Patent Application
20110274474
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer, and to a lubricant applicator, a process cartridge, and a transfer unit adopted in the image forming apparatus.
1. Description of the Related Art
To improve cleaning and transfer performance of a photoconductor or an intermediate transfer belt functioning as an image carrying member and prolong the life thereof, typically a lubricant applicator is used that applies lubricant to a surface of the image carrying member. In a typical configuration of the lubricant applicator, an application roller functioning as a lubricant applying member, such as a brush roller and a sponge roller, is rotatably provided such that the outer circumferential surface thereof is in uniform contact with the surface of the image carrying member. A solid lubricant, such as solidified zinc stearate, is biased against the application roller, and is brought into contact with the application roller with a predetermined pressure. A biasing member for biasing the solid lubricant toward the application roller uses, for example, the weight of the solid lubricant itself, a weight biasing the solid lubricant, or the resilience of a compressed spring. With this configuration, the application roller scrapes and applies the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrying member as the image carrying member rotates.
In a new lubricant applicator having the above-described configuration, the force of the brush roller pushing back against the solid lubricant is relatively high due to, for example, the smooth surface of the solid lubricant at the beginning and relatively high resilience of bristles forming the brush roller. With the pressure applied by the biasing member alone, therefore, the solid lubricant fails to come into uniform contact with the brush roller, thereby limiting penetration of the solid lubricant into the brush roller. As a result, the area of contact between the solid lubricant and the brush roller is also reduced, reducing the amount of abrasion of the solid lubricant by the brush roller. In the initial stage of use of the lubricant applicator, therefore, the amount of the lubricant applied to the surface of the image carrying member is insufficient.
To prevent such a shortage of the lubricant application amount in the initial stage of use, it is conceivable to increase the pressure of the solid lubricant applied to the brush roller by the biasing member. If, the pressure applied by the biasing member is increased, however, the lubricant application amount is excessively increased as the area of contact is increased due to an increase over time in the amount of penetration of the solid lubricant into the brush roller. Consequently, accelerated consumption of the solid lubricant and cleaning failure occur in some cases.
In view of the above, the present applicant has proposed a lubricant applicator, in which the solid lubricant is reciprocally movable toward and away from the brush roller, and which includes regulating members for regulating the solid lubricant not to separate from the brush roller by more than a predetermined distance due to the force of the brush roller pushing back against the solid lubricant when the solid lubricant is biased toward the brush roller by the biasing member (JP-2007-058169-A). In the device, the regulating members prevent the solid lubricant from separating from the brush roller by more than the predetermined distance, forcing the solid lubricant constantly into the brush roller by at least a predetermined amount. Even in the initial stage of use of the device, therefore, the amount of abrasion of the solid lubricant is increased with at least a predetermined area of contact maintained between the solid lubricant and the brush roller, and the shortage of the amount of the solid lubricant applied to the image carrying member is prevented.
Further, as time elapses, the force of the brush roller pushing back against the solid lubricant is reduced. Thus, the solid lubricant is brought into uniform contact with the brush roller, increased in the area of contact thereof with the brush roller, and prevented from separating from the brush roller by more than the predetermined distance. In this state, regulation by the regulating members ends. Thus, the device switches to a state in which the solid lubricant is brought into contact with and scraped by the brush roller solely with the biasing performed by the biasing member. The biasing member is adjusted to bias the solid lubricant toward the brush roller with pressure for scraping an appropriate amount of the solid lubricant in a stable contact state with an increased contact area. Accordingly, the appropriate amount of the solid lubricant is stably applied over time.
Meanwhile, a new spare lubricant applicator may be installed in place for at least a few months to a year until actual use thereof. In the initial state of the lubricant applicator described above, the solid lubricant penetrates into the brush roller due to the forcible application of pressure by the regulating members. In the new spare lubricant applicator, therefore, the solid lubricant penetrating into the brush roller may be left standing for a long time. If the solid lubricant in such a state is left standing for a long time, bristles of the brush roller are flattened at a position at which the solid lubricant penetrates into the brush roller. When the new lubricant applicator starts being used in place of the old device, therefore, an abnormal image may be generated in the form of banding, for example, that is caused by uneven rotation of the brush roller.
The occurrence of the above-described phenomenon is not limited to prolonged exposure without use of the new lubricant applicator. The phenomenon may also occur when the new lubricant applicator is used for only a short time after installation thereof and thereafter left standing for along time without being actuated, or when the lubricant applicator is detached and left standing. This is because the flattening of the bristles of the brush roller similarly occurs when the lubricant applicator is left standing for a long time in the initial stage of use, in which the regulating members forcibly apply the pressure of the solid lubricant to the brush roller.
The above phenomenon has been described in terms of the flattening of the bristles of the brush roller as the deformation of the lubricant applying member. However, the deformation is not limited thereto. A similar phenomenon occurs when a sponge roller is used as the lubricant applying member. That is, the sponge roller deforms in the area of contact thereof with the solid lubricant forcibly applied with pressure by the regulating members, when the lubricant applicator is left standing for a long time before use or in the initial stage of use thereof.
