JPS59168482A - Cleaning device for intermediate transfer body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the cleaning effect of an intermediate transfer body by using metal for at least the surface of a cleaning roller which cleans the intermediate transfer body and heating the roller by a heating means. CONSTITUTION:The intermediate transfer body 7 is provided with the cleaning roller 11 which rotates as shown by an arrow while pressed against the surface from where a toner image is retransferred to and fixed on a recording sheet P to where the image is pressed against an image forming body 1. This cleaning roller 11 has the surface made of metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper alloy, etc. and the surface is heated by a heat source 12 provided internally or a heat source 13 provided externally. Consequently, the sticking force of the cleaning roller 11 to toner increases to improve the cleaning effect on the surface of the intermediate transfer body 7. Further, the warming-up time in the start of recording is shortened and the transfer efficiency is improved as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention transfers a toner image formed on an image forming body to an intermediate transfer body that rotates while being in pressure contact with the image forming body, and records from the intermediate transfer body. The present invention relates to an improvement in a cleaning device for an intermediate transfer body of a recording device that retransfers and fixes onto a sheet.

[Prior art]

The intermediate transfer member of the above-mentioned recording device has a structure in which a transfer layer of silicone rubber, fluorine rubber, etc. is provided on the surface of a roller core made of metal or resin, or a transfer layer made of a metal band such as stainless steel, polyimide, or polyimide. amides, aromatic polyamides, polyarylates.

It consists of an intermediate transfer belt with a transfer layer provided on the surface of a belt base made of a resin film such as polyester or a laminate thereof, suspended from a support roller, and the toner image is still transferred from the intermediate transfer body to the recording sheet. The roller core and support roller are heated by a heat source provided inside or outside the roller core or support roller so that the roller core and support roller can be simultaneously fixed at the same time.

As described above, the surface of the intermediate transfer body is relatively flexible, and it cannot be heated. Conventionally, cleaning devices for the intermediate transfer body have been those that wipe it with cloth or felt, or scrape it with a rubber blade, etc. , one that utilizes the difference in the adhesion force of toner that rotates a metal roller in contact with it is used.

Of these, methods that rub the surface of the intermediate transfer member, such as wiping or scraping, can exert a strong force on the toner, etc. on the intermediate transfer member, but on the other hand, they may damage the surface of the intermediate transfer member. There is a problem in that it is easy to use, and it is easy to cause toner filming on the surface of the intermediate transfer member.

Those that rotate metal rollers in contact with each other are less likely to cause wear or filming on the surface of the intermediate transfer body, but on the other hand,
There is a stroma that cannot exert a strong removing effect on toner and the like.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made for the purpose of improving the removal effect of toner, etc. in a cleaning device using a metal roller that causes less wear and filming on the surface of an intermediate transfer member. .

[Structure of the invention]

The present invention relates to a recording device that transfers a toner image formed on an image forming body to a rotating intermediate transfer body by pressing the image forming body, and retransfers and fixes the toner image from the intermediate transfer body to a recording sheet. At least the surface of a cleaning roller that cleans the intermediate transfer body by contacting the surface of the transfer layer after retransferring the toner image on the recording sheet until it comes into pressure contact with the image forming body is made of metal, and the roller An apparatus for cleaning an intermediate transfer member, characterized in that the apparatus is configured to be heated by a heating means.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on illustrated examples.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial side views of a recording apparatus, each showing an example of the cleaning device of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a drum-shaped image forming body that rotates in the direction of the arrow. Although it may have a magnetic layer formed by a recording method on its surface, FIG. 1 particularly shows one formed by an electrophotographic method. Then, a uniform charging device tl! is applied to the surface of the image forming body 1b shown in FIG. An electrostatic latent image is formed by a latent image forming means comprising a document image projecting device 5 and a document image projecting device 5, and the electrostatic latent image is formed into a toner image by a developing device 6, and the toner image is pressed against the image forming body 1. The image is transferred onto the surface of the transfer layer of a roller-shaped intermediate transfer body 7 rotating in the direction of the arrow. The image forming body 1 in FIG. 2 is the same as that in FIG. 1 if it is made by electrophotography, and if it is made by electrostatic recording or magnetic recording, it has cleaning means and a submersible. The toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer member 7 in the same manner as the image forming member 1 shown in FIG. 1, except that the contents of the toner used in the image forming means or the developing device 6 are changed.

The toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer body 7 is pressed against the intermediate transfer body 7 by a recording pressure roller 8 and sent to the recording sheet)
P, and is fixed at the same time as the retransfer by heating by heat sources 9 and 10 built into the intermediate transfer member 7 and the recording pressure roller 8, respectively. This recording pressure roller 8 may have the same structure as the intermediate transfer body 7, or may have the same structure as the cleaning roller 11 of the intermediate transfer body 7, which will be described next.

