JP2014016558A - Cleaning state monitoring device, cleaning device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately determine a state of toner removal by a cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on a toner image carrier.SOLUTION: A line sensor 54 images a blade tip part on a back surface of a cleaning blade 51 under control of a drive control part 56. An image processing part 61 processes a back surface image of the blade tip part imaged by the line sensor 54 and calculates an indication value indicating an amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51. When the indication value calculated by the image processing part 61 exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, a warning determination part 62 determines that a cleaning failure has occurred and a warning is necessary, and in the case that it is determined that a warning is necessary by the warning determination part 62, a notification part 64 performs an output notifying the fact.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning state monitoring device, a cleaning device, and a program.

An image forming apparatus is an apparatus having an image forming function for forming an image with toner on a recording material such as paper, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine having these functions.
In such an image forming apparatus, a developer in which a carrier, a charge accelerator or the like is mixed with toner is used. For example, in the developing device provided in the image forming apparatus, the toner is adhered to the developing roll from the developer contained in the container, and the toner is transported onto the photosensitive drum by the rotation of the developing roll, and is formed on the photosensitive drum. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner. The toner image on the photosensitive drum is transferred to a recording material through an intermediate transfer belt.
Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with a cleaning device that removes toner remaining in the transfer of the toner image from a toner image carrier such as a photosensitive drum or an intermediate transfer belt by a brush roll or a cleaning blade.

Here, the following invention is proposed regarding such a cleaning apparatus.
For example, in Patent Document 1, a reference toner pattern is formed on a photoconductor and input to a photoconductor cleaning blade, and the passing toner that has passed through the photoconductor cleaning blade is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt, and then transferred to the intermediate transfer belt from the belt cleaning blade. The sensor unit provided on the upstream side of the belt surface movement direction and downstream of the primary transfer roller detects the passing toner that has passed through the photosensitive member cleaning blade, and determines the life of the photosensitive member cleaning blade based on the detection result. An invention for performing is disclosed.

  For example, in Patent Document 2, residual toner on the photosensitive drum that has slipped through the chipped portion of the cleaning blade is stopped and accumulated on the side surface of the charging charger (position downstream of the cleaning blade in the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum). An invention has been disclosed in which a film for attaching is adhered and toner accumulated by the film is detected by a detection sensor including an optical sensor.

  For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a photosensitive drum that is rotationally driven, a developing device that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with a two-component developer, and a toner scattering detection sensor in the vicinity of the developing device. In the image forming apparatus having the above, an invention is disclosed in which the toner scattering detection sensor detects light irradiated from the developing device side by receiving reflected light from a member near the developing device or the developing device member and the photosensitive drum. Yes.

JP 2008-29909 A JP 2005-221989 JP 2009-145786 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to propose a technique capable of accurately determining the state of removal of residual toner from a toner image carrier by a cleaning blade.

  The present invention according to claim 1 is based on an image obtained by imaging a cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on a toner image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus from the back surface, which is downstream in the surface movement direction of the toner image carrier. Calculating means for calculating an index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade; and determining means for determining the toner removal status by the cleaning blade based on the index value calculated by the calculating means; A cleaning state monitoring device.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an angle on the back side of the cleaning blade with respect to the toner image carrier is expanded before imaging by the imaging unit, and the expanded angle is the imaging unit. The cleaning state monitoring device is provided with an angle adjusting means for returning after imaging by the above.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pressing force of the cleaning blade against the toner image carrier is weakened before imaging by the imaging means, and the weakened pressing force is reduced by the imaging means. A cleaning state monitoring device comprising a pressing force adjusting means for returning after imaging.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention according to the first to third aspects, the determination unit is picked up in a process of adjusting or calibrating an image forming parameter using a toner image having a predetermined pattern. In addition, the cleaning state monitoring apparatus is characterized in that the cleaning failure is determined based on an image on a back surface of the cleaning blade.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention according to the first to third aspects, the determination unit is an image that is captured in an image forming process of an image in which a ratio of image information to an entire image region is less than a reference value. In the cleaning state monitoring apparatus, the cleaning failure is determined based on an image on a back surface of the cleaning blade.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the present invention according to the first to fifth aspects, the determination unit includes the cleaning blade when the index value calculated by the calculation unit exceeds a predetermined upper limit value. The cleaning state monitoring device is characterized in that it is determined that the cleaning failure is in a state where toner removal by the ink is insufficient.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the present invention according to the sixth aspect, the pressing force for increasing the pressing force of the cleaning blade against the toner image carrier when the determination unit determines that the cleaning is defective. A cleaning state monitoring device comprising an increasing means.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, when the index value calculated by the calculating means exceeds a predetermined upper limit value, toner removal by the cleaning blade is not possible. It is determined that there is a sign of poor cleaning that is in a sufficient state, and when there is a sign of poor cleaning, the replacement timing of the cleaning blade is predicted based on the index value calculated by the calculation means. The cleaning state monitoring device.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning blade for removing the toner remaining on the toner image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus, and the cleaning blade from the back surface on the downstream side of the surface movement direction of the toner image carrier. An image pickup unit that picks up an image and outputs the image data to a cleaning state monitoring device that determines a toner removal state by the cleaning blade.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention is the cleaning apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, further comprising a blowing unit that applies air pressure to the toner image carrier from the back surface of the cleaning blade. .

