Electrification device, image-forming device, and cleaning method

Abstract

To switch from an automatic cleaning mode to a manual cleaning mode even if power is off, and to save the trouble of switching.SOLUTION: An electrification device includes: a cleaning member 34 for cleaning an electrification wire; a carrying screw 42 that is in a shaft shape and mates with the cleaning member 34 by a screw action, and moves the cleaning member 34 in a longitudinal direction of the electrification wire and in an axial direction of the member by rotation; a drive 44 for rotatably driving the carrying screw 42; a detachable member 61 capable of attaching and detaching the drive 44 and the carrying screw 42 near the drive 44; supporting members 51, 52, 55 for supporting the carrying screw 42; and a handle 48 that is provided in an edge side in a longitudinal direction in the side opposite to the side of the drive 44 of the carrying screw 42, and disengages the drive 44 and the carrying screw 42 by the detachable member 61 and can manually move the cleaning member 34 along the electrification wire. In the cleaning member 34, the drive 44 side is set as a home position H.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device, an image forming apparatus, and a cleaning method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A charging device used to charge a photoconductor in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided with a charging wire that discharges electricity. This charging wire needs to be cleaned from time to time to prevent deterioration of the image. There are two methods for cleaning: automatic cleaning, which is performed automatically by a cleaning device provided on the charging device, and manual cleaning, which is performed by an operator. Automatic cleaning has the advantage that cleaning is not forgotten because it is performed automatically on a regular basis, but it has the disadvantage that it can only clean the same area and it is not possible to thoroughly clean only particularly dirty areas. On the other hand, while manual cleaning has the advantage of being able to thoroughly clean particularly dirty areas, it also has the disadvantage of making it easy to forget to clean certain areas.

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to use both automatic and manual cleaning for cleaning the charging wire, since this makes it possible to cancel out the disadvantages of each method. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique that enables manual operation of the cleaning pad 532 used for automatic cleaning, thereby enabling manual cleaning using the cleaning pad 532. This technique is convenient because it does not require a separate cleaning tool for manual cleaning, and there is no problem such as wondering where in the charging device the cleaning tool should be inserted, allowing both automatic cleaning and manual cleaning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-83807 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To perform manual cleaning using the technology of Patent Document 1, first, with the cleaning pad 532 located at the home position P, the handle 535 is manually operated to manually move the conveying screw 531 and disengage the passive-side shaft joint 533 from the drive-side shaft joint 58. Then, the tip 534A of the engagement member 534 provided on the cleaning pad 532 is engaged with the passive-side shaft joint 533, and only then can the cleaning pad 532 be manually operated with the handle 535 for manual cleaning. In this way, it takes a certain amount of effort to switch from the automatic cleaning mode to the manual cleaning mode. Furthermore, after manual cleaning is completed, cleaning pad 532 must be electrically returned to home position P. Therefore, unless the power supply of the image forming apparatus is turned on, the image forming apparatus cannot be switched to the manual cleaning mode.

[0006] As described above, in the technique of Patent Document 1, preparations must be made in advance to perform manual cleaning, making the manual cleaning process cumbersome. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a charging device, an image forming apparatus, and a cleaning method that can be switched from an automatic cleaning mode to a manual cleaning mode even when the power is turned off, without requiring any effort in switching. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The present invention is a charging device comprising: a discharging member which charges a photosensitive member by discharging; a cleaning member which cleans the discharging member; a conveying screw which is axially shaped and engages with the cleaning member by a screw action and which rotates to move the cleaning member in the longitudinal direction of the discharging member and in the axial direction of the member; a drive unit which is disposed at the rear of a main body and drives to rotate the conveying screw; a detachable member which enables the drive unit and the conveying screw to be attached and detached on the drive unit side in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw; a support member which axially supports the conveying screw; and a handle which is disposed at the longitudinal end side of the conveying screw opposite the drive unit side and which enables the drive unit and the conveying screw to be manually detached by the detachable member to move the cleaning member along the discharging member, wherein the cleaning member has a home position on the drive unit side in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw.

[0008] (2) The charging device may be characterized in that the conveying screw engages with the cleaning member and moves the cleaning member by a screw action, and the cleaning member is arranged to cover the entire circumference of the conveying screw in the axial direction.

[0009] (3) The charging device according to (1) may be characterized in that the handle is attached to the conveying screw so as to be rotatable relative to the conveying screw in a circumferential direction of the axis of the conveying screw.