A cleaning roller 11 is provided on the surface of the intermediate transfer body 7 from when the toner image is retransferred and fixed onto the recording sheet P until it comes into pressure contact with the image forming body 1 and which rotates in the direction of the arrow. The rotation of the cleaning roller 11 is preferably a driven rotation due to pressure contact with the intermediate transfer body 7, but if a removing device is provided to remove toner adhering to the roller 211, the cleaning roller 11 should be able to withstand the load. As such, positive rotation may be provided by another source of expulsion.

This cleaning roller 11 has an aluminum surface.
The cleaning roller 11 shown in FIG. 1 is made of metal such as stainless steel or copper alloy, and is preferably heated to a temperature above the softening temperature of the toner and below 180° C. If the surface temperature is lower than the softening start temperature of the toner, the cleaning effect will be low, and if it is higher than 180° C., the quality of the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer member will change, which is not preferable. Therefore, the surface temperature of the cleaning roller 11 is preferably
The temperature is controlled to be at least 10° C. plus the softening start temperature of the toner and not more than the softening point. Here, the softening start temperature and softening point of the toner are determined by using a flow tester FT500 manufactured by Shimabara Manufacturing Co., Ltd., put the toner in a plunger with a depth of IQ mm and a volume of 1 crn3, compact it, and apply a pressure of 20 Ky/m'. is added and heated at a rate of 6°C/min to draw a descending curve of the plunger, and when the maximum descending amount is H, it is hot.

The temperature when H falls is the toner softening start temperature, 1/2
The temperature at which H drops is taken as the softening point.

By heating the cleaning roller 11 with a metal surface as described above, the adhesion force of the cleaning roller 11 to toner increases, and the cleaning effect on the surface of the intermediate transfer body is significantly improved compared to a conventional metal cleaning roller. do. However, since the heat of the cleaning roller 11 is transmitted to the intermediate transfer body 7 and the intermediate transfer body is easily heated, the warm-up time at the start of recording can be shortened, and the transfer efficiency can be improved by making the transfer layer thicker. You can also get the effect of being able to do things.

It should be noted that a cleaning roller 11 having a heat source 12 inside, as shown in FIG. It is preferable because it can be obtained. Further, as mentioned earlier, the cleaning roller 11 is provided with a removing member 14 for cleaning the surface of the leaning roller 11 as shown in FIG. 2, if necessary. As the removing member 14, a blade made of metal, resin, rubber, or the like can be used.

In the illustrated recording apparatus, a cleaning roller 15 is also used for the recording pressure roller 8. This cleaning roller 15 may have the same configuration as the cleaning roller 11. 16 and 16' are rollers for feeding the recording sheet P, and 17 and 17' are rollers for feeding the recording sheet P.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform efficient cleaning that cannot be achieved with a conventional metal cleaning roller, with less wear and tear on the intermediate transfer member.
Further, it is possible to obtain effects such as shortening the warm-up time at the start of recording and making it possible to make the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer member II. Note that the present invention can be applied even if the image forming body or intermediate transfer body is belt-shaped.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial side views of a recording apparatus, each showing an example of the cleaning device of the present invention. 1... Image forming body, 7... Intermediate transfer body, 8...
...Recording press roller, 11...Cleaning roller, 9, 10.12.13...Heat source. Patent Applicant Konishi Roku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Haru Yasushi - 1 Figure 2 Figure 2 Procedural Amendment April 78, 1980 Commissioner of the Patent Office Kazuo Wakasugi 1'211+' Indication of 1988 Patent Permit No. 41484', 0 invention names and 4 bodies. II) -=:/l" 1 □ 3
, Relationship with the intelligence of the person making the amendment Patent application hostage, 'Jf/, j (1-26 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Number 2 Name (Name) (127) Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd. 4 Agent 160 Phone 356 -
60906 Number of inventions increased by amendment None 7,
Column 8 of the Detailed Description of the Invention in the Specification Subject to Amendment, Contents of the Amendment (1) At the end of page 6 of the specification, "softening start temperature or higher" is corrected to "softening start temperature minus 10°C or higher." (2) In the second line of page 7, ``From humidity'' is corrected to ``Temperature is -10℃.'' (5) In the 3rd line of page 7, the phrase "on the intermediate transfer body" is changed to "If the toner adhering to the cleaning roller 11 loses its cohesive force, the toner may be reversely transferred to the intermediate transfer body 7, or Body 7,” he corrected.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a recording device in which a toner image formed on an image forming body is transferred to a rotating intermediate transfer body in pressure contact with the image forming body, and then retransferred from the intermediate transfer body to a recording sheet and fixed, the intermediate transfer body At least the surface of the cleaning roller, which cleans the intermediate transfer body by contacting the surface of the transfer layer after the toner image is retransferred onto the recording sheet and before it is pressed against the image forming body, is made of metal, and the roller is heated. 1. A cleaning device for an intermediate transfer member, characterized in that the cleaning device is configured to be heated by means. (2) The intermediate transfer body cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the heating means is built into the cleaning roller. (3) The intermediate transfer body cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the heating means is provided outside the cleaning roller.