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the present invention according to the ninth or tenth aspect, the back surface of the cleaning blade has conductivity, and voltage applying means for applying a voltage to the back surface of the cleaning blade is provided. This is a cleaning device.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the present invention according to the ninth to eleventh aspects, the back surface of the cleaning blade is formed so that the adhered toner can be identified on an image. It is.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on a toner image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus is imaged from a back surface that is downstream of the toner image carrier in the surface movement direction. A determination function for calculating an index value representing the amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade based on the image, and a determination for determining a toner removal status by the cleaning blade based on the index value calculated by the calculation function Is a program for realizing the functions.

  According to the first, ninth, and thirteenth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to determine the removal status of the residual toner on the toner image carrier by the cleaning blade more accurately than in the case where the present invention is not applied.

According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, it is easy to image the back surface of the blade tip of the cleaning blade.
According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to determine the toner removal status at a timing at which it is easy to grasp the state of the cleaning blade.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether there is a cleaning failure.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the life of the cleaning blade can be extended.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to predict the replacement time of the cleaning blade.

According to the tenth and eleventh aspects of the present invention, the toner can be effectively adhered to the back surface of the cleaning blade.
According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, it is easy to identify the toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade.

It is a figure showing an example which expanded a part of cleaning device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the functional block which concerns on cleaning defect determination. It is a figure explaining the mode at the time of imaging | photography of a cleaning blade. It is a figure which shows the example of the mechanism in connection with the angle adjustment of a cleaning blade. It is a figure which shows the example of a processing flow in the case of implementing defective cleaning determination at the time of process control control. It is a figure which shows the example of a processing flow in the case of implementing cleaning defect determination at the time of low image density output. It is a figure explaining the mechanism which reduces the influence of the toner which slipped through the cleaning blade. It is a figure which shows the example of the functional block which concerns on cleaning replacement time prediction. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the maximum image density of the back surface image of a cleaning blade, and the replacement time of a cleaning blade. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing flow of cleaning blade replacement time prediction. It is a figure explaining the modification of a cleaning apparatus. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an apparatus structure related to an image forming function of an image forming apparatus. FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, an image forming apparatus provided with a cleaning device according to the present invention will be described.
An image forming apparatus is an apparatus having an image forming function for forming an image with toner on a recording material such as paper, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine having these functions.

FIG. 12 illustrates an apparatus structure relating to an image forming function of the image forming apparatus.
The illustrated image forming apparatus is an intermediate transfer method generally called a tandem type, and as a representative functional unit, a plurality of image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K in which toner images of respective color components are formed by an electrophotographic method. A primary transfer portion 21 that sequentially transfers (primary transfer) the color component toner images formed by the image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K to the intermediate transfer belt 15, and a superimposition transferred on the intermediate transfer belt 15. A secondary transfer unit 22 that collectively transfers (secondary transfer) toner images onto a sheet P (an example of a recording material), and a fixing unit 34 that fixes the secondary transferred image onto the sheet P are provided.

