JPH11167314A - Coating agent supply device for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain both functions for coating the surface of a photoreceptor with the proper amount of coating agent and grinding the surface of the photoreceptor by a proper amount with one member. SOLUTION: In a roller-like coating means 20; 1st and 2nd members 22 and 23 whose diameters are different are formed on base material 21 as two-layer structure, and a distance l1 to the surface of the 1st member 22 from the surface of the base material 21 and a distance l2 to the surface of the 2nd member 23 therefrom are set to l1>l2. A distance L1 to the surface of a coating agent supply member 8 from the surface of the base material 21 of the coating means 20 and a distance L2 to a photoreceptor 1 therefrom are set to l2<L1<=l1 and L2<=l2. By bringing the 1st member 22 into contact with the member 8 and the 2nd member 22 including the 1st member 22 into contact with the photoreceptor 1, and selecting the material suitable for applying the coating agent for the 1st member 22 and the material suitable for grinding the surface of the photoreceptor 1 for the 2nd member 22, both functions for coating and grinding are attained with one member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming a visualized image on an image carrier with a colorant, transferring the visualized image to a transfer member such as transfer paper, and obtaining a final image. The present invention relates to a coating material supply device of an image forming apparatus having an improved configuration of a coating means for coating a coating material on the surface of an image carrier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 is a conceptual sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a photosensitive member as an image carrier. In the figure, 1 is a photoreceptor, 2 is a charger, 3 is an image exposure, 4 is a developing device,
5 is a transfer / separator, 6 is a cleaning device, and 7 is a static eliminator. In this apparatus, in order to make it easier to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor 1 to transfer paper, and to reduce frictional force with a polyurethane rubber blade used for removing residual toner on the photoconductor 1. It is well known that a lubricant is applied to the photoconductor 1. As a lubricant, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, an application means 9 formed by a brush is brought into rotational contact with an application agent supply member 8 in which zinc stearate is solidified into a rod shape, and zinc stearate is applied to the surface of the brush 9. A method is used in which zinc stearate adhered to the surface of the brush is applied to the surface of the photoreceptor by scraping it off and bringing it into contact with the photoreceptor 1 by rotation. 1 in FIG.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a coating agent applied from the brush 9 to the surface of the photoconductor 1.

Further, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus,
It is necessary to uniformly charge the photoconductor for latent image formation,
Corona discharge is used as the means. The charging ability of corona discharge is very high, but at the same time, it generates ozone and nitrogen oxides, and those substances directly alter or adhere to the surface of the photoreceptor. In some cases, the characteristics are degraded. In order to cope with these contaminations, as shown in FIG. 3, a method in which a felt-like polishing member 11 or a brush-like polishing member 12 is brought into contact with the surface of the photoconductor 1 to polish and remove the contaminated portion 13 on the surface of the photoconductor 1 Is used.

[0004]

However, in general,
Since the hardness of the coating material supply member 8 as a lubricant is lower than that of the photoreceptor 1, if a member suitable for polishing the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is used as a coating member, the coating material supply member 8 will be excessively shaved, resulting in excessive However, there is a problem in that an excessive amount is supplied to the surface of the photoreceptor 1, and at the same time, the life of the coating material supply member 8 is significantly shortened. Conversely, if a member suitable for coating is used as the polishing member, the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is insufficiently polished, resulting in an early failure image.

[0005] Conventionally, there has been a demand for integrating both the coating and polishing functions from the downsizing of the apparatus and the design of an inexpensive machine. However, there is no means for achieving this, and independent means have to be used. Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and has been made so that a single member can achieve application of an appropriate amount of a coating agent to the surface of an image carrier and polishing of an appropriate amount of the surface of the image carrier. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coating material supply device for an image forming apparatus.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating material supply device for an image forming apparatus, which is disposed around an image carrier to achieve the above object. An image forming apparatus for applying a coating agent to the surface of the image carrier by contacting a coating agent supply member and a coating unit that supplies the coating agent to the surface, and contacting the coating unit with the image carrier. The coating means comprises a substrate, a first member and a second member, and a distance l1 between a distance l1 from the substrate to the tip of the first member and a distance l2 from the substrate to the tip of the second member. > L2, the distances l1 and l2, the distance L1 from the substrate to the coating material supply member, and the distance L from the substrate to the image carrier.
2 and l2 <LI ≦ l1 and L2 ≦ l2.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the image carrier has a higher hardness than the coating material supply member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the amount of application of a coating agent on the surface of the image carrier by the first member and the second member and the amount of polishing of the image carrier are controlled. The second member is larger than the first member.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing the basic configuration of the coating material supply device of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, a roller-shaped coating unit 20 is used. The coating unit 20 is provided on the base member 21 at a distance from the surface of the base member 21 to the tip, that is, the first member 22 and the second member 22 having different diameters.
The member 23 is formed in a two-layer structure. The relationship between the diameters is such that the distance from the surface of the base member 21 to the surface of the first member 22 is 11 and the distance from the surface of the second member 23 is 12
, It is assumed that l1> l2.

