JP7370888B2 - Image forming device and lubricant supply method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a lubricant supply method.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses are known that include a cleaning blade that removes toner remaining on the surface of a photoreceptor. In such an image forming apparatus, if the length of the cleaning blade is longer than the developing area formed on the photoreceptor (the area where a toner image is formed by the developing device), the area outside the developing area on the surface of the photoreceptor The frictional force generated between the area and the cleaning blade increases. If this happens, the cleaning blade may turn over. As a result, there is a concern that toner that has not been removed by the cleaning blade may adhere to the surface of the charging roller that is disposed downstream of the cleaning blade in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor.

As an image forming apparatus that solves the above problem, for example, an image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-181713 is known. In this image forming apparatus, a developer seal member for preventing leakage of developer from an end of a developer carrier (developing roller) is arranged so as to come into contact with the developer carrier. is coated with lubricant. This lubricant is supplied to the photoreceptor via the developer carrier. Therefore, friction between the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade is reduced.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-181713

In an image forming apparatus such as that described in Patent Document 1, it is desirable that a state in which friction between the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade is reduced is maintained for a long period of time. Furthermore, if the lubricant is made of, for example, fluorine oil, there is a concern that the lubricant may adhere to the surface of the charging roller, resulting in charging failure in the developing area of the photoreceptor.

An object of the present invention is to form an image that can maintain both a state in which friction between a photoreceptor and a cleaning blade is reduced over a long period of time, and suppress charging defects in the developing area of the photoreceptor. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a lubricant supply method.

An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a photoconductor rotatable around a rotation axis, a charging roller disposed in contact with a surface of the photoconductor, and charging the surface of the photoconductor. , a cleaning roller disposed so as to be in contact with the surface of the charging roller and cleaning the surface of the charging roller; and a cleaning roller disposed on the surface of the photoreceptor on the downstream side of the charging roller in the rotation direction of the photoreceptor. an exposure device that forms a latent image by exposing a positioned exposure section; and an exposure device that is provided downstream of the charging roller in the rotational direction of the photoconductor, and that forms a toner image by supplying toner to the latent image. a developing device that forms a surface of the photoreceptor, and a transfer section located on the downstream side of the developing device in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor among the surface of the photoreceptor, and the charging roller; a cleaning blade that removes residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface downstream of the transfer section; and a lubricant supply section that supplies lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor; The surface has a development area in which the toner image is formed by the development device, and an outer area located outside the development area in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the cleaning blade is arranged in the development area. an inner contact portion in contact with the outer region, and an outer contact portion in contact with the outer region, the lubricant supply portion being able to supply the lubricant to at least a portion of the outer region, and the lubricant comprising: Contains fluorine oil and conductive particles.

In this image forming apparatus, since the lubricant contains fluorine oil, a state in which the friction between the photoconductor and the cleaning blade is effectively reduced is maintained for a long period of time, and since the lubricant contains conductive particles, the lubrication Even when the agent adheres to the surface of the charging roller, charging defects in the developing area of the photoreceptor are suppressed.

Further, it is preferable that the solid-liquid ratio represented by the ratio of the conductive particles to the fluorine oil is 0.1 or more and 20 or less, and the kinematic viscosity of the fluorine oil is 50 mm ² /s or less.

In this aspect, the solid-liquid ratio of 0.1 or more effectively suppresses charging defects in the developing area of the photoreceptor, and the solid-liquid ratio of 20 or less effectively prevents the photoreceptor and cleaning. Friction between the blades is effectively reduced.

Further, the cleaning roller includes a support shaft and a cleaning layer attached to the support shaft and disposed in contact with the surface of the charging roller, and the support shaft is attached to the support shaft. The lubricant supply unit may include a protrusion that protrudes outward from the cleaning layer in the axial direction, and the lubricant supply unit may be attached to the protrusion.

In this case, the protrusion includes a first protrusion that protrudes from one end of the support shaft, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the other end of the support shaft; Preferably, the lubricant supply section includes a first supply section attached to the first protrusion and a second supply section attached to the second protrusion.

In this way, the lubricant is effectively supplied to both outer regions located outside the development region.

