Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
399123000 | Cleaning unit | 33 |
20080260426 | Unit, Image Forming Apparatus, and Method of Manufacturing Unit Frame - To provide a unit that can increase positioning precision of a blade member to a rotating member, an image forming apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a unit frame. A first reference surface of a boss provided on a surface of a frame to which a blade is contacted is formed by a first mold that forms a positioning hole for positioning a rotating member The first reference surface supports the blade member to prevent the blade member from moving to a weight direction. With this arrangement, there is no manufacturing error of the first reference surface due to a mold assembling error. As a result, precision of positioning the blade member to the rotating member can be increased. | 10-23-2008 |
20090116870 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE - A belt is disposed in a main body and moves circularly to transport a recording medium placed thereon. A cleaning roller contacts an outer surface of the belt for removing extraneous matter deposited on the outer surface of the belt. A pair of backup rollers is disposed in opposition to the cleaning roller with the belt interposed between the backup rollers and the cleaning roller. The pair of backup rollers contacting the belt at first and second positions and the cleaning roller contacting the belt at a third position where the third position is interposed between the first and second positions. A holder rotatably holds the pair of backup rollers. Rotational axes of the backup rollers are kept parallel to each other. An urging unit urges the backup rollers toward the cleaning roller. A driving unit is supported on the main body and moves the holder to change a distance between the pair of backup rollers and the cleaning roller. | 05-07-2009 |
20090116871 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes is described in which a cleaning member is positioned on one side of a belt and a backup member positioned on a second side of the belt. The backup member is configured to move between a contact position and a non-contact position. | 05-07-2009 |
20090185825 | SPRING-LOADED WEB CLEANING APPARATUS FOR ELECTROGRAPHIC PRINTER - A cleaning station for removing particulate material from a moving web in an electrographic printer/copier includes a customer-replaceable web-cleaner device with a support bracket/backup shoe assembly. A quick disconnect feature enables the cleaner cover to be de-coupled from the cleaner body to allow the debris to be easily removed with replacing the web-cleaner. The cleaner has a cleaner sump that is spring loaded to force contact of four strategically placed stops in the sump with a stationary back up shoe assembly allowing for higher precision of blade engagement with a transport web or a photoconductor. The web-cleaner has two wiper blades, each having each having a distinguishment such that the distinguishment distinguishes one wiper blade from the other wiper blade when the blades are locked into the cleaner sump by springs, to facilitate material removed from the web. The wiper cleaning blades and the cover assembly are easily replaceable by the operator in the correct order. | 07-23-2009 |
20090196652 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; a conveyor belt arranged opposite to the plurality of photoconductor drums and configured to convey a recording sheet; a cleaning unit having a cleaning member positioned in contact with the conveyor belt to collect substance adhering to the conveyor belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the conveyor belt; and a positioning member configured to cause the cleaning member to be positioned at a contacting position where the cleaning member contacts with the conveyor belt and at a spaced-apart position where the cleaning member is away from the conveyor belt. | 08-06-2009 |
20090245866 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A CLEANING MEMBER THAT CLEANS A TRANSMITTING MEMBER PROVIDED IN AN OPTICAL DEVICE - An image forming apparatus including a cartridge that has a photosensitive drum and can be attached to and detached from a main body of the image forming apparatus, an optical device that has a cover glass through which light emitted toward the photosensitive drum passes, a cleaning member that can move from a cleaning start position to a cleaning end position for cleaning the cover glass, and a lock member that prevents the cleaning member from moving. Before the cartridge is attached, the lock member prevents the cleaning member from moving in the longitudinal direction of the cover glass. During the attachment of the cartridge, the cartridge engages with the lock member and unlocks the cleaning member and enables the cleaning member to move from the cleaning start position. | 10-01-2009 |
20090269102 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A CLEANING MEMBER CONFIGURED TO CLEAN A TRANSPARENT MEMBER OF AN OPTICAL DEVICE - An image forming apparatus including a laser scanner configured to irradiate a photoconductive drum with light and having a cover glass transmitting the light, a laser shutter movable between a closed position, where the laser shutter blocks an optical path of the light emitted from the laser scanner through the cover glass toward the photoconductive drum, and an open position, where the laser shutter opens the optical path, and a cleaning member with which the cover glass is cleaned, the cleaning member being supported by the laser shutter in such a manner as to be movable along the laser shutter. | 10-29-2009 |
20100003052 | CLEANING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A cleaning device including a conductive member configured to charge powder remaining on a member to be cleaned so as to have a single polarity and configured to scrape off at least part of the powder, and disposed to contact with the member to be cleaned; a cleaning member configured to electrically adsorb the powder present on the member to be cleaned, disposed to contact with the member to be cleaned and located downstream of the conductive member in a direction in which the powder is conveyed thereon; a first recovering member configured to electrically adsorb the powder present on the cleaning member and disposed to contact with the cleaning member; and a second recovering member configured to scrape off the powder from the first recovering member and disposed to contact with the first recovering member, wherein the conductive member is constant-current controlled. | 01-07-2010 |
