JP5913687B2 - Cleaning stick, image forming device - Google Patents

Description

  The embodiment described in this specification relates to a technique effective for cleaning a long object in a space having a small height.

  In the image forming apparatus, the light source device exposes the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, and the developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the photosensitive member. The image forming apparatus transfers this toner image to a sheet.

  Some image forming apparatuses use an LED head (LED: Light Emitting Diode) as a light source device. The LED head includes a light emitting element and a lens array. Since the lens array of the LED head is in a position close to the photoconductor, foreign matters such as toner and paper dust are likely to adhere to the light exit surface. If the light exit surface of the lens array is contaminated with foreign matter, image unevenness occurs and image quality is degraded. Therefore, the image forming apparatus may be provided with a cleaning device for the light emitting surface of the lens array (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-411147 A

  In the cleaning device, the light emitting surface of the lens array is cleaned by reciprocating a cleaning unit provided with a cloth or the like. However, in the cleaning device, there is a possibility that foreign matters on the lens array captured by the cleaning unit on the forward path may be reattached on the lens array from the cleaning unit on the return path.

  In the cleaning device of Patent Document 1, the mechanism is complicated, and there is room for improvement in terms of miniaturization.

  An object of the present specification is to provide a technique that is effective for cleaning a long object in a space having a small height and can be downsized.

In general, according to the embodiment, the cleaning rod includes a rotating member, a holding member, a wiping portion, and a blade-like member. The rotating member is held so as to be rotatable about shaft portions on both sides in the width direction. The holding member holds the shaft portion. The wiping portion and the blade-like member are provided across the shaft portion of the rotating member. Blade-like member is erected to the rotation member, it has flexibility. When the holding member moves in the first direction while the wiping part is in contact with the cleaning surface, the cleaning bar wipes foreign matter on the cleaning surface with the wiping part, and the blade-like member is in contact with the cleaning surface. When the holding member moves in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the mechanism rotates the rotating member relative to the holding member so that the blade-like member side of the rotating member is close to the cleaning surface. In the state where the wiping portion is separated from the cleaning surface, the blade-shaped member sweeps foreign matter on the cleaning surface.

1 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus. It is a figure which shows the position of the developing device and LED head at the time of image formation. It is a figure which shows the position of the developing device and LED head at the time of a maintenance. It is a perspective view of a cleaning stick. It is a side view which shows the structure of a cleaning stick. It is a figure which shows a mode that a 1st cleaning part rides on a lens array. It is a figure which shows the cleaning state of the outward path | route of a cleaning stick. It is a figure which shows the cleaning state of the return path of a cleaning stick. It is a figure which shows the modification of a rotation member. It is a front view which shows the braided member of a modification. It is a figure which shows how to sweep the foreign material by the blade-shaped member of a modification.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 100.
The image forming apparatus 100 is an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), and includes a reading unit 31, a paper feed cassette 32, an image forming unit 33, a fixing device 34, and a control unit (not shown). The reading unit 31 reads a sheet on the document table 311. The paper feed cassette 32 stores sheets. The image forming unit 33 forms an image on the sheet taken out from the paper feed cassette 32.

  The image forming unit 33 includes a photoreceptor 10, a lens unit 11, a developing device 13, a driving roller 101, a primary transfer roller 14, a transfer belt 30, a secondary transfer counter roller 102, and a secondary transfer roller 103. The transfer fixing method of the image forming apparatus 100 is a quadruple tandem type, and the members 10, 11, 13, and 14 are made of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). For each image formation.

The outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive member 10 is a photosensitive surface such as an OPC (Organic Photo Conductor), and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive surface by the lens unit 11 and the developing device 13 and carries the toner image.
The lens unit 11 is around the photoconductor 10 and exposes the photoconductor 10 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 10.

  The Y to K developing units 13 accommodate Y to K toners, respectively. The developing device 13 supplies the toner accommodated therein to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 10 by the magnet roller 12. As a result, the developing device 13 develops the electrostatic latent images on the Y to K photoconductors 10 to form Y to K toner images on the photoconductor 10.

The drive roller 101 drives the transfer belt 30 counterclockwise in FIG.
The toner images on the Y to K photoconductors 10 are sequentially transferred to the same position on the transfer belt 30 by the transfer bias voltage by each primary transfer roller 14 and are superimposed. As a result, a single color toner image is formed on the transfer belt 30.

  A sheet is conveyed from the sheet feeding cassette 32 between the secondary transfer counter roller 102 and the secondary transfer roller 103. The toner image on the transfer belt 30 is transferred to the sheet by the transfer bias voltage from the secondary transfer roller 103 between the secondary transfer counter roller 102 and the secondary transfer roller 103. The sheet on which the image has been transferred is heated and pressed by the fixing unit 34 to fix the image, and is then discharged to the paper discharge unit 35.