Further, it is preferable that the lubricant supply section is disposed at a position overlapping the development area in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

In this way, even if there is a tolerance in the axial direction of the rotating shaft in the area to which lubricant is supplied by the lubricant supply unit, a gap will be formed between the developing area and the area to which lubricant is supplied. is suppressed.

Further, it is preferable that the lubricant supply section is constituted by a separate member from the cleaning layer.

In this way, the productivity of the lubricant supply section is increased compared to the case where the cleaning layer and the lubricant supply section are constituted by an integral member. Further, since the lubricant supply area by the lubricant supply section is defined by the width of the lubricant supply section in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis of the photoreceptor, the design accuracy of the supply area is increased.

The image forming apparatus further includes a leveling member for leveling residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface of the photoreceptor on the downstream side of the transfer section, and the leveling member includes the support shaft and the leveling member. a leveling layer attached to a support shaft and disposed in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor, the support shaft protruding outward from the leveling layer in the axial direction of the support shaft. The lubricant supply unit may have a protrusion that is attached to the protrusion.

In this case, the protrusion includes a first protrusion that protrudes from one end of the support shaft, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the other end of the support shaft; Preferably, the lubricant supply section includes a first supply section attached to the first protrusion and a second supply section attached to the second protrusion.

Further, it is preferable that the lubricant supply section is disposed at a position overlapping the development area in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

Further, it is preferable that the lubricant supply section is constituted by a separate member from the leveling layer.

Furthermore, the lubricant supply section may be a sealing member disposed in contact with the outer contact section and the surface of the photoreceptor so as to prevent leakage of the toner from the outer contact section.

In this aspect, both suppression of toner leakage from the outer contact portion and reduction of friction between the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade are achieved.

Further, a lubricant supply method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a photoreceptor that is rotatable around a rotation axis, and a photoreceptor that is arranged so as to be in contact with a surface of the photoreceptor, and that charges the surface of the photoreceptor. a charging roller; a cleaning roller disposed in contact with the surface of the charging roller and cleaning the surface of the charging roller; an exposure device that forms a latent image by exposing an exposure section located on the downstream side; and an exposure device that is provided downstream of the charging roller in the rotation direction of the photoreceptor, and supplies toner to the latent image. a developing device that forms a toner image by a toner image, and a transfer section located on the downstream side of the developing device in the rotation direction of the photoconductor among the surface of the photoconductor, and the charging roller, A cleaning blade for removing residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface of the photoreceptor on the downstream side of the transfer section, in an image forming apparatus, a lubricant supply supplying lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor. The method includes applying a lubricating liquid produced by adding a quick-drying fluorine solvent to the lubricant containing fluorine oil and conductive particles to the surface of the photoreceptor by the developing device. a holding step of causing a holding member that is in direct or indirect contact with at least a part of the outer area located outside the development area where an image is formed and is capable of holding the lubricating liquid to hold the lubricating liquid; and a supplying step of supplying the lubricant formed by volatilization of the fluorine solvent to at least a portion of the outer region.

In this lubricant supply method, since the holding member holds the liquid lubricating liquid, the lubricating liquid is uniformly dispersed in the holding member. Therefore, a state in which the friction between the photoconductor and the cleaning blade is effectively reduced is maintained for a long period of time, and even if lubricant adheres to the surface of the charging roller, charging defects will not occur in the developing area of the photoconductor. occurrence is suppressed.

Further, in the holding step, it is preferable that the holding member holds the lubricating liquid generated such that the content of the fluorine oil and the conductive particles in the lubricating liquid is 5% by weight or less.

According to the present invention, image formation can achieve both of maintaining a state in which friction between the photoconductor and the cleaning blade is reduced over a long period of time and suppressing charging defects in the developing area of the photoconductor. Apparatus and lubricant supply methods can be provided.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a part of an image forming section. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a charging roller and a cleaning roller. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming section. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of image forming units. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the relationship between a cleaning roller and a lubricant supply section. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the sealing member. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming section in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the relationship between a leveling member and a lubricant supply section.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the drawings referred to below, the same numbers are attached to the same or corresponding members.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is an MFP (Multifunctional Peripherals) having multiple functions such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a printer function, and a scanner function.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming section 10 (10Y, 10M, 10C, 10K), a transfer device 20, a paper feed tray 31, a fixing device 32, and a paper output tray 33. , and a toner supply device 35.