The present invention describes a novel lubricant applicator. In one example, a novel lubricant applicator includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant applying member to apply the solid lubricant to a target object, a biasing member to bias the solid lubricant toward the lubricant applying member, and a regulating member to regulate the solid lubricant, which is biased toward the lubricant applying member by the biasing member, to prevent the lubricant from separating from the lubricant applying member by more than a predetermined distance. The regulating member is switchable between a regulating state for regulating the solid lubricant not to separate from the lubricant applying member by more than the predetermined distance and a non-regulating state.
The above-described lubricant applicator may further include a lubricant holding member to hold the solid lubricant. In the above-described lubricant applicator, the regulating member may switch to the regulating state by pressing the solid lubricant or the lubricant holding member, and the regulating member may switch to the non-regulating state in accordance with a reduction in pressing force of the regulating member below the pressing force exerted in the regulating state.
The above-described lubricant applicator may further include a lubricant holding member to hold the solid lubricant. In the above-described lubricant applicator, the regulating member may switch to the regulating state by coming into contact with the solid lubricant or the lubricant holding member, and the regulating member may switch to the non-regulating state by separating from the solid lubricant or the lubricant holding member.
The above-described lubricant applicator may further include a projecting switch projecting from the lubricant applicator, and a stopper. In the above-described lubricant applicator, the regulating member may be switched externally between the regulating state and the non-regulating state.
The above-described lubricant applicator may be removably installed in the image forming apparatus with the regulating member in the regulating state.
In the non-regulating state of the regulating member of the lubricant applicator, the installation of the lubricant applicator into the image forming apparatus may be prohibited.
The regulating member may switch from the non-regulating state to the regulating state upon installation of the lubricant applicator in the image forming apparatus.
The solid lubricant may include zinc stearate.
The above-described lubricant applicator may further include a housing, and the regulating member may form a lubricant case which stores the solid lubricant and the biasing member, and which is removably installable in the housing of the lubricant applicator.
The present invention further describes a novel image forming apparatus. In one example, the novel image forming apparatus includes multiple image carrying members corresponding to carry the electrostatic latent images formed on respective surfaces thereof, a latent image forming device corresponding to the multiple color image carrying members, to form electrostatic latent images on the respective surfaces of the multiple image carrying members, multiple development devices corresponding to the multiple color image carrying members, to develop the electrostatic latent images into toner images of multiple colors, a transfer device to transfer the toner images of the multiple colors onto a recording medium, and multiple lubricant applicators according to claim 9, corresponding to the multiple color image carrying members, to apply the lubricant to respective surfaces of the image carrying members. Upon installation of the lubricant applicators in the image forming apparatus, the fixing position of the regulating member of at least one of the lubricant applicators may be different between that of the other lubricant applicators.
The present invention further describes a novel lubricant applicator in which the lubricant applying member may be a brush.
The present invention further describes a novel lubricant applicator in which the lubricant applying member may be a sponge.
The present invention further describes a novel process cartridge. In one example, a process cartridge is removably installable in an image forming apparatus and includes an image carrying member to carry a toner image formed thereon, at least one of a charging device, a cleaning device, and a development device formed integrally with the image carrying member, and the above-described lubricant applicator to apply the lubricant to a surface of the image carrying member.
The present invention further describes a novel transfer unit. In one example, the novel transfer unit includes a transfer device to transfer a toner image formed on an image carrying member, a transfer member to carry the toner image transferred thereto, and the above-described lubricant applicator to apply the lubricant to a surface of the transfer member.
The present invention further describes a novel image forming apparatus. In one example, the novel image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member to carry an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface thereof, a latent image forming device to form the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrying member, a development device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, and the above-described transfer unit.
The present invention further describes a novel image forming apparatus. In one example, the novel image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member to carry an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface thereof, a latent image forming device to form the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrying member, a development device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, and the above-described lubricant applicator, to apply the lubricant to a surface of the image carrying member.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the advantages thereof are obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
a) and 3(b) are schematic configuration diagrams of Embodiment 1 of a lubricant applicator included in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
a) and 4(b) are schematic configuration diagrams of Embodiment 1 of the lubricant applicator, which is provided with regulating members;
a) and 5(b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating states of contact between a solid lubricant and a brush roller without and with the regulating members of Embodiment 1, respectively;
a) and 6(b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating states of contact between the solid lubricant and the brush roller at different positions of the regulating members of Embodiment 1;
a), 11(b), 11(c), and 11(d) are explanatory diagrams illustrating states of contact between the solid lubricant and the brush roller, positions of the lubricant case, and states of stored components in Embodiment 2 of the lubricant applicator and a second specific example of Embodiment 3 of the lubricant applicator;
In describing the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is adopted for the purpose of clarity. However, the disclosure of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so used, and it is to be understood that substitutions for each specific element can include any technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, an image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. A configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be first described.
Inside the intermediate transfer belt 31 that serves as a transfer member, primary transfer rollers 32Y, 32C, 32M, and 32K are provided to serve as a transfer device to transfer toner images onto the intermediate transfer belt 31 from the photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K, respectively. On the downstream side of the primary transfer rollers 32Y, 32C, 32M, and 32K in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 31, a secondary transfer roller 34 is provided to face the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31. Further, on the downstream side of the secondary transfer roller 34, an intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 33 is provided which cleans. the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 after the transfer of the toner images. In the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the above-described components integrally form a transfer unit 30 removably installable in the image forming apparatus 100.
Below the four image forming units 12Y, 12C, 12M, and 12K, an exposure device 25 that serves as a latent image forming device is provided. Below the exposure device 25, a sheet feeding cassette 20 for storing a transfer sheet functioning as a recording medium and a sheet feeding device 21 are provided. Further, above the secondary transfer roller 34, a fixing device 40 for fixing an image on the transfer sheet and sheet discharging rollers 41 are provided.
Subsequently, the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described. Upon receipt of a signal for starting an image forming operation, the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 starts moving. At the same time, in the image forming unit 12Y, the surface of the photoconductor 1Y is uniformly charged by the charging device 2Y, and is applied with laser light by the exposure device 25. Thereby, an electrostatic latent image is formed. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the development device 4Y. Thereby, a yellow toner image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 1Y. In a similar manner, cyan, magenta, and black toner images are formed on the photoconductors 1C, 1M, and 1K in the image forming units 12C, 12M, and 12K, respectively. Along with the movement of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31, the toner images of the respective colors are sequentially transferred onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31 by the primary transfer rollers 32Y, 32C, 32M, and 32K. Thereby, a composite color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 31. The operations of forming the images of the respective colors are performed with the operation timing shifted from the upstream side to the downstream side such that the toner images are transferred as superimposed upon one another at the same position on the intermediate transfer belt 31.
Meanwhile, a transfer sheet is fed from the sheet feeding cassette 20 by the sheet feeding device 21, and is conveyed to a nip portion formed by the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the secondary transfer roller 34. Then, the composite color image on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is transferred onto the transfer sheet by the secondary transfer roller 34. Thereby, the color image is recorded on the transfer sheet. After the transfer of the image, the transfer sheet is conveyed to the fixing device 40, and the image transferred to the transfer sheet is fixed thereon. Thereafter, the transfer sheet is discharged outside the image forming apparatus 100 by the sheet discharging rollers 41. Further, residual toners remaining on the photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K after the transfer of the toner images are cleaned off by the respective cleaning devices 8Y, 8C, 8M, and 8K. Further, residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 31 after the transfer of the toner image is cleaned off by the intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 33. The waste toners are discharged into a not-illustrated waste toner bottle provided in the image forming apparatus 100 by not-illustrated waste toner conveying screws respectively included in the cleaning devices 8Y, 8C, 8M, and 8K and the intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 33.
Further, each of the development devices 4Y, 4C, 4M, and 4K for the respective colors having consumed the toner in the image forming operation is refilled with a predetermined refill amount of the toner through a not-illustrated conveying path from the corresponding one of the toner bottles 10Y, 10C, 10M, and 10K in the upper-left side of
In the above-described image forming apparatus 100, the lubricant applicators 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K (hereinafter referred to as the lubricant applicators 3) are provided to improve the cleaning performance of the photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K, increase the life thereof, and improve the transfer performance thereof against, for example, a wormhole phenomenon (i.e., local omission of image) occurring in the image transfer process. In the following, embodiments of the lubricant applicators 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.
Embodiment 1 of the lubricant applicator 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be first described.
a) and 3(b) are schematic configuration diagrams of the lubricant applicator 3.
A fatty acid metal salt, fluorine contained resin, and so forth may be used to form the solid lubricant 3b. In particular, a fatty acid metal salt is preferable. The fatty acid of the fatty acid metal salt includes straight-chain hydrocarbon, such as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid. As the metal of the fatty acid metal salt, lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, zinc, cadmium, aluminum, cerium, titanium, magnesium stearate, aluminum stearate, and iron stearate are preferable. In particular, zinc stearate is preferable. The solid lubricant 3b, made of such a fatty acid metal salt molded into a rectangular parallelepiped shape, is fixed to the lubricant holding member 3c by double-sided adhesive tape or an adhesive agent.
The lubricant holding member 3c is held by the housing 3e via the multiple compressed springs 3d. The solid lubricant 3b held by the lubricant holding member 3c is movable in the directions of coming into contact with and separating from the brush roller 3a. The solid lubricant 3b is biased in the direction indicated by an arrow in
In the initial stage of use of the lubricant applicator 3, however, the biasing by the compressed springs 3d alone is insufficient. Thus, the force of the brush roller 3a pushing back against the solid lubricant 3b is relatively high due to the surface characteristics of the solid lubricant 3b and the resilience of the fiber forming the brush roller 3a. Therefore, the solid lubricant 3b fails to come into uniform contact with the brush roller 3a, and the area of contact thereof with the brush roller 3a is reduced. As a result, the amount of abrasion of the solid lubricant 3b is reduced, and a sufficient lubricant application amount is not obtained.
In view of this, the regulating members 3f are provided to prevent the solid lubricant 3b from separating from the brush roller 3a by more than a predetermined distance due to the force of the brush roller 3a pushing back against the solid lubricant 3b.