Each of the image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K has a photosensitive drum 11 that rotates in the direction of arrow A in the drawing. Further, around each of the photosensitive drums 11, a charger 12 that charges the photosensitive drum 11, an exposure unit 13 that writes an exposure beam Bm on the photosensitive drum 11 to write an electrostatic latent image, and each color component toner And a developing unit 14 that forms a toner image in which the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11 is visualized with toner, and a toner image of each color component formed on the photosensitive drum 11 is a primary transfer unit 21. Various electrophotographic devices such as a primary transfer roll 16 that is superimposed and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 15 are sequentially arranged.
These image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K are arranged substantially linearly in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) from the upstream side of the intermediate transfer belt 15. The intermediate transfer belt 15 can be contacted and separated.

  The illustrated image forming apparatus passes through the secondary transfer unit 22 and the paper feed mechanism unit 31 that performs a paper feed operation of taking out the paper P from the paper storage unit and feeding it to the secondary transfer unit 22 as a paper transport system. The conveying belt 32 that conveys the sheet P to the fixing unit 34 side, the fixing inlet guide 33 that guides the sheet P to the inlet of the fixing unit 34, and the sheet discharge that guides the sheet P discharged from the fixing unit 34. A guide 35 and a paper discharge roll 36 for discharging the paper P guided by the paper discharge guide 35 to the outside of the apparatus are provided.

  That is, the paper P fed from the paper storage unit to the secondary transfer unit 20 by the paper feed mechanism unit 31 is electrostatically transferred to the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 15 by the secondary transfer unit 22. The paper is transported to the transport belt 32 while being peeled from the intermediate transfer belt 15. Then, the toner is conveyed by the conveyance belt 32 to the fixing device 34 through the fixing inlet guide 33 in accordance with the operation speed of the fixing device 34. The unfixed toner image on the paper P conveyed to the fixing device 34 is fixed on the paper P by receiving a fixing process in which heat and pressure are applied by the fixing device 34. Thereafter, the paper P on which the fixed image is formed is conveyed to a paper discharge container (not shown) provided outside the apparatus via a paper discharge guide 35 and a paper discharge roll 36.

Here, the photosensitive drum 11 and the intermediate transfer belt 15 correspond to the toner image carrier in the present invention.
These toner image carriers are provided with a cleaning device for removing the toner remaining on the surface thereof. In the illustrated example, as a cleaning device, a drum cleaner 17 that removes residual toner on the photosensitive drum 11 is disposed on the downstream side of the primary transfer unit 21, and a belt that removes residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 15. A cleaner 18 is disposed on the downstream side of the secondary transfer portion 22.
Hereinafter, the cleaning device according to the present invention will be described using the belt cleaner 18 as an example. The drum cleaner 17 also has basically the same configuration and function as the belt cleaner 18 and will not be described.

  The belt cleaner 18 has a box-shaped casing in which an opening facing the intermediate transfer belt 15 is formed, and a brush roll and a cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 15 in the casing. Such a toner removing member is provided so as to be in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 15 at the opening of the housing.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which a part of the belt cleaner 18 is enlarged.
In the illustrated belt cleaner 18, the tip (edge) of the blade is opposed to the surface movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt 15 (in the direction of the arrow in the drawing), and a slight inclination (several degrees to 10 degrees) with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 15. The plate-like cleaning blade 51 is disposed with a certain degree. The cleaning blade 51 is a hard elastic member using urethane rubber, polyurethane rubber or the like as a material, and is held in a state where the blade tip is pressed against the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 15 with a certain pressure. The toner remaining on the surface of the transfer belt 15 is scraped off by the blade tip.

  In such a belt cleaner 18, if the cleaning blade 51 is chipped and the toner removal performance cannot be sufficiently exhibited, the toner remains on the intermediate transfer belt 15 even after passing through the belt cleaner 18, and as a result, The intermediate transfer belt 15 becomes defective in cleaning. This poor cleaning causes a defect in the output image and a deterioration in image quality.

Here, when the removal of the toner from the intermediate transfer belt 15 is insufficient and the toner flows to the back surface side of the cleaning blade 51 (downstream side in the surface movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt 15), at least a part of the toner is transferred to the cleaning blade 51. It adheres to the back surface of 51.
Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of this example, a line sensor 54 that captures an image of the cleaning blade 51 from the back surface (a surface on the downstream side in the front surface movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt 15) is provided in the belt cleaner 18, and the image is captured by the line sensor 54. Based on the back side image of the cleaning blade 51, the toner adhesion to the back side of the cleaning blade 51 is examined. Then, when a certain amount of toner adheres to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51, it is determined that there is an occurrence or sign of cleaning failure, and this is notified to the user of the image forming apparatus and appropriate measures are taken. (Replacement of the cleaning blade 51, etc.) is prompted.

FIG. 2 shows an example of functional blocks related to cleaning failure determination.
That is, in this example, the line sensor 54 images the blade tip portion on the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 under the control of the drive control unit 56, and the image processing unit 61 captures the back surface of the blade tip imaged by the line sensor 54. When the image is processed to calculate an index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51, and the warning determination unit 62 exceeds the predetermined upper limit value calculated by the image processing unit 61. When it is determined that a cleaning failure has occurred and a warning is necessary, and the warning unit 64 determines that a warning is required by the warning determination unit 62, an output (message display, warning light) Lighting, alarm sound, etc.).

  Here, in this example, the cleaning blade 51 has a yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner that can be identified on the image. The back surface is formed of white having a contrast with respect to these colors, and the image processing unit 61 performs statistical processing on the density of each pixel included in the back image (maximum value) as an index value indicating the toner adhesion amount. , Total value, average value, etc.). According to such a configuration, the index value is small because there is no toner adhesion because it is white, but the index value increases as the toner adhesion increases. The back surface of the cleaning blade 51 may be any image as long as the attached toner can be identified on the image. For example, the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 may be a sheet-like light emitter.

Further, in this example, a device for appropriately imaging the back surface of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51 is devised.
That is, as shown in FIG. 2, an angle adjustment unit 55 that adjusts the angle of the cleaning blade 51 under the control of the drive control unit 56 is provided. The angle adjustment unit 55 widens the angle on the back surface side of the cleaning blade 51 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 15 before imaging by the line sensor 54, and returns the expanded angle after imaging by the line sensor 54.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3A, since the inclination of the cleaning blade 51 becomes gentle during imaging by the line sensor 54, it becomes easy to image the back surface of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a mechanism related to the angle adjustment of the cleaning blade 51.
In the drawing, a blade holder 52 that holds a cleaning blade 51 is provided so as to be movable around an axis with a blade tip that contacts the intermediate transfer belt 15 as a base point (axis). Further, a guide 53 for restricting the movement of the blade holder 52 is provided, and the blade holder 52 moves within a range restricted by the guide 53.
The angle adjustment unit 55 moves the blade holder 52 from the basic position (moves to a position indicated by a broken line) before the image is captured by the line sensor 54 to loosen the inclination of the cleaning blade 51, and after the image is captured by the line sensor 54, Control is performed to return the inclination of the cleaning blade 51 by moving 52 to the basic position.
Note that the mechanism shown in FIG. 4 is an example, and the angle of the cleaning blade 51 may be adjusted by another mechanism.

Further, instead of the angle adjustment unit 55, a pressing force adjustment unit that adjusts the pressing force of the cleaning blade 51 against the intermediate transfer belt 15 under the control of the drive control unit 56 may be provided. That is, the pressing force of the cleaning blade 51 is weakened before imaging by the line sensor 54, and the weakened pressing force is returned after imaging by the line sensor 54.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51 is slightly lifted during imaging by the line sensor 54, so that it becomes easy to image the back surface of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51.

Next, the timing for performing the cleaning failure determination will be described.
Examples of the timing for performing the cleaning defect determination include process control control and low image density output.

