JPS646524Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a toner image carrier by collecting toner remaining on the toner image carrier after forming a toner image in a copying machine or other toner image forming apparatus.

Such cleaning devices usually include a toner collection container that receives collected toner, but the support member that supports a cleaning member that cleans the image bearing member and the toner collection container are separate bodies. Therefore, there is a problem in that the number of parts increases, the structure becomes complicated, and toner scatters from the gap between the support member and the container.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above points, and aims to provide a cleaning device with a simple structure and low cost that prevents toner from scattering and cleans an image bearing member well. It is something to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cleaning device for cleaning an image carrier, which includes a collection container having an elastic portion in a part thereof, and a cleaning member integrally attached to the container.
The present invention is characterized in that the cleaning member is brought into contact with the image carrier by utilizing the restoring force due to the elastic deformation of the elastic portion of the container.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in the main body of a machine such as a copying machine, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the cleaning device is removed from the main body of the machine. In the illustrated embodiment, 1
2 represents the toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum after the toner image on the photoreceptor drum is transferred to a transfer material. The photoreceptor drum is arranged to collect residual toner 2 adhering to the photoreceptor drum after transfer and to clean the photoreceptor drum.

The cleaning device includes a cleaning member 3 made of a rubber blade that is pressed against the photosensitive drum 1 to scrape off the toner 2, and a container 4 that receives the toner scraped off by the cleaning member. A member of the container 4 is formed with a mounting portion 4a to which the cleaning member 3 is integrally mounted. The container 4 also includes a guide portion 4b for installing the cleaning device into the main body of a machine such as a copying machine.
The cleaning device is installed inside the machine body by fitting the guide portion 4b of the container 4 onto a guide rail member 6 which is swingably attached to a shaft 5 installed inside the machine body. I'm starting to be able to do it. The guide rail member 6 is provided with a spring 7 that acts to swing it counterclockwise, and the cleaning device is elastically biased toward the photoreceptor drum 1 by the action of the spring 7.
It is held in a predetermined position by a stopper 8 provided within the machine body. In the figure, reference numeral 9 is a sheet of mylar or the like with a thickness of about 100 μm attached to the container 4, and the remaining toner 2 on the photoreceptor drum 1 is gently placed on the photoreceptor drum 1 with such force that it can pass under this sheet. comes into contact with the surface of By lightly contacting the sheet 9 with the surface of the drum 1, the toner scraped off by the cleaning member 3 is removed from the container 4.
It works to prevent leakage outside.

In the cleaning device according to this embodiment,
As described above, the cleaning member 3 and the container 4 for storing the collected toner are integrally constructed, and when the container 4 is removed from the machine body, the opening provided in the container 4 can be opened. A member for automatically elastically closing the container 4 is integrally attached to the container 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the container 4
The shielding member 10 for sealing the opening of the container 4 is integrally attached to the container so as to extend inward from the cleaning member attachment portion 4a of the container 4, and the upper portion 4c of the container 4 is configured to have elasticity. Ru.

When loading the cleaning device described above into the main body of the machine, the guide portion 4b of the container 4 is fitted into the guide rail member 6. At this time, the guide rail member 6
is opened in the clockwise direction (direction indicated by arrow A in the figure) about the shaft 5 by a release means (not shown), and the cleaning device opens the shielding member 10 as shown in FIG. The tip 10a is the container 4
It is loaded into the machine body in a state where it hits a part of the machine. Next, with the spring 7 acting on the guide rail member 8, the cleaning device is swung counterclockwise (in the direction indicated by arrow B in the figure) by the force of the spring 7, and brought closer to the photoreceptor drum 1. At this time, a part of the cleaning device hits the stopper 8,
A cleaning device is positioned. The cleaning member 3 comes into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1, and at this time, the portion 4c of the container 4 curves and the shielding member 10
The tip 10a of the container moves away from the container and into the container, opening the opening of the container as shown in FIG. In this state, the cleaning member 3 contacts the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 with an appropriate force due to the elasticity of the container portion 4c, and as the photoreceptor drum 1 is rotated in the direction shown by arrow C, The toner 2 on the drum 1 is scraped into the container 4. When waste toner has accumulated in the container 4, the container 4 is swung in the direction of arrow A after the machine stops operating, and is taken out from the machine main body along the guide rail 6. Container 4 like this
By separating the shielding member 10 from the machine body, the shielding member 10 returns to the position shown in FIG. 2 due to the elasticity of the portion 4c of the container 4, and automatically elastically closes the opening of the container 4. Therefore, the toner in the container 4 is prevented from leaking out of the container.

In the above-mentioned cleaning device, if a rubber material is used, the edges of the cleaning member 3 are likely to wear out when the inside of the container 4 is almost full with toner, and it is time to replace the cleaning member 3.
This makes it easier to use the cleaning device. For example, if the capacity is to fill the container with about 2,000 to 5,000 sheets, silicone-based rubber and nitrile-based rubber that guarantees a lifespan of about 2,000 to 5,000 sheets,
The cleaning member can be made of NBR rubber or, in some cases, polypropylene synthetic resin, and if the entire cleaning device is made of inexpensively available materials, cleaning can be done when the container is full of the specified amount of toner. The entire device may be discarded.

The container 4 can be made of a plastic molded part, and the container can be formed by injection molding or, depending on the case, by blow molding. The elastic portion 4c is made thinner than the other portions of the container 4, thereby ensuring blade pressure against the drum surface.

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the cleaning member is integrally attached to the collection container having a part of the elastic part, the sealing performance is improved, toner scattering can be prevented, and the number of parts of the cleaning device can be reduced. I can do it. Further, by bringing the cleaning member into contact with the image carrier using the restoring force due to the elastic deformation of the elastic portion of the collection container, the contact pressure of the cleaning member against the image carrier can be adjusted to an appropriate level. As described above, since the cleaning device of the present invention has a very inexpensive configuration, it is possible to replace the conventionally cleaned waste toner storage container with
In contrast, the cleaning device according to the present invention can be disposed of as a unit, and the user can dispose of waste toner without getting his hands dirty.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the cleaning device of the present invention. Figure 1 shows the cleaning device installed inside the machine body, and Figure 2 shows it removed from the machine body. . DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Photoreceptor drum, 2... Toner, 3... Cleaning member, 4... Container, 5... Shaft, 6... Guide rail member, 7... Spring, 8... Stopper, 9... Sheet, 1
0... Shielding member.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A cleaning device for cleaning an image carrier, comprising a collection container having an elastic portion in a part thereof, and a cleaning member integrally attached to the container, the cleaning device having an elastic portion of the container. A cleaning device characterized in that a cleaning member is brought into contact with an image carrier by using restoring force due to elastic deformation of the image carrier.