Cleaning Blade and Image Forming Apparatus

Abstract

To provide a cleaning blade that can control leakage of residual material on an image carrier compared to before.SOLUTION: An end 122 in a longitudinal direction of a cleaning blade 101 composed of urethane rubber forms a projection that is extended in a short direction beyond a center part 120 in the longitudinal direction. The projection 122 is configured such that four thin-wall pieces 151, 152, 153, 154 branched in a thickness direction by three recessed grooves 171, 172, 173 directed from a tip edge 128 to the opposite side in the short direction are arranged in the thickness direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cleaning blade for cleaning residues on an image carrier in an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] An image forming apparatus such as a printer is configured to transfer a toner image formed on an image carrier such as a photoreceptor drum to a transfer body such as paper. When transferring the toner image on the image carrier to the transfer body, it is ideal that all the toner images are transferred, but in reality, some toner particles remain on the image carrier without being transferred. Also, not only toner particles but also paper dust may remain attached to the image carrier. If residues such as toner and paper dust remain attached, it will hinder the formation of subsequent toner images, so a cleaner for removing the residues on the image carrier is provided.

[0003] As the cleaner, there are many configurations in which a long cleaning blade, for example, made of urethane rubber, along the width direction of the image carrier is brought into contact with the surface of the image carrier to scrape off the residues on the image carrier.

[0004] As one form of the cleaning blade, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 10, convex portions 921 and 922 protruding in a direction opposite to the rotation direction (arrow α direction) of the image carrier 900 are provided on both end sides in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 910. The protruding amount of these convex portions 921 and 922 is, for example, 1 to 2 mm.

[0005] According to this configuration, when the residue T scraped off by the cleaning blade 910 flows along the contact edge (edge) 915 of the cleaning blade 910 with the surface 901 of the image carrier 900, for example, in the direction of arrow β toward the longitudinal end, it is blocked by the convex portion 921. It is described that this can prevent the toner T flowing in the direction of arrow β from leaking from the longitudinal end of the cleaning blade 910 as it is.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the cleaning blade 910 is arranged such that the edge 915 at the center of the cleaning blade 910 and the convex portions 921 and 922 respectively contact the surface 901 of the image carrier 900. However, the base end portions 929 of the convex portions 921 and 922 tend to have a weaker pressing force against the surface 901 of the image carrier 900 than the edge 915 at the center.

[0008] This is because the convex portions 921 and 922 are bent into an arcuate shape that is slightly convex downward when the edges 925 and 926 at the tips are pressed against the surface 901 of the image carrier 900, and the base end portions 929 are likely to be lifted relative to the edges 925 and 926 at the tip side.

[0009] When the pressing force of the base end portion 929 of the convex portion 921 against the surface 901 of the image carrier 900 becomes weak, it is likely that the residue T will pass through the gap between the corner portion 927 connecting the edge 915 at the center and the convex portion 921 and the surface 901 of the image carrier 900 in the direction of the arrow γ shown by the broken line at the base end portion 929 of the convex portion 921.

[0010] If the residue T that has passed through the convex portion 921 leaks out to the surface 991 on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the image carrier 900 from the cleaning blade 910 or scatters into the peripheral space of the image carrier 900, it may affect the transfer of the next toner image or dirty the inside of the machine.

[0011] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cleaning blade and an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing leakage of residues on an image carrier from the end of the cleaning blade more effectively than in the prior art.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0012] To achieve the above object, a cleaning blade according to the present disclosure is a cleaning blade that is long along the width direction of an image carrier of an image forming apparatus, abuts on the surface of the image carrier, and cleans residues on the image carrier. When a direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is defined as the short-side direction, the longitudinal end portion extends in the short-side direction more than the longitudinal central portion, and the extended tip side is branched into a plurality of thin pieces in the thickness direction by a recessed groove.

[0013] Also, when the side that abuts on the image carrier in the short-side direction is defined as the tip side and the opposite side is defined as the base end side, a slit may be cut to a predetermined length in the vicinity of the extended base end of the end portion, on the tip side of the central portion.

[0014] Here, when the extended length of the end portion is I and the predetermined length of the slit is U, it may have a relationship of U < I.

[0015] Also, when the extended length of the end portion is I and the predetermined length of the slit is U, it may have a relationship of I ≤ U.

[0016] Furthermore, when the depth of the recessed groove is J, it may have a relationship of J = (I + U).

[0017] Also, when the extended length of the end portion is I and the depth of the recessed groove is J, it may have a relationship of J ≤ I.

[0018] Furthermore, when the extended length of the end portion is I and the depth of the recessed groove is J, it may have a relationship of I < J.

[0019] Further, when the number of the thin slices is 3 or more, and among the 3 or more thin slices arranged in the thickness direction, when the cleaning blade abuts on the image carrier, the thin slice at the position closest to the image carrier in the thickness direction is defined as the first thin slice, the thin slice second closest is defined as the second thin slice, and the thin slice third closest is defined as the third thin slice, it is also possible that the width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove between the first thin slice and the second thin slice is wider than the width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove between the second thin slice and the third thin slice.

[0020] Furthermore, when the number of the thin slices is 2 or more, and among the 2 or more thin slices arranged in the thickness direction, when the cleaning blade abuts on the image carrier, the thin slice at the position closest to the image carrier in the thickness direction is defined as the first thin slice, and the thin slice second closest is defined as the second thin slice, it is also possible that the first thin slice is thinner than the second thin slice.

[0021] Also, the tip surface of the thin slice may be a flat surface.

[0022] Furthermore, it is also possible that the thin slice becomes thinner toward the tip.

[0023] Also, it is possible that a lubrication treatment is applied to the surface of the tip portion of the thin slice.

[0024] Furthermore, when the entire remainder except for the end portion is the blade body, it is also possible that the blade body and the end portion are integrally formed.

[0025] Also, it is possible that the central portion and the end portion are formed of materials having different hardnesses.