The distance relationship between the coating means 20 and the coating material supply member 8 and the photosensitive member 1 is as follows: the distance from the surface of the substrate 21 to the surface (contact side) of the coating material supply member 8 is L1, If the distance to L2 is L2, l2 <LI ≦ l1
And it is set so that L2 ≦ l2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the relationship between FIGS. 4 and 5 in an integrated manner. With the above-described distance relationship, the first member 22 comes into contact with the application agent supply member 8 and the second member 22 including the first member 22 comes into contact with the photoconductor 1 as shown in the drawing. . Accordingly, a material suitable for applying the coating agent is selected for the first member 22 and a material suitable for polishing the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is selected for the second member 22. Both functions can be achieved by one member by selecting appropriate materials.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing another embodiment of the present invention in which the first and second members 22, 23 are formed into rollers by using brushes having different shapes. Coating means 2 of the present embodiment
5 is the first and second members 22 and 23 on the roller-shaped base material 21.
The first member 22,
The second member 23 is wound so as to be wound alternately so as to have a winding interval. This makes it possible to uniformly contact the respective contact target members during rotation. As can be seen from the figure, the first and second members 22,
It is clear that the respective functions can be adjusted by adjusting the winding width of the 23.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, a rod-shaped solid material of zinc stearate is used as an application agent supply member, an organic photoconductor (OPC) using polycarbonate as a surface charge transfer layer is used as a photoconductor 1, and a roller-shaped application member is used. The following description will be made assuming that a configuration in which a coating and polishing function is exhibited by rotatingly contacting each member is adopted.

As a first example, the application means is formed of a brush-like member, and the density of flocking of the second brush is increased as compared with the first brush, and a straight-haired acrylic having a thickness of 300D / 48F. As a result of an experiment using an application member formed in a brush shape with fibers, the first member was 20,000 / piece.
By forming the coating member from a material having a square inch and a flocking density of 50,000 pieces / square inch as the second member,
The coating and polishing functions were compatible.

Further, as a second example, the application means is formed of a brush-like member, and the flock density of the second brush is higher than that of the first brush. As a result of an experiment with a coating member formed in a brush shape using hair acrylic fiber, the first member was 3
By forming the coating member using a material having a thickness of 00D / 48F and a thickness of 360D / 24F as the second member, both the coating and polishing functions could be achieved.

Further, as a third example, the applying means is formed of a brush-like member, the first brush is formed in a straight hair shape, the second brush is formed in a loop shape, and the first member is formed of 300D / A coating and polishing function by forming a 48 A thick straight acrylic fiber brush having a flocking density of 20,000 pieces / square inch and a second member of a 360 A / 24 F thick loop acrylic fiber brush. Was compatible.

[0017]

As described above, the coating material supply device of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a coating material supply member disposed around the image carrier and supplying the coating material to the surface of the image carrier. The coating means to be brought into contact with the substrate comprises a substrate, a first member and a second member, and a distance l1 from the substrate to the tip of the first member.
And a distance l2 between the base material and the tip of the second member.
> L2, and the distances l1, l
2 and a distance L1 from the base material to the coating material supply member and a distance L2 from the base material to the image carrier l2 <LI ≦ l1
And a member that contacts the coating agent supply member and the image carrier, so that the coating agent is applied to the surface of the image carrier by contacting the application unit and the image carrier. By separating the members that come into contact with each other, the required quality of each can be achieved with the same constituent means,
There is an effect that an inexpensive and compact device can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a photoconductor as an image carrier.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an apparatus for supplying a coating material to a photoconductor used in the image forming apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a photoreceptor polishing apparatus using a felt-like polishing member (A) and a brush-like polishing member (B) used in the image forming apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a roller-shaped application unit that forms an application agent supply device of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a basic configuration of a coating material supply device of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the relationship between FIGS. 4 and 5 in an integrated manner.

FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment in which the applying means is formed by brushes having different shapes.
It is a side view showing other embodiments of the present invention in which the 2nd member was formed in roller shape.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 photoconductor 2 charger 3 image exposure 4 developing device 5 transfer / separator 6 cleaning device 7 static eliminator 8 coating material supply member 9 coating device 10 coating material 20, 25 roller-shaped coating device 21 base material 22 first member 23 Second member l1 Distance from base material surface to first member surface l2 Distance from base material surface to second member surface L1 Distance from base material surface to coating material supply member surface L2 Base material Distance from surface to photoconductor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a contacting means for applying a coating material to a surface of an image carrier; In a coating material supply device of an image forming apparatus that applies a coating material to the surface of the image carrier, the coating unit includes a base material, a first member, and a second member, and the coating unit includes a base member, a first member, and a second member. The distance l1 and the second
There is a relationship of l1> l2 between the distance l2 to the tip of the member, these distances l1 and l2, the distance L1 from the substrate to the coating material supply member, and the image carrier from the substrate. L2 <LI ≦ l1 and L2 ≦
A coating material supply device for an image forming apparatus, wherein the coating material supply device is arranged so as to have a relationship with l2. 2. The coating material supply device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image carrier has a higher hardness than said coating material supply member. 3. The amount of the coating agent applied to the surface of the image carrier by the first member and the second member and the amount of polishing of the image carrier are larger in the second member than in the first member. 2. A coating material supply device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: