JP2014167537A - Cleaning member, cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize the contact of a cleaning blade 70 with a photoreceptor drum 1.SOLUTION: A cleaning member includes a blade rubber 71 coming into contact with a photoreceptor drum 1, a blade support member 72 which is a plate-like blade support member 72 having flexibility and includes one end at which the blade rubber 71 is provided, the other end having a part to be fixed 75 fixed to a frame body 78, and a bent part 73 located between the one end and the other end and located on a side away to the outside from the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 with respect to a segment connecting a contact part where the blade rubber 71 comes into contact with the photoreceptor drum 1 and the part to be fixed 75 and in which the part to be fixed 75 is arranged on the downstream side of the contact part in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor drum 1, and an excessive deformation inhibiting member 76 provided on a first support part, so as to regulate the amount of deformation around the part to be fixed 75 as a fulcrum, in the amount of deformation of the first support part elastically deformed by the displacement of the blade rubber 71 due to sliding on the photoreceptor drum 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning member, a cleaning device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus.

  Since the electrophotographic image forming apparatus repeatedly uses an image carrier (a member to be cleaned) on which a developer image is formed, after the developer image is transferred from the image carrier to a recording medium, the development remaining on the image carrier Cleaning means for removing the agent is provided. The cleaning means of the cleaning blade type is configured to remove the developer from the surface of the image carrier by bringing an elastic blade into contact with the surface of the image carrier with a predetermined pressure. The cleaning member described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a blade is attached to the front end of a sheet metal as a support member by molding, and the sheet metal is fixed to the frame body with screws or the like. The surface is brought into contact with a predetermined pressure.

JP 2002-341721 A

  Image forming apparatuses such as printers are required to be smaller, faster, and higher in image quality. In the downsizing of the image forming apparatus, the image carrier is also downsized. In addition, the rotation speed of the image carrier is increased by increasing the speed. Therefore, the blade in contact with the surface of the image carrier repeatedly slides at high speed on the surface of the image carrier, and there is a concern that the temperature of the blade increases and the hardness decreases. As a result, the frictional force between the surface of the image carrier and the blade is increased, and there is a concern about an increase in driving torque for driving the image carrier, a blade sag, and the like. Furthermore, recently, a developer having a spherical shape may be used to improve image quality. In this case, in order to remove the developer from the surface of the image carrier, it is necessary to increase the contact pressure of the blade with respect to the image carrier, and there is a concern that this may cause the above-described problem to be worsened.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the contact of the cleaning member with the object to be cleaned.

In order to achieve the above object, the cleaning member according to the present invention comprises:
A blade portion that contacts the object to be cleaned in a counter direction with respect to the moving direction of the object to be cleaned;
It is a plate-like support member that supports the blade part and has flexibility, and has one end provided with the blade part and a fixed part fixed to a frame body that supports the object to be cleaned. The other end portion is positioned between the one end portion and the other end portion, and the line segment connecting the fixed portion and the contact portion where the blade portion contacts the object to be cleaned, A bent portion located on the side away from the surface of the body to be cleaned, and a support member in which the portion to be fixed is disposed on the downstream side in the moving direction of the body to be cleaned with respect to the contact portion ,
Have
A first portion between the other end portion and the bent portion of the support member that is elastically deformed in the moving direction of the member to be cleaned is displaced when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the member to be cleaned. A regulating member provided on the first support part so as to regulate a deformation quantity with the fixed part as a fulcrum among the deformation quantity of the support part;
It is characterized by having.

Further, the cleaning device according to the present invention includes:
A frame that supports the object to be cleaned;
A blade portion that contacts the object to be cleaned in a counter direction with respect to the moving direction of the object to be cleaned;
It is a plate-like support member that supports the blade part and has flexibility, and has one end provided with the blade part and a fixed part fixed to a frame body that supports the object to be cleaned. The other end portion is positioned between the one end portion and the other end portion, and the line segment connecting the fixed portion and the contact portion where the blade portion contacts the object to be cleaned, A bent portion located on the side away from the surface of the body to be cleaned, and a support member in which the portion to be fixed is disposed on the downstream side in the moving direction of the body to be cleaned with respect to the contact portion ,
Have
A first portion between the other end portion and the bent portion of the support member that is elastically deformed in the moving direction of the member to be cleaned is displaced when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the member to be cleaned. Of the deformation amount of the support portion, a regulating member that regulates the deformation amount with the fixed portion as a fulcrum,
It is characterized by having.