The image forming section 10 is a unit that forms a toner image (image) to be transferred to the transfer device 20. The image forming section 10Y, the image forming section 10M, the image forming section 10C, and the image forming section 10K transfer toner images having colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. The device 20 is formed. Details of the image forming section 10 will be described later.

The transfer device 20 includes a primary transfer roller 21, an intermediate transfer belt 22, and a secondary transfer roller 23. The toner images of each color formed by the image forming section 10 are superimposed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 22 . Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 22 transports the color toner image to a secondary transfer portion formed between the intermediate transfer belt 22 and the secondary transfer roller 23.

The paper feed tray 31 is provided as a storage section that stores paper S as a recording medium. A plurality of sheets S are stored in the paper feed tray 31. In this embodiment, the paper feed tray 31 is provided in two stages in the vertical direction. However, one or more paper feed trays 31 may be provided in the vertical direction.

The paper S accommodated in the paper feed tray 31 is conveyed to a secondary transfer section between the intermediate transfer belt 22 and the secondary transfer roller 23 by various rotating rollers. The color toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 22 is transferred onto the surface of the paper S in the secondary transfer section. The color toner image is fixed on the surface of the paper S by the fixing device 32. The paper S on which the image has been formed through the above steps is discharged to the paper discharge tray 33.

The toner replenishing device 35 is a device that supplies toner (developer) to the developing device 150 of the image forming section 10 . This toner contains a processing agent (lubricant, abrasive, etc.) in order to extend the life of the photoreceptor 110. The toner replenishing device 35 is provided between the intermediate transfer belt 22 and the paper discharge tray 33 in the vertical direction. However, the arrangement of the toner replenishing device 35 in the image forming apparatus 1 is not particularly limited.

Here, the image forming section 10 will be explained. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the image forming section 10 includes a housing 16, a photoreceptor 110, a charging roller 120, a cleaning roller 130, an exposure device 140, a developing device 150, and a cleaning blade 160. , a lubricant supply section 170, and a seal member 180.

Photoreceptor 110 is rotatable around rotation axis 112 . The surface of the photoreceptor 110 constitutes a photosensitive layer that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotation shaft 112.

The charging roller 120 charges the surface 110S (see FIG. 4) of the photoreceptor 110 to a predetermined potential. The charging roller 120 is arranged so as to be in contact with the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the charging roller 120 includes a support shaft 122 and a charging layer 124.

The support shaft 122 is arranged parallel to the rotation axis 112 of the photoreceptor 110. The support shaft 122 is made of metal or the like.

Charged layer 124 is attached to support shaft 122 . The charged layer 124 is arranged so as to be in contact with the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110. The charged layer 124 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the photoreceptor 110. The charging layer 124 is made of solid rubber or the like.

The cleaning roller 130 cleans the charging roller 120. The cleaning roller 130 is arranged so as to be in contact with the surface of the charging roller 120. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the cleaning roller 130 includes a support shaft 132 and a cleaning layer 134.

The support shaft 132 is arranged parallel to the support shaft 122 of the charging roller 120. The support shaft 132 is made of metal or the like.

The cleaning layer 134 is attached to the support shaft 132. The cleaning layer 134 is placed in contact with the surface of the charged layer 124. The cleaning layer 134 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the charged layer 124. The cleaning layer 134 is made of, for example, a foamed material (foamed rubber, etc.).

As shown in FIG. 3, the support shaft 122 of the charging roller 120 and the support shaft 132 of the cleaning roller 130 are held by the bearing 12. The bearing 12 holds both support shafts 122, 132 so that the cleaning layer 134 is maintained in contact with the charged layer 124 with a predetermined pressure.

As shown in FIG. 6, the support shaft 132 of the cleaning roller 130 has a protrusion 133 that protrudes outward from the cleaning layer 134 in the axial direction of the support shaft 132. As shown in FIG. The protrusion 133 has a first protrusion 133a that protrudes from one end of the support shaft 132, and a second protrusion 133b that protrudes from the other end of the support shaft 132.

