplied to the image carrier,
Setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means by the adjusting means;
Setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant body by the adjusting means;
A control method for an image carrier cleaning device including: The step of setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning means includes
A step of calculating a printing rate which is a ratio of a printing area to an area of the recording medium by the adjusting unit;
The method for controlling the image carrier cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein a peripheral speed of the lubricant cleaning unit is set based on the calculated printing rate. Setting the peripheral speed of the lubricant body,
A step of calculating a degree of wear of the lubricant body by the adjusting means;
The control method of the image carrier cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a peripheral speed of the lubricant body is set based on the calculated degree of wear of the lubricant body.