JPS59113473A - cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the toner collection factor and to prevent the clogging of a filter by using a cleaning means to rub and clean the surface of a toner image carrier with revolutions and a separating/carrying means to separate the floating toner from the air and carry it. CONSTITUTION:A flicker 11 rubs the brush bristles 9a which are turned at a high speed and disperse the toner attached to the bristles 9a into the air from the surface of a photosensitive drum 8. At the same time, a scavenger roller 12 is rotatably provided at the side approximately opposite to a fur brush 9 and centering on the flicker 11. A counter electrode 13 is provided along the circumferential surface of the roller 12 with a prescribed distance secured away from said circumferential surface, and a flow path E containing an electric field is formed along the circumferential surface of the roller 12. In such a constitution, it is possible to increase the toner collection factor and to prevent the clogging of an air filter.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cleaning device for the surface of an image carrier that forms a toner image, and more particularly to a cleaning device that can be applied to an electrostatic development type image forming device such as an electrophotographic copying machine. It is something.

As a fur brush cleaning device conventionally used in electrophotographic copying machines and the like, a blowerless brush cleaning method is well known, which has advantages such as low power consumption and low noise. This blowerless brush cleaning system is usually configured as shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, a fur brush 2 rotates at high speed to rub and clean the surface of a photoreceptor drum 1, and a flicker 3 uses the air flow generated at this time to detach and float the fur brush 1 in the air. - toner, etc. are transferred together with this air flow into the high-voltage electric field of the scavenger roller 4 on the downstream side, where the floating toner is separated from the air by electrostatic attraction. Thereafter, the separated toner is collected in the collection container 5, and the air from which the floating toner has been separated is transferred to the air filter 6, where the floating toner is further filtered out and then discharged.

In such a fur brush cleaning device, a separator 7 is provided at the entrance of the collection container 5 to prevent air from flowing into the collection container 5.

However, if the amount of toner stored in the collection container 5 increases or the gap between the scavenger roller 4 and the tip of the separator 7 narrows due to toner adhering to the separator 7, the pressure inside the collection container 5 increases and the inflowing air Due to the turbulent flow phenomenon, the collected toner that has been once separated is scattered into the air again and is transported back to the air filter 6 together with the air, resulting in inconveniences such as a decrease in the toner recovery rate and further clogging of the air filter 6. .

Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device with high toner recovery efficiency, low frequency of clogging of air filters, etc., and good durability.

Configuration The configuration of the present invention will be described below based on specific examples. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the cleaning device of the present invention applied to an electrophotographic copying machine, and FIG. 3 is a detailed explanatory diagram showing an enlarged main part thereof.

In FIG. 2, a photosensitive drum 8 having a photosensitive layer 8a made of a photoconductive material adhered to its peripheral surface is rotatably supported and driven and rotated in the direction of the arrow. A cylindrical fur brush 9 is rotatably disposed so as to be able to rub the surface of the photosensitive drum 8 with brush bristles 9a planted on the circumferential surface. This fur brush 9 is connected to a driving means (not shown) and has approximately 8
It is driven and rotated in the direction of the arrow at a high speed of 00 to 1,500 r, p, m. The head of a flicker 11 protrudes from the housing 10 at a suitable position on the downstream side of the cleaning section where the bristles 9a of the fur brush 9 rub the surface of the photoreceptor drum 8 in the rotationally moving region. This flicker
The toner 11 comes into sliding contact with the bristles 9a which are rotated at high speed, and causes the toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 8 adhering to the bristles 9a to be detached and floated in the air.

A scavenger roller 12 is rotatably disposed on the opposite side of the fur brush 9 with the flicker 11 in between.

