JP2542651Y2 - Seal structure of image forming device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a first photosensitive drum formed in an image forming apparatus so as to extend substantially parallel to a generatrix of a cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum and to extend near an effective image forming area of the photosensitive drum. And a second surface that is bent from the end of the first surface and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the end surface of the photoconductor and away from the photoconductor drum. A casing, a sealing member provided from the first surface to the second surface of the casing, and a side surface abutting on a sealing member on a second surface of the casing. The present invention relates to a seal structure of an image forming apparatus including a cleaning blade that slides on a cylindrical surface of a photosensitive drum and scrapes off residual toner on the photosensitive drum.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus, a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred to a recording medium and then abutted on the photosensitive drum in order to remove residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum. And a cleaning blade for scraping off residual toner.

At this time, if the residual toner scraped off by the cleaning blade scatters inside the apparatus, the inside of the apparatus may be stained and the quality of the output recording medium may be deteriorated. Therefore, a seal structure is provided between the cleaning blade and the casing to prevent the remaining toner from scattering into the inside of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a seal structure around a cleaning blade of a conventional image forming apparatus.
In the figure, a casing 1 has a first surface 1a substantially parallel to the generatrix of the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 2 and extending to near an effective image forming area on the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 2. A second surface 1b which is bent from the end of the first surface 1a and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the end surface of the photosensitive drum 2 and in a direction away from the photosensitive drum 2.

[0005] Reference numeral 3 denotes a second surface extending from the first surface 1 a of the casing 1.
Is a seal member provided over the surface 1b. In general, a moquette, a malt plane (urethane foam), or the like is often used as the seal member.

At least an effective image forming area of the photosensitive drum 2 is in sliding contact with an edge 4a formed on the front surface of the cleaning blade 4, and residual toner remaining after the toner image on the photosensitive drum 2 is transferred to a recording medium. It is being scraped off. The side surface of the cleaning blade 4 is provided on the sealing member 3 on the second surface 1b of the casing.
, So that the scraped residual toner does not scatter into the apparatus.

[0007]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned sealing structure, in the color image forming apparatus, the cleaning blade 4 is pressed / released from / to the photosensitive drum 2. Therefore, during such an operation, the side surface of the cleaning blade 4 may bite the seal member 3, whereby the edge 4 a of the cleaning blade 4
There is a problem that the cleaning accuracy is not high and cleaning failure occurs.

[0008] Even in a single-color image forming apparatus, the same problem occurs if the cleaning blade 4 is assembled with the side surface of the cleaning blade 4 biting the seal member 3.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a seal structure of an image forming apparatus capable of performing complete sealing and cleaning without disturbing the operation of a cleaning blade. It is in.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus which is substantially parallel to a generatrix of a cylindrical surface of a photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus and extends to a vicinity of an effective image forming area of the photosensitive drum. The first surface formed on the first surface and the end of the first surface are bent so as to extend in a direction substantially parallel to an end surface of the photoconductor and in a direction away from the photoconductor drum. A casing having a second surface, a sealing member provided from the first surface to the second surface of the casing, and a side surface abutting on a sealing member on the second surface of the casing, and In the sealing structure of the image forming apparatus, a cleaning blade that scrapes the remaining toner on the photosensitive drum with a cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum slidably in contact with the formed edge. Near the edge of the blade, it is provided with a notch.

[0011]

In the seal structure of the image forming apparatus of the present invention,
Since the notch is provided, the cleaning blade does not bite, and complete sealing can be performed without disturbing the operation of the cleaning blade.

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a casing 11 is substantially parallel to the generatrix of the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 12 and
A first surface 11a formed so as to extend to the vicinity of the effective image forming area on the cylindrical surface, and a direction bent from the end of the first surface 11a and substantially parallel to the end surface of the photosensitive drum 12. And a second surface 11b extending in a direction away from the photosensitive drum 12.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a seal member provided from the first surface 11a to the second surface 11b of the casing 11. In general, a moquette, a malt plane (urethane foam), or the like is often used as the seal member.

An effective image forming area formed on at least the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 12 is brought into sliding contact with the edge 14a formed on the front surface of the cleaning blade 44. Then, the residual toner remaining on the cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum 12 after the transfer is scraped off.

A notch 13a is provided near the edge 14a of the cleaning blade 14 of the seal member 13 of this embodiment.

In the above-described sealing structure, the notch 13a is provided in the vicinity of the cleaning blade 14a of the seal member 13. Therefore, in the color image forming apparatus, the cleaning blade 14 14 is the sealing member 1
3 does not bite, and unlike the conventional case, the sealing failure and the accuracy of the edge 14a of the cleaning blade 14 are not obtained, and the cleaning failure does not occur.

Further, even in the case of a single-color image forming apparatus, since the biting that occurs when the cleaning blade 14 is assembled is eliminated, the sealing failure and the accuracy of the edge 14a of the cleaning blade 14 are not achieved as in the prior art. No defect occurs.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a seal structure of an image forming apparatus capable of performing complete sealing and cleaning without disturbing the operation of the cleaning blade.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a seal structure around a cleaning blade of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Casing 11a 1st surface 11b 2nd surface 12 Photoconductor drum 13 Seal member 13a Notch 14 Cleaning blade 14a Edge

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A first surface formed substantially parallel to a generatrix of a cylindrical surface of a photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus and extending to a vicinity of an effective image forming area of the photosensitive drum; A casing having a second surface provided so as to be bent from the end of the surface and extend in a direction substantially parallel to the end surface of the photoconductor and away from the photoconductor drum; A side surface abuts a seal member provided from the first surface to the second surface and a seal member on a second surface of the casing, and an edge formed on the front surface has a cylindrical surface of the photosensitive drum. Wherein a notch is provided near an edge of the cleaning blade of the seal member in the seal structure of the image forming apparatus, which comprises a cleaning blade that slides and scrapes off residual toner on the photosensitive drum. A seal structure for an image forming apparatus.