[0010] (4) The charging device may be one described in (1), characterized in that the cleaning member has a cleaning pad that contacts the discharging member, and an operating mechanism that operates the cleaning pad to move the cleaning pad away from the discharging member when the cleaning member is located at the home position, and to contact the cleaning pad against the discharging member when the cleaning member moves from the home position.

[0011] (5) The charging device may be one described in (4), characterized in that the operating mechanism includes a rotating shaft that enables the cleaning pad to move, and the cleaning pad is moved away from or into contact with the discharge member by rotation on the rotating shaft.

[0012] (6) The charging device may be one described in (4) in which the cleaning pads clean the discharging member by sandwiching the discharging member between a plurality of the cleaning pads when the cleaning pads come into contact with the discharging member.

[0013] (7) The charging device may be one as described in (1) above, characterized in that the driving device has a motor that is a driving source thereof and can rotate forward and backward.

[0014] (8) The charging device according to (1) may further include a sensor for detecting whether the cleaning member is in a home position or a return position.

[0015] (9) The charging device may be as described in (1) and further include a detection means for detecting whether the cleaning member is in the home position or the return position by detecting that a motor serving as a drive source for the drive device becomes overcurrent due to physical contact with the cleaning member.

[0016] (10) Another aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor, a charging device as described in (1) for charging the photoconductor, an exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor, and a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image with toner.

[0017] (11) The image forming apparatus may be as described in (10), further comprising a housing that houses the photosensitive member, the charging device, the exposure device, and the developing device, and a cover that is provided on the housing and can be opened to expose the handle inside the housing.

[0018] (12) The image forming apparatus may be one described in (11) above, characterized in that when the cover is closed, the handle is pressed by the cover, and the cleaning member returns to the home position.

[0019] (13) The charging device may be an image forming apparatus as described in (10), characterized in that when the charging device is mounted at a predetermined position around the photosensitive drum, the driving device and the conveying screw are joined by a joining member.

[0020] (14) Another aspect of the present invention is a cleaning method comprising: a discharging member which charges a photosensitive member by discharging; a cleaning member which cleans the discharging member; a conveying screw which rotates on an axis to move the cleaning member in the length direction of the discharging member and in the axial direction of the member; a drive device which drives and rotates the conveying screw; a detachable member which enables the drive device and the conveying screw to be attached and detached in the vicinity of the drive device; a support member which axially supports the conveying screw; and a handle which is provided on an end side of the conveying screw in the longitudinal direction opposite to the drive device side and which enables the drive device and the conveying screw to be detached by the detachable member so as to manually move the cleaning member along the discharging member, wherein the cleaning member uses a charging device whose home position is the drive device side of the conveying screw in the longitudinal direction, and the conveying screw is operated with the handle to detach the conveying screw and the drive device with the detachable member, and the cleaning member is manually moved to clean the discharge member with the cleaning member. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a charging device, an image forming apparatus, and a cleaning method that can be switched from an automatic cleaning mode to a manual cleaning mode even when the power is turned off, and that does not require time and effort for switching. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an overall appearance of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2]1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus main body included in an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a housing of the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention in a longitudinal direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drive mechanism for a cleaning member in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a detachable member and a connecting member in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a male and a female of a detachable member are detached from each other; FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a state in which a male and a female of a connecting member in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention are detached from each other; FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a detachable member and a connecting member are connected to each other. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a cleaning member in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a handle portion of the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 14] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 15] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 16]4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 17] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 18] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of a home position in the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 19] 2 is a perspective view of the inside of a housing of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention when the cover is open. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a cover and a handle in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between a cover and a handle in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the charging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view of the overall appearance of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that forms an image on a print medium such as paper by electrophotography. The image forming apparatus 1 has a housing 9, and a freely openable cover 9a is provided on the front of the housing 9, and a contact glass 10 is provided on the top.

[0024] 2 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus main body provided in the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus main body 1a is housed in a housing 9. The image forming apparatus main body 1a includes, for example, four image forming units 2 to 5 arranged in a vertical line, a first transfer belt (transfer device) 6, and a fixing device 8. The image forming units 2 to 5 are devices that form toner images of different colors (for example, yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K)) on the respective photoconductors (photoconductor drums) 11Y, 11C, 11M, and 11K.

