JPH0588589A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out a stable image formation over a long period of time without scarring a surface of a latent image carrier by providing a polishing member different from a cleaning member on a periphery surface of a roll main body and carrying, out a low cost and efficient elimination of depositions. CONSTITUTION:Axial center of the roll main body 11 is constituted to be freely attachable and detachable to and from a latent image carrier 1. A cleaning brush 8 is constituted from fibers lacking firmness, and the polishing brush 12 is constituted from fibers with more firmness. Furthermore, the polishing brush 12 is shorter in length than the cleaning brush 8 and is also provided with polishing ability. When toner is eliminated, the cleaning brush 8 is operated to come into a pressurized contact with the latent image carrier 1, biting into it. When, polishing of the latent image carrier 1 is intended, the part of the polishing brush 12 is brought close into the image carrier 1 and operated. Thus, the elimination of depositions can be carried out without providing another elimination mechanism.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a printer, which uses an electrophotographic system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional cleaning device for electrophotographic copying machines, facsimiles, printers, etc., has a cleaning member 8 which is always in contact with the latent image carrier 1 on the outer periphery of a roller body 11 as shown in FIG. A device provided with a cleaning roller whose axis is in contact with the latent image carrier 1 and whose axis is movable toward and away from the latent image carrier 1 (Actual Publication No. 2-27168). Gazette),
(1) A latent image carrier 1 is provided with a polishing member other than a cleaning device in order to remove the accumulated substance without damaging the surface thereof (JP-A-55-89882),
(2) There is one that also functions as a cleaning device to remove toner and polish the latent image carrier (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-11546).
No. 4). (3) A blocking member 2 is provided below the cleaning member 8 in order to prevent the toner 14 removed from the latent image carrier 1 by the cleaning blade 4 and the cleaning member 8 from falling out of the cleaning device. What is used is used. However, in the method of blocking by the blocking member 2, the toner is accumulated on the blocking member 2 over time and the cleaning performance is deteriorated, and the blocking member 2 is removed when the cleaning device is detached from the main body such as a copying machine. There is a problem that the toner accumulated in the printer spills and stains the inside of the machine. As a measure to solve this problem, a device (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-210981) having a mechanism in which an elastic roller is pressed against the latent image carrier 1 as the shielding member 2 is used. Reference numeral 3 is toner, 4 is a cleaning blade, 5 is a flicker bar, 6 is a toner discharge screw, 9 is a cover member, and 11 is a roller body.

[0003]

The conventional electrophotographic copying machines, facsimiles, printers, and other cleaning devices as described above have the following problems. However, there is a problem that the cost will increase. (2) Though the space saving can be achieved in the case where the toner is removed and the latent image carrier is polished, the effect is reduced because the polishing and the toner removal are performed under the same condition, and the polishing is always performed. Therefore, there is a problem that the surface of the latent image carrier is damaged. Further, (3) there is a problem that the structure of the device having a mechanism for pressing the elastic roller against the latent image carrier as a blocking member for blocking the falling toner is complicated and the cost is increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the cleaning device, to remove the adhering substances efficiently and inexpensively without providing a separate removing mechanism, and to remove the surface of the latent image carrier. An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device capable of forming a stable image for a long period of time without damaging the toner and preventing the scraped-off toner from accumulating in the shielding portion.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a conventional cleaning device as described above, wherein a polishing member different from the cleaning member is provided on the peripheral surface of the roller body. It is a feature. Further, the polishing member is a flocked material, the length of the fluff of which is shorter than that of the cleaning member and has a polishing property, and the polishing member is an elastic roller having a polishing property. Have been flocked. Further, a shielding member that receives the fall of the toner removed from the latent image carrier and a conveying member that conveys the toner received by the shielding member to the collection container are provided, and between the shielding member and the conveying member. It is characterized in that a passage for directly carrying the toner is provided.

[0006]

In the present invention as described above, when the toner is scraped off, only the cleaning brush portion comes into contact with the latent image bearing member to remove the toner, and when the latent image bearing member needs to be polished, the roller is extended to the polishing member portion. The main body is brought close to the latent image carrier, and the polishing member and the latent image carrier are brought into contact with each other to polish the surface of the latent image carrier. Then, the toner attached to the cleaning brush is blown off by the flicker bar, and the toner dropped on the blocking member passes through the passage by the air flow generated by the rotation of the cleaning brush, is conveyed to the toner discharge screw, and is stored in the recovery bottle. To be done.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings, the same parts as those of the prior art will be designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted, and mainly different parts will be described.