20100021205 | LUBRICANT APPLICATOR AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A lubricant applicator includes a solid mold lubricant, a lubricant application roller, and a flicker member. The lubricant application roller scrapes and applies the lubricant to an image bearing member. The flicker member removes a powder substance adhered to the surface of the lubricant application roller and is disposed upstream of the solid mold lubricant in a direction of rotation of the lubricant application roller. The lubricant application roller, the flicker member, and the solid mold lubricant define a sealed space therebetween. A lubricant applicator includes the solid mold lubricant, the lubricant application roller, the flicker member, and an adherence prevention member that prevents the substance removed by the flicker member from adhering again to the lubricant application roller. A lubricant applicator includes the solid mold lubricant, the lubricant application roller, and a lubricant receiver that receives the scraped lubricant from the lubricant application roller. | 01-28-2010 |
20100028045 | Cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus - A cleaning device includes a casing including an opening facing the rotary member, a cleaning member disposed at the opening to contact the rotary member to remove a substance adhering thereto, an entrance seal disposed at the opening to prevent leakage of the removed substance through a gap between the opening and the rotary member, a pair of lateral end seals respectively disposed both end portions of the cleaning member as well as the entrance seal in an axial direction of the rotary member, and a compressing member. A first face of each lateral end seal is attached to the casing. The compressing member compresses each lateral end seal by pressing a second face thereof opposite the first face-and presses a third face of the lateral end seal against the casing in a direction in which the lateral end seal is expanded by the compression. | 02-04-2010 |
20100034560 | Image-bearing member protecting agent, protective layer forming device, image forming method, process cartridge and image forming apparatus - The present invention provides an image-bearing member protecting agent containing a fatty acid metal salt, and boron nitride, wherein the boron nitride has an oxygen content of 0.4% by mass to 4.5% by mass, and wherein the image-bearing member protecting agent is applied or attached onto a surface of an image bearing member. | 02-11-2010 |
20100054807 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a cleaning member for removing a developer from the image bearing member; a frame provided with an opening; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating the developer which was removed by the cleaning member and has passed through the opening; a sheet member, contacting the image bearing member, for preventing the developer from leaking out of the developer accommodating portion; a supporting portion, provided to the frame, for supporting the sheet member; a reinforcing portion, provided to the frame, connecting a one end-side portion of the frame located upstream of the opening with the other end-side portion of the frame located downstream of the opening, with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member; and a space, provided downstream of the reinforcing portion with respect to a direction from the opening toward the developer accommodating portion, for permitting movement of the developer in an axial direction of the image bearing member. | 03-04-2010 |
20100067949 | CLEANING DEVICE FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE HAVING CLEANING DEVICE - A cleaning device for cleaning a surface moving member such as an image carrier of an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge having the cleaning device. The cleaning device has a cleaning member that is brought into uniform abutment against the surface moving member in a longitudinal direction of the surface moving member. A high removing performance can be obtained while preventing the abrasion of the surface moving member and the cleaning blade, and the state of abutment between the surface moving member and the cleaning blade is securely maintained over time. | 03-18-2010 |
20100119257 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Disclosed is an image forming apparatus with an improved structure for mounting or dismounting a cleaning device. An image forming unit includes an image carrier for transporting a developer image. A cleaning device includes a cleaning member to remove residual developer from the image carrier. The cleaning device is mounted or dismounted to/from the image forming unit by moving along a first direction and along a second direction. A first guide device includes a restraining unit to generally restrict movement of the cleaning device in the second direction when the cleaning device moves in the first direction, and a receiving unit to receive the restraining unit so as to allow the cleaning device to move in the second direction when desirable. | 05-13-2010 |
20100166461 | WASTE POWDER RECOVERY CONTAINER, CONNECTING STRUCTURE TO WASTE POWDER RECOVERY CONTAINER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A waste powder recovery container is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus, and further, is provided with a recovery port, through which waste powder discharged from a component part constituting a process unit is recovered, at one end in a longitudinal direction and an inclined surface on the container side, which is gradually inclined downward in a lateral direction and has the recovery port formed thereat. The inclined surface on the container side moves an opening/closing member disposed in a discharging portion formed at the component part constituting the process unit by pushing an inclined surface on a main body side formed at the opening/closing member, thereby opening a discharging port formed at the discharging portion, to discharge the waste powder and recover the waste powder through the recovery port. | 07-01-2010 |
