JPH052357A - Cleaning device for copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the cleaning device of a copying machine having structure so as to prevent the failure duets soil to the outside of a device, etc., without decreasing a cleaning effect with respect to a photosensitive body. CONSTITUTION:The cleaning device for the copying machine is constituted as follows; it has a form roller 2 housed in a housing 1A, provided so as to contact/separate to/from the photosensitive body 3, and rotated together with the photosensitive body 3 in the same direction at an abutting position with the photosensitive body 3, and a squeezing roller 7 press-contacted to the periphery of the form roller 2 at a position facing the photosensitive body 3 with the form roller 2 interposed, and rotated together with the form roller 2, the form roller 2 and the squeezing roller 7 are provided on the rocking ends of rocking members 4 and 8 having the positions facing each other as fulcrums, and when the form roller 2 is displaced in a direction so as to be separated from the above-mentioned photosensitive body 3, the above-mentioned squeezing roller 7 supported by the other rocking member 8 is displaced in the direction so as to be separated from the form roller 2, by interlocking to one rocking member 4 supporting the form roller 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device for a copying machine, and more particularly to a structure for cleaning a photoreceptor of a copying machine using wet development.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in a copying machine, a developing solution in which a toner is dispersed is used, and the toner is adhered to an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member by electrophoresis, by a wet method. A developing device may be used. Then, the surface of the photoconductor, to which the visible image formed on the photoconductor is transferred by the above-described developing device, is cleaned for another image formation, so that the excess toner on the photoconductor is removed. FIG. 6 shows an example of a cleaning device used for this purpose.
There is a structure shown in.

That is, FIG. 6 shows a main part of the cleaning device A, which is located downstream of the transfer position in the moving direction of the photosensitive member.
Inside the housing B, there are provided a form roller D and a scraper E which are in contact with the photoconductor C and are rotatable. The above-mentioned form roller D is composed of, for example, a sponge roller having a hygroscopic property and rotates in the same direction as the photoconductor C in the same direction and at a higher speed than the photoconductor C in order to prevent dripping. By contacting the photoconductor C while containing the developer supplied from the developer supply device located outside the cleaning device A, the untransferred toner adhering on the photoconductor is softened. It is designed to set a condition in which it is easy to cause dilution and removal by scraper E. The form roller D is provided with a diaphragm roller F and a cleaning blade G, which rotate around the photoreceptor roller C, at a position corresponding to that before contact with the photoreceptor C, and the supplied developer. The liquid content is optimized and impurities adhering to the surface are removed.

On the other hand, the scraper E and the forwarder described above are used.
Distributing plates H, which are means for supplying liquid to the roller D, are provided so as to be swingable about a support shaft, respectively, and when not cleaning, the scraper E comes from the surface of the photoconductor C, and The distribution plates H are respectively retracted from the surface of the form roller D.

[0005]

By the way, in the cleaning device A having the above-mentioned structure, the fountain to which the liquid is supplied is supplied.
The squeeze roller F is constantly in pressure contact with the mroller A, and
Since the position of the cleaning device A is on the downstream side of the transfer position in the moving direction of the photoconductor, there is a possibility that the following problems may occur.