The exposure device 140 exposes an exposure section 110S1 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) located on the downstream side of the charging roller 120 in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor 110 on the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110 (irradiates laser or the like). ) to form a latent image. In this embodiment, the exposure device 140 is arranged below the photoreceptor 110.

The developing device 150 is provided downstream of the charging roller 120 in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor 110. The developing device 150 forms a toner image by supplying toner to the latent image. This toner image is transferred to the transfer device 20 at a transfer section 110S2 located on the surface 110S of the photoconductor 110 on the downstream side of the developing device 150 in the rotational direction of the photoconductor 110. In this embodiment, a developing roller is used as the developing device 150.

The housing 16 holds a photoreceptor 110, a charging roller 120, a cleaning roller 130, a cleaning blade 160, and a lubricant supply section 170. The housing 16 has a shape that exposes the exposure section 110S1 and the transfer section 110S2 of the photoreceptor 110.

FIG. 5 shows a region of the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110 where a toner image is formed by the developing device 150 (hereinafter referred to as "development region S1"), and a rotation shaft 112 of the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110. A region located outside the development region S1 in the axial direction (hereinafter referred to as "outer region S2") is shown. The width of the cleaning layer 134 in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112 is set to be equal to or slightly smaller than the width of the development area S1 in the same direction. That is, the protruding portion 133 of the support shaft 132 protrudes outward from the developing area S1 in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112.

The cleaning blade 160 is provided between the transfer section 110S2 and the charging roller 120 in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor 110. The cleaning blade 160 removes residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface 110S of the photoconductor 110 on the downstream side of the transfer section 110S2. The cleaning blade 160 is formed into a plate shape. The cleaning blade 160 has a shape extending along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112. The cleaning blade 160 is made of, for example, a resin material such as urethane. As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning blade 160 is fixed to the housing 16 by a support member 166 and a fixing member 168. As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning blade 160 has an inner contact portion 162 and an outer contact portion 164.

The inner contact portion 162 is a portion of the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110 that contacts the development area S1. The outer contact portion 164 is a portion of the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110 that contacts the outer region S2. That is, the length of the cleaning blade 160 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112 is set longer than the length of the developing area S1 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112.

The seal member 180 is a member for preventing toner from leaking from the outer contact portion 164. As shown in FIG. 7, seal member 180 is connected to outer contact portion 164. The seal member 180 is arranged so as to be in contact with both the outer contact portion 164 and the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110.

The lubricant supply unit 170 supplies lubricant to the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110. Specifically, the lubricant supply unit 170 supplies lubricant to at least a portion of the outer region S2 of the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110 that is in contact with the outer contact portion 164.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the lubricant supply section 170 is attached to the protrusion 133 on the support shaft 132 of the cleaning roller 130. That is, the lubricant supply section 170 is arranged so as to indirectly contact the outer region S2 via the charging roller 120. The lubricant supply unit 170 supplies lubricant to a part of the outer region S2 while rotating in accordance with the rotation of the photoreceptor 110. The lubricant supply section 170 includes a first supply section 171 attached to the first protrusion 133a and a second supply section 172 attached to the second protrusion 133b.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lubricant supply section 170 is preferably arranged at a position overlapping the outer edge of the development area S1 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 112. Note that the lubricant supply unit 170 may be configured to supply lubricant to the entire outer region S2.

The lubricant supply section 170 is made of a member different from the cleaning layer 134. The lubricant supply section 170 includes a holding member and a lubricant.

The holding member is a member capable of holding lubricant. The holding member is preferably made of a foam material (foamed rubber, urethane foam, etc.), felt, flocked cloth, or the like. In this embodiment, the holding member is formed in a cylindrical shape and is attached to each protrusion 133a, 133b.

It is preferable that the inner diameter of the holding member is set slightly smaller than the outer diameter of each protrusion 133a, 133b. Moreover, it is more preferable that the length of the holding member is set so that it comes into contact with the cleaning layer 134 and the bearing 12. In this way, relative displacement of the holding member with respect to the protrusions 133a, 133b in the axial direction of the protrusions 133a, 133b is suppressed.