20100178078 | Image Forming Apparatus Having Cleaning Unit Fixed to Drawer - There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body, a drawer, an image forming unit, a belt unit and a cleaning unit. The drawer is movably supported to the main body and configured to be pulled out from an interior of the main body. The image forming unit is supported on the drawer and has a plurality of photosensitive drums arrayed in line in a first direction for forming an image on a recording medium. The belt unit disposed in opposition to each of the plurality of photosensitive drums and extends in the first direction. The cleaning unit is fixed to the drawer and is disposed at a side the same as the image forming unit with respect to the belt unit, whereby the cleaning unit is pulled out integrally with the image forming unit from the main body. | 07-15-2010 |
20100209143 | Image forming apparatus and process cartridge - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image, a protective layer forming device configured to apply a protective agent to a surface of the image bearing member with a brush-shaped protective agent applicator, and a surface roughness maintainer configured to maintain a surface roughness Ry of a contact surface of the protective agent with the brush-shaped protective agent applicator at 500 μm or less. The protective agent is a solid material in which a granular material comprising a fatty acid metallic salt is compressed. | 08-19-2010 |
20100296839 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND ITS CLEANER UNIT, AND CLEANER UNIT REPLACEMENT METHOD OF THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image forming apparatus in which occurrence of defective cleaning is prevented, replacement is easy, and occurrence of toner spillage can also be prevented. A cleaner unit of an image forming apparatus of the invention includes a cleaning member that is brought into contact with a toner bearing body in order to collect toner from the toner bearing body bearing the toner, a toner removal member to remove the toner from the cleaning member, and a waste toner storage part to store the removed toner, the cleaning member, the toner removal member and the waste toner storage part are integrally constructed into a unit structure, and the unit is constructed to be attachable to and detachable from the toner bearing body or a main body of the image forming apparatus. | 11-25-2010 |
20110091243 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier, rotating in a first direction and a second direction, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction; a transfer device for transferring the toner image; a cleaning device comprising a cleaning blade for cleaning the image carrier; and a cleaning blade exchanging section for exchanging the cleaning blade, wherein the apparatus works in such ways that, after the cleaning blade exchanging section has retracted the cleaning blade to a retracted position, the cleaning blade exchanging section rotates the image carrier in the second direction, whereby any foreign material, adhered onto the image carrier while the cleaning blade is exchanged, is moved upstream of the cleaning position of the cleaning blade, then the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier, and the image carrier is subsequently rotated in the first direction, so that the image carrier is cleaned. | 04-21-2011 |
20110142497 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit detachably supported by a body frame to transfer an image on an image holding member to a recording medium. A driving unit installed on the body frame provides a rotational driving force to the transfer unit. A waste developing agent container is selectively attached to the body frame to store waste developing agent collected from the transfer unit. An engagement assembly is installed on the body frame to selectively engage the transfer unit with the driving unit to the transfer unit while at the same time allowing or blocking the installation of the waste developing agent container in the body frame in accordance with the state of engagement of the transfer unit. | 06-16-2011 |
20110182620 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device that allows simple and safe replacement of heating rollers is provided, which fixing device comprises a first lamp holder provided in the inner periphery of a retaining member, and interlock means for locking and unlocking the first lamp holder and the retaining member, wherein when replacing the heat roller, the interlock between the first lamp cartridge and the retaining member is unlocked to take out the retaining member and the heating roller from the opening of the frame of the image forming apparatus, while leaving the lamp cartridge inside the apparatus. | 07-28-2011 |
20110255902 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body. | 10-20-2011 |
20130077994 | DETACHABLE UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A detachable unit includes a detachable unit body to be attached to an image forming apparatus body such as to be detachable in a predetermined detachment direction, a grip part provided in the detachable unit body, and a latch portion provided in the detachable unit body, the latch portion being latched in a latched portion provided in the image forming apparatus body to restrict detachment of the detachable unit body from the image forming apparatus body in a state in which the detachable unit body is attached to the image forming apparatus body, and withdrawing from a latch position in the latched portion in conjunction with a pull-out operation of pulling out the grip part from the detachable unit body in the detachment direction. | 03-28-2013 |
20130108321 | CLEANING DEVICE FOR REMOVING A DEVELOPER FROM THE SURFACE OF AN IMAGE BEARING MEMBER AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE | 05-02-2013 |
20130121728 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING CLEANING UNIT AND WASTE TONER RETAINER - An image forming apparatus includes a casing; an endless belt; a cleaning unit configured to collect a waste toner remaining on the endless belt; a first cartridge including a first accommodating portion to accommodate toner to be supplied to a first photosensitive member; a second cartridge including a second accommodating portion to accommodate toner to be supplied to a second photosensitive member, and a waste toner retainer to accommodate waste toner collected by the cleaning unit; a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer; and a moving member configured to support the first cartridge, the second cartridge, and the cleaning unit, the moving member being movable in a first direction from an inner position in the casing to an outer position out of the casing. The second cartridge is positioned at an upper stream position than a position of the first cartridge in the first direction when the moving member supports the first cartridge, the second cartridge, and the cleaning unit. And, the cleaning unit is positioned at a lower stream position than a position of the first cartridge when the moving member supports the first cartridge, the second cartridge, and the cleaning unit. | 05-16-2013 |