[0025] In this example, image forming unit 2 is a device that forms a yellow (Y) toner image on photoreceptor 11Y. Image forming unit 3 is a device that forms a cyan (C) toner image on photoreceptor 11C. Image forming unit 4 is a device that forms a magenta (M) toner image on photoreceptor 11M. Image forming unit 5 is a device that forms a black (K) toner image on photoreceptor 11K. Note that in this example, there are four image forming units and image formation is possible using four colors of toner, but five or more colors of toner may be used, or only one color may be used.

[0026] The image forming unit 2 includes, around the photoconductor 11Y, a charging device 12Y that charges the photoconductor 11Y, an exposure device 13Y that optically writes an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11Y, a developing device 14Y that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11Y with yellow (Y) toner, and a static eliminator 15Y that eliminates static electricity on the photoconductor 11Y. The image forming unit 3 is equipped with a charging device 12C that charges the photoconductor 11C, an exposure device 13C that optically writes an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11C, a developing device 14C that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11C with cyan (C) toner, and a static eliminator 15C that eliminates static electricity on the photoconductor 11C, which are arranged around the photoconductor 11C.

[0027] The image forming unit 4 is equipped with a charging device 12M that charges the photoconductor 11M, an exposure device 13M that optically writes an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11M, a developing device 14M that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11M with magenta (M) toner, and a static eliminator 15M that eliminates static electricity on the photoconductor 11M, which are arranged around the photoconductor 11M. The image forming unit 5 includes, around the photoconductor 11K, a charging device 12K that charges the photoconductor 11K, an exposure device 13K that optically writes an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11K, a developing device 14K that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 11K with black (K) toner, and a static eliminator 15K that eliminates static electricity from the photoconductor 11K.

[0028] When each of the above-mentioned parts is described collectively without distinguishing the toner color used, the name of the part will be simply indicated by the numeral of the reference symbol (for example, photoconductor 11). The first transfer belt 6 is a belt conveyor-like device, and in this example, is arranged with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction along the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K of the image forming units 2 to 5. The toner images formed on the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are transferred onto the first transfer belt 6 so that the toner images are superimposed on each other. The toner images formed by superimposing the toners of the respective colors are transferred onto a sheet of paper (not shown, which may be a sheet of paper or a continuous sheet of paper) supplied from the paper supply unit 71 by a second transfer device (transfer device) (not shown). The paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is then conveyed to the fixing device 8, which fixes the toner image onto the paper, forming a color image on the paper.

[0029] 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the housing of the charging device according to this embodiment. The charging device 12 is a scorotron charging type charging device. The charging device 12 includes a long housing 31. The upper part of the housing 31 in FIG. 3 forms an opening 31a. A metallic charged wire (discharging member) 32 is provided inside the housing 31 and extends from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the housing 31. The charged wire 32 discharges electricity when it is energized via a predetermined electrical system.

[0030] A mesh-like metallic grid 33 (charging grid) is attached to the opening 31a of the housing 31. The grid 33 makes the discharge generated by the charging wire 32 more uniform than when the grid 33 is not present, thereby charging the photoconductor 11 (the upper side in FIG. 3) as uniformly as possible. A cleaning member 34 is attached to the charged wire 32. The cleaning member 34 is driven by a motor 45 (see FIG. 4) and moves along the longitudinal direction of the charged wire 32 via a driving device 44 (see FIG. 4) to clean the charged wire 32.

[0031] Next, a detailed description will be given of the drive mechanism of the cleaning member 34 in the charging device 12. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the drive mechanism 41 of the cleaning member 34. This drive mechanism 41 is configured so that the cleaning member 34 can perform both automatic and manual cleaning of the charging wire 32. The drive mechanism 41 includes a conveying screw 42. The conveying screw 42 is engaged with the cleaning member 34 by a screw action, and moves the cleaning member 34 in the longitudinal direction of the charged wire 32 and in the axial direction of the conveying screw 42 by rotating. For convenience, the conveying screw 42 is illustrated in FIG. 4 as being shorter than its actual size. A shaft-shaped member 43 on which no screw is formed is connected to one end of the conveying screw 42. The range from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw 42 approximately corresponds to the range from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the charged wire 32. In other words, the rotation of the conveying screw 42 allows the cleaning member 34 to move in the axial direction of the conveying screw 42 from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the charged wire 32.