Meanwhile, overtime the force of the brush roller 3a pushing back against the solid lubricant 3b is reduced. Thus, the solid lubricant 3b is brought into uniform contact with the brush roller 3a, increased in the area of contact thereof with the brush roller 3a, and prevented from separating from the brush roller 3a by more than the predetermined distance. Therefore, the regulation by the regulating members 3f terminates, and the lubricant applicator 3 switches to a state in which the solid lubricant 3b is brought into contact with and scrapped by the brush roller 3a solely with the biasing performed by the compressed springs 3d. The compressed springs 3d are adjusted to bias the solid lubricant 3b toward the brush roller 3a with pressure for scraping an appropriate amount of the solid lubricant 3b in a stable contact state with an increased contact area. Accordingly, the appropriate amount of the solid lubricant 3b is applied during the lapse of time. Further, there is no increase in the pressure of the solid lubricant 3b applied to the brush roller 3a by the compressed springs 3d. Therefore, the lubricant application amount is prevented from being excessively increased due to an increase over time in the amount of penetration of the solid lubricant 3b into the brush roller 3a and a resultant excessive increase in the area of contact therebetween. Accordingly, the amount of the solid lubricant 3b applied to the surface of the photoconductor 1 is maintained to a stable level during the lapse of time.
Further, the image forming apparatus 100 including the present embodiment of the lubricant applicator 3 allows the regulating members 3f to switch between two positions or states, i.e., a position for a regulating state in which the regulating members 3f causes forcible application of pressure such that that the solid lubricant 3b penetrates into the brush roller 3a by at least a predetermined amount, as described above, and the position for a non-regulating state in which the regulating members 3f cancel the forcible application of pressure.
With this configuration allowing the regulating members 3f to switch between the non-regulating state of
Further, the lubricant applicator 3 allows the switching of the regulating members 3f between the non-regulating state and the regulating state to be externally performed. Specifically, a projecting switching member 3g that serves as a projecting switch is provided to the lubricant applicator 3. The switching member 3g moves in the pressure application direction of the regulating members 3f indicated by an arrow in
Further, the lubricant applicator 3 is formed such that the installation thereof in the image forming apparatus 100 is disallowed in the non-regulating state.
Specifically, as illustrated in
Meanwhile, as illustrated in
Further, the lubricant applicator 3 may be formed such that, when the lubricant applicator 3 is installed into the image forming apparatus 100, the switching member 3g for switching the state of the regulating members 3f comes into contact with the stopper 50 provided to the image forming apparatus 100, and thereby switching the regulating members 3f from the non-regulating state to the regulating state. This configuration is more effective in preventing the installation of the lubricant applicator 3 without switching of the state of the regulating members 3f, and in saving the need to perform the switching operation.
Subsequently, Embodiment 2 of the lubricant applicator 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. Embodiment 2 is different from Embodiment 1 in the following aspects. That is, the present embodiment is different from Embodiment 2 in that, in the present embodiment of the lubricant applicator 3, a lubricant case 3f′ functioning as a case storing the solid lubricant 3b, the lubricant holding member 3c, and the compressed springs 3d also functions as the regulating members 3f and the switching member 3g of Embodiment 1 of the lubricant applicator 3. The present embodiment is also different from Embodiment 1 in that the lubricant case 3f′ is removably installable in the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3. The present embodiment is further different from Embodiment 1 in that the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3 is provided with a case holding member 3e′ which forms a cylindrical opening for receiving the lubricant case 3f′, and which holds the lubricant case 3f′ to be removably installable therein. Therefore, the same components as the components of Embodiment 1 will be designated by the same reference numerals, and description of the same configurations and advantageous effects thereof will be omitted where appropriate.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Further, the lubricant case 3f′ is a box-shaped member having an opening facing the brush roller 3a to store the solid lubricant 3b, the lubricant holding member 3c, and the compressed springs 3d. The size of the opening in a direction perpendicular to the biasing direction of the compressed springs 3d toward the brush roller 3a is set to be slightly larger than the corresponding size of the solid lubricant 3b and the lubricant holding member 3c stored in the opening. Thereby, the solid lubricant 3b and the lubricant holding member 3c are slidably held by the lubricant case 3f′.
Further, the lubricant holding member 3c holding the solid lubricant 3b is a substantially U-shaped member extending parallel to the rotary shaft of the brush roller 3a. A surface of the solid lubricant 3b opposite to the other surface thereof in contact with the brush roller 3a is joined to a lower portion of the substantial U-shape of the lubricant holding member 3c, and an opening formed by the substantial U-shape faces the compressed springs 3d. The lubricant holding member 3c includes two surfaces parallel to the biasing direction of the compressed springs 3d toward the brush roller 3a and parallel to the rotary shaft of the brush roller 3a. At two positions on each of the two surfaces, i.e., at four positions in total on the two surfaces near one end of the lubricant holding member 3c on the far side from the solid lubricant 3b, projecting portions 3h are provided to project toward the outer circumferential surface of the lubricant case 3f′, and engage with elongated holes 3i of the lubricant case 3f′.
As described above, the lubricant case 3f′ is provided with the elongated holes 3i of a predetermined length corresponding to the respective projecting portions 3h provided to the lubricant holding member 3c. The size of each of the elongated holes 3i in the shorter direction thereof perpendicular to the biasing direction of the compressed springs 3d toward the brush roller 3a is set to a size allowing the corresponding projecting portion 3h to slidingly move therein. Herein, if a material such as a resin is used to form the lubricant case 3f′, it is desired to slidably attach the projecting portions 3h by using step screws, for example.
