JP5509862B2 - Cleaning member, cleaning device, assembly, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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

  Patent Document 1 describes a cleaning device that cleans the outer peripheral surface of a charging member by being driven to rotate as the charging member rotates.

  The cleaning device includes a support body (core material) extending in the axial direction of the rotating charging member, and a cleaning material (cleaning material) wound around the support body in a spiral shape.

JP-A-8-137208

  The subject of this invention is winding a cleaning material to the end side of a core material, and expanding a cleaning range to an axial direction.

A cleaning member according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a core member that is hollow at least at both ends so that the bearing member is inserted, and a core member that is rotatably supported by the bearing member; a cleaning material wound on Jo, before SL includes a tubular holding member sandwiching the end portion of the cleaning material with the core material, and the the holding member is a hollow-shaped portion of the core material A bearing that is inserted and rotatably supported by the bearing member is integrally formed .

  A cleaning member according to a second aspect of the present invention is the cleaning member according to the first aspect, wherein the core material is hollow in the axial direction, and the cleaning material is wound up to both ends of the core material. Features.

The cleaning device according to claim 3 of the present invention rotates or rotates, and the member to be cleaned on which foreign matter adheres to the outer surface is in contact with the cleaning material of the member to be cleaned, so that the member to be cleaned rotates or rotates. And a cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning member rotates following the rotation.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an assembly includes an image carrier, a charging member that rotates to charge the outer surface of the image carrier, a contact member that is in contact with the charging member, and is driven as the charging member rotates. The cleaning member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning member is rotated, and is assembled to the main body in a replaceable manner.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus that conveys a recording field body onto which an image formed using the cleaning device according to the third aspect and a member to be cleaned cleaned by the cleaning device is transferred. And a conveying member.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus that exposes the outer surface of the image carrier that is charged by the assembly according to the fourth aspect and the charging member provided in the assembly to electrostatically An exposure member that forms a latent image, and a developing member that visualizes the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer surface of the image carrier as a toner image.

  According to the cleaning member of the first aspect of the present invention, the cleaning material is wound to the end side of the core material and the cleaning range is expanded in the axial direction as compared with the case where the bearing member supports the outer peripheral surface of the core material. Can do.

  According to the cleaning member of claim 2 of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture the cleaning member more efficiently than in the case where the core material is not cylindrical in the axial direction.

According to the cleaning device of Claim 3 of this invention, compared with the case where the cleaning member described in Claim 1 or 2 is not employ | adopted, a to-be-cleaned member can be cleaned efficiently.

According to the assembly of claim 4 of the present invention, the quality of the toner image formed on the image carrier is improved as compared with the case where the cleaning member according to claim 1 or 2 is not employed. Can do.

According to the image forming apparatus of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the quality of the output image can be improved as compared with the case where the cleaning device according to the third aspect is not employed.

According to the image forming apparatus of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the quality of the output image can be improved as compared with the case where the assembly described in the fourth aspect is not employed.

It is the front view which showed the cleaning member etc. which concern on the reference form of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the cleaning member etc. which concern on the reference form of this invention. It is the front view which showed the cleaning member, cleaning apparatus, and replacement | exchange cartridge which concern on the reference form of this invention. It is the perspective view which showed the cleaning member etc. which concern on the reference form of this invention. (A) (B) (C) It is the side view which showed the cleaning member and cleaning apparatus which concern on the reference form of this invention. (A) (B) It is the front view which showed the cleaning member which concerns on the reference form of this invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a reference embodiment of the present invention. It is the front view which showed the cleaning member etc. which concern on embodiment of this invention.

An example of a cleaning member, a cleaning device, an assembly, and an image forming apparatus according to a reference embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, arrow UP shown in a figure shows the vertical direction upper direction.
(overall structure)
As shown in FIG. 7, an image processing unit 12 that performs image processing on input image data is provided inside the main body 10 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 10.

  The image processing unit 12 processes the input image data into gradation data of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). An exposure device 14 that receives the gradation data and performs image exposure with the laser beam LB is provided in the center of the main body 10A.