[0032] The drive device 44 includes a motor 45 as a drive source and a predetermined connecting mechanism 46, and connects the conveying screw 42 to the connecting mechanism 46. This causes the conveying screw 42 to rotate by the drive device 44. The motor 45 is capable of rotating forward and reverse. The drive device 44 is disposed on the rear side of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 (rear of the closed position of the cover 9a in the housing 9 when an operator stands in front of the cover 9a in FIG. 1). The conveying screw 42 and the shaft-shaped member 43 are supported by shaft support members 51 , 52 , and 55 which are supported by a base 47 .

[0033] Sensors 53, 54, such as optical sensors, are disposed at the home position H of the cleaning member 34 and at the return position R, which is a switching position for the reciprocating motion of the cleaning member 34. These sensors 53, 54 detect when the cleaning member 34 has reached the home position H or the return position R, respectively. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the cleaning member 34 is disposed at the home position H. As is clear from Fig. 4, the home position H of the cleaning member 34 is on the side of the driving device 44 in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw 42.

[0034] The handle 48 is provided on the longitudinal end side (one end of the shaft-shaped member 43) of the conveying screw 42 opposite the drive device 44 side, and makes it possible to manually move the cleaning member 34 along the charged wire 32 (Figure 2) by detaching the drive device 44 and the conveying screw 42 with a detachable member 61. On the drive device 44 side of the axial support member 55 of the detachable member 61, the conveying screw 42 side and the drive device 44 side are connected by a connecting member 62. When the charging device 12 is attached to a predetermined position around the photoconductor 11, the drive device 44 and the conveying screw 42 are connected by the connecting member 62.

[0035] Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the detachable member and the surrounding parts of the connecting member. In the detachable member 61, a male 63 on the conveying screw 42 side and a female 64 on the driving device 44 side are detachably engaged. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the state where the male and female of the detachable member are detached. Returning to Fig. 5, in the connecting member 62, a male 65 on the conveying screw 42 side and a female 66 on the driving device 44 side are detachably engaged. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the state where the male and female of the connecting member are detached.

[0036] The structure for connecting the detachable member 61 and the connecting member 62 is the same. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the detachable member and the connecting member connected together. That is, the male 63, 65 and the female 64, 66 are both uneven in the circumferential direction of the shaft, and the recessed portions 63a, 65a of the male 63, 65 engage with the protruding portions 64a, 66a of the female 64, 66, causing the conveying screw 42 to rotate in accordance with the rotational driving operation of the driving device 44.

[0037] 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cleaning member. The cleaning member 34 has a main body 79 and a shaft support 72 on the upper part of the main body 79. The shaft support 72 is a part that meshes with the conveying screw 42 by a screw action. The shaft support 72 (of the cleaning member 34) is provided so as to cover the entire circumference of the conveying screw 42 in the axial circumferential direction.

[0038] 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the handle portion. The handle 48 is attached to the conveying screw 42 so as to be rotatable relative to the conveying screw 42 in the axial circumferential direction of the conveying screw 42. That is, a mounting portion 76 having a larger diameter than the shaft member 43 and a screw hole 75 formed therein is provided at the tip of the shaft member 43. A hollow portion 77 is formed inside the handle 48, and the mounting portion 76 is inserted into the hollow portion 77, and the two are screwed together with a screw 78. In this structure, the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion 76 is cylindrical, and the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion 77 is also annular, so that even if the handle 48 is rotated in the axial direction, the mounting portion 76 does not move and only the handle 48 rotates.

[0039] 11 to 18 are cross-sectional views of the cleaning member and its surroundings in the vicinity of the home position. Referring to FIG. 11, first, the cleaning member 34 in this example has two cleaning pads 81. The cleaning pads 81 are pads that come into contact with the charged wire 32 to clean the charged wire 32. The cleaning pads 81 are attached to the sides of a support member 83 that stands up from a base surface 82 provided in a main body 79 (FIG. 9) of the cleaning member 34. The two cleaning pads 81 face in opposite directions. An abutment portion 84 also stands up from the base surface 82.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 12, a rotation shaft 85 that rotatably supports the table surface 82 is provided in the main body 79 (Fig. 9) at a position higher in Fig. 9 than the table surface 82 in Fig. 11. Guide members 88 that guide the movement of the cleaning member 34 extend on both sides of the cleaning member 34.

[0041] Returning to Fig. 11, in the example of Fig. 11, the cleaning member 34 is located at a home position H (see Fig. 4; the same applies below). A driving member 86 is disposed at this home position H. This driving member 86 has an abutment portion 87 on the rear side as viewed from the cleaning member 34, and has an abutment portion 89 near the abutment portion 84 in Fig. 11.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 11, when the cleaning member 34 is located at the home position H, one cleaning pad 81 of the cleaning member 34 is in contact with the contact portion 87, and therefore both cleaning pads 81 are spaced apart from the charging wire 32.

