Cleaning device

Abstract

A cleaning device removes a toner attached to an image carrier of an electrophotographic-type image forming apparatus. The cleaning device includes a cleaning blade, a housing and a block member. The cleaning blade is in contact with a surface of the image carrier to removes the toner. The housing stores the toner removed by the cleaning blade. The block member causes the toner to temporarily remain the toner in a vicinity of a distal end of the cleaning blade. The block member is formed of a sheet-shaped elastic member. One side of the block member is fixed to the housing. A repulsive force against bending in an end portion of the block member in a longitudinal direction is substantially smaller than a repulsive force against bending in a center portion of the block member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus to which an exemplary embodiment is applied;

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a cleaning device according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows the configuration for causing a wasted toner to temporarily remain and using the remaining wasted toner as a lubricant;

FIG. 4 is a front view of main parts of the cleaning device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of a block sheet according to a configuration example 1;

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of a block sheet according to a configuration example 2;

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a block sheet according to a configuration example 3; and

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of a block sheet according to a configuration example 4

Claims

1. A cleaning device for removing a toner attached to an image carrier of an electrophotographic-type image forming apparatus, the cleaning device comprising: a cleaning blade that is in contact with a surface of the image carrier to removes the toner;a housing that stores the toner removed by the cleaning blade; anda block member that causes the toner to temporarily remain in a vicinity of a distal end of the cleaning blade,the block member being formed of a sheet-shaped elastic member,one side of the block member being fixed to the housing, anda repulsive force against bending in an end portion of the block member in a longitudinal direction being substantially smaller than a repulsive force against bending in a center portion of the block member.

2. A cleaning device for removing a toner attached to an image carrier of an electrophotographic-type image forming apparatus, the cleaning device comprising: a cleaning blade that is in contact with a surface of the image carrier to removes the toner;a housing that stores the toner removed by the cleaning blade; anda block member that causes the toner to temporarily remain in a vicinity of a distal end of the cleaning blade,the block member being formed of a sheet-shaped elastic member,one side of the block member being fixed to the housing, and,a shape of the bock member in a center portion being different from a shape of the block member in an end portion so that the toner removed by the cleaning blade in the center portion is gradually carried away toward the end portion.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: the block member defines a plurality of holes that are arranged along the longitudinal direction, andthe holes are positioned in a widthwise direction of the block member so that the holes in the end portion in the longitudinal direction are closer to the one side fixed to the housing than the holes in the center portion.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the holes gradually come closer to the side fixed to the housing as advancing from the center portion to the end portion in the longitudinal direction.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the holes located in the end portion in the longitudinal direction are substantially smaller in size than the holes located in the center portion.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein intervals between the holes located in the end portion in the longitudinal direction are substantially larger intervals between the holes located in the center portion.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein parts of the holes of the block sheet that are closer to the side fixed to the housing overlap an image forming region of the image carrier when viewed from the image carrier to the housing.

8. A cleaning device for removing a toner attached to an image carrier of an electrophotographic-type image forming apparatus, the cleaning device comprising: a cleaning blade that extends in a direction perpendicular to a rotation direction of the image carrier, the cleaning blade being disposed to face an opposite direction regarding a rotation direction of the image carrier;a housing formed with an opening portion on a side facing the image carrier, the cleaning blade being fixed to the opening portion; anda sheet-shaped block member disposed in the opening portion of the housing so as to face the cleaning blade,the block member being disposed on an inner side of the housing than the cleaning blade,the block member having a length substantially larger than a width of an image forming region of the image carrier,the block member defining a plurality of holes arranged along a longitudinal direction, andthe block member having at least two longitudinal sides extending in the longitudinal direction,a distance from each hole in an end portion of the block member in the longitudinal direction to each longitudinal side of the block member being different from a distance from each hole in a center portion of the block member in the longitudinal direction to each longitudinal side.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein: one of the longitudinal sides of the block member is fixed to the housing, andthe holes are positioned in the widthwise direction of the block member so that the holes gradually come closer to the side fixed to the housing as advancing from the center portion to the end portion in the longitudinal direction.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the holes located in the end portion in the longitudinal direction are substantially smaller in size than those located in the center portion.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein intervals between the holes located in the end portion in the longitudinal direction are larger intervals between the holes located in the center portion.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein parts of the holes of the block sheet that are closer to the side fixed to the housing overlap an image forming region of the image carrier when viewed from the image carrier to the housing.