The outer diameter of the holding member is preferably set to be the same as the outer diameter of the cleaning layer 134, or to a dimension that takes into account the amount of deformation when pressed against the charging roller 120.

Note that the holding member may be made of the same material as the cleaning layer 134 and may be formed integrally with the cleaning layer 134. In this case, in order to prevent impregnation of the lubricant into the cleaning layer 134, it is preferable that a notch be provided at the boundary between the cleaning layer 134 and the lubricant supply section 170. Moreover, it is more preferable that a sheet (such as a polyester film) that prevents the passage of lubricant is placed in the cut.

The lubricant is held by the holding member. The lubricant includes a mixture of fluorinated oil and conductive particles (such as graphite). The solid-liquid ratio, expressed as the ratio of conductive particles to fluorine oil, is preferably set to 0.1 or more and 20 or less. The kinematic viscosity of the fluorine oil is preferably 50 mm ² /s or less.

The solid-liquid ratio and kinematic viscosity of the lubricant can be adjusted as appropriate within the above ranges. For example, if the photoreceptor unit held by the housing 16 in the image forming section 10 is a long-life monochrome unit, it is preferable to reduce the solid-liquid ratio (increase the proportion of fluorine oil). Conversely, if the photoreceptor unit is a color unit that has a shorter lifespan than a monochrome unit, it is preferable to increase the solid-liquid ratio (increase the proportion of conductive particles).

Here, a method of supplying lubricant will be explained. This supply method includes a holding process, a connection process, and a supply process.

The holding step is a step of holding the lubricant in the holding member. The lubricating liquid is a solution produced by adding a quick-drying fluorinated solvent to the mixture containing fluorinated oil and conductive particles. An example of such a lubricant is LG-030-015 manufactured by Sumiko Lubricants Co., Ltd. In this step, the holding member is immersed in a lubricating liquid or the holding member is coated with a lubricating liquid. Note that the amount of lubricant held by the holding member can be adjusted by adjusting the time for which the holding member is immersed in the lubricant, the time for applying the lubricant to the holding portion, and the like.

In the connecting step, after the holding step, the holding member (lubricant supply section 170) is connected to each of the protrusions 133a and 133b after a predetermined period of time has elapsed until the fluorine solvent evaporates from the lubricant held by the holding member. be done.

The supplying step is a step of supplying a lubricant formed by volatilization of the fluorine solvent from the lubricant to at least a portion of the outer region S2 via the charging roller 120.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the lubricant contains fluorine oil, a state in which the friction between the photoreceptor 110 and the cleaning blade 160 is effectively reduced is maintained for a long period of time. Further, since the lubricant contains conductive particles, even if the lubricant adheres to the surface of the charging roller 120, charging defects in the developing area S1 of the photoreceptor 110 are suppressed.

Further, the solid-liquid ratio expressed as the ratio of conductive particles to fluorine oil is 0.1 or more and 20 or less, and the kinematic viscosity of the fluorine oil is 50 mm ² /s or less. When the solid-liquid ratio is 0.1 or more, occurrence of charging failure in the development area S1 is effectively suppressed. When the solid-liquid ratio is 20 or less, friction between the photoreceptor 110 and the cleaning blade 160 is effectively reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, the first supply section 171 is attached to the first protrusion 133a, and the second supply section 172 is attached to the second protrusion 133b. Therefore, lubricant is effectively supplied to both outer regions S2 located outside the development region S1.

Furthermore, since the lubricant supply section 170 is arranged at a position overlapping the development area S1 in the direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 112, the rotation shaft 112 Even if a tolerance occurs in the axial direction, the formation of a gap between the development area S1 and the area to which lubricant is supplied is suppressed.

Further, the lubricant supply unit 170 supplies lubricant to a part of the outer region S2 of the photoreceptor 110 while being rotated in accordance with the rotation of the photoreceptor 110. In other words, the lubricant supply unit 170 supplies lubricant to the photoreceptor 110 while rotating at a small relative speed. Therefore, the amount of lubricant supplied to the outer region S2 is maintained in a relatively small state compared to the case where the lubricant supply unit 170 is pressed against the photoconductor 110 so as not to rotate relative to the photoconductor 110. be done. Therefore, the lubricant supplied to the outer region S2 of the photoreceptor 110 is prevented from being depleted before the photoreceptor 110 reaches the end of its life. Therefore, the state in which the frictional force generated between the outer region S2 and the outer contact portion 164 of the cleaning blade 160 is reduced is maintained.

Further, since the holding member of the lubricant supply unit 170 is configured as a separate member from the cleaning layer 134, the cleaning layer 134 and the holding member are configured as an integral member (same material), and the holding member The manufacturing process of the lubricant supply section 170 is simplified and the production efficiency of the lubricant supply section 170 is increased compared to the case where the lubricant is held in the lubricant supply section 170 .

Further, in this embodiment, the seal member 180 may constitute a lubricant supply section. That is, the sealing member 180 may be constituted by the holding member and a lubricant held by the holding member. In this case, the lubricant supply section 170 attached to the support shaft 132 of the cleaning roller 130 may be omitted.

(Second embodiment)
Next, an image forming apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. In the second embodiment, only the parts that are different from the first embodiment will be explained, and the same structure, operation, and effect as the first embodiment will not be repeated.

In the second embodiment, the image forming section 10 further includes a leveling member 190. The leveling member 190 is a member that levels residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface 110S of the photoconductor 110 on the downstream side of the transfer section 110S2. As shown in FIG. 8, the leveling member 190 is arranged upstream of the cleaning blade 160. The leveling member 190 has a support shaft 192 and a leveling layer 194.

The support shaft 192 is arranged parallel to the rotation axis 112 of the photoreceptor 110. The support shaft 192 is made of metal or the like.

The leveling layer 194 is attached to the support shaft 192. The leveling layer 194 is arranged so as to be in contact with the surface 110S of the photoreceptor 110. The leveling layer 194 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the photoreceptor 110.

As shown in FIG. 9, the lubricant supply section 170 is attached to the support shaft 192 of the leveling member 190. Specifically, the support shaft 192 has a protrusion 193 that protrudes outward from the leveling layer 194 in the axial direction of the support shaft 192 . The protrusion 193 has a first protrusion 193a that protrudes from one end of the support shaft 192, and a second protrusion 193b that protrudes from the other end of the support shaft 192. The first supply section 171 is attached to the first protrusion 193a, and the second supply section 172 is attached to the second protrusion 193b.

In this embodiment, the lubricant is supplied directly from the lubricant supply section 170 to the outer region S2.

It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the above description, and it is intended that all changes within the meaning and range equivalent to the claims are included.

For example, the lubricant supply unit 170 may be provided on both the protrusion 123 of the support shaft 132 of the cleaning roller 130 and the protrusion 193 of the support shaft 192 of the leveling member 190.

1 Image forming device, 10 Image forming section, 20 Transfer device, 21 Primary transfer roller, 22 Intermediate transfer belt, 23 Secondary transfer roller, 31 Paper feed tray, 32 Fixing device, 33 Paper discharge tray, 35 Toner supply device, Reference Signs List 110 photoreceptor, 110S surface, 110S1 exposure section, 110S2 transfer section, 112 rotating shaft, 120 charging roller, 122 support shaft, 124 charging layer, 130 cleaning roller, 132 support shaft, 133 protrusion, 133a first protrusion, 133b 2nd protruding portion, 134 cleaning layer, 140 exposure device, 150 developing device, 160 cleaning blade, 162 inner contact portion, 164 outer contact portion, 166 support member, 168 fixing member, 170 lubricant supply portion, 171 first supply portion , 172 second supply section, 180 sealing member, 190 leveling member, 192 support shaft, 193 protrusion, 193a first protrusion, 193b second protrusion, S1 development area, S2 outer area.

