JP2013235143A - Removal device, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a removal device capable of forming toner accumulations in both end parts of a scraping member in a crossing direction crossing a rotation direction of an image holder, and suppressing a fluctuation of contact pressure of the scraping member with respect to the image holder in the crossing direction.SOLUTION: A removal device comprises: a scraping member which scrapes residual toner on a surface of an image holder by a contact part thereof contacting with the surface of the rotating image holder; a housing to which the scraping member is attached, and accommodates the toner scraped by the scraping member; a blocking member provided in the housing, contacting with a back surface of the scraping member, blocking the toner scraped by the scraping member to the contact part, and forming a toner accumulation contacting with the contact part of the scraping member and the image holder; and a sealing member provided on both end parts of the scraping member in a crossing direction crossing a rotation direction of the image holder, sealing between the image holder and the housing, and pressing the blocking member against the back surface of the scraping body at a position shifted downstream from the contact part in the rotation direction of the image holder.

Description

  The present invention relates to a removing device and an image forming apparatus.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which residual toner scraped by a cleaner blade is blocked by a blocking sheet, and a toner pool is formed at an edge portion of the cleaner blade.

JP 11-161125 A

  According to the present invention, a toner reservoir can be formed at both ends of the scraping member in the intersecting direction intersecting with the rotation direction of the image holding member, and the variation of the contact pressure of the scraping member with respect to the image holding member in the intersecting direction can be suppressed. The task is to do.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a contact portion is brought into contact with the surface of the rotating image holding member, and a scraping member for scraping off toner remaining on the surface of the image holding member, and the scraping member are attached. A housing for storing the toner scraped off by the scraping member; and a housing provided on the casing, contacting the back surface of the scraping member, and scraping the toner scraped off by the scraping member to the contact portion. A blocking member that forms a toner reservoir that is in contact with the contact portion of the scraping member and the image holding member, and both ends of the scraping member that intersect the circumferential direction of the image holding member. Arranged between the image holding body and the housing, and the back of the scraping member at a position shifted from the contact portion to the downstream side in the circumferential direction of the image holding body. And a sealing member that presses the stop member.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the removing device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member has a notch portion on a back side of the contact portion to avoid pressing of the blocking member against the contact portion.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the blocking member has a notch portion that avoids pressing of the blocking member against the contact portion between the back surface of the contact portion and the sealing member. It is a removal device.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus main body, the image holding body, and the removing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 that removes toner remaining on the image holding body. And a drawer body that is pulled out from the apparatus main body in a direction in which the scraping member is separated from the image holding body, and at least a part of the scraping member overlaps with the intersecting direction. And a handle provided in a housing of the removing device and pulled in a drawing direction of the drawer.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, compared to the case where the sealing member in the present configuration is not provided, the toner reservoir can be formed at both ends of the scraping member in the intersecting direction intersecting with the rotation direction of the image holding member, And the dispersion | variation in the said crossing direction of the contact pressure of the scraping member with respect to an image holding body can be suppressed.

  According to the structure of Claim 2 of this invention, compared with the case where it does not have the notch part in this structure, it can suppress that the blocking member becomes a complicated shape.

  According to the structure of Claim 3 of this invention, compared with the case where it does not have the notch part in this structure, it can suppress that a sealing member becomes a complicated shape.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress variation in the intersecting direction of the contact pressure of the scraping member with respect to the image holding member as compared with the case where the handle in the present configuration is not provided.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the transfer unit which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the transfer unit according to the present embodiment. It is a sectional side view which shows the structure of the removal apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is the schematic which looked at the structure of the removal apparatus which concerns on this embodiment from the intermediate transfer belt side. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the braid | blade which concerns on this embodiment, a blocking film, and a sealing member. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the braid | blade which concerns on this embodiment, a blocking film, a suppression film, and a sealing member. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the braid | blade, blocking film, and sealing member which concern on a modification. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the braid | blade which concerns on a modification, a blocking film, a suppression film, and a sealing member.

  Below, an example of an embodiment concerning the present invention is described based on a drawing.

