JPH0812503B2 - Automatic charger cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic cleaning device for a charge wire in a charging device such as a copying machine or a printer using an electrostatic printing method.

[Prior Art] When toner or foreign matter adheres to a charge wire in a charging device of a copying machine, the discharge becomes unstable, which causes white stripes or white bands in a copy image. A means for cleaning the wire with a cleaning member is used to remove the toner and foreign matter attached to the charge wire. As an example of such a technique, a method is conceivable in which a wire is sandwiched between cleaning members, and in that state, the charger casing is automatically moved to perform cleaning.

However, in particular, in the case of a primary charge in which an electric charge is applied onto the photosensitive member, a slight change in the wire position affects the charging potential. The position of changes, causing inconvenience. Therefore, it has been demanded that the cleaning member contact the wire while cleaning and separate from the wire when not cleaning.

[Object] Therefore, the present invention is to provide an automatic cleaning device provided with a mechanism for contacting and separating a cleaning member in an automatic cleaning device for a charge wire provided in a charging device with respect to the wire.

[Structure] The structure of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charger according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a cleaning member during cleaning and non-cleaning, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
Is.

In the charger, a charge wire 4 is stretched in a casing 1, and a front end block 9 and a rear end block 2 are provided at both ends thereof. A cleaning moving member guide 3 having a U-shaped cross section is laid on the bottom of the casing 1 within the effective charging width of the charge wire 4 between the front end block 9 and the rear end block 2, and the center of the cleaning moving member guide 3 in the width direction. The charge wire 4 is located on the line Y-Y (3rd line).
See figure). A moving unit 8 is placed on the cleaning moving member guide 3. On one side of the upper surface of the moving portion 8, the end of the drive wire 5 which is stretched by applying tension between the end blocks is
As shown in the figure, the left mounting position is
It is fixed so as to be close to the charge wire side located in the center, and a cylindrical moving part reference part 17 is provided on the lower surface thereof so as to project.
It is fitted in the concave portion and is slidable along the concave portion in the longitudinal direction. A cleaning member holding unit 6 having a cleaning member 7 for cleaning the charge wire 4 is placed on the moving unit 8. The cleaning member 7 is on a parallel line with the stretched charge wire 4 and is located at a point symmetric position with respect to the center of the moving part reference part (rotation center part) 17 of the moving part 8 via the mounting part 7 '. It is fixed to the cleaning member holder 6 (see FIG. 2).
The cleaning member holding unit 6 can be rotated around the perpendicular line intersecting the charge wire 4 at right angles as the moving unit 8 rotates, and is detachable from the moving unit 8.

Since it is configured as described above, the cleaning member holding portion 6
Is movable along a guide whose route is a line parallel to the stretched wire 4, and is rotatable on a plane including the wire 4.

Inside the front end block 9, a worm wheel 12 with a pulley that works around a worm gear 11 driven by a reversible rotation motor 10 and winds a drive wire 5, and a detection sensor 13 that detects a home position 16 of a moving section 8. Is provided. 14 is a detection filler for operating the sensor 13,
15 is a spring for returning the filler 14.

Next, the operation of the automatic cleaning device thus configured will be described.

When the motor 10 is started, the worm wheel 12 rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 via the worm gear 11. The drive wire 5 is rotated by the rotation of the worm wheel 12, and the right end of the moving portion 8 which fixes the end of the drive wire 5 is pulled. The moving part 8 is pulled by the drive wire 5 and rotates about the moving part reference part 17 in the direction of the arrow B, and the cleaning member holding part 6 also rotates as the moving part 8 rotates. The cleaning member 7 is moved, and the charge wire 4 is moved to the cleaning member 7.
The moving portion 8 moves along the movement guide member 3 in this state (state 1 in FIG. 2), and the charge wire 4 is rubbed and cleaned by the cleaning member 7.

When reaching the right end of the wire discharge area, the motor 10 rotates in the reverse direction, and in conjunction with this, the rotation direction of the drive wire 5 also reverses, and the moving part 8 is pulled by the drive wire 5 attached to the left side thereof. However, since the drive wire 5 is stretched over the end blocks by applying tension, and the left end of the drive wire 5 is located closer to the charge wire 4 side than the right end, both the mounting positions are charged. A force is applied so as to be parallel to the wire 4, and the cleaning member advances in the return path in the direction of arrow D in the inclined cleaning position as in the state 1 (see FIG. 1).

When the moving portion 8 reaches the home position 16 outside the effective charging width, one end of the moving portion 8 hits the front side regulation portion 9'of the front end block 9 and rotates in the direction of arrow E around the reference portion 17. , Stop along the front side regulation portion 9 ', the moving portion 8 presses the detection filler 14, turns on the sensor 13,
Stop 10 At this time, the cleaning member 7 of the cleaning member holding portion 6 releases the holding of the charge wire 4,
The cleaning member 7 and the cleaning member 7 are separated (see state 2 in FIG. 2)
And the charge wire 4 remains released.

When the cleaning member 7 is contaminated and the member 7 is to be replaced or cleaned, the cleaning member holding unit 6 is removed from the moving unit 8, the member is replaced or the member is cleaned, and then the holding unit is again placed on the moving unit 8. 6 is placed, and the cleaning operation of the charge wire 4 is continued.

[Effect] The cleaning member holding portion is rotatably provided on a plane including the charge wire, and the cleaning member has a state of holding the wire and a non-contact state with the wire according to the rotation position of the cleaning portion. Since the cleaning member is provided so as to be located on both sides of the wire and the cleaning member presses the charge wire from both sides by the rotation of the cleaning member holding portion, good and effective cleaning can be performed. Furthermore, except when cleaning, the cleaning member holder is
Secure the cleaning member and the wire by engaging a regulating portion provided at least at one end outside the discharge area for rotating the cleaning member so as to be in a non-contact state with the wire and returning the rotation operation to the original state. Since the charge wire is released from the nipping of the cleaning member, the charge wire can hold a fixed position, and stable discharge characteristics can always be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charger according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating states of a cleaning member during cleaning and non-cleaning,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 4 ... Charge wire, 6 ... Cleaning member holder, 7 ...
Cleaning member, 8 ... Moving part, 9 ... End block, 9 '
…… Front regulation part, 16 …… Home position (outside the discharge area).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A charging device comprising a cleaning member holding a charging charge wire and automatically moving back and forth along the wire, and a moving unit for the cleaning member holding unit. A cleaning member that moves along a guide having a path parallel to the stretched wire and is rotatable on a plane including the wire, and the cleaning member is a rotation position of the cleaning member holding portion. According to the above, it is provided so as to be located on both sides of the wire so as to be able to take a state of sandwiching the wire and a state of not being in contact with the wire, and at least one end outside the discharge region is engaged with the cleaning member holding portion. In addition, there is a regulation part that rotates the cleaning member so that it does not come into contact with the wire.In the wire discharge area, the cleaning member holding part rotates and moves while the wire is clamped by the cleaning member. cleaning At least at one end outside the discharge region, the cleaning member holding portion engages with the regulating portion that rotates the cleaning member into a state in which the cleaning member is not in contact with the wire, and returns the rotation operation to the original position. An automatic charger cleaning device, characterized in that it is configured to be reliably separated from a wire.