[0026] Here, it is also possible that the end portion has a lower hardness than the central portion.

[0027] Furthermore, the image carrier may be divided into an image forming area and a non-image forming area in the longitudinal direction, and the end portion may be provided corresponding to the non-image forming area of the image carrier.

[0028] The image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus that cleans residues on an image carrier with a cleaning member, and is characterized in that the cleaning member includes the above-described cleaning blade.

Advantages of the Invention

[0029] With the configuration in which the end portion extending in the short side direction from the central portion of the cleaning blade has a plurality of thin pieces branched in the thickness direction as described above, even if the residue scraped at the central portion flows to the end side in the longitudinal direction, by blocking it at that end portion, it is possible to prevent the residue from leaking to the outside in the longitudinal direction. Further, the elastic restoring force due to the bending of each branched thin piece becomes smaller than the elastic restoring force of a conventional equivalent convex portion without such branching, and accordingly, it is suppressed that the pressing force of the base end portion of the thin piece against the image carrier becomes weak, and the thin piece easily adheres to the surface of the image carrier in a posture bent from the base end portion, and it becomes possible to suppress more effectively than in the past the residue from slipping through and leaking between the image carrier and the end portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the cleaning blade and the image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described by taking a tandem type color image forming apparatus as an example.

[0032] <Embodiment 1> 〔1〕Overall Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1. In the figure, the internal elements of the image forming apparatus 1 are depicted as if they were visible through the front surface of the apparatus main body 9. In the figure, the left - right direction when the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side is shown as the X - axis direction, and the up - down direction is shown as the Z - axis direction. The depth direction orthogonal to both the X - axis and the Z - axis is called the Y - axis direction.

[0033] The image forming apparatus 1 is a color multifunction peripheral (MFP) having functions such as a scanner, a printer, and a copier.

[0034] As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a sheet conveying unit 50 that accommodates and conveys sheets at the bottom of the apparatus main body 9. Above the sheet conveying unit 50, an image forming unit 30 that forms an image by an electrophotographic method, a fixing unit 60 that fixes the toner image on the sheet, and a control unit 70 that integrally controls each block of the image forming apparatus 1 are provided in the apparatus main body 9. Further, above the image forming unit 30, an image reading unit 10 that reads a document and generates input image data is provided.

[0035] 〔2〕Image reading unit 10 The image reading unit 10 includes an automatic document feeder 11 (ADF: Auto Document Feeder) and a scanner 12, etc. The ADF 11 conveys the document placed on the document tray and sends it to the scanner 12. The scanner 12 optically scans the document conveyed onto the contact glass from the ADF 11 or the document placed on the contact glass, forms an image of the reflected light from the document on the light receiving surface of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 12a, and reads the document image. The image reading unit 10 generates image data composed of multi-value digital signals of R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) based on the reading result by the scanner 12. The generated image data is sent to the image processing unit 20.

[0036] 〔3〕Image processing unit 20 The image processing unit 20 performs various image processes according to user settings, such as gradation correction, on the image data generated by the scanner 12, and converts it into image data of each reproduced color of Y (Yellow), M (Magenta), C (Cyan), and K (Black).

[0037] 〔4〕Image forming unit 30 The image forming unit 30 includes an image forming section 3Y, 3M, 3C, 3K for forming an image with toner of each color of Y, M, C, and K, an intermediate transfer section 40, etc., based on the image data subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 20. The image forming sections 3Y, 3M, 3C, 3K have the same configuration. Here, only the components of the image forming section 3Y are numbered, and the components of the other image forming sections 3M, 3C, 3K are not numbered. Hereinafter, the configuration of the image forming section 3Y will be described, and the description of the image forming sections 3M to 3K will be omitted.

[0038] The image forming section 3Y includes an exposure section 31, a developing section 32, a photosensitive drum 33, a charging section 34, a drum cleaning section 35, etc.

[0039] The photosensitive drum 33 rotates at a constant peripheral speed by the control unit 70 controlling a drum drive motor (not shown) that rotates the photosensitive drum 33.

[0040] The charging section 34 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 33.

[0041] The exposure section 31 is composed of, for example, a semiconductor laser, and irradiates the photosensitive drum 33 with laser light L corresponding to the image of the Y color component. By irradiating the laser light L, an electrostatic latent image of the Y color component is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 33.

[0042] The developing section 32 is, for example, a developing device using a two-component developing method, and visualizes the electrostatic latent image by attaching Y-color toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum 33 to form a Y-color toner image.

[0043] The drum cleaning section 35 has a cleaning blade 36 etc. that are in sliding contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 33, and removes residues such as toner and paper dust remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 33 after primary transfer.

[0044] The intermediate transfer section 40 includes an intermediate transfer belt 41, a plurality of primary transfer rollers 42, a plurality of support rollers 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d, 43e, a secondary transfer roller 44, a belt cleaning section 45, etc.

[0045] The intermediate transfer belt 41 is an endless belt and is stretched by a plurality of support rollers 43a to 43e. Among the support rollers 43a to 43e, due to the rotation of the support roller 43a which is a driving roller, the intermediate transfer belt 41 travels in a circular motion at a constant speed in the direction of arrow A.

[0046] Each primary transfer roller 42 is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 41 facing the photosensitive drum 33 of the corresponding color component. When each primary transfer roller 42 is pressed against the corresponding photosensitive drum 33 with the intermediate transfer belt 41 interposed therebetween, a primary transfer nip for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive drum 33 to the intermediate transfer belt 41 is formed. When the intermediate transfer belt 41 passes through each primary transfer nip, the toner images on the photosensitive drum 33 are sequentially superimposed and primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 41.

[0047] The secondary transfer roller 44 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 41 facing the support roller 43b disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 41. When the secondary transfer roller 44 is pressed against the opposing support roller 43b with the intermediate transfer belt 41 interposed therebetween, a secondary transfer nip NP1 for transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt 41 to the recording sheet S is formed.