  An unillustrated control unit includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory for storing various programs read by the CPU, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that is a dedicated circuit for realizing various functions, and an image forming apparatus Control one whole.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the positions of the developing units 13 and the LED heads 111 for Y to K during image formation. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the positions of the developing units 13 and the LED heads 111 for Y to K during maintenance. FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the developing device 13 moves the magnet roller 12 away from the photoreceptor 10 around the rotation center 131 by a driving mechanism (not shown) during maintenance of the image forming apparatus 100 (FIG. 3). Turn counterclockwise. The maintenance time indicates, for example, a non-execution time of a print job.

  The lens unit 11 includes an LED head 111 (light source device), a cleaning bar 4 (FIG. 3), a case 110 that houses the LED head 111, and a proximity / separation mechanism (not shown) that drives the cleaning bar 4.

  The LED head 111 exposes the photoreceptor 10. The LED head 111 includes an LED array 112 (light emitting element) in which LEDs are arranged in a scanning direction which is a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2, and each light emitted from each LED of the LED array 112 extending in the scanning direction. And a lens array 113 that forms an image on the surface. The surface of the lens array 113 facing the photoreceptor 10 is a light emitting surface 114 that emits light. The lens array 113 protrudes from the LED array 112.

A proximity / separation mechanism (not shown) positions the LED head 111 at an exposure position close to the photoreceptor 10 shown in FIG. 2 during image formation. The proximity / separation mechanism moves the LED head 111 from the photosensitive member 10 to a standby position shown in FIG. 3 away from the exposure position during maintenance.
The cleaning bar 4 enters the gap S1 between the lens array 113 and the photoreceptor 10 during maintenance, and cleans the light emitting surface 114 of the lens array 113.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning rod 4.
The cleaning rod 4 has a longitudinal shape and includes a rotating member 5 at the tip. The rotating member 5 includes a first cleaning unit 6 and a second cleaning unit 7 described later (see FIG. 5). The cleaning rod 4 slides in the Y direction by a drive mechanism (not shown), that is, reciprocates along the lens array 113, and uses the first and second cleaning units 6, 7 to emit the light exit surface 114 of the lens array 113. Clean.

  Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the cleaning bar 4 is defined as the + -Y direction, the width direction of the cleaning bar 4 perpendicular to the Y direction is defined as the + -X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the XY direction is defined as the Z direction. The Y direction is the scanning direction, and the X direction is the sub-scanning direction. The + Z direction is a direction close to the photoconductor 10 in the radial direction of the photoconductor 10, and the −Z direction is a direction away from the photoconductor 10 in the radial direction of the photoconductor 10.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the configuration of the cleaning rod 4.
The cleaning bar 4 includes a rotating member 5 and a holding member 8.
The rotating member 5 includes a plate-like main body 51, columnar shafts 52 on both sides in the X direction that is the width direction of the main body 51, and both sides of the shaft 52 with the shaft 52 in the Y direction. There are provided first and second cleaning units 6 and 7.

  In the main body 51, there is an arcuate portion 511 that bulges in the −Z direction on the + Y direction side of the shaft portion 52, and the second cleaning portion 7 is supported in the −Z direction on the −Y direction side of the shaft portion 52. There is a support portion 512 to be used.

  The first cleaning unit 6 includes the arcuate part 511 and a cloth-like member 61 attached to the surface on the −Z direction side of the arcuate part 511. The cloth-like member 61 is made of a soft material such as cloth or nonwoven fabric. As described above, the first cleaning unit 6 can wipe foreign matter on the lens array 113. Note that wiping the foreign matter on the lens array 113 means removing the foreign matter from the lens array 113 by rubbing the first cleaning portion 6 on the surface of the lens array 113 to attach the foreign matter to the first cleaning portion 6. On the −Z direction side surface of the first cleaning unit 6, the + Y direction front end side is an arcuate riding surface 62 that extends in the −Z direction as it proceeds to the shaft portion 52 side (−Y direction front end side).

  As described above, the first cleaning unit 6 has a shape having the arc-shaped riding surface 62 and is easy to escape in the + Z direction when hitting the edge 115 of the lens array 113. The length of the first cleaning unit 6 in the X direction is the same as the length of the light emitting surface 114 of the lens array 113 in the X direction. The edge 115 refers to the −Y direction end of the light emitting surface 114 of the lens array 113.

  The second cleaning part 7 includes the support part 512 and a blade-like member 71. The blade-like member 71 is a thin plate having a rectangular shape in plan view and has flexibility. The blade-like member 71 is harder than the cloth-like member 61 and hard enough not to be scraped even if it contacts the edge 115 of the lens array 113. The length of the blade-like member 71 in the X direction is the same as the length of the light emitting surface 114 of the lens array 113 in the X direction. The second cleaning unit 7 can sweep foreign matter on the lens array 113. Note that the cleaning of the foreign matter on the lens array 113 means that the foreign matter is moved by moving the second cleaning unit 7 (blade-like member 71) while being in contact with or close to the surface of the lens array 113.