  Above the exposure device 14, four image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are spaced apart in the horizontal direction. Are arranged. When there is no need to distinguish between Y, M, C, and K, Y, M, C, and K may be omitted.

  These four image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K are all configured in the same manner. A cylindrical image carrier 18 that is rotationally driven at a predetermined speed, and an outer periphery of the image carrier 18. Developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 for charging the surface and the image holding member 18 charged by the image exposure of the exposure device 14 with toner of a predetermined color. The developing member 22 is visualized as a toner image, and the cleaning blade 24 is used to clean the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 18. A cleaning member 64 that contacts the cylindrical charging member 20 and cleans the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 is provided below the charging member 20.

  A cleaning device 68 is constituted by the charging member 20 and the cleaning member 64 as an example of a member to be cleaned constituting the image forming unit 16, and the assembly is constituted by the image holding body 18, the charging member 20 and the cleaning member 64. As an example, a replacement cartridge 66 (see FIG. 3) is configured, and each of the replacement cartridges 66 is replaceable with respect to the main body 10A. Details of the cleaning member 64 will be described later.

  In addition, the exposure apparatus 14 is provided with four semiconductor lasers (not shown) that are configured in common to the four image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. From these semiconductor lasers, laser light LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are emitted according to the gradation data.

  The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K emitted from the semiconductor laser are irradiated to a polygon mirror 26, which is a rotating polygon mirror, through an f-θ lens (not shown). The mirror 26 is deflected and scanned. The laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 26 pass through the imaging lens (not shown) and a plurality of mirrors on the image carrier 18. The exposure point is scanned and exposed from obliquely below.

  Further, since this exposure device 14 scans and exposes an image on the image carrier 18 from below, this exposure device 14 includes four image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K positioned above. There is a risk that toner or the like may fall from the developing member 22 or the like. Therefore, the periphery of the exposure device 14 is sealed by a rectangular parallelepiped frame 28. In the upper part of the frame 28, four laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB-K are directed onto the image carriers 18 of the image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. And transparent glass windows 30Y, 30M, 30C, and 30K are provided.

  On the other hand, a primary transfer unit 21 is provided above the image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. The primary transfer unit 21 includes an endless intermediate transfer belt 32, a drive roll 40 around which the intermediate transfer belt 32 is wound and rotated to rotate the intermediate transfer belt 32 in the direction of the arrow, and the intermediate transfer belt 32. Is wound around the intermediate transfer belt 32, a tension applying roller 36 that applies tension, a cleaning blade 38 that cleans the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 32, and the image carriers 18 </ b> Y, 18 </ b> M, and 18 </ b> C across the intermediate transfer belt 32. , 18K and primary transfer rolls 34Y, 34M, 34C, and 34K.

  Then, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (sequentially formed on the image carrier 18 of the image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K by the four primary transfer rolls 34Y, 34M, 34C, and 34K. C) and black (K) toner images are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 32 in a multiple manner.

  A secondary transfer roll 42 is provided on the opposite side of the drive roll 40 with the intermediate transfer belt 32 in between. The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 32 in a multiple manner are conveyed by the intermediate transfer belt 32 and are transferred to the drive roll 40 and the second transfer roller 40. The sheet is sandwiched between the next transfer rolls 42 and secondarily transferred to a sheet member P as a recording medium conveyed along the sheet conveyance path 56.

  Further, on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet member P with respect to the secondary transfer roll 42 (hereinafter simply referred to as the downstream side), the fixing that fixes the toner image transferred to the sheet member P to the sheet member P by heat and pressure. A device 44 is provided.

  Further, on the downstream side of the fixing device 44, a discharge roll 46 that discharges the sheet member P on which the toner image is fixed to a discharge portion 48 provided on the upper portion of the main body 10 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 10 is provided.