[0043] Fig. 13 shows a state in which the cleaning member 34 has moved slightly (downward in Fig. 13) from the home position H shown in Fig. 11. In Fig. 11, one cleaning pad 81 is released from the state in which it is in contact with the contact portion 87, and a gap is created between them, while the contact portions 84 and 89 come into contact with each other, and the cleaning member 34 starts to rotate in the direction of the arrow 91 around the rotation shaft 85.

[0044] Figure 14 shows a state in which the cleaning member 34 has moved further (toward the lower side in Figure 14) than in the state in Figure 13. Here, the cleaning member 34 rotates further due to the contact between the contact portion 84 and the contact portion 89, and the two cleaning pads 81 approach the charged wire 32 from both the left and right sides, respectively.

[0045] Figure 15 shows a state in which the cleaning member 34 has moved further (downward in Figure 15) than in the state in Figure 14. The contact portion 84 passes beside the contact portion 89, and the cleaning member 34 is now in a state in which it can move from the home position H toward the return position R (see Figure 4; the same applies below). At this time, the two cleaning pads 81 are in contact with the charged wire 32 from both the left and right sides so as to sandwich the charged wire 32 therebetween, and are now in a state in which it can clean the charged wire 32. In this state, the cleaning member 34 can move while being guided by the guide member 88.

[0046] In this state, the cleaning member 34 moves (forward movement) and returns (return movement) at the return position R. FIG. 16 shows a state in which the cleaning member 34 approaches the home position H after returning.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 17, when the cleaning member 34 moves further from the state in FIG. 16 (moves upward in FIG. 17), the contact portion 84 passes beside the contact portion 89, and the leading cleaning pad 81 comes into contact with the contact portion 87.

[0048] 18, when the cleaning member 34 moves further from the state shown in FIG. 17 (moves upward in FIG. 18), the cleaning member 34 approaches the home position H. In this state, the cleaning pads 81 come into contact with the contact portions 87, and the base surface 82 rotates about the rotation axis 85 (FIG. 12) (in the opposite direction to the arrow 91 in FIG. 12), so that the two cleaning pads 81 start to move away from the charged wire 32. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, when the cleaning member 34 completely returns to the home position H, the cleaning member 34 stops at the home position H with the two cleaning pads 81 completely separated from the charged wire 32.

[0049] In this way, the operating mechanism including the rotating shaft 85, the driving member 86, and the contact portion 84 can separate the cleaning pad 81 from the charged wire 32 when the cleaning member 34 is located at the home position H. In addition, the operating mechanism can operate the cleaning pad 81 to contact the charged wire 32 when the cleaning member 34 moves from the home position H.

[0050] Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the inside of the housing when the cover is open. As shown in Fig. 1, a cover 9a is provided on the front side of the housing 9 of the image forming apparatus 1. Then, as shown in Fig. 19, by opening the cover 9a, the handles 48 of the charging devices 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K are exposed inside the housing 9.

[0051] Fig. 20 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the cover and the handle, and Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the same. As described later, after the cleaning member 34 at the home position H is used for manual cleaning by operating the handle 48 (after the cleaning member 34 is pulled out from the home position H by operating the handle 48), when the cover 9a is closed, the handle 48 is pressed by the cover 9a and pushed into the housing 9. This returns the cleaning member 34 to the home position H.

[0052] 22 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the charging device 12. The motor 45 of the charging device 12 is driven via a drive circuit 98 by a control signal output from a control device 97 configured with a microcomputer or the like that controls the charging device 12. Other controls of the charging device 12 are also performed by the control device 97.

[0053] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. First, automatic cleaning can be performed automatically at a predetermined timing, for example, every time the number of images formed by the image forming apparatus 1 reaches a predetermined number. In automatic cleaning, the cleaning member 34 can be driven under the control of the control device 97 from the state shown in FIG. 4 to clean the charging wire 32 with the cleaning member 34. The cleaning member 34 moves forward from the home position H to the return position R, and when it reaches the return position R, it moves backward and returns to the home position H. Switching between forward and backward movements is possible by switching the forward and reverse operation of the motor 45. The control device 97 detects that the cleaning member 34 has reached the home position H or the return position R by the sensors 53 and 54. One automatic cleaning may be performed by performing such a reciprocating movement of the cleaning member 34 once, or may be performed by reciprocating the movement multiple times. When the automatic cleaning is completed, the cleaning member 34 returns to the home position H. This is because the home position H of the cleaning member 34 is set to a position where the cleaning member 34 does not interfere with the discharge of the charging device 12 during image formation.

