JPH02230177A - Cleaning device for electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the attaching/detaching of a cleaning blade by providing a finger putting part on the prescribed position of a holder cover where a finger is positioned when the holder cover is attached while covering a blade holder and an entire cleaning device is gripped at the time of attachment/detachment. CONSTITUTION:The finger putting part (c) is provided on the perpendicular part 55a of the holder cover 55, and the back side of the holder cover is inserted into the play (a) of the blade holder 52; moreover, the holder cover 55 covers the blade holder 52. One edge of compression springs 56, 56 is abutted on the back face of the perpendicular part 52b. The other edge is housed in the perpendicular recessed parts 50a and abutted on a main body 50. Thus, the blade holder 52 receives turning force in the direction shown by an arrow, and presses an image carrier 12 in order to remove residual toner. When the cleaning device 17 is replaced, an image forming case 40 is drawn out. When the entire cleaning device 17 is gripped, the finger is positioned on the finger putting part (c). Therefore, the cleaning device can be easily attached/detached by releasing the pressure of the cleaning blade 53.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The above invention can be used in electrophotographic devices, such as printers, copying machines, and facsimile machines, that repeatedly perform charging, writing, development, transfer, and fixing to record images using an electrophotographic method.

Specifically, in such an electrophotographic device, after transfer,
The present invention relates to a cleaning device that removes residual toner remaining on an image carrier (photoreceptor).

[Sub] The electrophotographic apparatus of Tonichi Nojiki is provided with a cleaning device as an image forming device in addition to charging, writing, developing, transferring, and fixing devices. The cleaning device, like other image forming devices, wears out and must be periodically replaced with a new one. However, in order to reduce running costs, it is preferable that the replacement can be done separately from other image forming devices that have different service lives, and it is also preferable that the replacement can be done easily by the user. Therefore, conventional cleaning devices have had a unit configuration as shown in FIG. 5, for example. and. A cleaning blade 1 is provided on one side, and handles 2 and 3 are provided on the upper surface of both ends in the longitudinal direction, respectively. In addition, the blade pressure release member 4
is attached, and the cleaning blade 1 is held in a retracted position where it will not damage the image carrier. However, handles 2 and 3
The cleaning device 5 was held by hand as shown in FIG. 6, the upper body 7 of the apparatus body 6 was opened, and the image carrier 9 was attached to a predetermined position on the lower body 8 without damaging the image carrier 9.

Problems that Ming attempts to solve However, such conventional cleaning devices have the following drawbacks.

■ Handles 2 and 3 must be provided, and after installation to the main body 6 of the device is completed, remove the handles 2 and 3 so that they do not get in the way.
・The structure must be such that 3 can be folded.

In addition, a blade pressure release member 4 is required in addition to these handles 2 and 3, and the structure must be such that the pressure release member 4 can be removed so as not to get in the way after installation to the main body 6 of the device is completed. . Therefore, the configuration becomes complicated. ■ When installing, as mentioned above, after installation is complete, remove handle 2.
- 3 must be folded and the blade pressure release member 4 must be removed. On the other hand, when removing it, the handles 2 and 3 must be raised, and the blade pressure release member 4 must be reattached in order to retract the cleaning blade 1 to a position where it will not damage the image carrier 9. Therefore, the attachment/detachment operation is troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate such drawbacks in conventional cleaning devices, simplify the structure, improve ease of attachment and detachment, and reduce costs. Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, the present invention has a unit configuration, and also includes a blade holder 52 that holds a cleaning blade 53 and is rotatably provided. When attached to the apparatus main body 10, the cleaning blade 53 is pressed against the image carrier 12 with the blade holder 52 in the pressure contact position, and the cleaning blade 53 is pressed against the image carrier 12.
In the cleaning device 17 of the electrophotographic apparatus, the blade holder 52 is placed in the retracted position and the cleaning blade 53 is released from the image carrier 12 when the blade holder 52 is attached to or removed from the image carrier 12.
A holder cover 55 is attached thereto, and the blade holder 52 is rotated together with the holder cover 55 to place the cleaning blade 53 at a predetermined location on the holder cover 55 where the fingers will be located when the whole is grasped during attachment/detachment.
It is characterized by providing a finger hook C that moves the finger to the retracted position.

Operation-IL Then, when you put your finger on the finger grip part C and grasp the entire body, the blade holder 52 is automatically rotated together with the holder cover 55, the cleaning blade 53 is moved to the retracted position, and the cleaning blade 53 can be attached to and removed from the main body 10 of the apparatus. This makes it possible to Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows the general configuration wj8 of a laser printer which is an example of an electrophotographic apparatus. Reference numeral 10 in the figure is the main body of the apparatus, which is placed on an optional dedicated table 11. A drum-shaped image carrier (photoreceptor) 12 is provided in the center of the apparatus body 10 and rotates clockwise in the figure. Around the image carrier 12, a cleaning device 17, which is an embodiment of the present invention, is arranged in order in the rotational direction, together with a charging device 13, an optical writing device 14, a developing device 15, and a transfer device 16. do.