Further, the size of each of the elongated holes 3i in a direction parallel to the biasing direction toward the brush roller 3a is set as follows. As illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
As described above, in the present embodiment of the lubricant applicator 3, the lubricant case 3f′ is movable relative to the case holding member 3e′. It is therefore possible to externally perform the switching between the regulating state in which the solid lubricant 3b is not separate from the brush roller 3a by more than a predetermined distance and the non-regulating state in which the solid lubricant 3b is separate from the brush roller 3a by more than the predetermined distance. Further, the present embodiment of the lubricant applicator 3 is removably installable in the image forming apparatus 100, similarly to Embodiment 1 of the lubricant applicator 3.
Further, similarly as in Embodiment 1 of the lubricant applicator 3, the stopper 50 functioning as a pressing member for pressing the lubricant case 3f′ may be fixed to a position corresponding to the position of a surface a of the lubricant case 3f′ functioning as the regulating member of the lubricant applicator 3. With this configuration, the lubricant applicator 3 is prevented from being installed into the image forming apparatus 100, unless the lubricant applicator 3 is set to the installation position, i.e., unless the lubricant case 3f′ is inserted to the position at which the one end of the lubricant case 3f′ on the side of the brush roller 3a comes into contact with the step portion 3j of the case holding member 3e′.
Further, in the lubricant applicator 3 installed at the installation position, the lubricant case 3f′ is pressed toward the brush roller 3a by the stopper 50 and regulated at a position at which the one end of the lubricant case 3f′ on the side of the brush roller 3a comes into contact with the above-described step portion 3j of the case holding member 3e′. It is assumed herein that the compressed springs 3d are set to obtain specified pressure in this state.
Further, in the direction of installing of the lubricant applicator 3 into the image forming apparatus 100, each of a portion of the lubricant case 3f′ interfering with the stopper 50 and the corresponding interfering portion of the stopper 50 is formed into a tapered shape. In the installation of the lubricant applicator 3 into the image forming apparatus 100, the tapered surface of the lubricant case 3f′ and a tapered portion 51 of the stopper 50 slidingly move relative to each other. Thereby, the movable lubricant case 3f′ is pressed toward the brush roller 3a. The position reached by the pressed lubricant case 3f′ is set to the position at which the one end of the lubricant case 3f′ on the side of the brush roller 3a comes into contact with the step portion 3j of the case holding member 3e′. As in this case, the switching between the regulating state and the non-regulating state of the lubricant case 3f′ may be performed in conjunction with the operation of installing the lubricant applicator 3 into the image forming apparatus 100. That is, the lubricant case 3f′ can also function as the switching member 3g of Embodiment 1.
Further, as described above, the lubricant case 3f′ of the present embodiment of the lubricant applicator 3 is removably installable in the lubricant applicator 3. It is therefore possible to change the amount (i.e., thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b and the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d solely by changing the solid lubricant 3b, the lubricant case 3f′, and the compressed springs 3d, without changing the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3. Accordingly, it is possible to standardize the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 for the respective colors, the process cartridges including the lubricant applicators 3, or the components of different device models, and thus to contribute to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100. Further, only some of the components may be changed in accordance with the embodiment desired to be changed, or the components and other components may be changed in combination. component changing method highly effective in reducing cost may be selected as appropriate.
Subsequently, Embodiment 3 of the lubricant applicator 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. In both Embodiments 1 and 2 of the lubricant applicator 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the description has been limited to the configuration of the lubricant applicator 3 alone. The present embodiment is different from Embodiments 1 and 2 in that the present embodiment specifies the correlation between the respective configurations of the lubricant applicators 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K corresponding to the four colors, which are included in the color image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.
The present embodiment is similar to Embodiment 2 in terms of the configuration of the lubricant applicator 3 alone. In the lubricant applicators 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K of the present embodiment, however, the fixing position for fixing the stopper 50, which is provided to the image forming apparatus 100 to press the lubricant case 3f′ functioning as the regulating member when the lubricant applicator 3 is installed into the image forming apparatus 100, is different between at least one of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to one of the four colors and the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors. Herein, the difference in configuration of the present embodiment from Embodiment 2 is limited to the above-described configuration in which the fixing position for fixing the stopper 50 is different between at least one of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to one of the four colors and the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors. Thus, the same components as the components of Embodiment 2 of the lubricant applicator 3 will be designated by the same reference numerals, and description of the same configurations and advantageous effects thereof will be omitted where appropriate.
The following description will be made of specific examples of the lubricant applicators 3, in which the fixing position for fixing the stopper 50 is different between at least one of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to one of the four colors and the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors. Detailed description will be made of a specific example which reduces the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color, and a specific example which increases the amount (thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color, followed by description of issues of the related-art lubricant applicator.
Description will be first made of a first specific example of Embodiment 3, i.e., a specific example of the lubricant applicators 3 reducing the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color.
In this case, the lubricant applied to the intermediate transfer belt 31 passes the respective photoconductors 1 corresponding to the four colors before reaching a secondary transfer unit formed by the secondary transfer roller 34 and an opposite roller facing the secondary transfer roller 34. Herein, as illustrated in
The estimated values calculated from the amounts of the lubricant contained in the waste toners reveal that the lubricant applied to the photoconductor 1Y was approximately 1.4 times the lubricant applied to each of the other photoconductors 1C, 1M, and 1K, i.e., that the photoconductor 1Y was applied with an excessive amount of the lubricant.
To maintain the target lubricant application amount in each of the photoconductors 1 for the respective colors, therefore, it is conceivable to previously reduce the lubricant application amount of the most upstream lubricant applicator 3 such that the combination of the thus reduced lubricant application amount and the amount of the lubricant transferred to the photoconductor 1Y from the intermediate transfer belt 31 corresponds to an appropriate lubricant application amount. Background methods of reducing the lubricant application amount in the lubricant applicator for the photoconductor corresponding to a specific color include a method of reducing the rotation rate per unit time of the brush roller corresponding to the specific color, and a method of reducing the setting value of the spring pressure of the compressed springs corresponding to the specific color.
According to the method of reducing the rotation rate per unit time of the brush roller corresponding to the specific color, however, a drive device and a control device are provided for each of the colors to reduce the rotation rate per unit time of the brush roller for each of the colors. Further, according to the method of reducing the setting value of the spring pressure of the compressed springs corresponding to the specific color, a typically used case storing the solid lubricant, the lubricant holding member, and the compressed springs is fixed in many cases. Therefore, the housing of the lubricant applicator for the specific color is made different from the housings of the lubricant applicators for the other colors, or the compressed springs used for the specific color is made different from the compressed springs used for the other colors. Both methods have issues such as an increase in number of components and difficulty in standardizing the components. The above-described configurations of the lubricant applicators, therefore, fail to contribute to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus.
Meanwhile, the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3 is capable of contributing to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100, while preventing excessive application of the solid lubricant 3b to the most upstream photoconductor 1Y. The present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3 will be described below.
To maintain the target lubricant application amount, it is necessary to previously lower the setting value of the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d in the most upstream lubricant applicator 3Y and thereby reduce the lubricant application amount of the lubricant applicator 3Y such that the combination of the thus reduced lubricant application amount and the amount of the lubricant transferred to the photoconductor 1Y from the intermediate transfer belt 31 corresponds to an appropriate lubricant application amount.
Unlike Embodiment 2 of the lubricant applicator 3, in the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3, the spring pressure applied in the operation of each of the lubricant applicators 3 for the respective colors is not determined solely by the lubricant applicator 3 but is determined by the stopper 50 illustrated in
As illustrated in
Further, the lubricant application amount of the photoconductor 1Y applied by the lubricant applicator 3Y can be reduced to approximately 70% of the lubricant application amount applied by each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K, if the spring pressure of the lubricant applicator 3Y is reduced to approximately 70% of the spring pressure of each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K.
In the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3, therefore, the stopper 50 corresponding to the lubricant applicator 3Y is changed in fixing position for the lubricant case 3f′, and is fixed at a position for reducing the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d of the lubricant applicator 3Y to approximately 70% of the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d included in each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K. Thereby, the lubricant application amount applied by the lubricant applicator 3Y is reduced to approximately 70% of the lubricant application amount applied by each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K. Further, as described above in Embodiment 2, the lubricant case 3f′ is removably installable in the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3. Therefore, the stopper 50 functioning as the pressing member of the image forming apparatus 100 and corresponding to the lubricant applicator 3Y is changed in position, without a change in configuration of the housing of the lubricant applicator 3Y from the configuration of the housings of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K. Further, the lubricant case 3f′of the lubricant applicator 3Y is replaced by another lubricant case 3f′ changed in shape in accordance with the amount (i.e., distance) of the change in position. It is therefore possible to obtain spring pressure suitable for pressing the solid lubricant 3b suitable for the corresponding color toward the brush roller 3a. In this case, if the amount (thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b is not changed, the lubricant case 3f′ is formed such that the distance from the end of each of the elongated holes 3i thereof on the far side from the brush roller 3a to the surface a thereof in contact with the stopper 50 is increased to the position for obtaining the target value of the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d. Thereby, the lubricant application amount applied by the lubricant applicator 3Y is reduced to approximately 70% of the lubricant application amount applied by each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K. Further, the lubricant consumption amount of the lubricant applicator 3Y is also reduced. Therefore, if the volume (i.e., thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b is reduced, the length of the elongated holes 3i of the lubricant case 3f′ in the lubricant applicator 3Y is reduced by a value corresponding to the reduction in volume (thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b. Thereby, the lubricant application amount applied by the lubricant applicator 3Y is reduced to approximately 70% of the lubricant application amount applied by each of the other lubricant applicators 3C, 3M, and 3K.
As described above, according to the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3, when reducing the setting value of the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d in the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color, it is unnecessary to make the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to the specific color different from the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors, unlike the related-art lubricant applicator. Accordingly, the present specific example does not have issues such as an increase in number of components and difficulty in standardizing the components, and is capable of contributing to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100.
Subsequently, description will be made of a second specific example of Embodiment 3, i.e., a specific example of the lubricant applicator 3 increasing the amount (thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color. As widely known, in a full-color image forming apparatus 100 using toners of multiple colors, monochrome image forming processing, i.e., image forming processing using a process cartridge containing a black toner (hereinafter referred to as the black cartridge) is performed much more frequently than full-color image forming processing in an actual use environment such as an office. Further, due to the frequent image forming processing using the black cartridge, the solid lubricant 3b of the lubricant applicator 3 included in the black cartridge (hereinafter referred to as the lubricant applicator 3K) is consumed more than the solid lubricants 3b of the lubricant applicators 3 included in the process cartridges corresponding to the other colors (hereinafter referred to as the color cartridges).