[0054] In the technique of Patent Document 1, when performing manual cleaning, the home position P of the cleaning pad 532 is far from the driving side of the cleaning pad 532. Therefore, the conveying screw 531 is manually operated to disengage the passive-side shaft joint 533 from the driving-side shaft joint 58. Then, the tip 534A of the engagement member 534 provided on the cleaning pad 532 is engaged with the passive-side shaft joint 533, and it becomes possible to manually operate the cleaning pad 532 with the handle 535 for manual cleaning.

[0055] If one tries to move the cleaning pad 532 manually without performing such an operation, the driven side shaft coupling 533 will come into contact with the driving side shaft coupling 58, and the cleaning pad 532 cannot be moved from the home position P to the return position R, so manual cleaning cannot be performed. Furthermore, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the power supply of the image forming apparatus must be turned on in order to electrically return the cleaning pad 532 to the home position P after manual cleaning is completed.

[0056] However, according to the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the home position H of the cleaning member 34 is on the side of the driving device 44 in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw 42. Therefore, when performing manual cleaning, the male 63 and female 64 of the detachable member 61 are separated from each other by pulling the handle 48 from the state shown in FIG. 4 (FIG. 6). At this time, the axial support member 55 exists, which acts as a stopper, and the connecting member 62 remains connected to the driving side. As a result, by operating the handle 48, the conveying screw 42 and the like are guided by the axial support members 51 and 52 to move in the axial direction, and the cleaning member 34 can be moved, so that the charging wire 32 can be manually cleaned by the cleaning member 34. Therefore, manual cleaning makes it possible to carefully clean a particularly dirty part of the charging wire 32 by targeting it. After such manual cleaning is completed, the cleaning member 34 can be easily returned to the home position H by pushing in the handle 48, and the male 63 and female 64 of the detachable member 61 can be engaged again, so that there is no hindrance to the subsequent automatic cleaning.

[0057] In this way, in this embodiment, manual cleaning does not require the need for complicated manual operations as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1. Furthermore, after manual cleaning is completed, the cleaning member 34 can be returned to the home position H with a simple manual operation, so manual cleaning can be performed even when the image forming apparatus 1 is turned off. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the charging device 12, the image forming apparatus 1, and the cleaning method, which allow manual cleaning as well as automatic cleaning to be performed by simple means.

[0058] Furthermore, since the cleaning member 34 is provided so as to cover the entire circumference of the conveying screw 42 in the axial circumferential direction (FIG. 9), the cleaning member 34 can be prevented from falling off the conveying screw 42. The handle 48 is attached to the conveying screw 42 side (shaft-shaped member 43) so as to be rotatable in the axial direction of the conveying screw 42. Therefore, even if the handle 48 rotates in the axial direction while being operated, tilting of the cleaning member 34 can be prevented.

[0059] 11 to 18, when the cleaning member 34 is located at the home position H, the cleaning pad 81 is separated from the charged wire 32, and when the cleaning member 34 moves from the home position H, the cleaning pad 81 is operated to abut against the charged wire 32. Therefore, since the cleaning pad 81 is separated from the charged wire 32 when the cleaning member 34 is located at the home position H, even if the charged wire 32 discharges electricity, the cleaning pad 81 and the like are not damaged by the discharge.

[0060] When the cleaning pads 81 come into contact with the charged wire 32, for example, two of the cleaning pads 81 sandwich the charged wire 32 between them to clean the charged wire 32 (FIG. 15), so that the charged wire 32 can be cleaned effectively. The motor 45 is capable of rotating in both forward and reverse directions, so that the cleaning member 34 can be reciprocated during automatic cleaning. When the cover 9a of the image forming apparatus 1 is opened, the handle 48 is immediately exposed inside the housing 9 (FIG. 19), so that manual cleaning can be easily performed.

[0061] In addition, when the lid body 9a is closed, the handle 48 is pressed by the lid body 9a and the cleaning member 34 returns to the home position H (FIG. 21), so that after manual cleaning, the cleaning member 34 can be easily returned to the home position H by simply closing the lid body 9a.