  On the other hand, a sheet feeding member 50 on which the sheet members P are stacked is provided on the lower side in the main body 10 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 10. Further, a sheet feeding roll 52 for feeding the sheet members P stacked on the sheet feeding member 50 to the sheet conveying path 56 is provided, and the sheet members P are separated and conveyed one by one on the downstream side of the sheet feeding roll 52. A separation roll 54 is provided. Further, an alignment roll 58 for adjusting the conveyance timing is provided on the downstream side of the separation roll 54. Thus, the sheet member P supplied from the sheet feeding member 50 is moved to a position (secondary transfer position) where the intermediate transfer belt 32 and the secondary transfer roll 42 are in contact with each other by the alignment roll 58 that rotates at a predetermined timing. It is configured to be sent out.

  Further, next to the discharge roll 46, the sheet member P on which the image is fixed on one side by the fixing device 44 is not discharged onto the discharge unit 48 as it is by the discharge roll 46 but is conveyed to the double-side conveyance path 62. A roll 60 is provided. As a result, the sheet member P conveyed along the duplex conveyance path 62 is conveyed again to the alignment roll 58 with the front and back sides reversed, and this time, the toner image is transferred to the back surface of the sheet member P. It is fixed and discharged onto the discharge unit 48.

  With this configuration, an image is formed on the sheet member P as follows.

  First, gradation data of each color is sequentially output from the image processing unit 12 to the exposure device 14, and the laser beams LB-Y, LB-M, LB-C, and LB emitted according to the gradation data from the exposure device 14 are output. -K is scanned and exposed on the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 18 charged by the charging member 20, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 18. The electrostatic latent images formed on the image holding member 18 are yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners by developing members 22Y, 22M, 22C, and 22K, respectively. Visualized as an image.

  Further, yellow (Y) and magenta (M) formed on the image carrier 18 by the primary transfer roll 34 of the primary transfer unit 21 disposed above the image forming units 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. , Cyan (C), and black (K) toner images are transferred in multiple onto the rotating intermediate transfer belt 32.

  Further, the toner images of the respective colors transferred in multiple onto the circulating intermediate transfer belt 32 are transferred from the paper supply member 50 to the paper supply roll 52, the separation roll 54, and the alignment roll 58 by the secondary transfer roll 42, and the paper conveyance path. The sheet is secondarily transferred to the sheet member P conveyed to 56 at a predetermined timing.

  Further, the sheet member P to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 44. The toner image transferred to the sheet member P is fixed to the sheet member P by the fixing device 44 and fixed, and then discharged to the discharge portion 48 provided at the upper portion of the main body 10A of the image forming apparatus 10 by the discharge roll 46. The

  Further, when images are formed on both sides of the sheet member P, the sheet member P, on which the image is fixed on one side by the fixing device 44, is not directly discharged onto the discharge unit 48 by the discharge roll 46, and the conveyance direction is switched. Then, the sheet is conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path 62 via the conveyance roll 60. Then, by conveying the sheet member P along the duplex conveyance path 62, the front and back of the sheet member P are reversed, and the sheet member P is conveyed again to the alignment roll 58. This time, the toner image is transferred / fixed on the back surface of the sheet member P, transferred and fixed, and then discharged onto the discharge portion 48 by the discharge roll 46.

(Main part configuration)
Next, the cleaning member 64 that cleans the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical charging member 20 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a cleaning member 64 is provided so as to face the charging member 20 and extend in the axial direction of the charging member 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as the axial direction). The cleaning member 64 includes a cylindrical core member 70 extending in the axial direction, and a cleaning member 72 having a rectangular cross section wound spirally around the core member 70. In the present embodiment , the cleaning material 72 is formed of, for example, an elastically deformable urethane resin foam, and is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the core material 70 by using a double-sided tape (not shown). It has become.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cleaning material 72 is wound up to both ends of the core material 70, and the end of the cleaning material 72 is connected to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical holding material 78 and the core. By being sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the material 70, the core material 70 is not peeled off.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the core member 70 has a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction of the core member 70, which is one form of a hollow shape, and a cylindrical shape extends to the cylindrical tube portion 70 </ b> A. The bearing member 80 is inserted. That is, the bearing member 80 and the holding member 78 are opposed to each other with the end portion of the core member 70 interposed therebetween. At both ends of the core member 70, the cylindrical portion 70 </ b> A of the core member 70 is supported by the bearing member 80, and the bearing member 80 is compressed by a predetermined amount on the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20. The cleaning member 64 is supported at a position in contact with the state. With this configuration, the cleaning member 64 is driven to rotate as the charging member 20 rotates. In addition, if it is hollow shape, it is not necessary to be limited to the cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction of the core material 70, and is appropriately within a range in which the core material 70 is supported and rotated by a bearing inserted into the hollow portion. The shape, size, etc. may be changed.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5 (A), in the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the foam 72, both ends 72A of the foam 72 have a radial direction of the core material 70 (hereinafter simply referred to as the center part). Projecting in a radial direction).