  In addition, a process cartridge according to the present invention includes an image carrier that is a member to be cleaned, and the cleaning device.

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is
An image carrier that is a body to be cleaned;
A charging device for charging the surface of the image carrier;
An exposure device that forms a latent image on the surface of the image carrier by exposing the charged image carrier;
A developing device that visualizes the latent image by supplying a developer and forms a developer image on the surface of the image carrier;
A transfer device for transferring the developer image formed on the surface of the image carrier to a transfer material;
The cleaning device for cleaning the surface of the image carrier after transferring the developer image to a transfer material;
It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, the contact of the cleaning member with the object to be cleaned can be stabilized.

Schematic sectional view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a cleaning device according to a first embodiment. The figure which shows the force which acts on the contact part of a cleaning blade and a photosensitive drum The figure explaining the deformation of the cleaning blade The figure for demonstrating the function of the overdeformation suppression member in Example 1. FIG. The figure for demonstrating the function of the overdeformation suppression member in Example 2. FIG. The figure explaining the detailed dimension of a cleaning blade Schematic sectional view showing a cleaning blade of a comparative example Diagram showing the relationship between dynamic friction coefficient and contact pressure

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the apparatus to which the invention is applied and various conditions. That is, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the following embodiments.

Example 1
First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, an electrophotographic printer will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes, as main components, a photosensitive drum 1 as a member to be cleaned (image carrier), a charging device 2, and an image writing device (exposure device) 3. A developing device 4, a transfer device 5, a fixing device 6, and a cleaning device 7.

  The charging device 2 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The image writing device 3 irradiates the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 1 with image light based on the image data, and forms a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 due to the difference in electrostatic potential. The developing device 4 visualizes the latent image by selectively transferring the toner as a developer to the latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, thereby forming a toner image as a developer image. The transfer device 5 transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 onto a recording material (transfer material) such as paper supplied along the paper conveyance path 11. The fixing device 6 heats and pressurizes the toner image transferred onto the recording material, and fuses the toner image onto the recording material. The cleaning device 7 cleans the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after the toner image is transferred.

  In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, the developing device 4, and the cleaning device 7 are integrated as a process cartridge and configured to be detachable (free) from the image forming apparatus main body. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and each member such as the photosensitive drum 1 may be provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

  Next, the cleaning device 7 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning device according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 7 according to the first embodiment includes a photosensitive drum 1 to be cleaned, a cleaning blade 70 as a cleaning member, a cleaning container (hereinafter referred to as a C container) 78, and a waste as a storage unit. A toner containing portion 79 is provided. The waste toner container 79 is a closed space formed by the cleaning blade 70 and the C container 78 and collects toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning blade 70. The frame forming the C container 78 supports the photosensitive drum 1 so as to be rotatable (movable).

  The cleaning blade 70 is a blade rubber 71 as a blade portion that abuts in the counter direction with respect to the rotation direction (movement direction) of the photosensitive drum 1, and a flexible plate-like support member that supports the blade rubber 71. Blade support member 72. In the first embodiment, the blade support member 72 includes a first blade support part 72b as a first support part, a bent part 73 as a bent part, and a second blade support part 72a as a second support part. Metal sheet. In the first embodiment, the blade support member 72 has a bent shape, but is not limited thereto, and may have a curved shape.

  An end (one end) of the second blade support 72 a is a free end, and the first blade support 72 b is fixed to the C container 78 at the other end having the fixed portion 75. The blade rubber 71 is attached (molded) to the free end side of the first blade support portion 72 a of the blade support member 72 and is provided so as to be in pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1. Yes. Further, the bending portion 73 has a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 1 with respect to a line segment connecting the contact portion between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1 and the fixed portion 75. 1 is located on the opposite side (the side away from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1). Further, the fixed portion 75 is configured to be disposed on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 1 with respect to the contact portion between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1.