[0062] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely one embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. For example, the above-mentioned sensors 53 and 54 may not be provided. Instead, the controller 97 (detection means) may detect that the motor 45 is overcurrented due to physical contact with the cleaning member 34, thereby detecting that the cleaning member 34 is in the home position H and the return position R. According to this, the number of sensors 53 and 54 can be reduced, and therefore the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus 1 can be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Image forming device 9. Cabinet 9a Lid body 11,11Y,11M,11C,11K Photoreceptor 12, 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K Charging device 13, 13Y, 13M, 13C, 13K Exposure equipment 14, 14Y, 14M, 14C, 14K Developing device 32 Charged wire (discharge member) 42 Conveying screw 44 Drive unit 45 Motor 48 Handle 51, 52, 55 Axle support members 53,54 Sensors 61 Detachable parts 62 Connecting member 81 Cleaning Pad 85 Rotating shaft (operating mechanism) 86 Driving member (operating mechanism) 84 Contact part (operation mechanism) 85 Rotational Axis 97 Control device (detection means) P Home Position R Return position

Claims

1. a discharge member that discharges to charge the photoconductor; a cleaning member for cleaning the discharge member; a conveying screw that is axially shaped and engages with the cleaning member by a screw action, and that rotates to move the cleaning member in the longitudinal direction of the discharge member and in the axial direction of the member; A drive device is disposed at the rear side of the main body and drives the conveying screw to rotate; a detachable member for detachably connecting the driving device and the conveying screw on the driving device side in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw; a support member that supports the conveying screw; a handle provided on an end of the conveying screw in a longitudinal direction opposite to the driving device, the handle enabling the driving device and the conveying screw to be detached from each other by the detachment member to manually move the cleaning member along the discharge member; The charging device, wherein the cleaning member has a home position on the side of the driving device in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw.

2. The charging device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning member is provided so as to cover an entire circumference of the conveying screw in an axial circumferential direction.

3. The charging device according to claim 1 , wherein the handle is attached to a side of the conveying screw so as to be rotatable relative to the conveying screw in a circumferential direction of the axis of the conveying screw.

4. The cleaning member includes a cleaning pad that contacts the discharge member, 2. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising an operating mechanism that operates the cleaning pad so as to separate the cleaning pad from the discharging member when the cleaning member is located at the home position and to abut the cleaning pad against the discharging member when the cleaning member moves from the home position.

5. 5. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein the operating mechanism includes a rotation shaft that enables the cleaning pad to move, and the cleaning pad moves away from or into contact with the discharging member by rotation about the rotation shaft.

6. 5. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of said cleaning pads sandwich said discharging member when contacting said discharging member to clean said discharging member.

7. 2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the driving device has a motor that is a driving source thereof and is capable of rotating forward and reverse directions.

8. 2. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising sensors for detecting whether said cleaning member is in a home position or a return position.

9. 2. The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection means for detecting whether the cleaning member is in the home position or the return position by detecting that a motor serving as a drive source for the drive device becomes overcurrent due to physical contact with the cleaning member.

10. A photoconductor; The charging device according to claim 1 for charging the photoconductor; an exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image with toner,

11. a housing that houses the photoconductor, the charging device, the exposure device, and the developing device; The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising: a cover provided on the housing, the cover being capable of opening to expose the handle inside the housing.

12. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when the cover is closed, the handle is pressed by the cover, and the cleaning member returns to the home position.

13. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the charging device is connected to the driving device and the conveying screw by a connecting member when the charging device is mounted at a predetermined position around the photoconductor.

14. a discharge member that discharges to charge the photoconductor; a cleaning member for cleaning the discharge member; a conveying screw which rotates axially to move the cleaning member in the length direction of the discharge member and in the axial direction of the discharge member; A drive device that rotates the conveying screw; a detachable member for detachably connecting the driving device and the conveying screw on the driving device side in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw; a support member that supports the conveying screw; a handle provided on an end of the conveying screw in a longitudinal direction opposite to the driving device, the handle enabling the driving device and the conveying screw to be detached from each other by the detachment member to manually move the cleaning member along the discharge member; The cleaning member uses a charging device having a home position on the driving device side in the longitudinal direction of the conveying screw, The cleaning method includes operating the conveying screw with the handle, attaching and detaching the conveying screw and the drive device with the detachable member, and manually moving the cleaning member to clean the discharging member with the cleaning member.

Images