The cleaning failure determination at the time of process control control will be described.
Here, the process control control is a process of adjusting various parameter values relating to image formation using a toner image having a predetermined pattern at a timing immediately before the image forming process. Since the toner image is not transferred onto the recording material, cleaning (toner removal) is performed by the belt cleaner 18 with a large amount of toner attached to the intermediate transfer belt 15. For this reason, if the cleaning failure determination is performed during the process control control, it is easy to grasp the state of the cleaning blade 51.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow in the case of performing cleaning failure determination during process control control.
In the cleaning apparatus of this example, first, it is determined whether or not the process control control is started (step S11). When the process control control is started, the angle of the cleaning blade 51 is adjusted under the control of the drive control unit 56 (step S12), and the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is imaged (step S13).
Thereafter, the image processing unit 61 calculates an index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 based on the back surface image of the cleaning blade 51 captured by the cleaning blade 51, and the warning determination unit 62 Based on the index value calculated by the processing unit 61, the state of toner adhesion to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 (whether or not the cleaning is defective) is determined (step S14).
As a result, if it is not determined that the cleaning is defective, the angle of the cleaning blade 51 is returned under the control of the drive control unit 56 (step S15). On the other hand, when it is determined that the cleaning is defective, the notification unit 64 notifies the user or the like that the cleaning is defective (step S16).

  In the calibration process for calibrating various parameter values related to image formation using a toner image having a predetermined pattern, the toner image is not transferred from the intermediate transfer belt 15 to the recording material. Sometimes a cleaning failure determination may be performed.

The cleaning failure determination at the time of low image density output will be described.
Here, the image density refers to the ratio of image information to the entire image area, and a low image density is approximately within 3%. Examples of the low density image include an image with only character information. When such a low-density image is output, the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51 is likely to be in direct contact with the intermediate transfer belt 15, so that the coefficient of friction is increased and cleaning failure is likely to occur. For this reason, it is easy to grasp the state of the cleaning blade 51 if the cleaning failure determination is performed at the time of low image density output.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a processing flow in the case where the cleaning failure determination is performed at the time of outputting a low image density.
In the cleaning device of this example, first, the toner consumption amount M (mg / sheet) for the output image is calculated (step S21), and the toner consumption amount M is compared with a reference value to determine whether or not the image density is low (step S21). Step S22). When the image density is low (when the toner consumption M is less than the reference value), the angle of the cleaning blade 51 is adjusted under the control of the drive control unit 56 (step S23). The back side is imaged (step S24).
Thereafter, the image processing unit 61 calculates an index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 based on the back surface image of the cleaning blade 51 captured by the cleaning blade 51, and the warning determination unit 62 Based on the index value calculated by the processing unit 61, the state of toner adhesion to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 (whether or not the cleaning is defective) is determined (step S25).
As a result, if it is not determined that the cleaning is defective, the angle of the cleaning blade 51 is returned under the control of the drive control unit 56 (step S26). On the other hand, when it is determined that the cleaning is defective, the notification unit 64 notifies the user or the like that the cleaning is defective (step S27).

Next, a mechanism for reducing the influence of the toner that has passed through the cleaning blade 51 (around the back surface side) will be described.
As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, a blower mechanism is provided that applies wind pressure to the intermediate transfer belt 15 from the downstream side in the surface movement direction (the back side of the cleaning blade 51). Thereby, the toner that has passed through the cleaning blade 51 can be effectively adhered to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51, and the influence of the toner in the subsequent functional unit can be reduced. Further, since the amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is increased, it is possible to improve the determination accuracy for the cleaning failure. As such a blower mechanism, a mechanism for generating wind using a temperature gradient is known.

  As another example, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is made conductive, and a voltage application mechanism that applies a voltage to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is provided. Thereby, the toner that has passed through the cleaning blade 51 can be effectively adhered to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51, and the influence of the toner in the subsequent functional unit can be reduced. Further, since the amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is increased, it is possible to improve the determination accuracy for the cleaning failure.

  A pressing force increasing mechanism for increasing the pressing force of the cleaning blade 51 against the intermediate transfer belt 15 may be provided, and the pressing force of the cleaning blade 51 may be increased when it is determined that the cleaning is defective. . As a result, the contact position of the cleaning blade 51 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 15 slightly changes, so that the toner can be removed while avoiding the defective portion, and the effect of extending the life of the cleaning blade 51 can be obtained.

  Here, in the above description, the toner adhesion amount on the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is examined based on the back surface image of the cleaning blade 51, and it is determined whether a cleaning failure has occurred based on the result. An indication of cleaning failure may be determined based on the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of 51, and the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 may be predicted.

FIG. 8 shows an example of functional blocks related to the cleaning blade replacement time prediction.
That is, in the cleaning apparatus of this example, the line sensor 54 images the blade tip portion on the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 under the control of the drive control unit 56, and the image processing unit 61 captures the blade imaged by the line sensor 54. An index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is calculated by processing the back image at the front end, and the replacement time predicting unit 63 sets the index value calculated by the image processing unit 61 to a predetermined upper limit value. Is exceeded, the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 is predicted, and the notification unit 64 outputs the notification of the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 predicted by the replacement time prediction unit 63.

Here, the upper limit value used for predicting the cleaning blade replacement time is a value lower than the upper limit value used for determining the cleaning failure, and the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 is predicted when signs of cleaning failure are observed.
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the maximum image density of the back image of the cleaning blade 51 (an example of an index value indicating the amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51) and the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 are the maximum image density. The higher the is, the closer the exchange time is. Therefore, in this example, a relational expression (or correspondence table) representing the relationship between the replacement timing of the cleaning blade 51 and the index value indicating the amount of toner attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is held in the memory, and the current index is stored. The replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 is predicted in light of the value in relation to the relational expression (or correspondence table).

FIG. 10 shows an example of a processing flow for predicting the cleaning blade replacement time.
In the cleaning apparatus of this example, the angle of the cleaning blade 51 is adjusted under the control of the drive control unit 56 (step S31), and the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 is imaged (step S32).
Thereafter, the image processing unit 61 calculates an index value representing the amount of toner adhering to the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 based on the back surface image of the cleaning blade 51 imaged by the cleaning blade 51, and the replacement time prediction unit 63 The toner adhesion state on the back surface of the cleaning blade 51 (whether there is a sign of poor cleaning) is determined (step S33).
As a result, when it is not determined that there is an indication of cleaning failure, a normal print (image formation) operation is performed (step S34).
On the other hand, when it is determined that there is an indication of cleaning failure, the replacement time prediction unit 63 predicts the replacement time of the cleaning blade 51 (step S35), and the notification unit 64 determines the replacement time of the prediction result as the user. (Step S36).

Here, in the above description, the line sensor 54 captures the back surface image of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the back surface image of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51 can be obtained. Any configuration may be used.
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, a camera 54 ′ for imaging a part of the blade tip of the cleaning blade 51 is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the cleaning blade 51, and the camera 54 ′ is moved (of the cleaning blade 51). By capturing an image while scanning in the width direction, a back surface image of the blade tip including the entire width of the cleaning blade 51 may be obtained.

Further, for example, instead of the camera 54 ′, a laser emitter and a spot sensor are provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the cleaning blade 51, and the laser emitter and the spot sensor are moved (scanned in the width direction of the cleaning blade 51). The reflection of the laser beam emitted from the laser emitter by the cleaning blade 51 is detected by a spot sensor and converted into a pixel value, thereby obtaining a back image of the blade tip containing the entire cleaning blade 51 in the width direction. It may be.
Further, for example, a configuration may be provided in which a camera that captures a back image of the entire cleaning blade 51 is provided.

  Here, in the image forming apparatus of this example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs various arithmetic processes, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is a work area of the CPU, a ROM (Read Only) that records a basic control program, and the like. Memory) and other main storage devices, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and other auxiliary storage devices for storing various programs and data, display devices for displaying and outputting various information, and operation buttons used for input operations by the operator And a computer having hardware resources such as an input / output I / F that is an interface with an input device such as a touch panel and a communication I / F that is an interface for performing wired or wireless communication with other devices. ing.

