JPH09258633A - Method for removing substance sticking to photoreceptor of electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily remove substance sticking to the photoreceptor of an electrophotographic device. SOLUTION: The photoreceptor 1 is electrified by an electrifying means 5 during repeat copying, and an electrification area is formed to have a specified width by an erasing means 6. By performing development to a specified area by a developing means 2, toner sticks to the photoreceptor 1. A transfer means 3 releases its contact with the photoreceptor 1 so as to stop the impressing of transfer voltage thereto. A large quantity of toner which is not used for transfer is fed to the blade edge of a cleaning means 4, and fine powder being paper component dammed by the blade edge is taken in by the fluidity of fresh toner and powder motion at the time of damming, and washed away and removed from the blade edge. Thereafter, the toner is recovered by a toner recovering means 7 and restored to the developing means 2 so as to be reused.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for removing deposits on a photoconductor of an electrophotographic apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years,
In devices such as copiers that use the indirect electrophotographic method,
The quality of the paper used as the transfer medium is getting worse,
Various problems are occurring. One of the problems is, for example, toner sticking with the fine particles of the additive as a core due to the adhesion of the additive of paper to the photoreceptor. In order to solve this problem, a blade cleaning method is suitable, and the removal of the fine powder of the paper component that is clogged by the blade part has been a problem. In addition, toner is being recycled, but problems such as toner agglomeration with only transfer residual toner, resulting in large-grained toner, causing white spots on the image and developing unit gaps (doctor blades, etc.) There is a problem such as clogging of the. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

[0003]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for removing a substance adhering to a photoreceptor of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention.
It is characterized in that a large amount of toner is intermittently adhered to the photoconductor and is sent to the edge portion of the cleaning blade without being transferred, and is collected together with the sent toner. That is, a large amount of toner powder having good fluidity is supplied to the blade edge portion of the cleaning blade to wash away the fine powder of the paper component by utilizing the fluidity and cohesiveness of the toner.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the recovery destination of the toner is a developing means, and the recovered toner is reused. That is, the system is low cost and resource saving,
The aim is to maintain and improve image quality by increasing the ratio of new toner and recovered toner.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a main part of a copying machine to which the method of removing a substance adhering to a photoconductor of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention is applied. In this apparatus, a developing unit 2, a transfer unit 3, a cleaning unit 4, a charging unit 5 and an erasing unit 6 are arranged around the photoconductor 1, and the cleaning unit 4 is provided.
The toner collecting means 7 for collecting the collected toner powder and the like to the developing means 2 is provided.

The toner supply method is as follows.
First, the charging unit 5 charges the photoconductor 1 at a constant time between repeat copies (after completion of the job or every 10 to 50 sheets in the middle of the job), and the erasing unit 6 creates a charging region so as to have a predetermined width. . Then, the developing device 2 develops the toner into a predetermined area, and the toner is attached onto the photoconductor 1. The transfer means 3 releases the contact as shown by the dotted line in the figure so as not to transfer this pattern, and stops applying the transfer voltage.

Then, a large amount of toner (untransferred) is sent to the blade edge of the cleaning means 4, and fine powder of the paper component dammed by the blade edge is taken in by the fluidity of the fresh toner and the powder movement at the damming time. Rinse and remove from blade edge.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the measurement results of the intervals at which toner is attached and supplied during non-image formation, the width of the attachment (image forming area width in the advancing direction and longitudinal direction), and the presence or absence of toner sticking. is there. When the toner supply interval is set for every 10 sheets, the toner fixation state becomes OK from the width of 10 mm, and when the interval is every 99 sheets, the state becomes 30 mm after the toner supply.

When this method is carried out, the amount of toner consumption increases, but the amount of toner consumed per copy is increased by recovering the toner by the toner recovery means 7 and returning it to the developing means 2 for reuse. It can be prevented.

[0010]

As described above, in the method for removing the photoconductor adhering material of the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect, a large amount of toner is supplied to the edge portion of the cleaning blade. The effect is that the adhering powder of the additive of the transfer paper can be easily removed, and the paper powder can be prevented from remaining adhering to the photoreceptor and adversely affecting the image formed.

In the method for removing the adhered substance on the photoconductor of the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect, the recovery destination of the toner supplied in large quantity is used as the developing means, and the recovered toner is reused. However, the toner consumption per transfer sheet does not increase, the cost can be reduced, and in the vicinity of the toner supply container is nearly empty, the ratio of the toner collected by cleaning becomes large in the past and the image abnormality or the development is caused. Although clogging etc. occurred in the tank, there is an effect that this can also be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a main part of a copying machine to which a method of removing a substance adhering to a photoconductor of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a measurement result of an interval at which toner is adhered and supplied at the time of non-image formation, a width of adherence, and presence or absence of occurrence of toner sticking.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photoconductor 2 Developing means 3 Transfer means 4 Cleaning means 5 Charging means 6 Erase means 7 Toner collecting means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for removing deposits on a photosensitive member of an electrophotographic apparatus, which comprises intermittently depositing a large amount of toner on the photosensitive member and sending the toner to the edge portion of a cleaning blade without transferring the toner. A method of removing adhered matter on a photoconductor of an electrophotographic apparatus, characterized in that the toner is also collected. 2. The method for removing adhered matter on a photoconductor of an electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner is collected from a developing means and the collected toner is reused.