(Configuration of image forming apparatus 10)
First, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. In addition, the following X direction, -X direction, Y direction (upward), -Y direction (downward), Z direction, and -Z direction are the arrow directions shown in the figure. In addition, “x” in “○” in the figure means an arrow from the front to the back of the page, and “•” in “○” in the figure. Means an arrow heading from the back of the page to the front.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming apparatus main body 11 in which each component is provided. Inside the image forming apparatus main body 11, a storage unit 12 that stores a recording medium P such as paper, an image forming unit 14 that forms an image on the recording medium P, and a recording medium from the storage unit 12 to the image forming unit 14. A conveyance unit 16 that conveys P and a control unit 20 that controls the operation of each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 are provided. In addition, a discharge unit 18 for discharging the recording medium P on which an image is formed by the image forming unit 14 is provided on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 11.

  The image forming unit 14 includes image forming units 22Y, 22M, 22C, and 22K (hereinafter referred to as 22Y to 22K) that form toner images of colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). And a transfer unit 70 having an intermediate transfer belt 24 as an example of an image carrier to which toner images formed by the image forming units 22Y to 22K are transferred, and a toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 24 as an intermediate And a second transfer roll 28 for transferring from the transfer belt 24 to the recording medium P. The image forming unit 14 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may be another configuration as long as it forms an image on the recording medium P.

  The image forming units 22Y to 22K are arranged side by side in the image forming apparatus main body 11 while being inclined with respect to the horizontal direction (Z direction). Each of the image forming units 22Y to 22K includes a photoreceptor 32 that rotates in one direction (for example, the clockwise direction in FIG. 1). Since the image forming units 22Y to 22K are configured in the same manner, the reference numerals of the respective parts of the image forming units 22M, 22C, and 22K are omitted in FIG.

  Around each photoconductor 32, a charging roll 23 as a charging device for charging the photoconductor 32 in order from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the photoconductor 32, and a photoconductor 32 charged by the charge roll 23, which will be described later. Is provided with a developing device 38 that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 32 by exposure to form a toner image, and a removing device 59 that removes residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member 32. Yes.

  An exposure device 36 that exposes the photoreceptor 32 charged by the charging roll 23 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 32 is provided obliquely below the image forming units 22Y to 22K. The exposure device 36 is configured to form an electrostatic latent image based on the image signal sent from the control unit 20. Examples of the image signal sent from the control unit 20 include an image signal acquired by the control unit 20 from an external device.

  The developing device 38 includes a developer supply body 38A that supplies the developer to the photoconductor 32, and a plurality of transport members 38B that transport the developer applied to the developer supply body 38A while stirring.

  The transfer unit 70 is provided in the image forming apparatus main body 11 so that it can be pulled out in a direction (arrow C direction) in which a later-described blade 64 is separated from the intermediate transfer belt 24. That is, the transfer unit 70 functions as an example of a drawer that is pulled out from the image forming apparatus main body 11 in the direction of arrow C. Specifically, the transfer unit 70 is pulled out with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 11 in a state where the opening / closing part 150 provided on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 11 is opened.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the transfer unit 70 has a pair of frame members 72 that constitute a skeleton of the transfer unit 70. The pair of frame members 72 have a length along the drawing direction (arrow C direction).

  A removal device 60 that removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 24 after the toner image is transferred to the recording medium P is disposed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the pair of frame members 72 (end on the upper left side in FIG. 2). Is provided. A specific configuration of the removing device 60 will be described later.

  Further, an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the frame member 72 on the −X direction side and an end portion in the X direction of the removing device 60 are respectively held by the operator when the transfer unit 70 is pulled out from the image forming apparatus main body 11. Handles 70A and 70B are provided. As shown in FIG. 5, specifically, the handle 70 </ b> A is provided in the housing 62 of the removing device 60 so that at least a part thereof overlaps in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64 described later. Being pulled in the direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the handle 70 </ b> A is overlapped at least partially in the longitudinal direction with a later-described blocking film 90, a later-described suppression film 92, and the like.

