JPS5858577A - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent scattering of a toner, by arranging and holding a sheet- shaped member, where a tension is given in both directions by providing a projection in the center of a sheet-shaped member holding means, under a cleaning member in an electrophotographic device. CONSTITUTION:A holder 3 which holds a cleaning blade 2 is engaged freely oscillatably to the device main body by a supporting shaft 4, and the blade 2 is brought into contact with a photosensitive drum 1. A sheet-shaped member 5 consists of a thin film resin and is arranged and held under the blade 2 and receives a removed toner. The sheet-shaped member 5 attached to an attaching plate 6 has the center protruded and both ends pulled by a projecting part 7' provided in the about center of a housing 7 to which the attaching plate 6 is attached, and therefore, the sheet-shaped member 5 receives the tension in the direction of a plane. Consequently, the end part of the sheet-shaped member 5 which is brought into contact with the drum 1 is held linear, and the toner is received without scateering.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a cleaning device that has a simple construction and is good in that it does not cause toner scattering.

Conventionally, in a cleaning device of an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, untransferred toner removed from an image bearing member such as a photoreceptor is stored in a predetermined container or F1 without scattering it into the image forming apparatus main body. To send the toner to the toner conveying section, etc., place a resin film or a plate-shaped rubber etc. in contact with or close to the photoreceptor, touch it, and scoop it out.

Methods have been proposed and put into practical use, such as providing air suction ports at the bottom of the cleaning member or at both the top and bottom positions.

In particular, the above-mentioned method (a) has a simple structure and is extremely versatile. □However, it is difficult to achieve □straightness of thin sheet-like members such as resin films.Therefore, there was a problem in which the accuracy of the parts had to be improved.

Incidentally, if the linearity of the sheet-like member is affected by the corrugation, the removed toner cannot be collected well, resulting in the inconvenience that the surrounding toner is scattered.

In addition, there was also the problem that good linearity could not be obtained unless the precision of the holding member as well as the precision of the sheet-like member were improved.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device which has a simple structure and has good quality without causing toner scattering.

The present invention provides a cleaning device for removing residue on an image carrier, including a cleaning member (1), a sheet-like member;
The cleaning device is characterized by comprising a sheet-like member holding means for placing and holding the sheet-like member at a position below the cleaning member while applying tension to the sheet-like member in a surface direction thereof.

The details of the present invention will be explained below using specific examples.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a specific example of a cleaning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion where a sheet-like member is attached.

1 is formed on a drum carrying an image carrier such as a photoreceptor. After the transfer is completed, the untransferred toner is held in the holder 6 by a cleaning blade made of 5Ql rubber. The holder 3Fi and the support shaft 4 are pivotably engaged with the entire device, and a weight is provided on the side opposite to the blade holding side of the holder 6 so that the blade 2 comes into contact with the surface of the support body.

5 is a sheet-like member that receives removed developer (toner);
A thin film-like resin such as PET is used. 6 is a mounting plate for pasting and crushing the sheet-like member and attaching it to the main body of the device;
Constructed of metal or hard resin. 7 is a cleaning device housing. Reference numeral 8 denotes a conveying means for discharging the removed developer guided into the machine by a sheet-like member out of the apparatus, and a coil spring or the like is used, for example. 9Fi is a guide member that detachably fixes the cleaner device to the main body of the image forming apparatus. 10#i, mounting plate 6 of the sheet-like member
This is a fixing member such as a screw that fixes the housing 7 to the housing 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, a protrusion 7' is provided approximately at the center of the housing 7 to which the mounting plate 6 is attached. As a result, the sheet-like member for toner receptacle stuck on the mounting plate 6 is pushed out at the center and pulled at both ends, so that it obtains tension in the whale direction. The waving at the end of the sheet-like member that comes into contact with the image carrier is eliminated, and the straightness is improved.

The difference in the protrusion of the protrusion is %0.5~2am! It is good if it is 1 degree.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the sheet member 5 attached to the mounting plate 6. As shown in FIG.

By fixing such a sheet-like member 5 on a housing provided with a protrusion as described above, it is possible to hold the sheet-like member without undulation.

Further, even a sheet-like member 5' (see FIG. 4), which has heretofore been considered impractical due to the occurrence of corrugations, can be used very effectively with the above-described structure.

In particular, extremely thin materials (e.g. 30 to 6
0 voice) resin film can also be put to practical use. When such an ultra-thin porridge film is used as a sheet-like member, it can be used without damaging the surface of the photoreceptor, even if the surface of the photoreceptor is made of a material that is particularly susceptible to scratches.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modification based on the present invention, in which the protrusion provided on the housing mounting surface in the previous example is replaced with a substantially central portion on the mounting surface side of the sheet-like member mounting plate 6'. A protrusion 6t is provided on the. Then, in the same manner as described above, the sheet-like member is fixedly held on the mounting surface of the leaning device housing (however, there is no protrusion) using the mounting plate having the protrusion 61'.

In this case as well, tension is applied to the sheet-like member in the linear direction so that it remains in uniform light contact with the surface of the carrier below the cleaning member. The light-eliminating toner is not scattered outside the machine by the sheet-like member (it is collected in the same way as in the previous embodiment).

As described above in detail in the specific examples, the device of the present invention reliably recovers the removed developer (toner) without scattering it to the surroundings, so it is possible to perform a good cleaning without contaminating the inside of the machine. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a specific example cleaning device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of essential parts of the illustrated device, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sheet-like member, and Fig. 4 is a wavy FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sheet-like member, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sheet-like member of a modified example apparatus of the present invention. ;Holder, 4
; Support shaft; 5; Sheet-like member; 6; Mounting plate; 7; Haxing; 8; Spring coil (conveyance means); 9; Guide member. Canon Co., Ltd. No. 17

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a cleaning shell for removing residue on an image carrier, the cleaning member, a sheet-like member, and the sheet-like member are moved to a position below the cleaning member while applying tension in the surface direction of the sheet-like member. A cleaning device comprising a sheet-like member holding means for positioning and holding a sheet-like member. C2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet-like receiving member holding means has a protrusion at the center of the sheet-like receiving member holding position.