[0048] When the recording sheet S conveyed from the sheet conveyance unit 50 passes through the secondary transfer nip NP1, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 41 is secondarily transferred onto the recording sheet S. The recording sheet S onto which the toner image has been secondarily transferred is conveyed toward the fixing unit 60.

[0049] The belt cleaning unit 45 has a cleaning blade 101 and the like that are in sliding contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 41, and removes residues such as toner and paper dust remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 41 after secondary transfer.

[0050] 〔5〕Sheet conveyance unit 50 The sheet conveyance unit 50 includes a paper feeding unit 51 and a conveyance path unit 52, and is controlled by a control unit 70. The paper feeding unit 51 includes three paper feeding trays 51a to 51c. The recording sheets S stacked and stored in the paper feeding trays 51a to 51c are fed one by one from the topmost one and conveyed to the conveyance path unit 52.

[0051] The conveyance path unit 52 has a plurality of roller pairs such as conveyance roller pairs 52a, 52b and a registration roller pair 52c. When the recording sheet S is conveyed from the paper feeding unit 51 to the conveyance path unit 52, it is conveyed via the conveyance roller pairs 52a, 52b to the temporarily stopped registration roller pair 52c, and the conveyance timing to the secondary transfer nip NP1 is adjusted by the registration roller pair 52c. When it is time for the recording sheet S to be conveyed to the secondary transfer nip NP1, the rotation of the registration roller pair 52c is started, and the recording sheet S is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip NP1 by the registration roller pair 52c.

[0052] 〔6〕Fixing unit 60 The fixing unit 60 includes a fixing member 60A, a pressing member 60B, a heating source 60C that applies heat to the fixing member 60A, etc. When the pressing member 60B is pressed against the fixing member 60A, a fixing nip NP2 for sandwiching and conveying the sheet S is formed.

[0053] The fixing unit 60 heats and presses the recording sheet S conveyed from the secondary transfer nip NP1 with the fixing nip NP2. The recording sheet S that has passed through the fixing nip NP2 is discharged outside the machine from the paper discharge port 53c via the paper discharge roller pairs 53a, 53b and is accommodated in a paper discharge tray (not shown).

[0054] 〔7〕Configuration of the belt cleaning unit 45 FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the belt cleaning unit 45 is cut in the X-Z plane.

[0055] As shown in the figure, the belt cleaning unit 45 includes a housing 100, a cleaning blade 101, a blade support member 102, a waste toner conveying screw 103, a toner seal 104, and the like. Each member from the housing 100 to the toner seal 104 is elongated along the width direction (Y-axis direction: hereinafter referred to as "belt width direction") of the intermediate transfer belt 41.

[0056] The housing 100 is made of resin or the like, holds the cleaning blade 101, the blade support member 102, the conveying screw 103, and the toner seal 104, and has an opening 109 on the side facing the surface (hereinafter referred to as "belt surface") 411 of the intermediate transfer belt 41.

[0057] The cleaning blade 101 is integrally formed by injection molding or the like from a rubber having flexibility (elasticity), such as urethane rubber, and has a thickness of, for example, 2 mm. The cleaning blade 101 is in contact with the belt surface 411 in a posture in which the tip portion 112 extending from the base end portion 111 fixed and supported by the blade support member 102 toward the belt surface 411 faces the belt running direction (arrow A direction) of the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the opposite direction to the base end portion 111. This contact is referred to as counter contact.

[0058] Here, the support roller 43c facing the tip portion 112 of the cleaning blade 101 with the intermediate transfer belt 41 interposed therebetween is used as a backup member that receives the pressing force on the belt surface 411 due to the deflection of the cleaning blade 101.

[0059] The base end portion 111 of the cleaning blade 101 is fixedly supported by the blade support member 102 by adhesion or the like, and the blade support member 102 is fixedly supported by screwing or the like to the upper end edge portion 108 of the opening 109 of the housing 100.

[0060] The tip 112 of the cleaning blade 101 on the free end side is bent and pressed against the belt surface 411 in a state where it is in contact with the belt surface 411 as a leaf spring. The magnitude of this pressing force (pressing pressure) is determined by the magnitude of the elastic restoring force of the leaf spring portion of the cleaning blade 101. By this pressing, the tip 112 of the cleaning blade 101 is in close contact with the belt surface 411, and the residue T adhering to the belt surface 411 after secondary transfer is scraped off and removed from the belt surface 411.

[0061] The toner seal 104 is a thin plate-like member made of a resin having extremely low flexibility with a thickness of, for example, about 0.1 mm, such as polyurethane, and is fixedly supported at the lower edge portion 107 of the opening 109 of the housing 100. The leading edge 141 of the toner seal 104 is in contact with the belt surface 411 at a position upstream of the cleaning blade 101 in the belt conveyance direction, receives the residue T scraped off by the cleaning blade 101 and dropped by its own weight, and is sent along the direction of arrow B to the conveying screw 103 disposed near the bottom wall of the housing 100.

[0062] The conveying screw 103 conveys the residue T sent through the toner seal 104 after being scraped off by the cleaning blade 101 in the belt width direction and collects it in a collection container (not shown).

[0063] 〔8〕Configuration of the cleaning blade 101 FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of the cleaning blade 101 when viewed through the intermediate transfer belt 41 from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 2. The left-right direction in FIG. 3 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 101, and the up-down direction corresponds to the short-side direction of the cleaning blade 101. The side in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the short-side direction is the tip side (lower side in the figure: free end side), and the opposite side (upper side in the figure: fixed end side) is the base end side. Here, since the longitudinal direction corresponds to the belt width direction of the intermediate transfer belt 41, it can be said that the cleaning blade 101 is a long member along the belt width direction. Also, the short-side direction can be said to be a direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction.