For example, it is now assumed that the maximum number of prints produced by the black cartridge is specified as 1.8 times the maximum number of prints produced by each of the color cartridges corresponding to the other colors. In this case, if the color cartridge and the black cartridge are the same in the amount of the solid lubricant 3b consumed for producing the same number of prints, the solid lubricant 3b included in the black cartridge needs to be approximately 1.8 times larger in volume than the solid lubricant 3b included in the color cartridge. Further, if the volume of the solid lubricant 3b in
However, a typically used case storing the solid lubricant, the lubricant holding member, and the compressed springs is fixed in many cases. Therefore, to increase the volume of the solid lubricant 3b by approximately 1.8 times in the lubricant applicator 3K corresponding to the black cartridge, it is necessary to form the housing of the lubricant applicator 3K to be different from the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors. Therefore, there are issues such as an increase in number of components of the lubricant applicators 3 and the process cartridges and difficulty in standardizing the components. Thus, this type of configuration of the lubricant applicator fails to contribute to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus.
In view of the above, in the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3, the volume of the solid lubricant 3b in the lubricant applicator 3K is increased by approximately 1.8 times the volume of the solid lubricant 3b included in each of the color cartridges, as illustrated in
In this case, the spring pressure and the position of the stopper 50 functioning as the pressing member of the image forming apparatus 100 are set such that the lubricant case 3f′ corresponding to the black color can obtain appropriate spring pressure at a position slidingly moved by a distance corresponding to the increase in volume of the solid lubricant 3b as compared with the volume of the solid lubricants 3b in the color cartridges. Specifically, the fixing position of the stopper 50 is moved away from the brush roller 3a by a distance corresponding to the increase in length of the entirety of the lubricant case 3f′. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the amount of the solid lubricant 3b used in the black cartridge, while using the same components in most of the components forming the lubricant applicators 3 and in most of the components forming the black cartridge and the color cartridges including the lubricant applicators 3. Further, it is possible to increase the life of the process cartridge using the lubricant applicator 3K corresponding to the black color.
Further, in the present specific example of the lubricant applicator 3, it is unnecessary to make the housing of the lubricant applicator 3K corresponding to the black color different from the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors, unlike the related-art lubricant applicator. Therefore, the present specific example does not have problems such as an increase in number of components and difficulty in standardizing the components, and is capable of contributing to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100.
As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the description has been made of the example in which a new lubricant applicator 3 is placed in the non-regulating state during the long time storage thereof and switched to the regulating state when installed into the image forming apparatus 100. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and is also applicable to the prevention of the flattening of the bristles of the brush rollers 3a occurring when the new lubricant applicator 3 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 is used for a short time and then left standing for a long time without being activated, or when the lubricant applicator 3 is detached from the image forming apparatus 100 and left standing. In this case, the lubricant applicator 3 is formed such that the regulating members 3f or the lubricant case 3f′ functioning as the regulating member can be switched to the non-regulating state, when the new lubricant applicator 3 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 is used for a short time and then left standing for a long time in the initial stage of use. Thereby, the brush roller 3a is prevented from being pressed by the solid lubricant 3b forcibly applied with pressure by the regulating members 3f or the lubricant case 3f′ functioning as the regulating member. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the flattening of the bristles of the brush roller 3a when the lubricant applicator 3 is left standing for a long time in the initial stage of use, and to minimize the generation of an abnormal image attributed to the flattening of the bristles.
Further, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the above-described embodiment, the description has been made of the photoconductors 1 functioning as the image carrying members. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the above-described lubricant applicator 3 may be included in the transfer unit 30 including the intermediate transfer belt 31, to which the toner images are transferred from the photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K. This configuration provides the intermediate transfer belt 31 with effects similar to the above-described effects.
Further, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the above-described embodiment, which uses the brush roller 3a as the lubricant applying member, the description has been made of the present invention as a device for preventing the flattening of the bristles of the brush roller 3a, i.e., deformation of the lubricant applying member. However, the prevent invention is not limited thereto. The prevent invention is also applicable to an example using a sponge roller as the lubricant applying member, and effects similar to the above-described effects can be obtained.
As described above, according to Embodiment 1, the regulating members 3f are included in the lubricant applicator 3 which uses the compressed springs 3d functioning as the biasing member to bias the solid lubricant 3b toward the brush roller 3a functioning as the lubricant applying member for applying lubricant to the surface of the photoconductor 1. When the solid lubricant 3b is biased toward the brush roller 3a by the compressed springs 3d, the regulating members 3f regulate the solid lubricant 3b not to separate from the brush roller 3a by more than a predetermined distance. The regulating members 3f are switchable between the regulating state and the non-regulating state in which the regulating state is cancelled. When the regulating members 3f are in the regulating state, pressure is forcibly applied to maintain at least a predetermined area of contact between the solid lubricant 3b and the brush roller 3a. Thereby, the amount of abrasion of the solid lubricant 3b is increased, and the shortage of the amount of the solid lubricant 3b applied to the surface of the photoconductor 1 is prevented. Further, when the regulating members 3f are switched from the regulating state to the non-regulating state, the brush roller 3a is prevented from being pressed by the solid lubricant 3b forcibly applied with pressure by the regulating members 3f. Thereby, the solid lubricant 3b is prevented from being constantly pressed against the brush roller 3a by the regulating members 3f. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the deformation of the brush roller 3a when the lubricant applicator 3 is left standing for a long time, and to minimize the generation of an abnormal image attributed to the deformation.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, the regulating members 3f may switch to the regulating state by pressing the solid lubricant 3b or the lubricant holding member 3c, and may easily switch to the non-regulating state in accordance with a reduction in pressing force thereof to be less than the pressing force in the regulating state.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, the regulating members 3f may switch to the regulating state by pressing the solid lubricant 3b or the lubricant holding member 3c, and may easily switch to the non-regulating state by separating from the solid lubricant 3b or the lubricant holding member 3c.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, if the switching between the regulating state and the non-regulating state of the regulating members 3f is allowed to be performed outside the lubricant applicator 3, it is possible to easily switch the state of the regulating members 3f in, for example, the replacement of the lubricant applicator 3.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, the lubricant applicator 3 is removably installable in the image forming apparatus 100, and the regulating members 3f are placed in the regulating state when the lubricant applicator 3 is installed in the image forming apparatus 100. Accordingly, the effect of the regulating members 3f in the initial stage of use of the lubricant applicator 3 is reliably exerted.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, when the regulating members 3f of the lubricant applicator 3 are in the non-regulating state, the installation of the lubricant applicator 3 into the image forming apparatus 100 is disallowed. Thereby, the lubricant applicator 3 is prevented from being installed into the image forming apparatus 100 without switching of the state of the regulating members 3f, and the effect of the regulating members 3f in the initial stage of use of the lubricant applicator 3 is reliably exerted.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, the regulating members 3f may switch from the non-regulating state to the regulating state in accordance with the operation of installing the lubricant applicator 3 into the image forming apparatus 100. With this configuration, the lubricant applicator 3 is prevented from being installed into the image forming apparatus 100 without switching of the state of the regulating members 3f. Further, it is unnecessary to perform the switching operation, and the installation operation is made simple.
Further, according to Embodiment 1, the solid lubricant 3b preferably includes zinc stearate. Therefore, favorable effects, such as an increase in life of the image carrying member and improvement of the transfer performance against, for example, the wormhole phenomenon occurring in the transfer process, are obtained.
Further, according to Embodiment 2, the regulating members 3f of Embodiment 1 are replaced by the lubricant case 3f′ removably installable in the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3 for storing the solid lubricant 3b and the compressed springs 3d. With this configuration, it is possible to change the amount (thickness) of the solid lubricant 3b and the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d solely by changing the solid lubricant 3b, the lubricant case 3f′, and the compressed springs 3d, without changing the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3. It is therefore possible to standardize the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 or the components of the process cartridges. Accordingly, this configuration is capable of contributing to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100.
Further, according to Embodiments 1 and 2, the photoconductor 1 is formed integrally with at least one of the charging device 2, the cleaning device 8, and the development device 4, and the above-described lubricant applicator 3 is adopted in the process cartridge, i.e., the image forming unit 12 removably installable in the image forming apparatus 100. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the cleaning performance of the photoconductor 1, increase the life thereof, and improve the transfer performance thereof against, for example, the wormhole phenomenon occurring in the image transfer process, and to improve the maintenance performance.
Further, according to Embodiments 1 and 2, the above-described lubricant applicator 3 is adopted in the transfer unit 30 including the intermediate transfer belt 31. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the cleaning performance of the intermediate transfer belt 31, increase the life thereof, and improve the transfer performance thereof against, for example, the wormhole phenomenon occurring in the image transfer process.
Further, according to Embodiments 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 100 includes the above-described process cartridge or the above-described transfer unit 30. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the cleaning performance of the photoconductor 1 or the intermediate transfer belt 31, increase the life thereof, and improve the transfer performance thereof against, for example, the wormhole phenomenon occurring in the image transfer process.
Further, according to Embodiments 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 100 includes the above-described lubricant applicator 3. Accordingly, a high-quality image is stably obtained.
Further, according to Embodiment 3, the lubricant applicators 3 similar to Embodiment 2 is provided as the lubricant applicators 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K corresponding to four colors. Further, the fixing position of the stopper 50, which functions as the pressing member of the image forming apparatus 100 for pressing the lubricant case 3f′ functioning as the regulating member when the lubricant applicator 3 is installed into the image forming apparatus 100, is made different between at least one of the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to one of the four colors and the lubricant applicators 3 corresponding to the other colors. Accordingly, it is possible to change the amount of the solid lubricant 3b and the spring pressure of the compressed springs 3d of the lubricant applicator 3 corresponding to a specific color, without changing the housing 3e of the lubricant applicator 3, and thus to obtain a suitable lubricant application amount and a suitable solid lubricant amount for the specific color. Further, the above-described changes are attained with minimum necessary changes in the components of the solid lubricant 3b, the lubricant case 3f′, and the compressed springs 3d and the change in fixing position of the stopper 50 of the image forming apparatus 100. Accordingly, the configuration allows the standardization of the housings 3e of the lubricant applicators 3 or the components of the process cartridges, and thus is capable of contributing to a reduction in cost of the image forming apparatus 100.
The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements or features of different illustrative and embodiments herein may be combined with or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims. Further, features of components of the embodiments, such as number, position, and shape, are not limited to those of the disclosed embodiments and thus may be set as preferred. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure of the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-107118 | May 2010 | JP | national |
The present invention claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-107118, filed on May 7, 2010 in the Japan Patent Office, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