That is, when the diaphragm roller F is constantly in pressure contact with the form roller D, that state is maintained even after the apparatus is stopped, and before passing through the diaphragm roller F. When the developer existing on the surface of the form roller D evaporates at the stage, the toner removed from the photoconductor C is dried and solidified, and when it comes into contact with the photoconductor C at the time of another cleaning. , The photoconductive layer may be damaged on the surface of the photoreceptor.
Further, if the diaphragm roller F is left in pressure contact with the foam roller D, the diaphragm roller F will continue to dig into the foam roller D, and the surface of the foam roller D will remain. May be deformed, resulting in a case where proper contact with the surface of the photoconductor C cannot be performed and proper cleaning is not performed. Further, depending on the positions of the diaphragm roller F and the cleaning G pressed against the form roller D, the following problems occur. That is, regarding the installation position of the above-described cleaning device A, for example, in order to set the transport direction of the transfer paper with respect to the photoconductor C in the horizontal direction, the lower circumference in the moving direction of the photoconductor indicated by the arrow in FIG. When the surface is used as the transfer position, the installation position of the cleaning device is located diagonally above the photoconductor corresponding to the downstream side of the transfer position, in other words, in the first quadrant or the second quadrant. It will be. Therefore, if the aperture roller F and the cleaning blade G are in pressure contact with the form roller D before the contact with the photoconductor C, the development squeezed from the form roller D is performed. As for the liquid, the form roller D is the photoconductor C.
In the case where the diaphragm roller F is scattered in the tangential direction toward the photoconductor C side at the position where the diaphragm roller F is pressed due to the fact that the linear velocity of the aperture roller F is high because it is rotating in the same direction as There is. Then, as described above, the developing solution scattered in the tangential direction from the contact position between the form roller D and the diaphragm roller F is
It may leak outside through the gap between the housing B of the cleaning device A and the surface of the photoconductor C, and may fall onto the transfer paper transfer path located below to contaminate the transfer member.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional cleaning device, an object of the present invention is to prevent the cleaning effect on the photoconductor from being impaired and to prevent problems such as stains to the outside of the device. The object is to obtain a cleaning device for a copying machine having a structure capable of performing the above.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a cleaning device for a copying machine, which cleans a photoreceptor after transfer of a visible image using a developing solution.
A form roller housed in the housing, which is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the photoconductor and can be rotated in the same direction at the contact position with the photoconductor, and the form roller. At the position facing the photoconductor with the sandwich, the same form
And a diaphragm roller that is pressed against the peripheral surface of the roller and rotates around the foam roller. The foam roller and the diaphragm roller are swinging ends of a swinging member whose fulcrums are positions facing each other. When the form roller is displaced in the direction away from the photoconductor, it is linked to one swing member supporting the form roller and the other swing member is connected to the other swing member. It is characterized in that the supported diaphragm roller is displaced in a direction away from the form roller.

Further, in the present invention, a scraper which can be brought into contact with and separated from the photosensitive member is provided in the vicinity of the form roller, and the scraper is interlocked with the contact and separation operation of the form roller. It is characterized by that.

[0010]

According to the present invention, when cleaning the photosensitive member, both the form roller and the scraper come into contact with each other, and the diaphragm roller also comes into contact with the form roller. And
At the time of non-cleaning, the above-mentioned contact state is released.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a model view showing a main part of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a cleaning device 1 is a rotatable form roller 2 inside a housing 1A. Is equipped with. That is, the foam roller 2 has a hygroscopic property, rotates in the same direction at the contact position with the photoconductor 3 and is set to rotate at a higher speed than the photoconductor 3 as in the conventional case. And is integrated with the support shaft 2A set in the same axial direction as the axial direction of the photoconductor 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the support shaft 2A has a support shaft 2A inserted into a long hole 4A formed at a swing end of a bracket-shaped link member 4 forming a swing member.
The link member 4 is set so that the form roller 2 can be brought into and out of contact with the photoconductor 3 with the base shaft 4B as a fulcrum.

A part of the peripheral surface of the base shaft 4B of the link member 4, that is, the peripheral surface facing the photoconductor 3 is a flat surface, and in addition to the above-mentioned link member 4, the base surface 4B has a flat surface. The scraper 5 is integrated by bolting. Therefore, as the base shaft 4B rotates, the form roller 2 passes through the link member 4 and the scraper 5 as well.
Is configured such that the tip end thereof can be brought into contact with and separated from the photoconductor 3 via the flat surface of the base shaft 4B, and the form roller 2 and the scraper 5 are made to come into contact with the photoconductor by a spring (not shown) or the like. An initial position is a position in which a rotational bias in a direction away from 3 is applied and abutted.