  Next, the cleaning blade 7 as a cleaning member used in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 7. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the force acting on the contact portion between the cleaning blade and the photosensitive drum. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the deformation of the cleaning blade. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the dynamic friction force acts on the photosensitive drum and the cleaning blade 70 is elastically deformed. FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a state where the cleaning blade 70 is elastically deformed when the dynamic friction force is increased as compared with the case illustrated in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the detailed dimensions of the cleaning blade.

  In this embodiment, as the blade support member 72, stainless steel (SUS) having a plate thickness of 0.2 mm was used. The blade support member 72 is subjected to a bending process of 90 ° over the entire length (in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 1), whereby the second blade support portion 72a, the bent portion 73, and the first blade support portion. 72b is formed.

  In this bending process, the distance from the fixed portion 75 to the bent portion 73 (that is, the length of the first support portion 72b) is 12 mm, and the distance from the bent portion 73 to the blade rubber 71 at the tip (that is, the second portion). The length of the support portion 72a) was 12 mm.

As a material of the blade rubber 71, urethane rubber having a JIS-A hardness of 70 degrees was used. The shape is as shown in FIG. 7, and in order to reduce the deformation effect of the tip, k = 3.0 mm,
l = 2.0 mm, m = 1.0 mm, and n = 1.0 mm. As a method of bonding the blade support member 72 and the blade rubber 71, a method using a double-sided tape or a hot melt adhesive can be used in addition to mold forming.

  In the present embodiment, the angle formed by the tangent line at the contact point between the photosensitive drum 1 and the blade rubber 71 and the extended line of the second blade support portion 72a (hereinafter referred to as a set angle) is 30 degrees. When the blade rubber 71 was allowed to enter the photosensitive drum 1 by 1 mm, the contact pressure was 40 gf per 1 cm in the longitudinal direction (rotating axis direction) of the photosensitive drum 1.

  Further, a cleaning blade of a comparative example will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a cleaning blade of a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 8, the cleaning blade of the comparative example is different from the first embodiment in that it is not bent and does not have a bent portion. In the comparative example, as the material of the blade support member 701, SUS having a plate thickness of 0.2 mm was used as in the first embodiment.

The length from the fixed portion 75 fixed to the C container 78 to the tip portion to which the blade rubber 71 is attached, of the tip of the blade support member 701 was 21.5 mm. Further, as the material of the blade rubber 71, urethane rubber having a JIS-A hardness of 70 degrees was used, and the dimensions thereof were the same as those in Example 1. When the blade rubber 71 was allowed to enter the photosensitive drum 1 by 1 mm, the contact pressure was 40 gf per 1 cm in the longitudinal direction (rotating axis direction) of the photosensitive drum 1 as in this example.

  Deformation calculations were performed on these cleaning devices, and dynamic contact pressure was calculated. As a calculation method, assuming such friction, the relationship between the deformation shape and the force when the tip of the blade rubber 71 was pushed in the downstream direction of the rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 was calculated. Then, from the obtained force, a component perpendicular to the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 was defined as a contact pressure, a parallel component was defined as a friction force, and a ratio thereof was determined as a friction coefficient. The deformation calculation at this time was carried out by modeling with a simple two-dimensional cantilever beam (Bernoulli-Euler assumption) by considering the blade support and the neutral axis of the blade.

  In addition, the bending rigidity D = E / (1-ν) = 150 MPa of the SUS plate and the longitudinal elastic modulus E = 6 MPa of the urethane rubber were used for the calculation as parameters. ν is a Poisson's ratio that represents the ratio of horizontal elongation to vertical shrinkage.

  FIG. 9 shows the result. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the dynamic friction coefficient and the contact pressure. The horizontal axis represents the dynamic friction coefficient μ, and the vertical axis represents the contact pressure (gf / cm). A thick line indicates the case of the configuration of the embodiment, a thin line indicates a case of the configuration of the conventional example, a solid line indicates a case where the setting angle is 20 degrees, and a broken line indicates a case where the setting angle is 30 degrees. Thus, in the configuration of the example, it is clear that the contact pressure (gf / cm) is significantly stable against the increase in the dynamic friction coefficient μ as compared with the conventional simple linear structure cleaning blade. became.

