The present disclosed preferred embodiment concerns a cleaning unit and a method for cleaning a transport belt for transport of recording media in the transfer printing region of an electrographic printing or copying device, as well as an abrasion element and a capture reservoir for such a cleaning unit.
In electrographic printers or copiers, the transfer of a toner image from an intermediate carrier (for example a photoconductor drum or a photoconductor ribbon) onto a recording medium is designated as transfer printing. The section of the printing or copying device at which the intermediate carrier and the recording medium are brought into contact with one another is designated as a transfer printing region. In the transfer printing region, the intermediate carrier (meaning, for example, the generated surface of a photoconductor drum) and the recording medium move in the same direction with the same speed while the toner is transferred from the intermediate carrier onto the recording medium. A print image of high quality can only be achieved on the recording medium when a uniform contact between recording medium and intermediate carrier is produced in the transfer printing region and when the recording medium and the intermediate carrier actually move with exactly the same speed in the transfer printing region.
In order to ensure this, transport belts are proposed on which the recording media (for example electrostatically adhering) are transported through the transfer printing region. With such a transport belt, the transport speed of the recording medium in the transfer printing region can be predetermined exactly and without interference, and a uniform arrangement of the recording medium on the intermediate carrier can be achieved. Since the transport belt moves through the transfer printing region, it can easily be contaminated with toner. When, for example, individual paper sheets are used as recording media, toner can arrive on the intermediate regions between successive sheets and in the boundary regions outside of the paper dimension. In the event that the recording medium is printed on both sides, toner can moreover loosen from an already-printed side with which the recording medium lies on the transport belt and contaminate this. A transport belt contaminated with toner in turn contaminates subsequent recording media, which is not acceptable.
A cleaning unit is known from DE 198 31 786 A1 that has an abrasion element (arranged transverse to the running direction of the transport belt and lying on this) that is set to abrade toner located on a transport belt and that has a toner capture reservoir for capture of the abraded toner.
An abrasion element for a photoconductor drum is known from JP 03-200191. The abrasion element is comprised of a synthetic rubber that is admixed with 1 weight percent aluminum oxide as a polishing agent. A further abrasion element for a photoconductor drum is known from EP 0 691 594 A1. Rubber, plastic, metal and ceramic are cited therein as materials for the abrasion element. The material rubber is thereby preferred.
A cleaning unit with a mounting device for an abrasion element that is rotatable by 180° is known from EP 0 546 751 A2. Various edges of the abrasion element can thereby be used for cleaning. Toner capture reservoirs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,730,205, 6,405,016 B1, 5,581,342 4,500,196 and 5,383,011.
It is an object to specify a cleaning unit for cleaning of a transport belt with which the transport belt can be thoroughly cleaned of toner.
A cleaning unit is provided that has an abrasion element that is positioned to abrade toner located on the transport belt and a toner capture reservoir to capture the abraded toner.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and/or method, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur now or in the future to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
In tests, the use of very hard materials for the abrasion element has proven to be advantageous, both concerning the thoroughness of the cleaning and the wear of the transport belt and of the abrasion element itself. Abrasion elements made from ceramic, whose wear was by far less (due to their hardness) than, for example, that of a likewise tested abrasion element made of spring steel, have proven to be particularly advantageous. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the abrasion element is made from an aluminum oxide ceramic that represents a very good compromise between high wear durability and advantageous production costs.
In the production of the ceramic it is advantageous to grind the initial materials to a grain size that is smaller than or equal to that of the toner particles. In the event that individual grains loosen from the ceramic abrasion element, the cavities created are small enough that no toner particles pass through them and therefore possibly remain on the transport belt in spite of the cleaning unit.
In an advantageous development of the present preferred embodiment, the abrasion element is designed as a cuboid-shaped abrasion bar. The cleaning unit also preferably has a mounting device in which the abrasion bar can be used in four different positions, whereby the four positions differ from one another by a rotation of the abrasion bar by respectively 180° around its longitudinal axis and/or its transverse axis. Via these four positions, all four longitudinal edges of the abrasion bar can be used in succession for abrasion of the toner, which quadruples the lifespan of the abrasion bar.
In order to conserve the longitudinal edges, the mounting preferably has recesses that prevent a contact of the longitudinal edges of the abrasion bar with the mounting. Longitudinal edges of the abrasion bar not yet used for abrasion thus remain sharp.
The mounting preferably has a receptacle in which the abrasion bar is inserted with a positive fit and a clamping plate with which the abrasion bar is clamped fast in the receptacle. The change of the position of the abrasion bar in the mounting device can thereby be implemented simply and quickly. In particular the alignment of the abrasion bar with regard to the transport belt thereby does not have to be readjusted, since the abrasion bar is placed in the mounting with a positive fit and therefore in an explicit position, and the position of the mounting does not vary upon changing the position of the abrasion bar.
A flexible support element for the transport belt is preferably provided on the side of the transport belt opposite the abrasion element. The transport belt can then be pressed against the flexible support element by the abrasion element, whereby a consistent contact results between transport belt and abrasion element.
The support element preferably comprises a felt lying on the transport belt. Such a felt offers a sufficient flexibility and at the same time serves to clean the side of the transport belt facing away from the abrasion element. In an advantageous development, the felt is arranged with a positive fit in a metal receptacle. It is thereby prevented that the felt is loosened or shifted by the transport belt.
