Lubricant application device, imaging device and method of mounting lubricant application device

Abstract

The invention discloses a lubricant application device, an imaging device, and a method of mounting lubricant application device, so disposed that the lubricant application device comprises a lubricant application unit which contacts with the surface of an image carrier, scratches a solid lubricant, and applies the solid lubricant to the surface of the image carrier as it moves the surface of thelubricant application unit; a lubricant maintaining element for maintaining the solid lubricant; and a lubricant bias unit for biasing the solid lubricant on the lubricant application unit, wherein the lubricant bias unit is contained within a housing at following status: one end of the lubricant bias unit is maintained by the lubricant maintaining element such that the position of the said end of the lubricant bias unit is restricted and the other end is maintained by the bias unit maintaining element such that the position of the other end is restricted by the bias unit maintaining element.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines and printers; and lubricant applicators configured for use with image forming apparatuses. Background technique [0002] Conventionally, lubricant applicators that apply lubricant to the surface of an image carrier have been known to improve cleaning performance, improve product life, and improve transfer performance of photosensitive elements and intermediate transfer belts, each serving as an image carrier (e.g. , Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No. 2006-208437). As a typical structure of a lubricant applicator, an application roller such as a brush roller or a sponge roller as a lubricant applying unit is rotatably supported so that its outer peripheral surface is in uniform contact with the image carrier surface. A solid lubricant in solid form, such as zinc stearate, is pressed against the application roller by a lubricant biasing u...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, since the compression spring is immediately compressed from the free length to the spring length at which the compression spring presses the solid lubricant with a certain pressure, there is a case where a mounting defect occurs so that the above-mentioned fixing of the adhesive seal, etc., comes off under the pushing force , and a buckling occurs in the compression spring

In this way, even according to Patent Document No. 2006-201656, the countermeasure against the bending of the compression spring due to the pressure applied to the compression spring when it is mounted on the housing is not sufficient

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