20130149005 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt arranged to have a surface thereof facing the photosensitive members, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, a connector, a first feeding path extending in a range between the first feed roller and the secondary-transfer roller, and a second feeding path being formed in clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the waste toner container to convey a recording sheet being inserted through a sheet inlet and merging into the first feeding path in the vicinity of the first feed roller. | 06-13-2013 |
20130287439 | CLEANING UNIT, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning unit including: frame abutment portions each including a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion; support portions each including a first support portion which abuts against the first abutment portion, and a second support portion which abuts against the second abutment portion so as to support a cleaning member in a pivotable manner about the frame abutment portions as a pivot axis; and an urging member configured to urge the cleaning member in a direction in which an elastic member is brought into contact with a photosensitive drum by pivoting the cleaning member. | 10-31-2013 |
20140086637 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along the predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through a first opening and stores residual toner, a connector, a first feeding path, a second feeding path being a path for a recording sheet inserted through a sheet inlet and includes a sheet guide to guide the recording sheet, and a second feed roller. The second feed roller is movable along with at least a part of the sheet guide. The waste toner container is movable through space, which is occupied by the second feed roller in an upper position, and the first opening when the second feed roller is in a lower position. | 03-27-2014 |
20140363205 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along a predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through the opening and stores residual toner, a connector, and a feed roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet in the feeding path. The feed roller is arranged in a position to at least partially fall within a vertical range of the waste toner container and to be aligned with the waste toner container along an axial direction of the second feed roller. | 12-11-2014 |
20140376962 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to carry thereon a developer image, an endless belt configured to be rotated while contacting the image carrier, a first cleaning roller having an outer surface made of semiconductor material and configured to electrically remove attachments attached on the endless belt, and a backup roller made of metal and arranged to oppose the first cleaning roller with the endless belt being interposed therebetween. The endless belt has a nip portion at which both the backup roller and the first cleaning roller contact the endless belt while opposing each other, and the first cleaning roller contacts the endless belt at a more upstream side than the nip portion in a moving direction of the endless belt. | 12-25-2014 |
20140376963 | TONER ACCOMMODATING CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In connection with movement of an opening-closing member when a toner accommodating container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the urging direction of an urging member relative to the opening-closing member changes from a direction that causes the opening-closing member to close an opening portion to a direction that causes the opening-closing member to open the opening portion. By using the urging force of the urging member that acts in the direction that causes the opening-closing member to open the opening portion, the toner accommodating container is pulled into the image forming apparatus. | 12-25-2014 |
20150050047 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image by using photosensitive drums. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, an endless belt, a drawing member which rotatably supports cartridges, and is movable to a mounting position at which the photosensitive drums oppose the endless belt and to a separation position at which the photosensitive drums are further spaced from the endless belt than at the mounting position, and a cleaning unit including a first housing having a collecting member which is configured to contact the endless belt to collect developer on the endless belt and a second housing having an accommodating part which is configured to accommodate the developer collected by the collecting member. The first housing is provided to the apparatus main body and the second housing is provided to the drawing member. | 02-19-2015 |
20150378288 | Image Forming Device Provided with Cleaner, Waste Toner Accommodating Portion, and Paper Guide Disposed Between Cleaner and Waste Toner Accommodating Portion - An image forming device includes: a photosensitive drum; a first roller; a second roller; an intermediate transfer belt; a transfer roller; a cleaner; a waste toner accommodating portion; and a paper guide. The intermediate transfer belt is looped around the first roller and the second roller to circularly move in a moving direction. The intermediate transfer belt contacts the photosensitive drum. The transfer roller is disposed opposite to the first roller with respect to the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner collects waste toner on the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner is disposed upstream of the photosensitive drum in the moving direction and downstream of the transfer roller in the moving direction. The waste toner accommodating portion accommodates the waste toner collected by the cleaner. The paper guide guides a recording medium and disposed between the cleaner and the waste toner accommodating portion. | 12-31-2015 |