JPH07181853A - Cleaning device for electrophotographic copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an auger from being deformed by a brush and to reinforce a cleaning housing by a flicker bar. CONSTITUTION:In the cleaning device provided with the brush 4 in slidable contact with a photoreceptor 1 and the auger 5 carrying toner scraped with the brush 4 in the axial direction in the cleaning housing 6, the brush 4 and the auger 5 are separately arranged. The flicker bar 7 in contact with the brush 4 is constituted into a bar-shape and both ends thereof are fixed to the housing 6. Besides, a gap between the bar 7 and the housing 6 in the opposite direction of the brush 4 and the auger 5 is set to be smaller than the diameter of the auger 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device used in an electronic copying machine and having a brush which is in sliding contact with a photosensitive member and an auger which conveys toner scraped by the brush in the axial direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a cleaning device of this type, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-75276, and in this conventional cleaning device, an auger is always in contact with a brush. The conventional one in which a flicker bar is brought into contact with a brush is as shown in FIG. 1, and a flicker bar b made of a plastic molding having a frame-shaped cross section having a portion in contact with the brush a is screwed to the cleaning housing c. It was firmly fixed. When the auger d is deformed upward, the auger d is prevented from coming into contact with the frame portion of the flicker bar b and being excessively deformed toward the brush a.

[0003]

In the former of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, since the auger is constantly pressed against the outer periphery of the brush, the auger is deformed to the side opposite to the brush and the cleaning housing is rubbed strongly. As a result, there are problems such as abnormal noise being generated and the inner surface of the housing being scraped. Also, when the collection bottle is full and the auger is overloaded, the auger may damage the brush. On the other hand, in the latter case, there are many variations in the nip amount between the brush a and the flicker bar b, which makes it difficult to obtain an appropriate flicking effect. Further, since the flicker bar b is fixed to the upper side wall portion of the cleaning housing c with a screw, the flicker bar b does not serve as a strength member of the cleaning housing c, so that the cleaning housing c is particularly reinforced. I couldn't.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and prevents deformation of an auger due to a brush, and even if an excessive load is applied to the auger, the auger deforms toward the brush side and damages the brush by the auger. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for an electronic copying machine, which can prevent such a situation and can further reinforce the cleaning housing with a flicker bar.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a cleaning device for an electronic copying machine according to the present invention comprises a brush 4 slidingly contacting a photoconductor 1 and an axial direction of toner scraped by the brush 4. In the cleaning device in which the auger 5 to be conveyed to the cleaning housing 6 is housed in the cleaning housing 6, the brush 4 and the auger 5 are arranged apart from each other without contacting each other, and the flicker bar 7 contacting the brush 4 is formed into a rod shape. In addition to being configured, both ends of the cleaning housing 6 are fixed to the cleaning housing 6, and the distance between the flicker bar 7 and the cleaning housing 6 in the direction in which the brush 4 and the auger 5 face each other is smaller than the diameter of the auger 5.

[0006]

[Working] The brush 4 is flickered by the flicker bar 7. The flicker bar 7 has a function of reinforcing the cleaning housing 6. Further, the deformation of the auger 5 in the brush direction is prevented by the flicker bar 7, and the auger 5 is prevented from coming into contact with the brush 4.

[0007]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1 is a drum-shaped photosensitive member, 2 is a charging device, 3 is a cleaning device, and the charging device 2 and the cleaning device 3 are integrated with the photosensitive member portion via a photosensitive member holding member. The cleaning device 3 includes a brush 4 that is in sliding contact with the photosensitive member 1, an auger 5 located behind the brush 4, and a cleaning housing 6 that accommodates these.
A rod-shaped flicker bar 7 provided between the brush 4 and the auger 5 and above the auger 5 so as to interfere with the brush 4, and a cleaning blade slidingly contacting the photoconductor 1 downstream of the brush 4. It consists of 8 mag. Both ends of the flicker bar 7 are press-fitted into the both end walls of the cleaning housing 6 or fixed by bolts, nuts or the like.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the structure of the cleaning device. The nip amount of the flicker bar 7 with respect to the brush 4 is about 0.3 to 1.5 mm. Further, the distance A between the flicker bar 7 and the cleaning housing 6 on the upper side of the auger 5 is smaller than the diameter of the auger 5, and even if the auger 5 is deformed upward, as shown in FIG. Abutting against each other to prevent the auger 5 from coming out upward. Also, the distance B between the flicker bar 7 and the cleaning housing 6 at the portion where the auger 5 and the brush 4 face each other is smaller than the diameter of the auger 5, and even if the auger 5 deforms on the brush 4 side,
As shown in FIG. 5, the auger 5 does not come into contact with the brush 4 by coming into contact with the both members. At this time, a clearance C is provided between them. Further, normally, there is a margin D (0.5 to 2 mm) so that the auger 5 and the flicker bar 7 do not come into contact with each other when the auger 5 is rotating.

The cross-sectional shape of the flicker bar 7 may be circular as shown in the above embodiment, but may be rectangular as shown in FIG. A metal rod is used for the flicker bar 7.

In the above structure, the brush 4 is flicked by the flicker bar 7 during the cleaning operation. The toner scraped off with the brush 4 is the auger 5
Is transported to one side of the flicker bar 7. Then, the auger 5 at this time has a flicker bar 7 in a normal state.
Is rotated without touching. When it is deformed upward by the conveyance resistance, or when it is deformed toward the brush 4 side, it is prevented by the flicker bar 7 and the auger 5 is prevented from protruding upward or protruding toward the brush 4 side. The cleaning housing 6 is reinforced by a flicker bar 7.

[0011]

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the brush 4 from deforming the auger 5 toward the cleaning housing 6 side and prevent the generation of abnormal noise due to the contact of the auger 5 with the cleaning housing 6. At the same time, it is possible to prevent the inner surface of the cleaning housing 6 from being scraped. Further, even if the auger 5 is deformed to the brush 4 side, it does not come into contact with the brush 4, so that the auger 5 does not damage the brush 4. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the flicker bar 7 includes the cleaning housing 6.
It becomes a reinforcement member for the cleaning housing 6
Are reinforced by the flicker bar 7.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the operation in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the operation in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Photosensitive member, 2 ... Charging device, 3 ... Cleaning device, 4 ...
Brush, 5 ... Auger, 6 ... Cleaning housing,
7 ... Flicker bar.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A brush 4 slidingly contacting a photoconductor 1, and an auger 5 for conveying toner scraped off by the brush 4 in an axial direction.
In a cleaning device that accommodates and are housed in a cleaning housing 6, the brush 4 and the auger 5 are arranged apart from each other without making contact with each other, and the flicker bar 7 that comes into contact with the brush 4 is formed into a rod shape. Both ends of the cleaning housing 6 are fixed to the cleaning housing 6, and the distance between the flicker bar 7 and the cleaning housing 6 in the direction in which the brush 4 and the auger 5 face each other is smaller than the diameter of the auger 5. .