A counter electrode plate 13 is arranged along the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12 at a predetermined distance from the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12, and an electric field is formed along the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12. is formed. scavenger roller 1
2 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow by a driving means (not shown) and a voltage of, for example, -5.0 KV is applied thereto, and an electric field is formed in the flow path E between the counter electrode plate 13 and the opposing electrode plate 13. Therefore, air flow is generated by the high speed rotation of the fur brush 9, and the air around the fur brush 29 in which the removed toner is floating is transferred to the flow path E where the above-mentioned high electric field is formed, and is caused to flow therein. At this time, the floating toner is separated and adsorbed on the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12 to which a high potential of opposite polarity to the toner is applied, and is conveyed downstream with this rotation.

As shown in FIG. 3, a collection chamber 14 for temporarily storing toner is formed on the downstream side of the flow path E formed along approximately half the circumference of the scavenger roller 12. There is. The introduction path 14a of the collection chamber 14 is formed by extending the housing 15 along the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12, and the entrance gap g1 and the exit gap g2 define the backflow in the introduction path 14a. To effectively avoid this phenomenon, it is desirable to set the value to 01>(12), especially when g
1=1.0~2.0mm, g2=0.5~1.
It is desirable to set it to 0mm.

Further, in addition to the introduction path 14a, the recovery chamber 14 is formed with an exhaust port 14b so that the air that has flowed in can be exhausted.

This prevents the inconvenience of air flowing into the recovery chamber 14 and causing the indoor pressure to rise excessively. Here, if the dimension g3 of the discharge port 14b is set so that gl<g3,
The above-mentioned increase in indoor pressure can be more effectively prevented.

That is, the three gaps 01. (12゜g
The opening areas at the formation locations of 3 are si, s2, and S3, respectively.
Then, by forming the inlet passage 14a and the outlet 14b so that 82<81<83, the collection chamber 14 is temporarily closed.
This prevents the toner collected inside from being ejected or scattered from the introduction path 148 or the like due to an increase in indoor pressure, thereby reducing the toner recovery rate.

A blade 16 is disposed on the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12 on the downstream side of the above-mentioned introduction path 14a, with the tip of the blade abutting against the blade 16. This blade 16 [well, housing 15
The collection chamber 14 is divided by the scavenger roller 120, and the toner that is electrically attached to the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 120 at its tip that comes into contact with the surface and is conveyed as the scavenger roller rotates is collected in the collection chamber 1.
4 Scrape off the inner plate. Inside the collection chamber 14, there is a stirring spout 17 that receives the scraped toner and stirs it to prevent agglomeration, and a stirring spout 17 that receives the scraped toner and stirs it to prevent agglomeration, and a stirring spout 17 that collects the scraped toner at the bottom and collects the scraped toner at multiple locations such as a toner tank (not shown). A carry-out auger 18 for carrying out the work is arranged to be rotatably driven, respectively.

Returning to FIG. 2, a filter housing 19 is provided on the outside of the scavenger roller 12, the opposing electrode plate 13, and the recovery chamber 14, substantially surrounding them, forming an air filter 'fF. .

This air filter chamber F is divided into two chambers F1. The chamber F2 is divided into two chambers F2, and the outer chamber F1 is filled with a filter element 21.

A suitable number of communication holes 20a are evenly bored in the partition plate 20, and two chambers F1. F2 is communicated and becomes 0.

In addition, the inflow ports Fla and F2a of the respective rooms are formed at the right end of each of WFl and F2 in the figure, and the air transferred through the flow path E is transferred from the respective inflow ports Fla and F2a to the respective rooms. It flows into Fl and F2, and is finally filtered in the chamber F1 and then discharged to the outside. In addition, the air that has entered the recovery chamber 14 is quickly exhausted from the exhaust port 14b provided in the recovery chamber 14, and the air filter vF
It is configured such that the liquid is filtered within the tank and discharged.

The operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained below. As the photoreceptor drum 8 rotates, untransferred toner that has not been transferred to the transfer material through the steps of uniform charging, image exposure, transfer, and static elimination is carried on its surface, and this untransferred toner is removed by the fur brush 9. A cleaning process in which the surface is rubbed by rotation (this is carried out).
It is removed from the surface and becomes airborne or attached to the brush bristles 9a. As the brush 2 rotates, the toner adhering to the brush bristles 9a is conveyed to the protruding position of the flicker 11, where it is blown out into the air.