Claims (13)

A photoreceptor that can rotate around a rotation axis,
a charging roller disposed in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor and charging the surface of the photoreceptor;
a cleaning roller disposed in contact with the surface of the charging roller and cleaning the surface of the charging roller;
an exposure device that forms a latent image by exposing an exposure portion of the surface of the photoreceptor located downstream of the charging roller in the rotation direction of the photoreceptor;
a developing device that is provided downstream of the charging roller in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor and forms a toner image by supplying toner to the latent image;
The transfer unit is provided between the charging roller and a transfer section located on the downstream side of the developing device in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor among the surfaces of the photoreceptor, and a cleaning blade that removes residual toner adhering to the downstream part of the part;
a lubricant supply unit that supplies a lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor;
The surface of the photoreceptor is
a development area where the toner image is formed by the development device;
an outer region located outside the development region in the axial direction of the rotation shaft,
The cleaning blade is
an inner contact portion in contact with the development area;
an outer contact portion in contact with the outer region,
The lubricant supply unit is capable of supplying the lubricant to at least a portion of the outer region,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the lubricant includes fluorine oil and conductive particles. The solid-liquid ratio represented by the ratio of the conductive particles to the fluorine oil is 0.1 or more and 20 or less,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluorine oil has a kinematic viscosity of 50 mm ² /s or less. The cleaning roller is
a support shaft;
a cleaning layer attached to the support shaft and disposed in contact with the surface of the charging roller;
The support shaft has a protrusion that protrudes outward from the cleaning layer in the axial direction of the support shaft,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant supply section is attached to the protrusion. The protruding portion is
a first protrusion protruding from one end of the support shaft;
a second protrusion protruding from the other end of the support shaft;
The lubricant supply section includes:
a first supply section attached to the first protrusion;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second supply section attached to the second protrusion. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lubricant supply section is arranged at a position overlapping the development area in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the lubricant supply section is constituted by a separate member from the cleaning layer. further comprising a leveling member for leveling residual toner adhering to a portion of the surface of the photoconductor downstream of the transfer section;
The leveling member is
a support shaft;
a leveling layer attached to the support shaft and disposed in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor;
The support shaft has a protrusion that protrudes outward from the leveling layer in the axial direction of the support shaft,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant supply section is attached to the protrusion. The protruding portion is
a first protrusion protruding from one end of the support shaft;
a second protrusion protruding from the other end of the support shaft;
The lubricant supply section includes:
a first supply section attached to the first protrusion;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a second supply section attached to the second protrusion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the lubricant supply section is arranged at a position overlapping the development area in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the lubricant supply section is constituted by a separate member from the leveling layer. 3. The lubricant supply section is a sealing member disposed in contact with the outer contact section and the surface of the photoreceptor so as to prevent leakage of the toner from the outer contact section. The image forming apparatus described in . a photoconductor rotatable around a rotation axis; a charging roller disposed in contact with a surface of the photoconductor and charging the surface of the photoconductor; and a charging roller disposed in contact with the surface of the charging roller. forming a latent image by exposing a cleaning roller that cleans the surface of the charging roller and an exposure portion of the surface of the photoreceptor located downstream of the charging roller in the rotational direction of the photoreceptor; a developing device that is provided downstream of the charging roller in the rotational direction of the photoconductor and forms a toner image by supplying toner to the latent image; A portion of the surface of the photoreceptor that is located between the transfer portion located downstream of the developing device in the rotation direction of the photoreceptor and the charging roller, and that is located downstream of the transfer portion on the surface of the photoreceptor. A cleaning blade for removing residual toner adhering to an image forming apparatus, a lubricant supply method for supplying a lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor,
A lubricating liquid produced by adding a quick-drying fluorine solvent to the lubricant containing fluorine oil and conductive particles is applied to the surface of the photoconductor on which the toner image is formed by the developing device. a holding step of holding a holding member that is in direct or indirect contact with at least a portion of the outer area located outside the development area and that is capable of holding the lubricating liquid;
A lubricant supply method comprising: supplying the lubricant formed by volatilization of the fluorine solvent from the lubricant to at least a portion of the outer region. The lubricant according to claim 12, wherein in the holding step, the holding member holds the lubricating liquid that is generated so that the content of the fluorine oil and the conductive particles in the lubricating liquid is 5% by weight or less. agent supply method.

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