  The dynamic friction coefficient μ between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1 of Example 1 is about 0.02 to 0.2. However, when a so-called filming phenomenon occurs in which the toner adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, the value of μ increases beyond 0.2, and a so-called twisting (reversal) phenomenon may occur. Hereinafter, the mechanism will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, as the force acting on the blade rubber 71 by sliding with the photosensitive drum 1, the normal force N that the blade rubber 71 receives from the photosensitive drum 1, the photosensitive drum 1, the blade rubber 71, and the like. There is a frictional force μN. As a result, the combined drag R of the vertical drag N and the frictional force μN acts. For example, if the value of μ increases due to filming on the photosensitive drum 1 or the like, the value of μN also increases, so that the resultant drag R increases and the direction of action also changes clockwise in FIG. To do. As a result, the blade rubber 71 receives a large force in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 1.

  In order to absorb this force, the entire cleaning blade 70 is deformed as shown in FIG. When μ further increases, the entire cleaning blade 70 is moved in the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum 1 as shown in FIG. 4B, exceeding the plastic limit of the sheet metal constituting the cleaning support member 72 of the cleaning blade 70. There is a risk of a so-called drowning (inversion) phenomenon.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the over-deformation suppressing member 76 that is a characteristic part of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the function of the overdeformation suppressing unit of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the first embodiment is characterized in that an over-deformation suppressing member 76 as a regulating member is attached to the cleaning blade 70. The over-deformation suppressing member 76 is provided between the fixed portion 75 and the bent portion 73 and on the side opposite to the bending direction of the blade support member 72. In addition, there is a gap between the free end of the over-deformation suppressing member 76 and the surface of the C container 78 facing the over-deformation suppressing member 76. When performing normal image forming operations, the over-deformation suppressing member 76 is used. The free end and the C container 78 are not in contact with each other.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the first blade support portion 72b is sensitive to the fixed portion 75 as a fulcrum when the photosensitive drum 1 slides on the blade rubber 71 and the blade rubber 71 is displaced. The body drum 1 is elastically deformed in the rotation direction. The over-deformation suppressing member 76 is disposed so as to restrict the deformation amount of the elastic deformation of the first blade support portion in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 1 with the fixed portion 75 as a fulcrum. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the blade blade 71 is further displaced in a state where the elastic deformation with the fixed portion 75 as a fulcrum is restricted, so that the first blade support portion 72b becomes an over-deformation suppressing member. With 76 as a fulcrum, the photosensitive drum 1 is elastically deformed in the rotation direction. Due to such elastic deformation of the first blade support 72b, the blade rubber 71 attached to the second blade support 72a moves away from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 (the arrow b in FIG. 5C). Direction).

  Hereinafter, the function of the over-deformation suppressing member 76, which is a characteristic part of the first embodiment, will be described in detail with reference to FIG. When the dynamic friction coefficient μ between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1 increases, the deformation as shown in FIG. 5A occurs in the entire cleaning blade 70 as described with reference to FIG. When the deformation becomes larger (when the blade support member 72 is displaced by a predetermined amount or more), the free end of the over-deformation suppressing member 76 and the C container 78 come into contact as shown in FIG.

  When the deformation of the cleaning blade 70 further proceeds, as shown in FIG. 5C, in the first support portion 72b, further deformation is suppressed in the section from the fixed portion 75 to the over-deformation suppressing member 76 arrangement portion. (Regulated) On the other hand, the first support portion 72b is largely deformed in the section from the over-deformation suppressing member 76 arrangement portion to the bent portion 73.

  The blade rubber 71 moves away from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in the direction of the arrow b in FIG. 5C due to the deformation of the first support member 72b in the section from the over-deformation suppressing member 76 to the bent portion 73. Displace in the direction. The reason is that the first support portion 72b is elastically deformed around the over-deformation suppressing member 76, and the second support portion 72a is displaced in a direction away from the photosensitive drum 1 along with the elastic deformation. .