  The home position of the cleaning rod 4 is the position in FIG. 5 where the rotating member 5 is located on the side of the lens array 113. The blade-like member 71 has such a length that the tip is separated from the + Z side surface of the LED array 112 when the cleaning rod 4 is at the home position.

  The holding member 8 includes a pair of side plates 81 located on both sides in the X direction of the rotating member 5 and extending in the Y direction. In the side plate 81, there are elongated hole portions 82 at portions located on both sides in the X direction of the rotating member 5. The long hole portion 82 extends in the Z direction as it proceeds in the Y direction. The shaft portion 52 is inserted into the long hole portion 82. The long hole portion 82 holds the shaft portion 52 so as to be movable in the Z direction side.

  When cleaning the lens array 113 with the cleaning rod 4 during maintenance of the image forming apparatus 100, the cleaning rod 4 first moves in the + Y direction from the home position toward the lens array 113. Here, when the cleaning rod 4 is at the home position and the first and second cleaning portions 6 and 7 are not in contact with the lens array 113, the rotating member 5 is the seesaw centered on the shaft portion 52 as a fulcrum. It can be freely rotated clockwise or counterclockwise as shown in FIG.

  Therefore, when the cleaning rod 4 moves in the + Y direction (first direction) and the first cleaning unit 6 contacts the edge 115 of the lens array 113 as shown in FIG. It is possible to escape onto the lens array 113 without being caught by the lens. However, in this state, the first cleaning unit 6 is not firmly held on the surface of the lens array 113 and cannot exhibit sufficient cleaning ability.

  When the cleaning rod 4 further moves in the + Y direction, as shown in FIG. 7, the second cleaning unit 7 (blade-like member 71) rides on the lens array 113 while being bent. In the forward path of FIG. 7 in which the cleaning rod 4 moves in the + Y direction with the second cleaning portion 7 coming to the base end side (−Y direction side) in the traveling direction, the second cleaning portion 7 is bent and both the first and first 2 The cleaning units 6 and 7 come into contact with the lens array 113. Further, the shaft portion 52 is guided to the −Y direction side of the elongated hole portion 82 and receives a force from the elongated hole portion 82 to the −Z direction side.

  As a result, in the forward path, the two first and second cleaning units 6 and 7 both come into contact with the lens array 113 in a state where the pressure is balanced. 2 Cleaning can be performed while applying a sufficient load to the cleaning units 6 and 7. The cleaning bar 4 moves in the + Y direction to a position where the second cleaning unit 7 comes off from the lens array 113.

  In this way, in the forward path, the cleaning rod 4 wipes the foreign matter on the lens array 113 by the first cleaning unit 6, and sweeps the foreign matter out of the surface of the lens array 113 by the second cleaning unit 7. Do both.

  When the foreign matter on the lens array 113 is wiped with the first cleaning unit 6, the fibers of the first cleaning unit 6 may adhere to the lens array 113 even if the foreign matter is wiped off. However, in this embodiment, after the foreign matter on the lens array 113 is wiped by the first cleaning unit 6 and then the lens array 113 is swept by the second cleaning unit 7, the fibers of the first cleaning unit 6 are transferred to the lens array 113. It can prevent adhesion.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a cleaning state of the return path of the cleaning rod 4.
The cleaning bar 4 moves the second cleaning unit 7 to the + Y direction side from the lens array 113 and then moves on the lens array 113 in the −Y direction (second direction) as a return path to clean the surface of the lens array 113 again. While returning to the home position.

  Specifically, when the cleaning rod 4 moves in the −Y direction with the second cleaning portion 7 on the leading end side in the traveling direction, the second cleaning portion 7 (blade member 71) on the leading end side in the traveling direction is bent. At the same time, the shaft portion 52 is guided in the + Y direction of the elongated hole portion 82 and moves to the + Z direction side, and receives a force from the elongated hole portion 82 in the + Z direction side. As a result, on the return path, the first cleaning unit 6 on the proximal end side in the traveling direction is in a state of floating from the lens array 113, so that the cleaning rod 4 prevents the fibers from adhering to the lens array 113 from the first cleaning unit 6. However, the lens array 113 can be cleaned only by the second cleaning unit 7.

  As described above, the cleaning rod 4 according to the present embodiment automatically slides on the LED head 111 and the first and second cleaning units 6 and 7 automatically run on the lens array 113 with a sufficient load. It contacts the surface of the lens array 113. Therefore, the cleaning rod 4 can sufficiently wipe off and sweep out foreign matter on the lens array 113 by the first and second cleaning units 6 and 7. Therefore, the cleaning rod 4 is effective for cleaning the long LED head 111 in a space where the height between the photoconductor 10 and the LED head 111 is small.