(Function)
As shown in FIG. 7, in the image forming unit 16, the toner image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating image carrier 18 is transferred to the rotating intermediate transfer belt 32. Further, foreign matters such as toner remaining on the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 18 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 32 are removed from the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 18 by the cleaning blade 24.

  Here, foreign matters such as a toner external additive externally added to the toner are likely to pass through the cleaning blade 24 because the particle diameter is smaller than that of the toner. Foreign matter such as an external toner additive that has passed through the cleaning blade 24 adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, foreign matter such as toner external additives attached to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 rotating in the direction of the arrow is removed from the end portion of the cleaning material 72 of the cleaning member 64 that is driven to rotate. 72A is pushed by the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20, and is elastically deformed (elastic) in the thickness direction (G direction shown in FIG. 5A) and the width direction (H direction shown in FIG. 5A) of the cleaning member 64. Compressed) and pressed by the cleaning material 72 to agglomerate. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the aggregated foreign matter such as the toner additive is restored by the restoring force of the end 72A of the cleaning material 72 of the cleaning member 64 that is driven and rotated. Or loosen from the outer surface of the charging member 20.

  In the drawing of FIG. 5, the radial dimension of the foam 72 is exaggerated so that the radial deformation of the foam 72 can be easily understood.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the cleaning member 64 will be described.

  As described above, the cleaning material 72 is wound up to both ends of the core material 70. That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), a cleaning material 72 is spirally wound around a core material 70 longer than a specified length, and a plurality of cleanings are performed by dividing as shown in FIG. 6 (B). The member 64 is manufactured.

  As described above, the core member 70 has a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical portion 70A of the core member 70 is supported by the bearing member 80, so that the outer peripheral surface of the core member is supported by the bearing member. Then, the cleaning material 72 is spirally wound up to both ends of the core material 70. Thereby, the foreign matter adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 can be removed even at the end side of the core member 70, and the cleaning performance is improved.

  In addition, foreign matters attached to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 can be removed also on the end side of the core member 70. As a result, the foreign matter attached along the axial direction of the charging member 20 is removed.

  Further, by arranging the bearing member 80 and the holding member 78 so as to face each other with the core member 70 interposed therebetween, image formation is performed in the axial direction as compared with the configuration in which the outer peripheral surface of the core member is supported by the bearing member. The apparatus 10 can be downsized.

  Moreover, the cleaning material 72 is efficiently manufactured by winding the cleaning material 72 around the core material 70 longer than the specified length in a spiral manner and by dividing it into a plurality of cleaning members 64.

  In addition, the cleaning member 64 having a different length is manufactured by winding the cleaning material 72 spirally around the core material 70 longer than the specified length, and changing the division length for dividing the cleaning material 72.

  Further, the cleaning member 72 of the cleaning member 64 repels (removes) foreign matters such as the toner external additive adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20, thereby suppressing the charging failure of the image carrier 18. For this reason, the quality of the toner image formed on the image carrier 18 is improved.

