JPS587391Y2 - Cleaning device in copying machine - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a cleaning device for a copying machine.

Generally, in a copying machine, since toner remains on the photoreceptor after copying, a cleaning device is provided to remove this toner.

That is, a blade is provided that is brought into pressure contact with the photoreceptor and removes the toner.

Furthermore, when removing toner with this blade, if there is no lubricant attached to the toner, the toner that has left the photoreceptor drum will adhere to the photoreceptor again and be squeezed by the contacts, and this cycle will be repeated several times. If you repeat this, the toner will heat up and fuse to the photoreceptor and blade.
To prevent this, a lubricant applicator is provided in front of the blade, and this lubricant applicator applies lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby making the lubricant adhere to the toner.
By squeezing this at the point of contact with the blade, re-adhesion of the toner is prevented.

However, since the lubricant in the conventional lubricant applicator is powder, it is very troublesome to handle it.

This invention was devised in view of the above, and aims to provide a cleaning device for a copying machine equipped with a lubricant applicator that is easy to handle by using a solid lubricant. .

This idea involves providing one or more stages of blades that are pressed against the photoreceptor in order to remove toner remaining on the photoreceptor after transfer, and placing the blade at a stage before the final stage of the copying process. The present invention is characterized in that a lubricant coating device is provided which has a lubricant hardened by an adhesive and applies this lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor as necessary.

Therefore, by making the lubricant in the lubricant applicator solid with a binder, the lubricant is extremely easy to handle.

An embodiment of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a photoreceptor drum, which is a photoreceptor that rotates in one direction. Around the photoreceptor drum 1, there are a static elimination charger, a charging charger, a latent image forming part, a developing part, and a transfer part, although not particularly shown in the drawings, according to the copying process.・A separation section is provided.

A cleaning unit 3 is provided between the static elimination charger and the transfer/separation section and is detachably attached to the unit drawer rail 2.

To explain this cleaning unit 3, a first stage blade 6 is provided which is supported by a support body 5 which is rotatable around a shaft 4, and a first stage blade 6 is provided which is located on the later stage side of the copying process from this blade 6 and which is rotatable around a shaft 4. A second stage blade 9 supported by a support body 8 rotatable about 7 is provided.

Then, these blades 6.9 are attached to the photosensitive drum 1.
A tensile solenoid 10 is provided via a wire 11 for rotating the support 5.8 in the same direction as the photoreceptor drum 1 so as to bring the support 5.8 into pressure contact with the blade 6.9. A spring 12 is connected to the photoreceptor drum 1 for releasing the pressure contact with the photoreceptor drum 1.

Here, the pressure contact force of the blade 6 is set to a level that can clean the toner according to the phenomenon ability, whereas the pressure contact force of the blade 9 is set so that it can completely clean the toner. It is made so strong that it will not occur or damage the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1.

For this reason, the blade 9 is made longer than the blade 6, and its support 8 is made shorter than the support 5,
The pressing force of the blade 9 is increased for the same tensile force of the tension solenoid 10.

However, as this pressure contact force adjustment means, the blade 6.
It may also be based on the thickness or amount of deflection of the material described in No. 9.

A lubricant application device 13 for applying a lubricant to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 is provided between the blades 6.9.

That is, this lubricant application device 13 includes a support body 15 having a recess 14, and a solid lubricant 1T like a candle, which is provided in the recess 14 and urged toward the photoreceptor drum 1 by a spring 16. , and a solenoid 18 that releases the bias of the lubricant 11 toward the photosensitive drum 1 side.

Here, the lubricant 17 includes molybdenum disulfide, lead oxide,
Acrylic, alkyd, polytetraproleethylene, etc.
Those bound with a hydrophobic binder such as urethane resin or styrene-butadiene resin are used.

Furthermore, when the lubricant 1T is urged toward the photoreceptor drum 1 side, a part of the lubricant 1T is scraped off between the lubricant 1γ and the photoreceptor drum 1. A roller 19 having an uneven surface for upward application is rotatably provided.