On the other hand, on the right side of the apparatus main body 10 in the figure, paper feed cassettes 18 are removably loaded in the upper and lower directions. and,
A paper feeding device 22 having paper feeding rollers 19, a registration sensor 20, a pair of registration rollers 21, 21, etc. is provided at the mounting portion of the paper feeding cassettes 18, 18. On the other hand, on the opposite side of the paper feeding device 22 across the transfer device 16, there is a conveying device! 2!23・Fuser i! 24. The switching devices 25, etc. are arranged in order. A face-down paper path 26, a face-up paper discharge path 27, and a double-sided recording paper discharge path 28 extend separately from the switching device 25. The face-down paper discharge path 26 communicates with a stray paper stack section 30 also on the apparatus main body 10 via a discharge device 29 provided on the apparatus main body 10 . The face-up wandering paper path 27 leads to a face-up tray 31 provided on the side of the apparatus main body 10 so as to be freely openable and closable. The double-sided recording paper path 28 leads to the dedicated table 11.

By the way, the dedicated table 11 is provided with a paper reversing device 33 in communication with the above-mentioned double-sided recording paper path 28, and
A paper refeeding device 34 is provided which connects the paper reversing device 33 to the paper feeding device 22 of the apparatus main body 10 described above. Also,
A large quantity paper feed cassette 35 is removably loaded on the right side of the dedicated table 11 in the figure. A large quantity paper feeding device 37 having a paper feeding roller 36 and the like is provided at the mounting portion of the large quantity paper feeding cassette 35.

However, when operating the laser printer now,
Select and drive the paper feed roller 19 or the paper feed roller 36 as appropriate. The paper 38 is sent out sequentially from the cassettes 18 and 35. Then, the leading edge of the paper 38 is detected by the registration sensor 2o, and the paper 38 is brought into contact with the registration roller 21 and stopped, thereby preventing the occurrence of skew.

On the other hand, the image carrier 12 sequentially charges its surface with a charging device 13 while rotating clockwise in the figure, and then irradiates laser light with an optical writing device 14 to form an electrostatic latent image on its surface. Then, when passing through the developing device 15, the electrostatic latent image is sequentially visualized. Then, by aligning the image and the resist, the aforementioned registration rollers 21 are driven, and the aforementioned paper 38 that has been in contact with the registration rollers 21 is sent out toward the image carrier 12. The image on the image carrier 12 is then transferred onto the paper 38 by the transfer device 16. After the transfer, the surface of the image carrier 12 is cleaned by a cleaning device 17.

On the other hand, the paper 38 is transported by the transport device I! ! Fixed by 23!
124, and the transferred image is transferred to the fixing device 24.
It becomes established. Then, when discharging a large amount of paper 38,
Alternatively, if the sheets are to be stacked in page order, they are sent out through the face-down paper path 26 and the discharge device 29 to the discharged paper stack section 30. In addition, if the paper 38 is thick paper such as a postcard, switching! At 2!25, the discharge direction is switched, the paper is sent out through the face-up discharge path 27, and stacked face-up on the open face-up tray 31 as it is. Furthermore, if you want to record on the back side, you can also switch the ejection direction using the switching device 25.
It is conveyed through the double-sided recording wandering paper path 28 and transferred to the dedicated table 11.
The paper is guided to the paper reversing device 33.

Then, the sheet is reversed and conveyed again to the sheet feeding device 22 of the apparatus main body 10 through the sheet re-feeding device Iit 34, and is again brought into contact with the registration roller 21 and stopped. Then, it is similarly recorded on the back side and discharged onto the stray paper stack section 30 or face-up tray 31.

By the way, in the illustrated laser printer, the developing device 15 and the transfer device 1i! 16. The cleaning device fi 17 and the like are housed in the image forming case 40 together with the image carrier 12. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the image forming case 40 can be pulled out to the front (front) side by opening the front cover 41 of the main body 10 of the apparatus. This facilitates replacement and maintenance of the image carrier 12 and each of the components 5, 16, 17, etc. housed in the image forming case 40.

The cleaning device 17 according to the present invention has a unit configuration as shown in FIG. 1, for example. Reference numeral 50 in the figure denotes a main body, which is horizontally long and has a stepped portion on one side of its upper surface, and vertical recesses 50a and 50a are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction toward the stepped portion. In addition, at the bottom of both sides in the longitudinal direction,
Guide pins 51, 51 are respectively erected at regular intervals, and both protrude outward in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand. A toner collection chamber is formed inside. Then, the blade holder 52 is rotatably mounted on the stepped portion. The blade holder 52 is integrally elongated and consists of a horizontal part 52a and a vertical part 52b, both of which are plate-shaped. One side of a horizontally long plate-shaped cleaning blade 53 is attached to the horizontal portion 52a. As a result, the blade holder 52 holds the cleaning blade S3. On the other hand, the vertical portion 52b is provided with a relief a that opens upward by cutting out the center, and screw holes bb are opened on both sides of the relief a. Then, the holder cover 55 is attached by screwing the mounting screws 54 into the screw holes bb, respectively.

The holder force par 55 is horizontally long like the blade holder 52, and consists of a horizontal part 55a and a vertical part 55b. and,
The vertical portion 55b is provided with a recessed finger rest portion C in the center. Also, on both sides of the finger hook C, through holes dd are bored through which the above-mentioned mounting screws 54 pass. Therefore, the back side of the finger hook C is the escape a of the blade holder 52.
The blade holder 52 is covered with the holder cover 55. Then, press one end of the compression springs 56 against the back surface of the vertical portion 52b. Compression springs 56, 56
The other end is housed in the above-mentioned vertical recesses 50a and pressed against the main body 50.

Therefore, the blade holder 52 undergoes a rotational behavior in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

When the cleaning device 17 is attached to the main body 10, the cleaning blade 53 is pressed against the image carrier 12 by the biasing force of the compression springs 56, with the blade holder 52 in the pressure position. However, after transcription,
The cleaning blade 53 scrapes off the residual toner, and the scraped toner is collected into a toner collection chamber to clean the surface of the image carrier 12. Now, in the illustrated laser printer, when replacing the cleaning device 17, first open the front cover 41 of the device main body 10 and pull out the image forming case 40, as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, grasp the entire cleaning device 17. Then, the finger is naturally positioned on the finger rest C.

Therefore, the blade holder 52 is automatically rotated together with the holder cover 55 against the compression springs 56 and 56, and the blade holder 52 is moved to the retracted position to move the cleaning blade 53 against the image carrier 12. Release the pressure. So, just put your finger on the finger hook C and use the cleaning device! ! ! 17 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2. Then, the cleaning device li! can be removed without damaging the image carrier 12! 17 can be taken out from the imaging case 40. Then, I grabbed a new cleaning device as well. It is installed inside the image forming case 40. After attachment, when the hand is released, the blade holder 52 is rotated together with the holder cover 55 by the urging force of the compression springs 56, 56, and the blade holder 52 is moved to the pressure contact position again.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a laser printer in which the image forming case 40 is pulled out and the cleaning device 17 is replaced has been described. However, as in the prior art shown in FIG. 6, the present invention can of course be similarly applied to an electrophotographic apparatus in which the upper body is opened relative to the lower body to replace the cleaning device. Furthermore, the finger rest C provided on the holder cover 55 is. It is not limited to a recess as in the example, but may also be a hole. If it does not get in the way, it may be formed to protrude. Therefore, according to the present invention, there are the following effects. ■ There is no need to provide a handle as in the past, and therefore there is no need for the handle to be foldable as in the past. Further, there is no need to provide a blade pressure release member as in the prior art, and there is no need for a configuration in which the pressure release member can be removed. Therefore, the configuration can be simplified and costs can be reduced. ■ When installing, there is no need to fold the handle or remove the blade pressure release member after installation, unlike conventional methods. On the other hand, when removing the blade, there is no need to raise the handle as in the conventional case, and there is no need to reinstall the blade pressure release member. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability of attaching and detaching the device to the main body and to reduce costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cleaning device that is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how the cleaning device is attached to and removed from the main body of the device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the replacement of the image device, and is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of the laser printer. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional cleaning device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing how the cleaning device is attached to and removed from the main body of the device. 10...... Apparatus main body 12... Image carrier 17... Cleaning device 52...
...Blade holder 53...Cleaning blade 55...Holder cover C...Finger hook

Claims (1)

[Claims] In addition to having a unit configuration, a blade holder holding a cleaning blade is rotatably provided, and when the blade holder is attached to the apparatus main body, the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier with the blade holder in a pressure contact position;
When attaching to or detaching from the apparatus main body, in a cleaning apparatus for an electrophotographic apparatus, the blade holder is placed in a retracted position and the cleaning blade is released from pressing against the image carrier. A finger hook portion is provided at a predetermined location of the holder cover where the finger is located when the whole is grasped during attachment and detachment, for rotating the blade holder together with the holder cover and moving the cleaning blade to the retracted position. , a cleaning device for electrophotographic equipment.