[0064] Here, the region indicated by reference numeral 415 in the figure is the central portion in the belt width direction of the intermediate transfer belt 41, corresponding to the image formation region (the region where the toner image is transferred), and the regions indicated by reference numerals 416 and 417 are the end portions in the belt width direction of the intermediate transfer belt 41, each corresponding to a non-image formation region (the region where the toner image is not transferred). The length of the image formation region 415 of the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the belt width direction is, for example, about 330 mm, and the lengths of the non-image formation regions 416 and 417 in the belt width direction are, for example, about 15 mm.

[0065] As shown in the figure, the cleaning blade 101 is in the shape of a long flat plate along the belt width direction in a plan view, and both end portions 121 and 122 in the longitudinal direction are extended to the tip side in the short side direction from the central portion 120 in the longitudinal direction. Each of the end portions 121 and 122 of the cleaning blade 101 constitutes a convex portion protruding to the tip side in the short side direction. Hereinafter, they are referred to as convex portions 121 and 122.

[0066] In the cleaning blade 101, if the entire remaining part excluding the convex portions 121 and 122 is defined as the blade body 110, the blade body 110 has a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction in the figure, and the central portion 120 in the longitudinal direction is interposed between both side portions 131 and 132 continuous with the convex portions 121 and 122.

[0067] Here, the length of the cleaning blade 101 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, 350 mm, the length of the central portion 120 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, 340 mm, and the width (length) of the convex portions 121 and 122 in the longitudinal direction is about 5 mm. The convex portions 121 and 122 of the cleaning blade 101 have a positional relationship such that they belong to the non-image formation regions 416 and 417 on the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the longitudinal direction.

[0068] The convex portions 121 and 122 of the cleaning blade 101 are in contact with the belt surface 411 of the intermediate transfer belt 41, and their protruding directions are opposite to the belt running direction (direction of arrow A) (downward direction in the figure), and are rectangular in plan view. The edge 125 of the central portion 120 is linear and parallel to the longitudinal direction. In the central portion 120 and the convex portions 121 and 122, the edges 125, 127, and 128 on the tip side become the edges in contact with the belt surface 411.

[0069] Since the left convex portion 121 and the right convex portion 122 basically have the same configuration, hereinafter, the configuration of the convex portion 122 will be described, and the description of the convex portion 121 will be omitted.

[0070] FIG. 4(a) is a schematic plan view showing an enlarged view of the convex portion 122 constituting the end portion of the cleaning blade 101, FIG. 4(b) is a schematic side view when the convex portion 122 is viewed from the direction of arrow E shown in FIG. 4(a), and FIG. 4(c) is a schematic perspective view when the convex portion 122 is viewed from the direction of arrow F shown in FIG. 4(a). Note that FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c) show the state when the cleaning blade 101 is not mounted on the housing 100 and is in a natural state where no external force acts on the cleaning blade alone.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c), the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 extends to the tip side in the short side direction from the central portion 120, and the distance (protrusion length of the convex portion) I from the tip edge 125 of the central portion 120 to the tip edge 128 of the convex portion 122 in the short side direction is, for example, about 1 to 2 mm. The distance I corresponds to the extended length of the end portion of the cleaning blade 101. The thickness of the convex portion 122 is the same as the thickness of the central portion 120.

[0072] The convex portion 122 has a recessed groove (cut) with its extended tip side cut by a predetermined depth J in a direction opposite to the protruding direction from the tip edge 128 (the direction from the tip side to the base end side). Here, it is branched into four thin pieces 151, 152, 153, and 154 in the thickness direction by three recessed grooves 171, 172, and 173. Each of the thin pieces 151 to 154 has a flat surface 155 on its tip side.

[0073] The predetermined depth (the cut length in the short direction) J of the recessed grooves 171 to 173 is the same as the protruding direction length (the convex portion protruding length) I of the convex portion 122. This convex portion protruding length I indicates the extended length of the convex portion (the end portion of the cleaning blade 101) 122 toward the tip side.

[0074] For example, when the thickness of the cleaning blade 101 is about 2 mm, the thickness P of the thin pieces 151 to 154 is about 0.4 mm, and the width in the thickness direction of the recessed grooves 171 to 173, that is, the interval (separation width) Q in the thickness direction between two adjacent thin pieces is about 0.1 mm.

[0075] In addition to the configuration in which the depth J of the recessed groove is the same as the convex portion protruding length I, for example, a configuration having a relationship of the depth J of the recessed groove < the convex portion protruding length I or a configuration having a relationship of the convex portion protruding length I < the depth J of the recessed groove can also be adopted. In any case, it is included in the configuration in which at least the tip side in the protruding direction of the convex portion 122 is branched into a plurality of thin pieces in the thickness direction by the recessed groove.

[0076] As a method for manufacturing the convex portion 122 having four thin pieces 151 to 154 branched in the thickness direction, for example, it can be performed by an operation of making a cut with a knife or the like on the convex portion without the recessed groove. Also, in the case where the cleaning blade 101 is formed by injection molding, it can also be manufactured by using a mold cavity provided with protruding pieces corresponding to each of the recessed grooves 171 to 173.

[0077] FIG. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view of the central portion 120 of the cleaning blade 101 taken along the H-H line shown in FIG. 4(a), and FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view of the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 taken along the N-N line shown in FIG. 4(a). Each of FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) shows a state in which the tip side of the cleaning blade 101 mounted on the housing 100 is pressed against the belt surface 411 of the intermediate transfer belt 41 and is in a bent posture.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 5(a), the central portion 120 of the cleaning blade 101 is bent and the tip edge 125 is pressed against the belt surface 411, and the residue T on the belt surface 411 is scraped off by the edge 125.

[0079] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 is also pressed against the belt surface 411. Among the four branched thin pieces of meat 151 to 154, the thin piece of meat 151 (the first thin piece of meat) closest to the belt surface 411 in the thickness direction is in direct contact with the belt surface 411, and the second closest thin piece of meat 152 (the second thin piece of meat) presses the thin piece of meat 151 against the belt surface 411 while abutting against the adjacent first thin piece of meat 151 with its own elastic restoring force.

[0080] Further, the third closest thin piece of meat 153 (the third thin piece of meat) presses the thin piece of meat 152 against the first thin piece of meat 151 while abutting against the adjacent second thin piece of meat 152 with its own elastic restoring force. Similarly, the fourth thin piece of meat 154 farthest from the belt surface 411 presses the thin piece of meat 153 against the second thin piece of meat 152 while abutting against the adjacent third thin piece of meat 153 with its own elastic restoring force. From this, each thin piece of meat can be said to be a contact piece that contacts the belt surface 411 of the intermediate transfer belt 41.

[0081] Due to the recessed grooves 171 to 173, each thin piece of meat 151 to 154 is about 1 / 4 thinner than the corresponding conventional convex part assuming there are no recessed grooves, so the elastic restoring force due to bending is also reduced. Accordingly, compared to a configuration with a large elastic restoring force like the corresponding conventional convex part, the convex part 122 is more likely to be in a bent posture from its extended base end 191 (corresponding to the base end of the thin piece of meat 151) and adhere to the belt surface 411, and it is possible to suppress the residue T from slipping through the extended base end 191 of the convex part 122 in the longitudinal direction from the corner part 190 (Figs. 4(a) and (c)) connecting the tip edge 125 of the central part 120 of the cleaning blade 101 and the inner edge 129 of the convex part 122.

[0082] And only for the first thin piece of meat 151, since the thickness is small and the elastic restoring force is small, the pressing force against the belt surface 411 becomes small. However, each of the second to fourth thin pieces of meat 152 to 154 reinforces the pressing force of the first thin piece of meat 151 against the belt surface 411 with its own elastic restoring force, and the tip parts 161, 162, 163, 164 of the thin pieces of meat 151, 152, 153, 154 are attracted and become like one protrusion. Therefore, the scraping property of the residue T on the belt surface 411 with the flat surfaces 155 of the tip parts 161 to 164 can be improved compared to the case where only one thin and thin piece of meat is provided.

[0083] Here, the mechanism by which the residue T containing toner scraped by the tip edge 125 of the central part 120 of the cleaning blade 101 flows from the center in the longitudinal direction toward both end sides will be briefly explained.

[0084] That is, some of the residue T scraped by the tip edge 125 of the central part 120 may fall due to its own weight. For the residue T that does not fall due to its own weight, it is pushed by the residue T that is conveyed from the bottom to the top and successively to the tip edge 125, and is likely to accumulate at the contact part between the tip edge 125 and the belt surface 411. Even if the accumulated amount increases, basically the residue T cannot pass through between the tip edge 125 and the belt surface 411 and move to the downstream side in the belt conveying direction.

[0085] On the other hand, with respect to the movement toward both end sides in the longitudinal direction, since there is no particularly restrictive action acting on the residue T, the residue T that is conveyed from the bottom one after another is pushed by the residue T coming from below and gradually moves along the tip edge 125 so as to escape to both end sides in the longitudinal direction.

[0086] Even if the residue flows from the center in the longitudinal direction toward both end sides in this way, it is blocked by the convex portions 121 and 122 provided at both end portions 121 and 122, so that it is possible to prevent the residue from leaking further outward from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 101.

[0087] Note that the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 is provided corresponding to the non-image forming area so as to belong to the non-image forming area of the intermediate transfer belt 41 in the longitudinal direction as described above. Therefore, the amount of the residue T is significantly less than that of the central portion 120 of the cleaning blade 101 belonging to the image forming area. Even if the residue T accumulates at the tip portions 161 to 164 of the thin pieces 151 to 154 of the convex portion 122, the amount of accumulation is significantly small. Some of the residue T accumulated at the tip portions 161 to 164 of the thin pieces 151 to 154 may fall by its own weight, and some may flow outward like the above-described central portion 120. Since the amount of accumulation itself is small, the amount of the residue T that escapes outward is also considerably small, and it does not reach the point of affecting the next transfer or scattering into the peripheral space of the intermediate transfer belt 41 and soiling the inside of the machine.

[0088] Also, a seal member 180 (dashed line in FIG. 3) is often provided in the housing 100 so as to be adjacent to the outside in the longitudinal direction of the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101, and the seal member 180 is used to stop the leakage of the residue T from the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 to the outside.

[0089] On the other hand, the seal member 180 is arranged in the housing 100 so that a certain amount of gap, for example, about 0.1 to 0.5 mm, is provided between the seal member 180 and the blade body 110. This is because if the blade body 110 and the seal member 180 are brought into complete contact, the bending of the cleaning blade 101 may be inhibited due to the friction between the two, and the pressing force on the belt surface 411 caused by the bending may decrease from the normal magnitude, which may affect the cleaning performance. If the amount of the residue T trying to leak out is small, even with such a gap, it will not easily lead to in-machine contamination due to scattering.

[0090] However, in the conventional configuration where the residue T passes through the convex portion of the cleaning blade, the amount of the residue T passing through is much larger than the residue T accumulated at the tip portion 161 of the convex portion, and over a long period, the residue T is likely to leak out of the housing 100, that is, outside the belt cleaning portion 45, through the gap with the seal member 180.

[0091] On the contrary, the cleaning blade 101 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the end portion is branched into a plurality of thin pieces in the thickness direction, so that it is less likely for the residue T to pass through the convex portion 122 than in the conventional equivalent configuration. Even if the residue T passes through, the amount is significantly small, so the seal member 180 can sufficiently prevent leakage. This seal member 180 is provided corresponding not only to the convex portion 122 at the right end portion of the cleaning blade 101 but also to the convex portion 121 at the left end portion 121. In addition, when the influence of transfer, scattering, etc. hardly occurs even without the seal member 180, a configuration without arranging the seal member 180 can also be adopted.