  When the blade rubber 71 is displaced in the direction of the arrow b in FIG. 5C, the vertical drag N decreases, the frictional force μN also decreases, the combined drag R decreases, and the tip of the blade rubber 71 is at the photosensitive drum 1. The force received in the direction of rotation decreases. Then, due to the elastic force of the sheet metal of the first blade support portion 72b, the first blade support portion 72b acts to return to the direction of arrow c in FIG. By trying to return to the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the drum 1, drooling can be suppressed.

  Note that the state in which the dynamic friction coefficient μ is high is not constant, and when waste toner is present at the contact portion between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1, the dynamic friction coefficient between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1. Since μ decreases, cleaning can be performed again stably.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, by providing the over-deformation suppressing member 76 on the surface of the cleaning blade 70 that faces the C container 78, even if the dynamic friction coefficient μ increases, it is possible to effectively suppress the dripping. That is, the contact of the cleaning blade 70 with the photosensitive drum 1 is stabilized. In the first embodiment, the over-deformation suppressing member 76 has been described in the form of a member fixed on the side facing the C container 78 on the first blade support portion 72b (on the first support portion). A part of the first blade support part 72b may be cut and raised. The cross-sectional shape of the over-deformation suppressing member need not be the semi-elliptical shape described in the first embodiment, and is not particularly limited to a semi-circular shape, a triangular shape, or the like. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the over-deformation suppressing member need not have a gap from end to end in the longitudinal direction of the first blade support portion 72b (the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 1).

(Example 2)
Next, Example 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the cleaning device according to the second embodiment. The second embodiment is characterized in that the over-deformation suppressing member 80 is attached to the C container 78 side (on the frame). The cleaning device 7 according to the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the method of attaching the over-deformation suppressing member 80, and thus the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  When the dynamic friction coefficient μ between the blade rubber 71 and the photosensitive drum 1 increases, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the over-deformation suppressing member 80 and the first blade support portion 72b come into contact with each other. This state is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment, although there is a difference whether the over-deformation suppressing member 80 is on the C container 78 side or the cleaning blade side. Therefore, since the mechanism that can suppress the dripping is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, by providing the over-deformation suppressing member 80 on the surface of the C container 78 that faces the cleaning blade, even if the dynamic friction coefficient μ increases, it is possible to effectively suppress the wrinkles. That is, the contact of the cleaning blade 70 with the photosensitive drum 1 is stabilized. The effect of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, by providing the over-deformation suppressing member on the C container 78 side, there is an effect that the invention can be carried out more easily.

  The present invention is not limited to the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 described above, but an intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer member), or a sheet material carried and conveyed by a conveyance belt (conveyance member). The present invention can also be suitably applied to an image forming apparatus that transfers a toner image. In these image forming apparatuses, the present invention can be suitably applied not only as a cleaning device for the photosensitive drum 1 but also as a cleaning device for removing toner adhering to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt or the conveyance belt. . Further, the present invention can be suitably applied not only to an image forming apparatus capable of forming a single color image but also to an image forming apparatus capable of forming a plurality of color images (color images).

  70 ... Cleaning blade, 71 ... Blade rubber (blade part), 72 ... Blade support member (support member), 72b ... First blade support part (first support part), 72a ... Second blade support part (second) Support part), 73 ... Bending part (bending part), 76 ... Over-deformation inhibiting member (regulating member), 78 ... C container (frame)

Claims (11)

