JPH04190383A - Cleaning unit for color electrophotographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a compact and cheap cleaning unit even though a blade is used as a cleaning member, by providing a sheet member adapted to move in association with the movement of the cleaning member. CONSTITUTION:When a cleaning member 45 is moved from a position where it is pressed against a photosensitive medium 11 to a position where it is not pressed thereagainst, a sheet member 46 is moved to a first position where it wedges into a gap between the cleaning member 45 and the photosensitive medium 1 so as to scoop remaining toner 50 dammed up by the cleaning unit 45, together with the latter. When the cleaning member 45 is moved to the non-pressing position, the sheet member is moved to a second position where it raises thus scooped remaining toner together with the cleaning member 45. When the cleaning member is moved to the pressing position again, the sheet member 46 goes away from the cleaning member 45 and to a third position where it stands by. With this arrangement, it is possible to lower the cost of the device and to make the device compact even though a blade having a high cleaning performance is used as the cleaning member.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] 1. This invention can be applied to color electrophotographic devices that transfer an image formed on a photoreceptor to paper and record it on paper, such as printers, copiers, and facsimiles that use lasers. . More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning device for removing residual toner on the photoreceptor in such a color electrophotographic apparatus.

Traditionally, in color electrophotographic devices, multiple developing units containing toner of each color are arranged around a photoreceptor, and a latent image corresponding to each color is formed each time the photoreceptor rotates. is developed and rotated multiple times to form multiple toner images of different colors, which are then transferred all at once to a recording medium to obtain a color image. The cleaning device for the photoreceptor in this color electrophotographic apparatus performs a cleaning action by pressing a cleaning member against the surface of the photoreceptor. The cleaning member could not be brought into pressure contact with the surface of the photoreceptor, and it was necessary to separate the cleaning member from the photoreceptor during that time.

By the way, conventional cleaning members include those using a conductive fur brush and those using a blade. Cleaning performance is better when using a blade, but in the case of a blade, the toner blocked by the blade remains on the photoreceptor when the blade leaves the photoreceptor, disturbing the image that will be formed next. There were drawbacks.

In particular, in the case where the paper conveyance path is set downward on the road to facilitate handling of jams, the cleaning device is placed above the photoreceptor, and the toner is removed when the blade leaves the photoreceptor. It easily remained on the photoreceptor.

Therefore, conventionally, there has been a device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-244082, which uses a blade as a cleaning member and is provided with a sponge roller that comes into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor.

However, the method disclosed in JP-A No. 62-244082 requires a separate sponge roller, resulting in high costs, and also has problems such as the large size of the cleaning device, which makes it impossible to make the color electrophotographic device more compact. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can be made compact at low cost even when a blade is used as a cleaning member.

For this reason, the present invention as set forth in claim 1 provides a pressing position in which the cleaning member 45 is pressed against the photoreceptor 11 and a non-pressing position in which the cleaning member 45 is released from the pressing position, for example as in the illustrated embodiment below. In a cleaning device 14 of a color electrophotographic apparatus, the cleaning device 14 is provided movably between positions and removes residual toner on the photoreceptor 11 when in the pressing position.
When the cleaning member 45 moves from the pressing position to the non-pressing position, the cleaning member 45 enters between the cleaning member 45 and the photoreceptor 11 and removes the residual toner 50 dammed up by the cleaning member 45. When the cleaning member 45 is moved from the first position where the cleaning member 45 is scooped together with the cleaning member 45 to the non-pressing position,
This cleaning member 4 removes the scooped residual toner 50.
5 and a third position where the sheet member 46 moves to a second position where the cleaning member 45 is scooped up together with the cleaning member 5 and a third position where the sheet member 46 waits away from the cleaning member 45 when the cleaning member 45 is moved to the pressing position again. do.

Further, the present invention as set forth in claim 2 can be applied to the glue leaning device 1 as set forth in claim 1, for example as shown in the following illustrated embodiment.
4, the cleaning case 30 is movable between an operating position and a retracted position, the cleaning case 30 supports the cleaning member 45, and the solenoid 38 moves the cleaning member 45 from the operating position to the pressing position. It is characterized by comprising a driving means.

Further, the present invention as set forth in claim 3 provides the cleaning device 1 as set forth in claim 1, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment.
4, the cleaning case 30 is movable between an operating position and a retracted position, the cleaning case 30 supports the sheet member 46, the sheet member 46 is supported in the operating position and the third position, and The present invention is characterized in that an operating mechanism 44 is provided that moves from the third position to the first position in the working position, while the sheet member 46 is held in the second position in the retracted position.