Then, the program according to the present invention is read from the auxiliary storage device or the like, loaded into the RAM, and executed by the CPU, thereby realizing the function of the cleaning state monitoring device according to the present invention on the computer of the image forming apparatus. Yes.
That is, for example, the function of the calculation unit according to the present invention is realized by the image processing unit 61, and the function of the determination unit according to the present invention is realized by the warning determination unit 62 or the replacement time prediction unit 63.

Here, the program according to the present invention is set in the computer of the image forming apparatus, for example, by a format read from an external storage medium such as a CD-ROM storing the program or a format received via a communication network. The
Note that the present invention is not limited to a mode in which each functional unit is realized by a software configuration as in this example, and each functional unit may be realized by a dedicated hardware module.

  In this example, the image forming apparatus itself has the function of the cleaning state monitoring device. However, the function unit of the cleaning state monitoring device is provided in an external device such as a monitoring server connected to be communicable with the image forming device. The external apparatus may acquire the back image of the cleaning blade 51 from the image forming apparatus and determine the cleaning state.

  51: Cleaning blade 52: Blade holder 53: Guide 54: Line sensor 55: Angle adjustment unit 56: Drive control unit 61: Image processing unit 62: Warning determination unit 63: Replacement time prediction unit 64: Notification unit

Claims (13)

A cleaning blade that removes toner remaining on the toner image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus is attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade based on an image taken from the back surface that is downstream in the moving direction of the surface of the toner image carrier. Calculating means for calculating an index value representing the amount of toner applied;
Determination means for determining the toner removal status by the cleaning blade based on the index value calculated by the calculation means;
A cleaning state monitoring device comprising: An angle adjustment unit that widens the angle of the back side of the cleaning blade with respect to the toner image carrier before imaging by the imaging unit, and returns the expanded angle after imaging by the imaging unit;
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to claim 1. A pressing force adjusting unit that weakens the pressing force of the cleaning blade against the toner image carrier before imaging by the imaging unit and returns the weakened pressing force after imaging by the imaging unit;
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to claim 1. The determination unit determines the cleaning failure based on an image of a back surface of the cleaning blade captured in a process of adjusting or calibrating an image forming parameter using a toner image having a predetermined pattern.
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning state monitoring apparatus is configured as described above. The determination unit determines the cleaning failure based on an image of a back surface of the cleaning blade captured in an image forming process of an image in which a ratio of image information to an entire image area is less than a reference value.
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning state monitoring apparatus is configured as described above. The determination unit determines that the cleaning failure is in a state where toner removal by the cleaning blade is insufficient when the index value calculated by the calculation unit exceeds a predetermined upper limit value.
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning state monitoring apparatus is a cleaning state monitoring apparatus. A pressing force increasing means for increasing the pressing force of the cleaning blade against the toner image carrier when the determining means determines that the cleaning is defective;
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to claim 6. The determination unit determines that there is an indication of a cleaning failure in which toner removal by the cleaning blade is insufficient when the index value calculated by the calculation unit exceeds a predetermined upper limit value. When there is a sign of, predicting the replacement time of the cleaning blade based on the index value calculated by the calculation means,
The cleaning state monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning state monitoring apparatus is a cleaning state monitoring apparatus. A cleaning blade for removing toner remaining on the toner image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus;
Imaging means for imaging the cleaning blade from the back surface, which is the downstream side of the toner image carrier in the surface movement direction, and outputting the image data to a cleaning state monitoring device that determines toner removal status by the cleaning blade;
A cleaning device comprising: Blower means for applying a wind pressure from the back surface of the cleaning blade to the toner image carrier,
The cleaning device according to claim 9. The back surface of the cleaning blade has conductivity,
A voltage applying means for applying a voltage to the back surface of the cleaning blade;
The cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein The rear surface of the cleaning blade is formed so that the adhered toner can be identified on the image.
The cleaning device according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning device is a liquid crystal display device. On the computer,
A cleaning blade that removes toner remaining on the toner image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus is attached to the back surface of the cleaning blade based on an image taken from the back surface that is downstream in the moving direction of the surface of the toner image carrier. A calculation function for calculating an index value representing the amount of toner used,
A determination function for determining the toner removal status by the cleaning blade based on the index value calculated by the calculation function;
A program to realize

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