  The intermediate transfer belt 24 is disposed between the pair of frame members 72 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate transfer belt 24 is wound around the inner peripheral side of the intermediate transfer belt 24 and is driven to rotate. The intermediate transfer belt 24 is wound around and tension is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 24. A tension applying roll 45 as a tension applying member to be applied, a counter roll 42 wound around the intermediate transfer belt 24 and opposed to the second transfer roll 28 with the intermediate transfer belt 24 interposed therebetween, and wound around the intermediate transfer belt 24. A winding roll 44 is provided.

  The drive roll 43 is rotatably supported by a pair of frame members 72, and the intermediate transfer belt 24 circulates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 when the drive roll 43 is driven to rotate. The opposing roll 42 and the winding roll 44 are rotatably supported by a pair of frame members 72, and are rotated by following the intermediate transfer belt 24 that circulates.

  Further, the transfer unit 70 has a plurality (four) of first transfer rolls 26 for transferring the toner images formed by the image forming units 22Y to 22K to the intermediate transfer belt 24 on the inner peripheral side of the intermediate transfer belt 24. doing. Each first transfer roll 26 faces the photoconductor 32 with the intermediate transfer belt 24 interposed therebetween. A space between the first transfer roll 26 and the photoconductor 32 is a first transfer position T1 at which the toner image formed on the photoconductor 32 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 24.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the second transfer roll 28 faces the opposing roll 42 with the intermediate transfer belt 24 interposed therebetween. A space between the second transfer roll 28 and the opposing roll 42 is a second transfer position T2 at which the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 24 is transferred to the recording medium P.

  The transport unit 16 is disposed along the transport path 48 and is transported along a transport roll 48 for transporting the recording medium P stored in the storage section 12, a transport path 48 for transporting the recording medium P transported to the transport roll 46. And a plurality of transport rolls 50 for transporting the recording medium P sent out by the roll 46 to the second transfer position T2.

  A fixing device 40 that fixes the toner image formed on the recording medium P by the image forming unit 14 to the recording medium P is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction from the second transfer position T2. A discharge roll 52 that discharges the recording medium P on which the toner image is fixed to the discharge unit 18 is provided downstream of the fixing device 40 in the transport direction.

  Further, the reverse conveyance path 37 for reversing the recording medium P on which the toner image is fixed on one side and sending it back to the second transfer position T2 is opposite to the intermediate transfer belt 24 with respect to the conveyance path 48 (Z direction). Side). When images are formed on both sides of the recording medium P, the recording medium P having a toner image fixed on one side is switched back by the discharge roll 52 and guided to the reverse conveyance path 37 and sent to the second transfer position T2. It is supposed to be returned.

(Image forming operation)
Next, an image forming operation for forming an image on the recording medium P in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  In the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the recording medium P sent out from the storage unit 12 by the sending roll 46 is sent to the second transfer position T2 by the plurality of conveying rolls 50.

  On the other hand, in the image forming units 22 </ b> Y to 22 </ b> K, the photosensitive member 32 charged by the charging roll 23 is exposed by the exposure device 36 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 32. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 38 to form a toner image on the photoreceptor 32. The toner images of the respective colors formed by the image forming units 22Y to 22K are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 24 at the first transfer position T1, thereby forming a color image. Then, the color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 24 is transferred to the recording medium P at the second transfer position T2.

  The recording medium P on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 40, and the transferred toner image is fixed by the fixing device 40. When an image is formed only on one side of the recording medium P, the recording medium P is discharged to the discharge unit 18 by the discharge roll 52 after the toner image is fixed. When forming an image on both sides of the recording medium P, after the image is formed on one side, the recording medium P is switched back by the discharge roll 52, reversed, and sent to the reverse conveyance path 37. Further, the sheet is fed again from the reverse conveyance path 37 to the second transfer position T2, and an image is formed on the opposite surface where no image is recorded in the same manner as described above, and an image is formed on both surfaces of the recording medium P. Is discharged to the discharge unit 18. As described above, a series of image forming operations are performed.

(Removal device 60)
Next, the removing device 60 that removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 24 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the removing device 60 is provided on the outer periphery of the intermediate transfer belt 24 at a position facing the drive roll 43 with the intermediate transfer belt 24 interposed therebetween. As shown in FIG. 4, the removing device 60 contacts an edge (corner portion) 64 </ b> A as a contact portion with the surface of the circulating intermediate transfer belt 24, and scrapes residual toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 24. A blade 64 as an example of a scraping member to be removed and a casing 62 to which the blade 64 is attached are provided.

