JPH0392878A - Squeeze roller cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clean an excessive liquid developer by providing a ring-shaped roller squeeze member and a squeeze member driving means. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with the ring-shaped roller squeeze member 101 which is movable from one end to the other end of a squeeze roller 103 and the squeeze member driving device 102 which moves the roller squeeze member 101 along the roller. One end of the squeeze roller 103 is tapered, so a roller squeeze ring 101 is moved smoothly from a cleaning wait state to a cleaning process. Consequently, the ring-shaped squeeze member 101 moves so as to squeeze the squeeze roller 103, so no excessive liquid developer is left in a sponge roller and dirt becomes hard to adhere in the sponge roller.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a squeeze roller cleaning device that is attached to a wet developing device and is used to remove excess developer remaining in the squeeze roller after the development process is completed. It is.

[Prior art] Conventionally, this type of device has had a structure as shown in FIG.

An elevating developing tank 2 that can be raised to a developing position by means of an elevating bin 3 is installed below the drum l.

A developing electrode 4 is provided on the left side of the developing tank 2, and a squeeze roller 5 is provided on the right side, supported by springs 6 and 7, respectively. When the developing tank 2 is raised to the developing position, the electrode 4 and the squeeze roller 5 are provided. The rollers 5 are pressed against the drum 1 by springs 6 and 7, respectively.

Below the developing tank 2 is a tank section 8 for storing liquid toner, from which the toner can be supplied to the developing electrode 4 by means of a bomb 9.

The squeeze roller 5 has a roller stand 10 supported by a spring 7.
installed on. A blade 11 is placed on the roller stand 10 and pressed against the roller 5.

The photosensitive paper wound around the drum 1 passes through each process of charging and exposure and reaches a developing position. By this time, the developer tank 2
is raised to the developing position by the lifting pin 3.

Further, the developing electrode 4 is supplied with liquid toner in the tank section 8 by a bomb 9 to develop the photosensitive paper on the drum 1.

When the drum 1 further rotates and the photosensitive paper comes into contact with the squeeze roller 5, the squeeze roller 5 sucks the excess toner remaining on the photosensitive paper into the roller 5 and removes it while rotating in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

The excess toner sucked into the roller 5 is removed by the blade 1.
1, it is squeezed by the blade and returns to the tank section 8.

When the development is completed, the elevating pin 3 is lowered, and as the drum rotates, the photosensitive paper undergoes a static elimination and drying process and is output.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such a squeeze roller cleaning device, if the squeeze roller separates from the drum or photosensitive paper after the development process is completed, the roller does not rotate and the developer sucked in just before the roller separates from the drum or photosensitive paper. , it remains inside the roller, and if it dries in this state, it will stick as dirt and have a negative effect on the next output image. Furthermore, if the roller is left unrotated and the blade is pressed against a portion of the roller for a long period of time, the roller will deform, which will also adversely affect the output image.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and includes a ring-shaped roller squeezing member and a drive means for the squeezing member, so that the squeeze roller can be squeezed uniformly and sufficiently, and the squeeze roller can be squeezed sufficiently. To provide a squeeze roller cleaning device capable of cleaning a developer.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, the squeeze roller cleaning device of the present invention includes a ring-shaped roller squeezing member that is movable between one end of the squeeze roller and the other end of the squeeze roller; and a diaphragm member drive device for moving the diaphragm member along the roller.

[Function] In the present invention having the above configuration, the ring-shaped roller squeezing member is moved by the squeezing member drive device from one end of the squeeze roller away from the drum to the other end after the development is completed, and squeezes the entire roller uniformly and sufficiently. , remove excess developer remaining inside the roller.

The aperture member driving means moves the ring-shaped roller aperture member along the roller from one end to the other end so that the aperture member squeezes the roller.

[Example] Hereinafter, examples embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Its structure will be shown with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A developing tank 2 is disposed below the drum 1 as in the prior art, and can be raised and lowered by an elevator bin 3. The developing electrode 4 and the squeeze roller 103 are supported by springs 6.7, respectively, and liquid toner can be supplied from the tank section 8 to the electrode 4 by means of a bomb 9. The roller 103 is the roller stand 1
It is attached to 0.

A guide rail 104 and a feed screw 105 are arranged on the roller stand 10 in parallel to the squeeze roller 103, and the feed screw 105 is rotated by a motor 106. That is, the guide rail 104, the feed screw 105, and the motor 106 constitute the aperture member driving device 102 in this embodiment.

The roller squeezing rilling 101 that is movable along the guide rail 104 has a diameter one size smaller than the diameter of the squeeze roller 103 and has a nut-shaped connecting portion with the feed screw, so that when the motor 106 rotates, Move the squeeze roller 103 as if squeezing it.

Since the squeeze roller 103 has a tapered shape at one end, the roller squeezing rilling 101 can smoothly move from the cleaning standby state shown in FIG. 2(a) to the cleaning process shown in FIG. 2(b). It will be done.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The photosensitive paper wrapped around the drum 1 passes through charging and exposure steps and reaches a developing position. By this time, the developing tank 2 containing the required color toner has been selected, conveyed directly below the drum 1, and raised to the developing position by the lifting pin 3.

Further, liquid toner in the tank section 8 is supplied onto the developing electrode 4 by a pump 9, and the photosensitive paper on the drum 1 is developed.

When the drum 1 further rotates and the photosensitive paper comes into contact with the squeeze roller 103, the squeeze roller 103 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. At this time, the roller squeezing ring 101 is not in contact with the squeeze roller 103, as shown in FIG. 2(a), so it does not interfere with the rotation of the roller 103, and a good squeezing effect can be obtained.

When the development is completed, the lifting pin 3 lowers the developing tank 2.

When the squeeze roller 103 is sufficiently separated from the drum 1, the feed screw 105 is rotated by the motor 106, and the roller iris ring 101 is moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2(b). Since the mouth-to-ra squeeze ring 101 is one size smaller than the squeeze roller 103, the toner remaining in the roller 103 is sufficiently squeezed out, falls downward, and is collected into the tank section 8.

The roller aperture ring 101 is the squeeze roller 10
3, the motor 106 rotates in the opposite direction, and the roller iris ring 101 returns to the position shown in FIG. 2(a) and waits.

The drum 1 continues to rotate, and the photosensitive paper passes through the steps of static elimination, charging, and exposure, and returns to the developing position.

By this time, the developing tank 2 of the next color has been transported to the developing position, and the developing process is performed here.

These operations are repeated three to four times to output a full color image.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments detailed above, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, after the squeeze operation is completed, the ring-shaped roller aperture member is moved by the aperture member drive device as if squeezing the squeeze roller, so that the excess Even if the developer does not remain inside the sponge roller and dries, dirt is less likely to stick to it. Therefore, by using an image forming apparatus to which the squeeze roller cleaning device of the present invention is applied, beautiful images can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 2 show an embodiment embodying the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the overall structure, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation. Moreover, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional structure. In the figure, 101 is a ring-shaped roller aperture member, 102 is an aperture member driving device, and 103 is a squeeze roller.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a squeeze roller cleaning device for cleaning a squeeze roller (103) of a wet developing device, the squeeze roller (103)
3) a ring-shaped roller aperture member (101) movable between one end and the other end; and an aperture member driving device (102, 104, 105, 106
) A squeeze roller cleaning device characterized by comprising: