JPH08211803A - Method for attaching scoop up sheet, process cartridge and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a scoop up sheet attaching method capable of attaching a scoop up sheet without bending an attaching surface and preventing the winding of the pickup sheet, a process cartridge having the scoop up sheet attached by this attaching method, an image forming device for forming an image by using this process cartridge. CONSTITUTION: In scoop up sheet attaching method for attaching a scoop sheet 11b for scoop up developing agents scraped off from an electronic picture photoreceptor, the pickup sheet 11b is pulled in a longitudinal direction and attached to an attaching surface 11C1 after tension is applied in the longitudinal direction of the scoop up sheet 11b. An image forming device is constructed so as to be capable of forming an image by using a process cartridge having the scoop up sheet 11b attached by this method and a cartridge.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a developer (hereinafter referred to as "toner").
When the toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member is removed when an image is formed using the above method, a method of attaching a squishy sheet, a process cartridge having the squishy sheet attached by the method, and the process cartridge The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus such as a printer forms a latent image by selectively exposing an electrophotographic photosensitive member that is uniformly charged by a charger to form a latent image, and the latent image is visualized with toner by a developing device. At the same time as forming an image, the image formed by the toner is transferred to a recording medium to record an image. In such a device, the maintenance of each member was performed by a professional service person.

Therefore, the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the charging device, the developing device, the cleaning device and the like are integrally formed into a cartridge so that a user can load the cartridge into the main body of the device to supply toner. Parts that have reached the end of their life, such as electrophotographic photoreceptors, can be replaced and maintenance is facilitated have been put into practical use.

The cleaning device is for removing the toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after transferring the toner image of the electrophotographic photosensitive member onto a recording medium, and is in contact with the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A cleaning blade for scraping off the toner, and a squishy sheet located below the blade for scraping off the scraped toner and in contact with the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the squeeze sheet 50 is attached to the sheet attachment surface 51 of the waste toner storage portion by a double-sided tape 52. At this time, the seat mounting surface 51 is made of a resin material and has some irregularities and small deformations. Therefore, simply sticking with the double-sided tape 52 causes the leading edge of the sheet 50 (contact portion with the electrophotographic photosensitive member).
Undulation x may occur in 50a.

Therefore, conventionally, when attaching the squisheet 50, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the lower portion of the attachment surface 51 is pulled downward by a pulling tool 53 to be bent by elastic deformation, and the squisheet 50 is placed in this state. It is considered that the swelling is prevented by bending the squeeze sheet 50 by applying a tension to the tip 50a by releasing the curvature after the attachment as shown in FIG. 7 (b).

[0007]

However, in the case of recording an image on a recording medium having a large size, it is necessary to lengthen the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and accordingly, the squi sheet 50 and the squi sheet mounting surface 51 also become long. If the squishy sheet and the squisheet mounting surface become long in this way, in order to give sufficient tension to the tip of the squisheet, it is necessary to increase the amount of pulling of the mounting surface 51 when the mounting surface 51 is curved when the squishe sheet is attached. .

However, when the pull amount is increased,
When the curve is released after the squishe sheet is attached in a curved state, the difference between the free length a at the central portion of the squi sheet 50 in the longitudinal direction and the free length b at both ends becomes large, as shown in FIG. Therefore, conventionally, after the squishe sheet is pasted, the tip position accuracy is secured by cutting the tip of the squis sheet along the longitudinal direction, but this is a factor of cost increase due to an increase in working steps. .

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to attach a squishy sheet without curving the attachment surface and to prevent swelling of the squishe sheet. Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge having a squi sheet attached by the attaching method and an image forming apparatus for forming an image using the process cartridge.

[0010]

A typical constitution according to the present invention for achieving the above object is to attach a squeeze sheet to a longitudinal direction in a squeeze sheet attaching method for scooping the developer scraped off from an electrophotographic photoreceptor. Pull in the direction,
It is characterized in that after the tension is applied in the longitudinal direction of the squi sheet, it is attached to the attachment surface.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that a process cartridge having a squi sheet attached by the above method and an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image using the process cartridge are configured.

[0012]

With the above structure, the squishe sheet can be attached by applying tension to the tip of the sheet without bending the sheet attachment surface. Therefore, in the process cartridge having the squi sheet, the positional accuracy of the tip is high even when the squi sheet is long, and the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is surely contacted. Therefore, a high-quality image can be obtained without causing toner leakage.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment First, a process cartridge according to the first embodiment and an image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be attached will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
In addition, FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the mounting configuration of the squishy sheet,
2 is a schematic explanatory view of the configuration of the image forming apparatus in which the process cartridge is detachably mounted, FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of the configuration of the process cartridge, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the mounting configuration of the process cartridge.

Here, as the order of description, the overall structure of the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus using the process cartridge will be described first, and then the structure in the mounting direction of the squeeze sheet will be described.

{Overall Configuration} This electrophotographic image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) A is, as shown in FIG.
Information light based on image information is emitted from the optical system 1 to a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, and the latent image is developed to form a toner image. In synchronism with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is conveyed from the cassette 3a by a conveying means 3 including a pickup roller 3b, a reversing roller 3c, and pinch rollers 3c1, 3c2, 3c3 which are pressed against this and rotate. Further, the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member formed as the process cartridge B is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage to the transfer roller 4 serving as a transfer unit. Then, the recording medium 2 after the image transfer is conveyed to a fixing means 5 including a fixing rotating body 5b containing a heater 5a and a driving roller 5c for pressing the recording medium 2 against the rotating body 5b to convey the transferred toner image. It is fixed on the recording medium 2. Then, the recording medium 2 is ejected onto the ejection roller pairs 3d1 and 3d2 and the ejection roller pairs 3e1 and 3e.
It is configured to be transported by e2 and discharged to the discharge unit 7 through the reverse transport path 6.

On the other hand, the process cartridge B includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least one process means. Here, as the process means, for example, a charging means for charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a developing means for developing the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and a cleaning means for cleaning the toner remaining on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor Etc. Process cartridge B of this embodiment
3, the photosensitive drum 8 having a photosensitive layer which is an electrophotographic photosensitive member is rotated, and its surface is uniformly charged by applying a voltage to a charging roller 9 which is a charging unit.
The information light from the optical system 1 is exposed to the photosensitive drum 8 through an exposure unit to form a latent image, and the latent image is developed by the developing means 10.

The developing means 10 sends out the toner in the toner storage portion 10a by the toner feeding member 10b, rotates the developing roller 10d having the fixed magnet 10c built therein, and at the same time, causes the developing blade 10e to apply a toner layer to which a triboelectric charge is applied The latent image is formed on the surface of the developing roller 10d, and the toner is transferred to the photosensitive drum 8 according to the latent image to form a toner image, thereby visualizing the latent image. Then, after the toner image is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the transfer roller 4, the toner remains on the photosensitive drum 8 by the cleaning blade 11a that is in contact with the entire photosensitive drum 8 in the axial direction. The residual toner on the photosensitive drum 8 is scraped off by the cleaning means 11 which is located below the blade 11a and is in axial contact with the photosensitive drum 8, and is scooped up and collected in the waste toner storage portion 11c. Is configured to be removed.

Each component such as the photosensitive drum 8 is supported by a housing in which a lower frame body 12 and an upper frame body 13 are combined to be made into a cartridge, and a cartridge mounting means provided in the main body 14 of the apparatus. It is removably attached.

The cartridge mounting means comprises an opening / closing member 14
When a is opened, as shown in FIG. 4, a cartridge mounting space is provided, and cartridge mounting guide portions 15 are provided on the left and right inner side surfaces of the apparatus main body 14 so as to face each other. The left and right guide portions 15 are provided with a first guide rail 15a and a second guide rail 15b into which the process cartridge B is inserted. On the other hand, on both outer side surfaces of the process cartridge B, the process cartridge B projects outward from the rotation center position of the photosensitive drum 8 and
A cylindrical projection 15c having a radius substantially the same as that of the groove 15a1 provided at the end of the guide rail 15a is provided, and a guide projection 15d is provided continuously to the cylindrical projection 15c. Further, the engaging portion 15 is provided on the lower front side in the insertion direction of the process cartridge B.
e is provided.

When the process cartridge B is mounted, the cylindrical protrusion 15c and the guide ridge 15d of the process cartridge B are guided by the first guide rail 15a, and the engaging portion 15e is guided by the second guide rail 15b. In this state, the process cartridge B is inserted into the image forming apparatus A by inserting the process cartridge B and closing the opening / closing member 14a.

{Mounting Method of Squishy Sheet} Next, a mounting method of the squeeze sheet 11b will be described with reference to FIG. The squeeze sheet 11b is attached and attached by a double-sided tape 16 to the sheet attachment surface 11c1 formed at the lower end of the waste toner storage portion 11c. The procedure is, as shown in FIG. 1, a suction unit in which the squi sheet 11b is provided on the squeeze sheet tensioning tool 17.
Adsorb and fix to 17a. This pulling tool 17 has one suction part 17
a is movable in the directions of arrows a and b, and the entire tool is movable in the direction of arrow c.

When attaching the squishe sheet 11b,
Both ends of the squi sheet 11b in the longitudinal direction are adsorbed by the adsorbing portions 17a, and the adsorbing portions 17a are moved by a predetermined amount in the arrow a direction. As a result, the squi sheet 11b is pulled in the longitudinal direction,
The squi sheet 11b is in a state of being tensioned in the longitudinal direction. In this state, the tool 17 is moved in the direction of arrow c and attached to the mounting surface 11c1 via the double-sided tape 16.

As a result, tension is applied to the tip of the squi sheet 11b that contacts the photosensitive drum 8, and no waviness occurs at the tip even if the squi sheet 11b is long in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the tip of the squeeze sheet 11b surely comes into close contact with the photosensitive drum 8, and the toner scraped off by the blade 11a does not spill out of the waste toner storage portion 11c. Therefore, spilled toner does not adhere to the recording medium 2 and a high-quality image can be obtained.

Although the size of the squeeze sheet 11b varies depending on the size of the recording medium 2, the length (longitudinal direction) 210
mm ~ 340mm, width (short direction) 5mm ~ 10mm, thickness 0.025mm
A material having a thickness of up to 0.1 mm is used, and polyethylene terephthalate, urethane rubber or the like is preferably used as the material.
Further, the amount of pulling the squisheet 11b varies depending on the material and length of the squishy sheet 11b, but is 0.5.
mm to 1.5 mm is suitable. In this embodiment, as the squi sheet 11b, polyethylene terephthalate having a length of 220 mm, a width of 8 mm and a thickness of 0.038 mm is used.
The sheet 11b is pulled by 0.7 mm in the longitudinal direction and then attached to the attachment surface 11c1 with the double-sided tape 16.

[Second Embodiment] Next, the squi sheet 11b is used.
5 (a) and 5 (b) for the second embodiment of the mounting method of FIG.
Will be described with reference to. The same members as those in the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 18 is a rubber roller 2
A pair of gripping rollers, and each roller pair 18 has an arrow d. The two roller pairs 18 are rotatable in the direction e and are movable in the direction of the arrow f as a whole.

When mounting the squishy sheet 11b,
Both ends of the squi sheet 11b in the longitudinal direction are provided with respective roller pairs.
The roller pair 18 is gripped by 18, and is rotated in the direction of arrow d. As a result, the squi sheet 11b is pulled in a fan shape, and tension is applied to the sheet front end 11b1. In this state, the roller pair 18 is moved in the direction of arrow f,
Attach it to the mounting surface 11c1 via the double-sided tape 16.

As a result, similarly to the first embodiment, the squi sheet 11b is in a state in which tension is applied to the tip of the squi sheet 11b in contact with the photoconductor drum 8, so that waviness does not occur at the tip even if the squi sheet 11b is long in the longitudinal direction. Instead, the tip of the squi sheet 11b surely contacts the photoconductor drum 8.
Therefore, the toner scraped off by the blade 11a will not be spilled outside the waste toner storage portion 11c. Therefore, the recording medium 2
A spilled toner does not adhere to the surface and a high-quality image can be obtained.

[Other Embodiments] Next, other examples of each member such as the above-described process cartridge will be described. The process cartridge B according to the present invention is not limited to the case of forming a single color image as described above, but a cartridge that forms a plurality of color images (for example, a two-color image, a three-color image or a full-color image) by providing a plurality of developing means. Can be suitably applied.

As the developing method, various known developing methods such as a two-component magnetic brush developing method, a cascade developing method, a touchdown developing method and a cloud developing method can be used.

The electrophotographic photosensitive member is not limited to the above-mentioned photosensitive drum, and includes, for example, the following. First, a photoconductor is used as the photoconductor, and examples of the photoconductor include amorphous silicon, amorphous selenium, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, and an organic photoconductor (OP).
C) etc. are included. The shape on which the photoconductor is mounted includes, for example, a drum-shaped, belt-shaped rotating body, a sheet-shaped body, and the like. Generally, a drum-shaped or belt-shaped one is used. For example, in the case of a drum type photoconductor, a photoconductor is vapor-deposited or coated on a cylinder of aluminum alloy or the like. Is.

As for the structure of the charging means, the so-called contact charging method was used in the above-mentioned first embodiment, but a tungsten wire which has been conventionally used as another structure is provided with metal shields such as aluminum around the three sides, It goes without saying that a configuration may be used in which positive or negative ions generated by applying a high voltage to the tungsten wire are moved to the surface of the photosensitive drum to uniformly charge the surface of the drum.

The charging means may be of a blade type (charging blade), a pad type, a block type, a rod type, a wire type or the like, other than the roller type.

As a method of cleaning the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum, the cleaning means may be constituted by using a blade, a fur brush, a magnetic brush or the like.

The above-mentioned process cartridge is
For example, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and at least a cleaning unit are provided. Therefore, as the aspect of the process cartridge, as in the above-described embodiment, other than the one in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning unit, the charging unit and the developing unit are integrally made into a cartridge and can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. Also, for example, the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning means, and the charging means or the developing means are integrally made into a cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body. There is a device in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the cleaning means are integrally formed into a cartridge so that the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body.

In the above-described embodiment, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are made into a cartridge, and the apparatus for forming the image by mounting this process cartridge is exemplified. However, these photosensitive drum and the developing roller are not made into a cartridge, The present invention can be similarly applied to an image forming apparatus in which an electrophotographic photoreceptor and a cleaning unit are directly attached to the apparatus main body.

Further, although the laser beam printer has been illustrated as the image forming apparatus in the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this, and other image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine, a word processor, etc. It is also possible to use for.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the squishe sheet is pulled in the longitudinal direction and attached to the mounting surface, the squishe sheet can be mounted in a state in which tension is applied to the tip of the squis sheet without bending the mounting surface. I can. Therefore, even if the squi sheet is long in the longitudinal direction, waviness does not occur and the accuracy of the tip position is not deteriorated. Therefore, a work process for cutting the tip of the sheet along the longitudinal direction after being attached to the mounting surface is possible. It becomes unnecessary and the cost can be reduced.

Therefore, in the process cartridge having the squeeze sheet attached by the above method and the image forming apparatus using the same, toner leakage does not occur even when an image is recorded on a recording medium of a large size, and the high quality is achieved. It is possible to obtain a quality image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting method of a squishe sheet according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is mounted.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a mounting configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting method of a squishy sheet according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a state where swelling is generated at the tip of the squi sheet.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a mounting method for applying tension to the tip of a squishy sheet according to the related art.

FIG. 8 is a state explanatory view in the case where tension is applied to the tip of a long squishy sheet according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Image forming apparatus, B ... Process cartridge, 1 ... Optical system, 2 ... Recording medium, 3 ... Conveying means, 3a ... Cassette,
3b ... pickup roller, 3c ... reversing roller, 3c1,
3c2, 3c3 ... Pinch rollers, 3d1, 3d2, 3e1, 3e2 ...
Discharging roller, 4 ... Transfer roller, 5 ... Fixing means, 5a ... Heater, 5b ... Fixing rotator, 5c ... Driving roller, 6 ... Reverse transport path, 7 ... Discharging section, 8 ... Photosensitive drum, 9 ... Charging roller, 10 ... Developing means, 10a ... Toner storage section, 10b ... Toner feeding member, 10c ... Magnet, 10d ... Developing roller, 10e ... Developing blade, 11 ... Cleaning means, 11a ... Cleaning blade, 11b ... Squi sheet, 11c ... Waste toner storage Part, 11c1 ... Seat mounting surface, 12 ... Lower frame body, 13 ... Upper frame body, 14
... Device body, 14a ... Opening / closing member, 15a, 15b ... Guide rail, 15a1 ... Groove portion, 15c ... Cylindrical protrusion, 15d ... Guide ridge, 15e ... Engaging portion, 16 ... Double-sided tape, 17 ... Tension tool, 17
a ... adsorption part, 18 ... roller pair

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method of attaching a squis sheet for scooping off the developer scraped off from an electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising: pulling the squis sheet in the longitudinal direction, applying tension in the longitudinal direction of the squis sheet, and then attaching to the mounting surface. Characteristic Squisheet mounting method. 2. A process cartridge attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus main body, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cleaning blade for scraping off the developer remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the scraped developer. And a cleaning means having a squi sheet for removing the squi sheet, wherein the squi sheet is attached to the mounting surface after being pulled in the longitudinal direction of the squi sheet before applying it to the mounting surface and applying tension in the longitudinal direction of the squi sheet. A process cartridge characterized by being present. 3. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein the process cartridge is detachable, and mounting means for mounting the process cartridge according to claim 2, and an image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer unit configured to transfer the recording medium to a recording medium; and a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording medium. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a facsimile machine.