Furthermore, a rail 21 is formed on the support body 15 and engages with a rail 20 so that the lubricant applicator 13 can be pulled out independently from the cleaning unit 3.

Furthermore, the cleaning unit 3 is provided with a sealing member 22 that is positioned upstream of the blade 6 and contacts the photosensitive drum 1, and the toner removed by the blade 6 is sealed under pressure according to the developing capacity. Since the toner is removed by force, a recovery conveyance device 23 is provided to recover this toner to the developing section 5 or a replenishment tank so that it can be reused.

Further, the toner removed by the blade 9 and the lubricant applied by the lubricant applicator 13 are placed between the blades 6 and 9 so that the toner has a high charge amount (the lubricant is included). Since the waste is not suitable for reuse, a waste transport device 24 is provided to transport it to a waste tank and dispose of it.

In such a configuration, the toner supplied in the developing section and remaining in the fixing section is first cleaned by the blade 6.

Since this flade 6 has a pressure contact force that is sufficient to clean toner according to the developing capacity, the toner that is not cleaned by this flade 6 is completely cleaned by the blade 9 that is in pressure contact with the photoreceptor drum 1 with a strong pressure contact force. .

Here, when removing the toner with the blade 9, if no lubricant is attached to the toner, as described above, toner re-adhesion tends to cause insufficient cleaning.
Since the lubricant 1T scraped off by the roller 19 is applied to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1, this lubricant 1T is applied to the toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum 1 in the vicinity where the blade 9 is in pressure contact with the photoreceptor drum 1. The applied lubricant adheres and is squeezed by the contact point between the blade 9 and the photoreceptor drum 1, and the toner is separated and removed from the photoreceptor drum 1.

That is, the applied lubricant can prevent toner from re-adhering, thereby preventing insufficient cleaning.

The application of lubricant to the photoreceptor drum 1 by the lubricant applicator 13 is canceled by the solenoid 18, and this solenoid is activated so that the lubricant is applied every predetermined number of copies or at predetermined operation intervals. The operation of 18 is regulated.

Therefore, the lubricant 17 in this lubricant application device 13
Since these are consumable items, they must be replenished or replaced separately from the cleaning device, but since the rails 21 are formed so that they can be taken out independently of the cleaning unit 3, they can be easily replaced.

In this case, since the lubricant 1T is in solid form, it can be handled more easily than in powder form.

In this embodiment, a two-stage configuration of blades 6 and 9 was used, but the blade 6 does not necessarily have to be provided.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the lubricant 11 in the lubricant applicator 13 is brought into direct pressure contact with the photoreceptor drum 1, whereby a portion of the remaining toner is scraped off by the edge a, and the remaining toner is scraped off between the edges 3 and 6. Alternatively, a lubricant may be applied to the photoreceptor drum 1 and mixed with the toner not scraped off by the edge a, and then the toner may be completely removed by the blade 9.

That is, the lubricant 1T also exhibits the same effect as the blade 6.

The lubricant 17 in this embodiment is tied into a plate shape, but as shown in FIG. It may be applied to the photosensitive drum 1 by scraping it little by little.

As mentioned above, in this invention, the lubricant in the lubricant applicator is solidified with a binder, so it can be handled extremely easily when changing the lubricant, etc. It is effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic mechanical diagram, FIG. 2 is a mechanical diagram showing a modification thereof, and FIG. 3 is a mechanical diagram showing a modification thereof.
The figure is a mechanical diagram showing another modification. 1... Photoreceptor drum (photoreceptor), 9... Flade,
13...Lubricant applicator, 1T...Lubricant.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A single-stage or multi-stage blade is provided in pressure contact with the photoreceptor to remove toner remaining on the photoreceptor after transfer;
Cleaning in a copying machine characterized in that a lubricant application device is provided, which is located before the final stage blade in the copying process and applies a lubricant hardened by a binder to the surface of the photoreceptor as necessary. Device.