As mentioned above, the cleaning unit of the preferred embodiment comprises a toner capture reservoir to capture the abraded toner. The captured toner can, for example, be transported with a screw transport from the toner capture reservoir into a waste toner reservoir present anyways in an electrographic printer or copier. The transport device necessary for placing the captured toner into the waste toner reservoir present anyway, is, however, relatively elaborate and costly. Therefore, in the present preferred development, such a transport is foregone and instead of this the capture reservoir is designed such that it can be removed from the printing or copying device. The capture reservoir thus simultaneously serves as an independent waste toner reservoir.
The toner capture reservoir can preferably be sealed in the printer or copying device. Upon removal of the capture reservoir from the printer or copying device, no toner can then be spilled.
In a preferred development, the toner capture reservoir is electrically conductive. The toner (normally electrostatically charged) can thereby be discharged in the toner capture reservoir and does not tend to accumulate at components located in the environment of the capture reservoir and charged opposite to the toner.
When the toner conveyance system is simultaneously used as a waste reservoir, it is important that it can be produced particularly cost-effectively. The toner capture reservoir is preferably comprised of plastic that can be cost-effectively processed. The toner capture reservoir is thereby preferably produced in a vacuum deep-draw method which enables a small material consumption and low production costs.
Guide grooves into which a cover to seal the toner capture reservoir can be inserted are preferably designed on the toner capture reservoir. The guide grooves are preferably formed by down-turned sections of the edge of the toner capture reservoir. The toner capture reservoir also preferably has an engagement section at which the toner capture reservoir can be engaged upon its removal from the printer or copying device and that is height-displaced relative to the guide grooves, such that it undercuts the inserted cover.
Longitudinal and/or transverse ribs that prevent a flow movement of the toner in the toner capture reservoir are preferably designed in the toner capture reservoir.
In a preferred development, the cleaning unit comprises a microswitch that scans whether the toner capture reservoir is correctly arranged in the printer or copier.
The transfer printing of a toner image from the generated surface 10 of a photoconductor drum 12 onto a sheet of paper 14 is schematically shown in
The sheet 14 electrostatically adheres to the transport belt 18 that revolves counterclockwise with a revolution speed VU in the representation of
In addition to the sheet 14 located in the transfer printing region 16 in
Furthermore, a cleaning unit 24 for cleaning of the transport ribbon 18 is shown in
With the transport belt 18, the abrasion bar 26 encloses an angle of 30° and, with its first longitudinal edge 36a, presses the transport belt 18 against the felt 32 of the support element 28 with a pressure force Fd represented in
The abrasion bar 26, the transport belt 18 and the felt 32 of
In the shown exemplary embodiment, the abrasion bar 26 is comprised of an aluminum oxide ceramic and the transport belt 18 is comprised of polyvinylidenfluoride (PVDF). The combination of the very hard ceramic with the soft transport belt enables a very thorough cleaning with very low wear, both of the transport belt 18 and of the abrasion bar 26. The ceramic allows a very smooth, even and precise production of the abrasion bar, which contributes to the thoroughness of the cleaning and to the lifespan of the transport belt 18. The friction forces occurring between PVDF belt 18 and ceramic bar 26 are so slight that the belt speed is barely affected by the abrasion bar.
The surface quality of the ceramic abrasion bar 26 is tuned to the grain size of the toner. In particular, in its production the initial materials of the ceramic are milled to a grain size that is smaller or equal to that of the toner particles. When individual grains loosen from the ceramic, the cavities thereby created in the abrasion bar are so small that no toner particles 22 pass through and thus can remain on the transport belt 18.
A bottom view of the transport belt 18 and a part of the abrasion bar 26 are shown in
As is furthermore shown in
The mounting device 38 and the abrasion bar 26 are shown in
As is to be seen in
A cross-section along the line A-B of
The toner capture reservoir 30 shown only schematically in
The toner capture reservoir 30 has an engagement section with recessed grip 60 formed therein on its forward transverse side (narrow side situated to the right in the representation of
For accommodation of the toner capture reservoir 30 in the printer or copying device, rope profiles (not shown) are arranged into which the toner capture reservoir 30 is inserted at its rear end with its longitudinal edges 50 and is introduced into the device (not shown) in the direction characterized with arrow 58 in
Although a preferred exemplary embodiment is shown and specified in detail in the drawings and the preceding specification, this should be viewed as purely exemplary and not as limiting the invention. It is noted in this regard that only the preferred exemplary embodiment is shown and specified, and all variations and modifications should be protected that presently or in the future lie within the scope of protection of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102 47 366 | Oct 2002 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP03/11263 | 10/10/2003 | WO | 00 | 10/3/2005 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2004/036320 | 4/29/2004 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
198 31 786 | Feb 1999 | DE |
0 546 751 | Jun 1993 | EP |
546751 | Jun 1993 | EP |
0 691 594 | Jan 1996 | EP |
0 511 848 | Aug 1996 | EP |
0 807 870 | Nov 1997 | EP |
61140975 | Jun 1986 | JP |
63083766 | Apr 1988 | JP |
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05100609 | Apr 1993 | JP |
05265362 | Oct 1993 | JP |
WO 9964674 | Dec 1999 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060104659 A1 | May 2006 | US |