  Further, since the quality of the toner image formed on the image carrier 18 is improved, the quality of the output image formed on the sheet member P is improved.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific reference forms , the present invention is not limited to such reference forms , and various other reference forms are possible within the scope of the present invention. It is clear to the contractor. For example, in the above reference embodiment , foreign substances such as toner external additives attached to the outer peripheral surface of the charging member 20 as the member to be cleaned are removed using the cleaning member 64, but the invention is not limited to the charging member 22. For example, paper dust, toner and external additives attached to the image carrier, transfer belt and transfer roll, and toner and toner external additive attached to the intermediate transfer belt and intermediate transfer roll may be removed with a cleaning member. Good.

Further, in the above-described reference embodiment , a foamed material of urethane resin that can be elastically deformed is used as the material of the cleaning material 72. It may be a material.

In the reference embodiment , the replacement cartridge 66 is configured by the image carrier 18, the charging member 20, and the cleaning member 64. However, other members such as a developing member may be added as components of the replacement cartridge 66. Good.

Next, an example of the cleaning member according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the same member as a reference form , the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8, the holding member 106 that holds the end of the cleaning material 104 spirally wound around the core material 102 of the cleaning member 100 of the embodiment is inserted into the cylindrical portion 102 </ b> A of the core material 102. The bearing 108 rotatably supported by the cylindrical bearing member 110 is integrally formed of a resin material (in this embodiment, polyacetal resin as an example).

  Furthermore, when the cleaning member 100 rotates, the dimensions of each part are determined so that the top surface 110A of the cylindrical bearing member 110 and the bottom surface 108A of the bearing 108 slide.

  As described above, by forming the bearing 108 integrally with the holding material 106 from a resin material, for example, the core material 102 is formed of a metal material, and compared with the case where the core material 102 and the bearing member 110 slide. Thus, the sliding performance with the bearing member 110 is improved.

  Further, the sliding speed is reduced by sliding the top surface 110A of the cylindrical bearing member 110 and the bottom surface 108A of the bearing 108 as compared with the case where the end surface 102B of the core member 102 slides.

Further, by sliding the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical bearing member 110 and the inner peripheral surface of the holding member 106, the outer peripheral surface of the bearing member and the inner peripheral surface of the core member are slid as in the reference embodiment . Compared to the case, the rubbing speed is reduced.

  Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. It is clear to the contractor. For example, in the above embodiment, the holding material 106 is molded from polyacetal resin. However, the holding material 106 is not particularly limited to polyacetal resin, and other resin materials can be used if determined in consideration of required performance and matching with other parts. There may be.

10 Image forming apparatus 20 Charging member (member to be cleaned)
64 Cleaning member 66 Replacement cartridge (assembly)
68 Cleaning Device 70 Core Material 70A Tube Part 72 Cleaning Material 78 Holding Material 80 Bearing Member 100 Cleaning Member 102 Core Material 102A Tube Part 104 Cleaning Material 106 Holding Material 108 Bearing 110 Bearing 110 Bearing Member

Claims (6)

A core member that is hollow at least at both ends so that the bearing member is inserted, and is rotatably supported by the bearing member;
A cleaning material spirally wound around the core material;
And a cylindrical holding material sandwiching the end portion of the cleaning member between the pre SL core,
A cleaning member in which the bearing is integrally formed in the holding member and is inserted into a hollow portion of the core member and is rotatably supported by the bearing member. The core material is hollow in the axial direction,
The cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning material is wound up to both ends of the core material. A member to be cleaned that rotates or rotates and adheres to the outer surface, and
The cleaning member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning material of the member to be cleaned comes into contact with the cleaning member and rotates following the rotation or rotation of the member to be cleaned.
A cleaning device. An image carrier,
A charging member that rotates and charges the outer surface of the image carrier;
The cleaning member according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning member is in contact with the charging member and is driven to rotate as the charging member rotates.
And an assembly assembled to the main body in a replaceable manner. A cleaning device according to claim 3 ;
A conveying member that conveys a recording medium to which an image formed using the member to be cleaned cleaned by the cleaning device is transferred;
An image forming apparatus comprising: An assembly according to claim 4 ;
An exposure member that exposes an outer surface of the image carrier charged by the charging member included in the assembly to form an electrostatic latent image;
A developing member for visualizing the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer surface of the image carrier as a toner image;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images