[0092] As described above, the cleaning blade 101 according to the present embodiment can effectively suppress the leakage of the residue from the end portion of the cleaning blade compared to the conventional cleaning blade having a convex portion, and can prevent the leaked residue from affecting the transfer next or scattering to contaminate the inside of the apparatus with the residue.

[0093] <Embodiment 2> In the above-described Embodiment 1, a configuration example in which the depth J (FIG. 4(c)) of the recessed grooves 171 to 173 is the same as the protruding direction length (protrusion length of the convex portion) I of the convex portion 122 was described. However, in Embodiment 2, the depth J of the recessed groove has a magnitude relationship of J > I (protrusion length of the convex portion), and it is different from Embodiment 1 in this regard. Hereinafter, in order to avoid duplication of explanation, the explanation of the same content as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same components.

[0094] FIG. 6(a) is a schematic plan view showing an enlarged view of the convex portion 122 according to Embodiment 2, and FIG. 6(b) is a schematic side view when the convex portion 122 is viewed from the direction of arrow E shown in FIG. 6(a).

[0095] As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the depth J of the recessed groove is about 1.5 times the protrusion length I of the convex portion. Accordingly, the elastic restoring force due to the bending of the thin pieces 151 to 154 is weaker than that in Embodiment 1. As a result, the contact area of the portion from the base end portion 195 to the tip edge 128 of the thin pieces 151 to 154 with respect to the belt surface 411 becomes wider, and accordingly, the pressing force of the belt surface 411 by the thin pieces 151 to 154 is equalized, the adhesion between the thin pieces 151 to 154 and the belt surface 411 is improved, and the effect of preventing the residue T from passing through can be enhanced.

[0096] <Embodiment 3> In the above-described Embodiment 2, a configuration example in which the depth J of the recessed groove has a magnitude relationship of J > I (protrusion length of the convex portion) was described. However, in Embodiment 3, in addition to this magnitude relationship, a slit is cut by a predetermined length in the vicinity of the extended base end 191 of the convex portion (end portion) 122, and it is different from Embodiment 2 in this regard.

[0097] FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the convex portion 122 of the cleaning blade 101 according to Embodiment 3, and a slit 126 is added to the cleaning blade 101 shown in FIG. 6(a).

[0098] As shown in FIG. 7, the slit 126 is the tip edge 125 of the central portion 120 and is placed near the extended base end 191 of the convex portion 122. The slit 126 is cut by a predetermined length U from the tip side toward the base end side and forms a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction, separating the tip edge 125 of the central portion 120 from the extended base end 191 of the convex portion 122.

[0099] The predetermined length (slit length) U corresponds to the magnitude of the difference between the depth J of the recessed groove and the protruding length I of the convex portion. Here, the relationship is such that the slit length U < the protruding length I of the convex portion. The larger protruding length I of the convex portion makes it easier to block the residue flowing from the center in the longitudinal direction toward the end side. The width W of the slit 126 (the gap between the outer edge 130 of the central portion 120 and the inner edge 129 of the end portion 122) is, for example, about 0.1 mm, but it is desirable that it be smaller than this.

[0100] Then, for the thin meat slices 151 to 154, the free end side portion from the base end portion 195 on the root side to the tip edge 128 can be in an individually bent posture independently of the tip side of the central portion 120 due to the slit 126 placed between them and the central portion 120, becoming more likely to adhere to the belt surface 411 and more reliably preventing the residue T from slipping through.

[0101] In the above, the relationship is such that the slit length U < the protruding length I of the convex portion, but alternatively, for example, the relationship can be such that the slit length U > the protruding length I of the convex portion. As the slit length U increases, the elastic restoring force of the thin meat slices 151 to 154 becomes weaker than when U is small, so accordingly, the adhesion to the belt surface 411 increases and it becomes easier to prevent the residue T from slipping through.

[0102] Moreover, a configuration having a relationship where the slit length U = the protruding length I of the convex portion can also be adopted. Further, the depth J of the recessed groove is set to the relationship of J = (the protruding length I of the convex portion + a predetermined slit length U), but it is not limited to this magnitude relationship. For example, the relationship of the protruding length I of the convex portion ≦ the depth J of the recessed groove < (the protruding length I of the convex portion + the slit length U) can be set, or the relationship of (the protruding length I of the convex portion + the slit length U) < the depth J of the recessed groove can be set. Depending on the amount of deflection of the cleaning blade 101 when the cleaning blade 101 is pressed against the belt surface 411 and the magnitude of the contact angle (Fig. 2: θ) of the cleaning blade 101 with the belt surface 411, etc., an appropriate magnitude relationship and dimensions suitable for preventing the residue T from slipping through from the end of the cleaning blade 101 can be determined in advance by experiments or the like.

[0103] <Modification Example> As described above, the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments, but it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the following modification examples can be considered.

[0104] (1) In the above embodiment, the width Q in the thickness direction of the recessed grooves 171 to 173 in the convex portions 121 and 122 of the cleaning blade 101, that is, the interval (separation width) in the thickness direction between two adjacent thin pieces of meat 151 and 152, 152 and 153, 153 and 154 in the thickness direction, is assumed to be equal, but it is not limited to this. For example, different intervals can also be set.

[0105] Specifically, when the separation width between the thin piece of meat 151 closest to the belt surface 411 and the thin piece of meat 152 second closest is Q1, the separation width between the thin piece of meat 152 second closest and the thin piece of meat 153 third closest is Q2, and the separation width between the thin piece of meat 153 third closest and the thin piece of meat 154 farthest is Q3, for example, a configuration having a magnitude relationship of Q1 > Q2 > Q3 or a configuration having a magnitude relationship of Q1 > Q2 = Q3 can be adopted. When the thicknesses P of the thin pieces of meat 151 to 154 are the same, the larger the separation width Q1 between the thin piece of meat 151 closest to the belt surface 411 and the thin piece of meat 152 second closest, the easier it is for the thin piece of meat 151 to be bent and deformed without being obstructed by the adjacent thin piece of meat 152, and the adhesion to the belt surface 411 can be increased accordingly.