Cleaning process section of photoreceptor drum 8 and flicker 1
The untransferred toner suspended in the air at the sliding contact portion with the fur brush 9 is transferred to the flow path E together with the air flow generated by the high-speed rotation action of the fur brush 9.

Since a high electric field is formed in the flow path E, the untransferred toner floating in the transferred air passes through the scavenger roller 12 times to which a voltage with the opposite polarity to its own charging polarity is applied. It is attracted to and adheres to surfaces.

Thus, while the air carrying the floating toner is transported along the flow path E, the floating toner is transferred to the scavenger roller 12.
is adsorbed to the surrounding surface.

The toner adsorbed on the circumferential surface of the scavenger roller 12 is conveyed into the collection chamber 14 on the downstream side as the scavenger roller 12 rotates, and is scraped into the collection chamber 14 by the blade 16 . The scraped off toner falls onto a carry-out auger 18 while being stirred by a stirring spring 17 to prevent agglomeration of toner bridges, etc., and is thereby carried out toward a toner tank (not shown).

On the other hand, most of the air from which the floating toner has been separated flows through the inlet 11:la, which opens on the downstream side of the flow path E.
l"2a into the respective chambers F1 and F2. Chamber F2
The air that has flowed into F1 also flows into F1 through the communication port 20a. In this way, the air from which the toner has been separated in the flow path E passes through the chamber F1 and undergoes a filter separation process by the filter element 21 filled in the chamber F1 before being discharged from the outlet (not shown). , toner floating in the air is almost completely separated and removed.

Further, a part of the air that has passed through the flow path E also flows into the recovery chamber 14 from the introduction path 14a. However, as mentioned above, since the introduction path 14a is formed in a shape that prevents backflow from occurring,
This prevents the collected toner from spewing out in this area.

Furthermore, apart from the introduction path 14a, the recovery chamber 14 is formed with a 14b having a larger opening area.
The air flowing into the interior is quickly discharged to the exhaust port 14b without stagnation.
The air is discharged from the air to the inlet F1a of the air filter chamber F1. Therefore, the inconvenience that the inflow of air causes turbulence in the collection chamber 14 and scatters the collected toner into the air again, or increases the pressure in the collection chamber 14 and causes the toner to spout out from the introduction path 14a or the discharge auger 18 is avoided. This improves the toner recovery rate.

Effects As detailed above, according to the present invention, the toner collection chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet in close proximity to each other, and the opening area of each is set to prevent backflow, so that toner can be collected once separated from the air. The inconvenience of causing the toner to float again is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a blowerless type fur brush cleaning device that has high toner recovery efficiency, low air filter clogging frequency, and good durability.

Further, by communicating the discharge port of the collection chamber with the air filter chamber, contamination by toner around the cleaning device can be prevented. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the technical scope of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional fur brush cleaning device, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a fur brush cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the fur brush cleaning device of the present invention. FIG. (Explanation of symbols) 2.9: Fur brush 4.12: Scavenger roller 5.14: Collection chamber 14a: Inlet path 14b = Discharge port Patent applicant Ricoh Co., Ltd. - Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 9 3rd F 'J 14b

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning means that is driven and rotated to rub and clean the surface of the toner image carrier, and a cleaning means disposed downstream in the flow direction of the air flow generated by the rotation of the cleaning means to separate the toner floating in the air from the air. a separation conveyance means for conveying the toner, a filter means for filtering the air that has passed through the separation conveyance means, and a collection means disposed downstream of the separation conveyance means in the toner conveyance direction and for recovering the conveyed toner. 2. A cleaning device, wherein the collecting means has an introduction path through which the toner is introduced and an exhaust port through which the inflowing air is discharged.