  The housing 62 has a length along the axial direction of the drive roll 43 (see FIG. 5) and opens at a position facing the intermediate transfer belt 24 (on the intermediate transfer belt 24 side (X direction side)). 62A. A housing space S in which the residual toner removed by the blade 64 is housed is formed inside the housing 62. The housing space S of the housing 62 is provided with a transport member 66 that transports residual toner stored in the storage space S to a toner storage container (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of projecting portions 63 is formed on the side wall on the one end side in the longitudinal direction (−X direction side) of the housing 62. An insertion hole 65 is formed in the side wall on the other end side in the longitudinal direction (X direction side) of the housing 62. The shaft portion 75 formed in the X direction side frame member 72 is inserted into the insertion hole 65 of the housing 62, and the pair of projecting portions 63 is formed in the −X direction side frame member 72. The housing 62 is attached to the pair of frame members 72 by being inserted into 73.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a support member 68 that supports the blade 64 is attached to the lower portion of the housing 62. The support member 68 has a length along the axial direction of the drive roll 43 (see FIG. 5), and is formed in an L shape when the drive roll 43 is viewed in the axial direction (viewed in the X direction). The support member 68 is made of sheet metal, for example.

  A surface on the −Z direction side in the lower part of the blade 64 is fixed to a surface on the Z direction side in the upper part of the support member 68. Thus, the blade 64 is disposed in the opening 62A of the housing 62 so that the leading edge 64A as the contact portion is pressed against the intermediate transfer belt 24.

  The blade 64 has a length along the axial direction of the drive roll 43 and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (plate shape). The blade 64 is made of rubber (for example, urethane rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, etc.) as an example of an elastic body.

  In the removing device 60, the residual toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 24 is removed by the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 24 while the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64 is pressed against the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 24. It comes to scrape. Residual toner scraped off by the blade 64 falls into the accommodation space S inside the housing 62 due to its own weight or the like.

  The upper portion of the casing 62 is blocked by the blocking film 90 as an example of a blocking member that blocks the residual toner scraped off by the blade 64 on the edge 64A of the blade 64, and the blocking film 90. A suppression film 92 that suppresses the residual toner from leaking upward is attached.

  The blocking film 90 and the suppression film 92 have a length along the axial direction of the drive roll 43 (see FIG. 5). The blocking film 90 and the suppression film 92 are made of a flexible resin film such as PET, for example.

  The closing film 90 has a lower end portion (−Y direction end portion) in contact with the back surface (surface on the −Z direction side) of the blade 64 in an unfixed state. The blocking film 90 blocks residual toner on the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64, thereby forming a toner reservoir that contacts the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64 and the intermediate transfer belt 24. Of the residual toner blocked by the blocking film 90, the residual toner on the back side (−Z direction side) is pushed by the residual toner newly scraped off by the blade 64, and the blade 64. And the blocking film 90 and falls into the accommodation space S. That is, the residual toner blocked by the blocking film 90 is gradually replaced with the residual toner newly scraped by the blade 64.

  Due to the toner reservoir formed by blocking the residual toner, the external additive (fine particles) externally added to the toner is interposed between the intermediate transfer belt 24 and the blade 64 and acts as a lubricant. Friction between the intermediate transfer belt 24 and the blade 64 is reduced. Thereby, minute vibrations of the blade 64 due to friction with the intermediate transfer belt 24 are reduced, and abnormal noise and damage to the edge 64A of the blade 64 are suppressed. Further, since the toner reservoir contacts the intermediate transfer belt 24 and rubs against the intermediate transfer belt 24, the deposits (discharge products) attached to the intermediate transfer belt 24 are removed.

  The lower end portion (−Y direction end portion) of the suppression film 92 is in contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 24 in an unfixed state, and residual toner in the toner pool is transferred to the housing 62 and the intermediate transfer. Leaking upward through the belt 24 is suppressed.

  The housing 62 has opposing surfaces 62B that face the intermediate transfer belt 24 on both sides of the opening 62A in the longitudinal direction. A sealing member 80 as an example of a sealing member that seals between the housing 62 and the intermediate transfer belt 24 is attached to the facing surface 62B. The blades 64 are arranged at both ends of the blade 64 in the longitudinal direction (crossing direction intersecting the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt 24).

  The seal member 80 prevents residual toner in the toner pool from leaking to the side (X direction and −X direction) through the space between the housing 62 and the intermediate transfer belt 24. The seal member 80 includes two layers, and includes a base seal 81 as a first layer attached to the opposing surface 62B, and a side seal 82 as a second layer attached to the surface of the base seal 81. Have.

  As shown in FIG. 6, each of the side seals 82 is disposed on the side (X direction, −X direction) of the blade 64. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the blades 64 are arranged at positions that overlap with the blades 64 when viewed laterally (viewed in the X direction). The side seal 82 has a protruding portion 82A that protrudes toward the blade 64 side (X direction side) on the upper side of the blade 64 so as to overlap with the longitudinal end portion of the blade 64 when viewed in the Y direction (see FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 7, the side seal 82 does not overlap with the blade 64 and the blocking film 90 when viewed from the intermediate transfer belt 24 side (as viewed in the −Z direction), and ends in the longitudinal direction of the suppression film 92. It overlaps with the department.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the base seal 81 is disposed between the facing surface 62 </ b> B of the housing 62 and the side seal 82 in the side view (X direction view), and the blade 64 and the blocking film. 90 on the side opposite to the intermediate transfer belt 24 (back side (−Z direction side)).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the base seal 81 is viewed from the intermediate transfer belt 24 side (as viewed in the −Z direction), and the downstream side (downward side (downward side)) of the intermediate transfer belt 24 from the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64. -Y direction side)), and has a projecting portion 81A projecting to the blade 64 side (X direction side) so as to overlap the longitudinal end portion of the blade 64 and the longitudinal end portion of the blocking film 90. . Due to this overhanging portion 81A, the longitudinal end of the blocking film 90 is located on the back surface at a position shifted from the edge 64A of the blade 64 to the downstream side in the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt 24 (downward side (−Y direction side)). The blade 64 is pressed against the longitudinal end portion.

  In other words, the base seal 81 has a notch 81 </ b> B on the back side of the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64 that avoids pressing the blocking film 90 against the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64.

(Operation of this embodiment)
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  According to the configuration of the present embodiment, since the longitudinal end portion of the blocking film 90 is pressed against the longitudinal end portion of the blade 64, the residual toner scraped by the blade 64 is effective in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64. Therefore, a state where the toner reservoir is not formed is suppressed.

  That is, in the case of the comparative example in which the longitudinal end portion of the blocking film 90 is not pressed against the longitudinal end portion of the blade 64, the residual toner scraped off by the blade 64 is immediately formed in the casing in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64. It falls into the storage space 62 of 62, and it will be in the state where a toner reservoir is not formed.

  Further, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, the blocking film 90 is placed on the blade 64 at a position shifted from the edge 64A of the blade 64 to the downstream side in the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt 24 (downward side (−Y direction side)). Since it is pressed, variation in the contact pressure of the edge 64A of the blade 64 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 24 in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64 is suppressed.

  That is, in the comparative example in which the blocking film 90 is pressed against the blade 64 at the edge 64 </ b> A portion of the blade 64, the load pressed to the intermediate transfer belt 24 is applied only to the longitudinal end portion of the blade 64. In the longitudinal direction of 64, the contact pressure of the edge 64A of the blade 64 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 24 varies.

  Further, in this embodiment, the base seal 81 has a cutout portion 81B that avoids the pressing of the blocking film 90 against the edge 64A portion of the blade 64, and the base seal 81 is configured to have a different shape. For this reason, it is not necessary to make the blocking film 90 into a complicated shape.

  In the present embodiment, the handle 70 </ b> A that is pulled when the transfer unit 70 is pulled out is provided in the casing 62 of the removing device 60 so that at least a part thereof overlaps in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64. Compared to the case where the handle 70A is arranged on the outer side in the longitudinal direction (X direction side) 64, the blade 64 for the intermediate transfer belt 24 even if there is a backlash between the housing 62 and the frame member 72 of the removing device 60. Variation in the longitudinal direction of the contact pressure is suppressed.

  That is, in the comparative example in which the handle 70 </ b> A is arranged on the outer side in the longitudinal direction (X direction side) of the blade 64, if there is a backlash between the housing 62 and the frame member 72 of the removing device 60, The longitudinal end portion is pulled and the housing 62 is inclined with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 24, and the contact pressure of the blade 64 attached to the housing 62 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 24 varies in the longitudinal direction.

(Modification)
In the embodiment, the removing device 60 is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 24 as an example of an image holding member that holds an image (image). However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may apply to the photoreceptor 32 as an example of a holding body. That is, the removing device 60 may be applied as the removing device 59 that removes the residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor 32.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the base seal 81 has the cutout portion 81B that avoids the pressing of the blocking film 90 against the edge 64A portion of the blade 64. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, shown in FIG. Thus, the structure which has 90 A of notches which avoid the pressing with respect to the edge 64A part of the blade 64 may be sufficient as the blocking film 90. The notch 90 </ b> A is disposed between the back surface of the edge 64 </ b> A of the blade 64 and the blocking film 90. The blocking film 90 has a U-shape when viewed from the intermediate transfer belt 24 side (as viewed in the −Z direction) as shown in FIG. 9 by forming a notch 90A at the longitudinal end. Are formed in different shapes. The base seal 81 is formed in a rectangular shape and overlaps the edge 64A of the blade 64 when viewed from the intermediate transfer belt 24 side (as viewed in the −Z direction).

  Also in the configuration of this modification, the blocking film 90 is pressed against the blade 64 at a position shifted from the edge 64A of the blade 64 to the downstream side in the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt 24 (downward side (−Y direction side)). Therefore, in the longitudinal direction of the blade 64, variation in the contact pressure of the edge 64A of the blade 64 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 24 is suppressed.

  Further, in the configuration of the present modification, the blocking film 90 has a cutout portion 90A for avoiding pressing of the blocking film 90 against the edge 64A portion of the blade 64, and the blocking film 90 is different. It is configured in shape. For this reason, it is not necessary to make the base seal 81 into a complicated shape.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements can be made. For example, the modification examples described above may be appropriately combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Image forming apparatus main body 24 Intermediate transfer belt (an example of an image carrier)
60 removal device 62 housing 64A edge (an example of a contact portion)
64 blade (an example of a scraping member)
70A Handle 70 Transfer unit (an example of a drawer)
80 Seal member (an example of a seal member)
81B Notch 90 Blocking film (an example of a blocking member)
90A Notch

Claims (4)

A scraping member that contacts the surface of the circulating image carrier and scrapes off the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier;
A housing in which the scraping member is attached and the toner scraped by the scraping member is stored;
Provided in the housing, contacts the back surface of the scraping member, blocks the toner scraped by the scraping member to the contact portion, and holds the contact portion and the image holding portion of the scraping member. A blocking member that forms a toner reservoir in contact with the body;
The contact portion of the scraping member that is disposed at both ends of the scraping member in a crossing direction that intersects with the rotation direction of the image holding member, seals between the image holding member and the housing, and A sealing member that presses the blocking member against the back surface at a position shifted to the downstream side in the circumferential direction of the image holding body,
A removal apparatus comprising:   The removal device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member has a cutout portion on a back side of the contact portion that avoids pressing of the blocking member against the contact portion.   The removal device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking member has a notch portion that avoids pressing of the blocking member against the contact portion between the back surface of the contact portion and the sealing member. The device body;
A removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which removes toner remaining on the image carrier, and is provided so as to be drawable with respect to the device main body. A drawer that is pulled out from the apparatus main body in a direction in which the scraping member is separated from the holding body;
A handle that is provided in the housing of the removal device so that at least a part of the scraping member overlaps in the intersecting direction, and is pulled in the pull-out direction of the drawer,
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images