Further, the present invention as set forth in claim 4 provides the cleaning device 14 as set forth in claim 2 or 3, for example as in the illustrated embodiment below.
The cleaning case 30 is rotatably supported in the operating position and the retracted position, and together with a biasing member such as a coil spring 33 that biases the cleaning case 30 toward the retracted position, the cleaning case 30 is supported in a manner that resists the biasing member. It is characterized in that it is provided with a cam member, such as an eccentric cam 32, which rotates to the operating position.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 provides a cleaning device 14 according to claim 1, for example, as in the illustrated embodiment below, in which a leaning holding member such as a blade holder 34 that holds the cleaning member 45 is provided. For example, a seat holder 35 that holds the sheet member 46
It is characterized in that it is coaxially and rotatably supported with a sheet holding member such as the following.

Cleaning member 4 - The invention according to claim 1 provides cleaning member 4.
5 from the pressed position to the non-pressed position, the sheet member 46 moves to the first position,
The remaining toner 50 that enters between the cleaning member 45 and the photoreceptor 11 and is blocked by the cleaning member 45 is scooped up together with the cleaning member 45, and when the cleaning member 45 is moved to the non-pressing position, the sheet When the member 46 moves to the second position, scoops up the scooped residual toner 50 together with the cleaning member 45, and moves the cleaning member 45 again to the pressing position, the sheet member 46 separates from the cleaning member 45. The camera then moves to the third position and waits.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 provides a cleaning member 45
is moved to the pressing position at the operating position of the cleaning case 30 by the driving means.

In the third aspect of the present invention, the actuating mechanism 44 moves the sheet member 46 from the third position to the first position at the operating position of the cleaning case 30. Then, the sheet member 46 is held at the second position when the cleaning case 30 is in the retracted position.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 provides a cleaning case 3
While the cleaning case 30 is urged by the urging member to the retracted position, the cam member is rotated to move the cleaning case 30 to the operating position against the urging member.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 provides a leaning holding member, such as a blade holder 34, and a seat holder 3.
It rotates coaxially with a sheet holding member such as 5.

1-1-■ Hereinafter, a cleaning device for a color laser printer, which is an embodiment of the present invention, will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows a color laser printer equipped with a cleaning device according to the present invention. What is indicated by the reference numeral 10 in the figure is
This is the printer itself. Inside this printer main body 10, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 11 is provided approximately in the middle. This photoreceptor 11
Around the transfer device 12, in order in the driving direction indicated by the arrow,
A static eliminator 13, a cleaning device 14, a charger 15, and a developing device 16 are arranged. An optical writer 17 is placed above the developing device 16, and a printer main body 10 is placed below the transfer device 12.
The paper feed cassette 18 is freely attached to the paper feed cassette 18.

Then, the paper 20 conveyed in the direction of arrow A from the paper feed cassette I8 by the paper feed roller 19 is sent to the photoreceptor 11 with timing determined by the pair of registration rollers 21. The photoreceptor 11 rotates in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow, and the surface is uniformly charged by the charger 15, and the photoreceptor 11 is charged by the optical writer 17.
The black image signal is scanned and exposed by the photoreceptor 1.
An electrostatic latent image is formed on 1. The developing devices 16 are blue, red, and yellow developing devices 16b and 16c arranged above the black developing device 16a.
16d are arranged in parallel along the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor 11,
The electrostatic latent image is developed with a black developer 16a, and the electrostatic latent image is transferred to the photoreceptor 11.
A black toner image is formed on top.

At this time, the developing devices 16b and 16cm16d for colors other than black are as follows.
Adjusted to prevent toner from flying.

Then, the static eliminator 13 removes the static electricity from the black electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor ll.

Next, the blue, red, and yellow developing devices 16b, 16c, and 16d are then used in the same manner as described above to form the black toner image.
The process of charging, exposing, developing, and removing static electricity is repeated using the photoreceptor II, and blue, red, and yellow toner images are formed in a superimposed manner on the photoreceptor II.

After all the toner development is completed, the transfer device 12
The toner image is electrostatically transferred and the paper 20 is sent upward. Further, the toner image transferred to the paper 20 is heated and fixed by a fixing device 22, and the paper 2o is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 24 by a paper discharge roller 23. And cleaning device 1
4 is spaced apart from the photoreceptor 11 from just before black development until the transfer of the entire toner image, and is pressed against the photoreceptor 11 after the transfer to remove residual toner.

This cleaning device 14 is constructed and installed as shown in FIG. That is, the frame 2 inside the printer body 10
5, a supporting portion 25a of the cleaning device I4 is provided in a protruding manner. Cleaning case 3 whose lower part is opened in this support part 25a
0 is rotatably mounted on a support shaft 31 parallel to the axis of the photoreceptor 11. The support shaft 31 is located at the upper part of the cleaning case 30 near the side plate 30a on the side opposite to the running direction of the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor 11.

Further, an eccentric cam 32 is attached to the printer main body 10, and a coil spring 33 is provided between a position closer to the center of the cleaning case 30 than the support shaft 31 and a position above the support portion 25a of the frame 25. And coil spring 33
Due to this, the upper surface of the cleaning case 3o is
The eccentric cam 32 is urged to come into contact with the eccentric cam 32 at a position biased toward the side plate 30b facing the side plate 30b.

On the other hand, the upper ends of an arm-shaped blade holder 34 and an arm-shaped sheet holder 35 are attached to the upper part of the cleaning case 3o at the approximate center thereof using a holder support shaft 36 parallel to the support shaft 31. The blade holder 34 is fixed to the holder support shaft 36 and rotates together with the holder support shaft 36, and the seat holder 35 is rotatable relative to the holder support shaft 36. Also,
A lever 37 extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis is fixed to the support shaft 36 so as to protrude upward. A solenoid 38 is separately provided within the printer body 10. Then, the solenoid 38 and the upper end of the lever 37 are connected by a coil spring 39 to urge the blade holder 34 to rotate toward the side plate 30a.

Further, a coil spring 40 is installed between the lower end of the blade holder 34 and a position near the side plate 30b of the cleaning case 30.
is provided to urge the blade holder 34 to rotate toward the side plate 30b.

Also, a bin 4 is provided near the center of the seat holder 35 in the longitudinal direction.
1 is provided protrudingly, and a hook 42 that can be freely engaged with and detached from the bottle 4 is provided in the printer main body 10 below the support portion 25a. Further, a coil spring 43 is attached between the lower end side of the seat holder 35 and the side plate 30b side of the cleaning case 30 from the seat holder 35, and the actuation mechanism 44 of the seat holder 35 is formed by the bin 41, the hook 42, this coil spring 43, etc. 'Constitute'. And the blade holder 34
is on the side plate 30b, and the seat holder 35 is on the side of the side plate 30a, and has a cross shape that is opened at a certain angle or more.

Further, a blade-shaped cleaning member 45 is attached to the lower end of the blade holder 34, and a sheet member 46 is attached to the lower end of the sheet holder 35, respectively, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the holder. Then, a part of it is placed in the blade holder 34,
They are made to protrude from the seat holder 35 in mutually opposing directions. The cleaning member 45 is made of polyurethane rubber with a thickness of 1 to 3 mm, and the sheet member 46 is made of polyurethane rubber with a thickness of 0.05 to 0.0 mm.
Use pentavalent polyester film, Mylar, etc.

At the current #C time, as shown in Fig. 1, the eccentric cam 32
is in contact with the upper surface of the cleaning case 30 at a portion with a small amount of eccentricity, and the cleaning case 30 is tilted due to the biasing force of the coil spring 33 and is in a retracted position away from the surface of the photoreceptor 11. Then, the solenoid 38 is not energized, and the blade holder 34 is moved to the side plate 3 by the coil spring 40.
The cleaning member 45 is located at the position closest to 0b.
The tip of the photoreceptor 11 is at a non-pressing position away from the surface of the photoreceptor 11. In addition, the seat holder 35 has a bin 41 with a hook 4.
2 and is located closest to the blade holder 34 by the coil spring 43, and the sheet member 46 is in a second position with its leading end inserted into the underside of the cleaning member 45.

Then, when the development is completed, the eccentric cam 32 is rotated so that the portion with a large amount of eccentricity contacts the top surface of the cleaning case. Then, the upper surface of the cleaning case 3o is pressed and the cleaning case 30 is tilted against the biasing force of the coil spring 33, so that the opening 30C approaches the surface of the photoreceptor 11 as shown in FIG. move to a suitable working position. At the same time, the solenoid 38 is energized and the lever 37
The upper end of is pulled through the coil spring 39. Then, the holder support shaft 36 rotates, and the blade holder 34 is attached to the coil spring 4.
The cleaning member 45 rotates against a biasing force of 0, and moves to a pressing position where the tip of the protrusion of the cleaning member 45 is pressed against the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor 11 from a direction opposite to the running direction of the circumferential surface. and,
The tip of the cleaning member 45 cleans the residual toner 5o on the surface of the photoreceptor 11. At this time, the bin 41 of the sheet holder 35 moves along with the movement of the cleaning case 30 while being guided by a groove (not shown) in the printer main body 10, and is stopped by the hook 42. and,
The sheet holder 35 rotates toward the side plate 30b so that the sheet member 46 separates from the cleaning member 45 and waits.
The tip of the protrusion of the sheet member 46 is pressed against the surface of the photoreceptor 11 to such an extent that the toner on the surface passes through.

When the cleaning is completed, the hook 42 of the actuating mechanism 44 moves downward in conjunction with the reverse rotation of the eccentric cam 32, and the bin 41 is removed, as shown in FIG. Then, the sheet holder 35 is rotated toward the side plate 30b by the coil spring 43, and the sheet member 46 slides on the surface of the photoreceptor 11 to a first position where the tip comes into contact with the tip of the cleaning member 45. Then, the cleaning member 45 and the photoreceptor 1
The residual toner 50 that has entered between the cleaning member 1 and the cleaning member 45 and is blocked by the cleaning member 45 is scooped up together with the cleaning member 45. At the same time, when the eccentric cam 32 is rotated and returned to its original position and the upper surface of the cleaning case 30 is released, the coil spring 33 causes the cleaning case 30 to
is the fourth one that tilts the opening 30C and moves away from the photoreceptor 11.
Rotate to the retracted position as shown in the figure. At the same time, by stopping the excitation of the solenoid 38, the blade holder 34 is rotated toward the side plate 30b by the coil spring 4o, and the cleaning member 45 is moved away from the surface of the photoreceptor 11 from the pressing position shown in FIG. Move to the target position. Then, the sheet member 46 that was in contact with the tip of the cleaning member 45 moves to a second position where it enters further below the cleaning member 45, and scoops up the scooped up residual toner 5o together with the cleaning member 45. Then, the toner is transported by a paddle (not shown),
It is stored in another location within the cleaning case 30.

As described above, when the cleaning member 45 leaves the photoreceptor 1 at the end of cleaning, the cleaning device 14 is stopped by the blade-shaped cleaning member 45, and the residual toner 50 on the edge portion is removed from the sheet member 4.
Since the toner is scooped up and removed together with 6, no toner remains on the photoreceptor I1.

Therefore, according to the present invention, even if a blade with good cleaning performance is used as a cleaning member in the cleaning device, there is no need to use a sponge roller, so that the cleaning device can be made low-cost and compact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning device for a color laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of its cleaning state, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of its cleaning completed state, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of its cleaning state. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the remaining toner is scooped up, and FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a color laser printer equipped with the cleaning device. 11・・・・・・Photosensitivity, body, 14・・・・・・
...Cleaning device, 30...Cleaning case, 32...Eccentric cam (cam member), 33...Coil spring (biasing means ),
34... Blade holder (cleaning holding member)
, 35... Seat holder (seat holding member), 38... Solenoid (driving means)
, 44...... operating mechanism, 45...
. . . Cleaning member, 46 . . . Sheet member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning member is provided so as to be movable between a pressing position where the cleaning member is pressed against the photoconductor and a non-pressing position where the cleaning member is released from the pressing position. In a cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus that removes residual toner, when the cleaning member moves from the pressed position to the non-pressed position, the cleaning member enters between the cleaning member and the photoconductor, and the cleaning member a first position in which the residual toner dammed up by the cleaning member is scooped up together with the cleaning member; a second position in which the residual toner scooped up when the cleaning member is moved to the non-pressing position is scooped up together with the cleaning member; and a second position in which the cleaning member is moved again. A cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus, comprising a sheet member that moves to a third position where it waits away from the cleaning member when it moves to the pressing position. 2. The cleaning case is movable between an operating position and a retracted position, the cleaning case supports the cleaning member, and the cleaning member is provided with a driving means for moving the cleaning member from the operating position to the pressing position. Item 1. A cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus according to item 1. 3. The cleaning case is movable between an operating position and a retracted position, the cleaning case supports the sheet member, the sheet member is supported at the third position in the operating position, and the third position is supported in the operating position. 2. The cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operating mechanism for moving the sheet member from the third position to the first position, while holding the sheet member at the second position at the retracted position. 4. The cleaning case is rotatably supported between the operating position and the retracted position, and together with an urging member that urges the cleaning case toward the retracted position, the cleaning case is moved to the operating position against the urging member. 4. The cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a cam member that rotates toward the cleaning device. 5. The cleaning device for a color electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cleaning holding member that holds the cleaning member and a sheet holding member that holds the sheet member are supported coaxially and rotatably together.