A cleaning member that removes the developer from the surface of the object to be cleaned,
A blade portion that contacts the object to be cleaned in a counter direction with respect to the moving direction of the object to be cleaned;
It is a plate-like support member that supports the blade part and has flexibility, and has one end provided with the blade part and a fixed part fixed to a frame body that supports the object to be cleaned. The other end portion is positioned between the one end portion and the other end portion, and the line segment connecting the fixed portion and the contact portion where the blade portion contacts the object to be cleaned, A bent portion located on the side away from the surface of the body to be cleaned, and a support member in which the portion to be fixed is disposed on the downstream side in the moving direction of the body to be cleaned with respect to the contact portion ,
Have
A first portion between the other end portion and the bent portion of the support member that is elastically deformed in the moving direction of the member to be cleaned is displaced when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the member to be cleaned. A regulating member provided on the first support part so as to regulate a deformation quantity with the fixed part as a fulcrum among the deformation quantity of the support part;
A cleaning member comprising: The regulating member is
Of the amount of deformation of the first support portion that is elastically deformed in the moving direction when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the object to be cleaned, the amount of deformation with the fixed portion as a fulcrum is regulated. In this state, when the blade portion is further displaced by sliding on the member to be cleaned, the first support portion is provided so as to be elastically deformed in the moving direction with the restricting member as a fulcrum. The cleaning member according to claim 1. The regulating member is
Provided to face the frame,
In a state where the object to be cleaned does not slide on the blade part and the blade part is not displaced, it is non-contact with the frame body,
Of the deformation amount of the first support portion that is elastically deformed in the moving direction by contacting the frame body when the blade portion is displaced by a predetermined amount or more by being slid by the body to be cleaned. The cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member is provided so as to regulate a deformation amount with the fixed portion as a fulcrum.   The support member is configured so that an angle formed by the first support portion and the second support portion between the one end portion and the bent portion is 90 °. Item 4. The cleaning member according to any one of Items 1 to 3. A cleaning device that removes developer from the surface of an object to be cleaned,
A frame that supports the object to be cleaned;
A blade portion that contacts the object to be cleaned in a counter direction with respect to the moving direction of the object to be cleaned;
It is a plate-like support member that supports the blade part and has flexibility, and has one end provided with the blade part and a fixed part fixed to a frame body that supports the object to be cleaned. The other end portion is positioned between the one end portion and the other end portion, and the line segment connecting the fixed portion and the contact portion where the blade portion contacts the object to be cleaned, A bent portion located on the side away from the surface of the body to be cleaned, and a support member in which the portion to be fixed is disposed on the downstream side in the moving direction of the body to be cleaned with respect to the contact portion ,
Have
A first portion between the other end portion and the bent portion of the support member that is elastically deformed in the moving direction of the member to be cleaned is displaced when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the member to be cleaned. Of the deformation amount of the support portion, a regulating member that regulates the deformation amount with the fixed portion as a fulcrum,
A cleaning device comprising: The regulating member is
Of the amount of deformation of the first support portion that is elastically deformed in the moving direction when the blade portion is displaced by being slid by the object to be cleaned, the amount of deformation with the fixed portion as a fulcrum is regulated. In this state, when the blade portion is further displaced by sliding on the member to be cleaned, the first support portion is provided so as to be elastically deformed in the moving direction with the restricting member as a fulcrum. The cleaning device according to claim 5. The regulating member is
It is provided on the first support portion so as to face the frame body,
In a state where the object to be cleaned does not slide on the blade part and the blade part is not displaced, it is non-contact with the frame body,
Of the deformation amount of the first support portion that is elastically deformed in the moving direction by contacting the frame body when the blade portion is displaced by a predetermined amount or more by being slid by the body to be cleaned. The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning device is provided so as to regulate a deformation amount with the fixed portion as a fulcrum. The regulating member is
It is provided on the frame so as to face the first support part,
In a state where the object to be cleaned does not slide on the blade part and the blade part is not displaced, it is not in contact with the first support part,
Deformation amount of the first support portion that is elastically deformed in the moving direction by contacting the first support portion when the blade portion is displaced by a predetermined amount or more by being slid by the object to be cleaned. 7. The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning device is provided so as to regulate a deformation amount with the fixed portion as a fulcrum. 8.   The support member is configured so that an angle formed by the first support portion and the second support portion between the one end portion and the bent portion is 90 °. Item 9. The cleaning device according to any one of Items 5 to 8. A process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus,
An image carrier that is a body to be cleaned;
A cleaning device according to any one of claims 5 to 9,
A process cartridge comprising: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material with a developer,
An image carrier that is a body to be cleaned;
A charging device for charging the surface of the image carrier;
An exposure device that forms a latent image on the surface of the image carrier by exposing the charged image carrier;
A developing device that visualizes the latent image by supplying a developer and forms a developer image on the surface of the image carrier;
A transfer device for transferring the developer image formed on the surface of the image carrier to a transfer material;
The cleaning device according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein a surface of the image carrier is cleaned after the developer image is transferred to a transfer material.
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images