  In the present embodiment, the mechanism for causing the first and second cleaning units 6 and 7 to ride on the lens array 113 and abut against the surface of the lens array 113 with a sufficient load is simple, and the photosensitive member 10 The LED head 111 fits into a small space between the LED head 111 and the LED head 111, so that this embodiment can be reduced in size and cost.

(Modification)
In the embodiment, the first cleaning unit 6 including the cloth-like member 61 is on the distal end side of the holding member 8, and the second cleaning unit 7 is closer to the proximal end side of the holding member 8 than the first cleaning unit 6. . However, the second cleaning unit 7 may be on the distal end side of the holding member 8, and the first cleaning unit 6 may be on the proximal end side of the holding member 8. In this case, after the foreign matter on the lens array 113 is swept out of the surface of the lens array 113 by the second cleaning unit 7 in the forward path, the foreign matter on the lens array 113 with less foreign matter is wiped and swept away on the return path first, Since the cleaning is performed by the second cleaning units 6 and 7, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of foreign matter to the first cleaning unit 6, and it is possible to suppress the reattachment of foreign matter from the first cleaning unit 6 to the lens array 113.

In the embodiment, the hole 82 extends in the YZ direction, but may extend in the Z direction. In the embodiment, the hole portion 82 is composed of only a portion extending linearly, but may include a curved portion.
In the embodiment, the hole portion 82 has a slit shape. However, the hole portion 82 may have a simple circular diameter as long as the shaft portion 52 can be rotatably held.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the riding surface 62A of the first cleaning unit 6A.
The riding surface 62A that hits the edge 115 of the lens array 113 may have a tapered shape that extends in the −Z direction as it goes toward the shaft portion 52 side.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the blade-like member 71A of the second cleaning unit 7A, and FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating how the foreign matter is swept out by the second cleaning unit 7A.
In the blade-like member 71A, an edge 72 on the −Z direction side that hits the lens array 113 may be inclined in the XZ direction. In this way, in the second cleaning unit 7, the blade-like member 71 </ b> A strikes the lens array 113 obliquely during cleaning. Therefore, the second cleaning unit 7 can automatically sweep the foreign matter to the X direction side (for example, the + X direction side) when the cleaning rod 4 moves in the Y direction, and the foreign matter is automatically removed from the lens array 113. Can be swept out of the surface.

In the above embodiment, the lens array 113 of the LED head 111 is exemplified as the cleaning object of the cleaning rod 4, but the cleaning object may be other.
The present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in all respects and should not be interpreted in a limited manner. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of claims, and is not restricted by the text of the specification. Further, all modifications, various improvements, alternatives and modifications belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 4 ... Cleaning stick, 5 ... Rotating member, 8 ... Holding member, 10 ... Photoconductor, 11 ... Lens unit, 13 ... Developing device, 52 ... Shaft part, 61 ... Cloth-like member (wiping part) , 71 ... Blade-like member, 111 ... LED head (light source device), 112 ... LED array (light emitting element), 113 ... Lens array, + Y direction ... first direction, -Y direction ... second direction.

Claims (5)

A rotating member that is rotatably held around shafts on both sides in the width direction;
A holding member for holding the shaft portion;
A wiping portion and a blade-like member provided across the shaft portion in the rotating member ,
The blade-like member is erected on the rotating member and has flexibility,
When the holding member moves in the first direction with the wiping portion in contact with the cleaning surface, the wiping portion wipes foreign matter on the cleaning surface,
When the holding member moves in the second direction opposite to the first direction with the blade-shaped member in contact with the cleaning surface, the blade-shaped member side of the rotating member is the cleaning surface. A mechanism for rotating the rotating member relative to the holding member so as to be close to the cleaning member, and cleaning the foreign matter on the cleaning surface by the blade-like member in a state where the wiping portion is separated from the cleaning surface. Characteristic cleaning stick. The cleaning stick according to claim 1,
The cleaning rod according to claim 1, wherein the holding member extends in the first direction, and the rotating member is on the one side of the holding member. In the cleaning stick according to claim 1 or 2,
3. A cleaning rod, wherein a tip end edge in the third direction in which the blade-shaped member extends is inclined with respect to the third direction. A light source device comprising: a light emitting element extending in the first direction; and a lens array extending in the first direction and through which light emitted from the light emitting element passes.
An image forming apparatus comprising: the cleaning rod according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting surface of the lens array is cleaned. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
A photoreceptor carrying a toner image;
The light source device that is around the photoconductor and exposes the photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor;
A developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image and forming the toner image on the photoreceptor;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a light source device that moves to an exposure position and a stand-by position that moves away from the photosensitive member to a standby position that is separated from the exposure position.

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