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. In FIG. 1 showing the overall configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention, the axis of the roller body 11 can be brought into contact with and separated from the latent image carrier 1 by means not shown. In FIG. 2 showing the brush of the first embodiment, a cleaning brush 8 is composed of fibers having weak elasticity for removing toner and fibers having strong elasticity for polishing the latent image carrier 1. Brush 12
And a shaft core 11. The length of the polishing brush 12 is shorter than the length of the cleaning brush 8 and is abrasive. In such a case, when the toner is removed, the cleaning brush 8 is operated so that the cleaning brush 8 bites into the latent image carrier 1 and is pressed against the latent image carrier 1 as shown in FIG. Further, when the purpose is to polish the latent image carrier 1,
As shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the polishing brush 12 is brought close to the latent image bearing member 1 to the position where the polishing of the latent image bearing member 1 can be achieved and operated.

4 and 5 are views showing a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the polishing member is an elastic roller 13
(Hereinafter referred to as a polishing roller), and there is no difference from the first embodiment except that the polishing roller 13 is provided with the cleaning brush 8.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the degree of image deterioration and the number of copies in the above embodiment. Cleaning brush 8
The characteristics of the first embodiment by the polishing brush 12 and the polishing brush 12 are shown by the curve of the circle, and the material is the cleaning brush 8 whose fiber thickness is
6.25D / F, density is 3100 fibers / cm ² , bristle length is 6mm, abrasive brush 12 fiber thickness is 15D / F, density is 4650 fibers / c
m ² and the length of the bristles is 3 mm, and the characteristic of the second embodiment is shown by the curve of Δ, the material of which is the cleaning brush 8 is the same as that of the first embodiment, The material of the polishing roller 13 is an elastic roller whose surface contains silica powder dispersed therein. Further, in the conventional case, the cleaning brush 8 has a fiber thickness of 6.
The density is 25 D / F and the density is 5430 lines / cm ² . As is clear from FIG. 6, the image deteriorates after about 150,000 sheets in the past, whereas
The embodiment of the present invention has an excellent effect that the image does not deteriorate up to about 300,000 sheets.

Further, the toner 3 remaining on the latent image carrier 1
Passes through the shielding member 2 and enters the cleaning device,
It is scraped off by a cleaning brush 8 which rotates in the opposite direction to the latent image carrier 1. The toner not removed by the cleaning brush 8 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 4. The toner attached to the cleaning brush 8 is blown off from the cleaning brush 8 by the flicker bar 5 and is conveyed to a collecting container or the like outside the cleaning device by the toner discharge screw 6. However, a part of the toner scraped off by the cleaning brush 8 collects on the upper surface of the shielding member 2, which is covered by the cover member 9 and the toner discharging screw 6 and the frit carver 5.
The toner is discharged from the toner discharge screw 6 to the recovery container after passing through the toner transport passage 7 constituted by a part of the above. The inclination angle of the passage 7 is set according to the fluidity of the toner. Further, the toner is efficiently conveyed in the passage 7 by utilizing the air flow generated by the rotation of the cleaning brush 8. This prevents toner from accumulating on the shielding member 2.

[0011]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the cleaning member and the polishing member are provided on the outer periphery of the same roller body and share the space, the space can be saved and the cleaning brush can be provided. Further, there is an effect that the toner can be efficiently removed and the latent image bearing member can be appropriately polished by an inexpensive mechanism by moving the polishing member and the latent image bearing member by a proper amount of contact and separation. Also, a passage for toner conveyance is provided from the shielding member to the toner discharge screw portion,
Toner can be transported and collected by using the air flow caused by the rotation of the cleaning brush, so it is possible to prevent the toner that has fallen on the blocking member from accumulating, and to prevent deterioration of cleaning performance and stains inside the machine, and to obtain a good image. The effect is that a large number can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the cleaning brush of the above-described first embodiment is in contact with the latent image carrier.

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the polishing brush of the first embodiment is in contact with the latent image carrier.

FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the cleaning brush of the second embodiment is in contact with the latent image carrier.

FIG. 5 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the polishing roller of the above second embodiment is in contact with the latent image carrier.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the degree of image deterioration and the number of copies showing the effects of the first embodiment and the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a conventional embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 passage 8 cleaning brush 12 polishing brush 13 polishing roller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning device having a cleaning member which is always in contact with a latent image carrier on the outer periphery of a roller body, and has a cleaning roller whose shaft center is movable in the contacting and separating directions with respect to the latent image carrier. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a polishing member different from the cleaning member is provided on the peripheral surface of the roller body. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the polishing member is a flocked material, and the length of the bristles is shorter than that of the cleaning member and has a polishing property. 3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the polishing member is an elastic roller having abrasiveness, and the cleaning member is bristled on the roller. 4. A roller provided with a cleaning member, which is in constant contact with the latent image carrier, on the outer periphery of the roller body,
In a cleaning device having a cleaning roller movable in the direction of contact with and away from the latent image carrier, a cleaning device in which a polishing member different from the cleaning member is provided on the peripheral surface of the roller body is removed from the latent image carrier. A shielding member that receives the falling toner and a conveying member that conveys the toner received by the shielding member to the collection container are provided, and a passage that directly conveys the toner is provided between the shielding member and the conveying member. A cleaning device characterized in that