[0106] FIG. 8(a) is a schematic side view showing one form of the convex portion 122 according to this modified example, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic perspective view thereof. Here, the configurations shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) correspond to those obtained by removing the thin piece of meat 152 from among the thin pieces of meat 151 to 154 in the configuration having the slit 126 shown in FIG. 7, and show the state when the cleaning blade 101 is in a natural state.

[0107] As shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), the separation width Q5 between the thin piece of meat 151 (first thin piece of meat) and the thin piece of meat 153 (second thin piece of meat), that is, the width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove 171, is wider than the separation width (width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove 172) Q6 between the thin piece of meat 153 (second thin piece of meat) and the thin piece of meat 154 (third thin piece of meat). Here, Q5 is about three times Q6. The wider the separation width Q5 is, the easier the thin piece of meat 151 closest to the belt surface 411 is to bend and deform compared to a narrower configuration, and the adhesion to the belt surface 411 is improved. Note that it is not limited to the above three times, and it is sufficient if there is a relationship of Q5>Q6. For example, it can be 1.5 to 2 times.

[0108] Further, instead of making the separation widths Q of two adjacent thin pieces of meat different, or in addition to making the separation widths Q different, for example, a configuration in which the thicknesses of the respective thin pieces of meat are made different from each other can also be adopted.

[0109] Specifically, when the thickness of the thin piece of meat 151 is P1, the thickness of the thin piece of meat 152 is P2, the thickness of the thin piece of meat 153 is P3, and the thickness of the thin piece of meat 154 is P4, for example, a configuration having a magnitude relationship of P1<P2<P3<P4 or a magnitude relationship of P1<P2≦P3≦P4 can be adopted. By making the thickness of the thin piece of meat 151 thinner than the other thin pieces of meat 152 to 154, the thin piece of meat 151 closest to the belt surface 411 is more likely to bend and deform than the other thin pieces of meat 152 to 154, and the adhesion to the belt surface 411 can be increased accordingly.

[0110] (2) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example in which the tip surfaces of the tip portions 161 to 164 of the thin meat pieces 151 to 154 are flat surfaces 155 has been described, but it is not limited to the flat surface 155. For example, as shown in the schematic side view of FIG. 9, the thicknesses P1 to P4 of the thin meat pieces 151 to 154 become thinner as they go from the extension base end 191 toward the tip side, and the tip portions 161 to 164 have a shape that is pointed in side view (a configuration without a flat surface on the tip side). By making the thickness of each of the thin meat pieces 151 to 154 thinner as it goes toward the tip side, it becomes easier to elastically deform with less stress than a configuration with a constant thickness, and the adhesion to the belt surface 411 can be improved. In the configuration shown in FIG. 9, a flat surface can also be provided at the tip portions 161 to 164 of the thin meat pieces 151 to 154.

[0111] Further, a configuration can also be adopted in which a lubrication treatment (low friction treatment) is applied to the surfaces of the tip portions 161 to 164 of the thin meat pieces 151 to 154. Examples of the lubrication treatment include fluororesin coating and silicone resin coating. By applying such a lubrication treatment, the slipperiness with respect to the belt surface 411 is improved compared to a configuration without such a lubrication treatment, and it is possible to prevent the convex portions 121 and 122 that are in counter contact from curling.

[0112] (3) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example in which the blade body 110 of the cleaning blade 101 and the convex portions 121 and 122 are integrally formed of the same material, urethane rubber, has been described, but it is not limited to this.

[0113] For example, a configuration can also be adopted in which the blade body 110 and the convex portions 121 and 122 are formed of materials with different hardnesses. Specifically, a configuration in which the convex portions 121 and 122 are formed of a material with a lower hardness than the blade body 110, that is, all other than the convex portions 121 and 122, can be considered.

[0114] Since a lower hardness makes it easier to bend than a higher hardness, by forming the convex portions 121 and 122 with a material having a lower hardness than the hardness of the blade body 110 as a reference, the adhesion of the thin slices 151 to 154 of the convex portions 121 and 122 to the belt surface 411 can be increased. Conversely, for example, when the contact angle θ (FIG. 2) of the cleaning blade 101 with respect to the belt surface 411 is small, if making the material of the convex portions 121 and 122 harder can achieve better cleaning performance and prevent curling than making it softer, the convex portions 121 and 122 can be formed of a material harder than the blade body 110.

[0115] The cleaning blade 101 can be formed of different materials by, for example, using two-color molding or by adhering the convex portions 121 and 122 to the blade body 110 with an adhesive or the like to form the cleaning blade 101. Note that it is not limited to forming with materials having different hardnesses. If the hardness can be adjusted by additives, the same material, for example, urethane rubber, can be used to form the blade body 110 with a hardness of, for example, 70 degrees and the convex portions 121 and 122 with a hardness of, for example, 50 degrees.

[0116] (4) In the above embodiment, the number of branched thin slices in the convex portions 121 and 122 is four, but it is not limited to this, and it can also be a plurality, that is, two or three, or five or more. The number suitable for preventing scraping of the residue and passing of the residue can be determined in advance by experiments or the like. Also, the appropriate lengths, widths, and depths of the recessed grooves 171 to 174 and the slit 126 can be determined in advance by experiments or the like based on the thickness and material of the cleaning blade 101.

[0117] (5) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example has been described in which the position where the tip portion 112 of the cleaning blade 101 presses the support roller 43c as a backup member disposed on the opposite side with the intermediate transfer belt 41 interposed therebetween is defined as the cleaning position. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the position where the tip portion 112 of the cleaning blade 101 presses the belt surface 411 of the intermediate transfer belt 41 is defined as the cleaning position at a position between the support rollers 43c and 43d (a position where no backup member exists).