On the other hand, the bearing bush 6 for supporting the support shaft 2A in the elongated hole 4A of the above-mentioned link member 4 is inserted.
The support shaft 2A projects from the end of the bearing bush 6, and the swing member 8 for supporting the aperture roller 7 is located at the end of the shaft. That is,
As shown in FIG. 1, the oscillating member 8 is constituted by an oscillating arm having a fulcrum position at a position facing the base shaft 4A of the above-mentioned link member 4 and having the fulcrum shaft 8A at this position. A long hole 8B is formed at the free end, and a support hole 8C having a shape capable of preventing rotation is formed near the long hole 8B. The long hole 8B is provided with the shaft end of the support shaft 2A. The support shafts 7A of the metallic diaphragm rollers 7 are respectively inserted into the support holes 8C via the bearings 2A. Therefore, the swing member 8 can be interlocked with the link member 4 via the support shaft 2A of the form roller 2, and the interlocking direction is opposite to the link member 4 when the fulcrum position is used as a reference. Has been done.

A supporting piece portion 8D is formed on the fulcrum position side of the swinging member 8 described above, and the supporting roller portion 8D is brought into contact with the aperture roller 7 to collect the developer. A scraper 9 for mounting is attached via a stay 10.

Further, a distribution plate 11 (see FIG. 1), which is swingably provided with its swing end side positioned, is arranged above the above-mentioned form roller 2, and this distribution plate is arranged. 11 is
The supply direction of the developing solution from the liquid supply device, which will be described later, is divided into the form roller 2 side and the position deviated from the form roller 2. The distribution plate 11 has an initial state in which the developer can be poured into the housing 1A without supplying the liquid to the form roller 2 by the urging of a spring (not shown).

On the other hand, the link member 4 and the distribution plate 11 described above are designed so that the rocking position is set by a switching device described later. That is, the switching device is provided on the link member 4 side and the distribution plate 11 side. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a solenoid having an actuator 12A connected to a base shaft 4B of the link member 4 is provided. 1
2 and a solenoid 13 having an actuator 13A connected to the base shaft 11A of the distribution plate 11,
These solenoids are cleared by a control unit (not shown).
When the steering switch is turned on, the
The link member 4 is displaced in the direction in which the roller 2 comes into contact with the photoconductor 3, and the distribution plate 11 sets the direction in which the liquid can be supplied to the roller 2.

Further, the liquid supply device 14 described above is for supplying the developer to the form roller 2, and specifically, as shown in FIG. A structure for supplying a liquid is used, and a developer tank 15 and a liquid supply pump 16 that store a developer in which toner is suspended.
Further, the liquid supply pump 16 and the liquid supply pipe 17 that connects the inside of the housing 1A of the cleaning device 1 to each other are configured. As shown, it is located above the distribution plate 11.

Since this embodiment has the above configuration,
When the cleaning switch is turned on by the control unit in order to remove the excess toner adhering to the photoconductor 3, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the form roller 2 and the scraper 5 are in contact with the surface of the photoconductor 3, and the diaphragm roller 6 is in pressure contact with the form roller 2. That is, the support shaft 6A of the aperture roller 6
The oscillating member 8 into which is fitted is interlocked with the displacement of the fulcrum shaft 2A of the form roller 2 located in the elongated hole 8A on the oscillating end side of the oscillating member 8 with the fulcrum position as a reference. When the link member 4 swings toward the photoconductor 3, the swing end of the link member 4 causes the link member 4 to swing in the direction opposite to that of the link member 4 in FIG. By swinging clockwise, it comes into pressure contact with the peripheral surface of the form roller 2.

Therefore, when the developing solution from the solution supplying device 14 is supplied to the distribution plate 11, the foam roller 2 softens and dilutes the excess toner on the surface of the photoconductor 3 and scrapes it.
Facilitate removal by the pad 5.

When cleaning is performed on the photoconductor 3 in this manner, the diaphragm roller 7 pressed against the form roller 2 sandwiches the form roller 2 and the photoconductor 3 is pressed. Since it is located on the downstream side of the contact position with the photoconductor 3 in the rotational direction of the form roller 2, in other words, the developer scraped from the form roller 2 Is only scattered in the housing 1A so as not to go around to the photoconductor 3 side, and leakage from the gap of the housing between the form roller 2 and the photoconductor 3 is prevented. ing.

On the other hand, when the copying machine is stopped, the solenoids 12 and 13 of the switching device are returned to the initial state, so that the link member 4 is in the initial state, that is, as shown in FIG. , The form roller 4 is swung in a direction to separate it from the photoconductor 3, and the distribution plate 11 is also displaced so that the liquid cannot be supplied to the form roller 2. Therefore, since the rocking member 8 rocks counterclockwise in conjunction with the rocking of the link member 4 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5, the fob inserted into the elongated hole 8A of the rocking member 8 is interlocked. The support shaft 2A of the mroller 2 slides and moves in a direction away from the aperture roller 7.

The swing of the above-mentioned link member 4 also rotates the base shaft 4B, so that the scraper 5 is also separated from the photoconductor 3 as shown in FIG.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a diaphragm roller capable of press-contacting a form roller is disposed at a position facing the photosensitive member with a form roller contactable with the photosensitive member interposed therebetween. The oscillating member for supporting the form roller and the oscillating member for supporting the diaphragm roller can be interlocked with each other as a fulcrum position so that the oscillating member supporting the form roller and the oscillating member supporting the diaphragm roller can be interlocked with each other. The diaphragm roller can be separated from the form roller in accordance with the separation from the body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the photoconductor when the toner is dried and solidified due to the constant contact between the photoconductor and the form roller. Also, the aperture
Since the deformation of the form roller due to the constant contact between the la and the form roller can be prevented in advance, the cleaning effect can be prevented from being impaired.

Further, according to the present invention, since the diaphragm roller is provided at a position facing the photosensitive member with the form roller interposed therebetween, it is scraped off from the photosensitive member by the rotation of the film roller. It is possible to prevent the developing solution from scattering toward the position where the form roller and the photoconductor face each other.
It is possible to prevent a situation in which the developing solution leaks from the inside of the housing to the reverse run of the transfer position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a model view showing a configuration of a main part of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a main part configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a switching device used in the configuration of the main part shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a liquid supply device used in the main part configuration shown in FIG. 1.

5 is a model diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 for explaining the operation of the main part configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a model view showing an example of the structure of a conventional cleaning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 cleaning device 1A housing 2 form roller 2A spindle 3 photoconductor 4 Swingable link member 4B Link member base axis 5 scraper 7 Aperture roller 7A spindle 8 Swing member 8A Support shaft of swing member 8

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Koji Shirasugi             1-3-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo, stock             Company Ricoh

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning device for a copying machine, which cleans a photosensitive member after transfer of a visible image by using a developing solution, is housed in a housing, and is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the photosensitive member. And a form roller that can be rotated in the same direction at the contact position with the photoconductor, and the form roller circumference at a position facing the photoconductor with the form roller sandwiched therebetween. A diaphragm roller that is pressed against the surface and rotates around with the form roller. The form roller and the diaphragm roller are provided at the rocking end of a rocking member whose fulcrums are positions facing each other. When the form roller is displaced in the direction away from the photoconductor, it is supported by the other swing member in conjunction with one swing member supporting the form roller. The diaphragm roller is arranged so as to be displaced in a direction away from the form roller. Chestnut copier, characterized in that it is - training apparatus. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a scraper capable of coming into contact with and separating from the photoconductor is provided in the vicinity of the form roller, and the scraper is brought into contact with and separated from the form roller. A cleaning device for copiers designed to work together.