[0118] (6) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example in which the cleaning blade 101 counter-contacts the belt surface 411 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the tip portion 112 of the cleaning blade 101 contacts the belt surface 411 in the same direction as the belt running direction (the direction of arrow A), that is, in the so-called trailing direction, with respect to the base end portion 111.

[0119] (7) In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example in which the thin pieces 151 to 154 are provided on the cleaning blade 101 of the belt cleaning unit 15 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the thin pieces 151 to 154 are provided at each of one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 36 of the drum cleaning unit 35. Leakage of residues from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 36 into the gap with the surface of the photosensitive drum 33 can be suppressed in the same manner as above, as compared with a conventional equivalent configuration having no plurality of thin pieces branched in the thickness direction.

[0120] (8) In the above-described embodiment, each of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 101 is configured to have a plurality of thin pieces branched in the thickness direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if there is a configuration in which most of the residues T such as toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 101 move to one end side in the longitudinal direction along the edge 125 of the cleaning blade 101 pressed against the belt surface 411, it may be possible to apply a configuration in which a plurality of thin pieces are branched only at the end portion on that one end side.

[0121] (9) In the above embodiment, an example in which the image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is applied to a tandem color multifunction printer has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Regardless of whether it is a function for executing color image formation or a function for executing monochrome image formation, a toner image formed on a rotating or traveling image carrier is transferred to a transfer target, and residues on the image carrier after the transfer are removed by a cleaning blade. Any configuration that can be applied to general image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, facsimile machines, etc.

[0122] As the image carrier, an intermediate transfer body including an intermediate transfer belt 41 or an intermediate transfer drum in an intermediate transfer system may be used, or a photoreceptor such as a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt may be used. Here, a cleaning blade for cleaning the intermediate transfer drum or the photoreceptor drum is used in a long shape in the axial direction of the intermediate transfer drum or the photoreceptor drum (corresponding to the width direction of the image carrier).

[0123] In the case of the intermediate transfer system, the intermediate transfer body can be regarded as the image carrier, and the recording sheet can be regarded as the transfer target. When the photoreceptor is used as the image carrier, if it is the intermediate transfer system, the intermediate transfer body can be regarded as the transfer target, and if it is not the intermediate transfer system, the recording sheet can be regarded as the transfer target.

[0124] Also, for example, if the toner image on the first intermediate transfer body is transferred to another second intermediate transfer body and then the toner image on the second intermediate transfer body is transferred to the recording sheet, the first intermediate transfer body can be regarded as the image carrier and the second intermediate transfer body can be regarded as the transfer target. For the cleaning blade, a long one can be used in a direction orthogonal or inclined to the moving direction (rotating direction or circumferential direction) of the image carrier to be cleaned, that is, in an intersecting direction.

[0125] Furthermore, although the cleaning blade 101 is configured to be formed of urethane rubber, as long as it has elasticity, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, it may be formed of rubber or synthetic resin other than urethane, or if a configuration having a plurality of thin pieces of meat is possible, a metal one such as stainless steel (SUS) may be used.

[0126] Needless to say, the materials, sizes, shapes, and various numerical values of the above-described respective members are not limited to those described above, and materials, sizes, etc. suitable according to the device configuration are determined.

[0127] Also, the contents of the above-described embodiments and the above-described modification examples may be combined respectively.

Industrial Applicability

[0128] The present disclosure can be applied to an image forming apparatus that removes residues on an image carrier by a cleaning blade.

Explanation of Signs

[0129] 33 Photoconductor drum 36, 101 Cleaning blade 41 Intermediate transfer belt 45 Belt cleaning unit 110 Blade body 111 Base end portion of the cleaning blade 112 Tip end portion of the cleaning blade 120 Central portion in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 121, 122 End portions in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade 125 Edge at the center (contact edge with the belt surface) 126 Slit 128 Tip edge at the end of the cleaning blade 129 Inner edge at the end of the cleaning blade 130 Outer edge at the center of the cleaning blade 151, 152, 153, 154 Thin slices 161, 162, 163, 164 Tip end portions (extended tip end portions) of the thin slices 171, 172, 173, 174 Recessed grooves 190 Edge portion connecting the tip edge at the center of the cleaning blade and the inner edge of the end portion (protruding portion) 191 Base end portion of the protruding portion (extended base end of the end portion) 411 Belt surface A Belt running direction (moving direction) I Protrusion length of convex part (extended length of end part) J Depth of recessed groove P Thickness of thin meat slice Q Width of recessed groove in thickness direction U Short-side length of slit W Width of slit

Claims

1. A cleaning blade that is long along the width direction of the image carrier of an image forming apparatus, abuts on the surface of the image carrier, and cleans residues on the image carrier, wherein when the direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is defined as the short-side direction, the longitudinal end portion extends in the short-side direction more than the longitudinal central portion, and the extending tip side is branched into a plurality of thin pieces in the thickness direction by a recessed groove. A cleaning blade characterized by that.

2. When the side that abuts on the image carrier in the short-side direction is defined as the tip side and the opposite side is defined as the base end side, The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein a slit is cut to a predetermined length in the vicinity of the extension base end of the end portion on the tip side of the central portion.

3. The cleaning blade according to claim 2, characterized in that when the extension length of the end portion is I and the predetermined length of the slit is U, it has a relationship of U < I.

4. The cleaning blade according to claim 2, characterized in that when the extension length of the end portion is I and the predetermined length of the slit is U, it has a relationship of I ≤ U.

5. Furthermore, when the depth of the recessed groove is J, the cleaning blade according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it has a relationship of J = (I + U).

6. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that when the extension length of the end portion is I and the depth of the recessed groove is J, it has a relationship of J ≤ I.

7. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that when the extension length of the end portion is I and the depth of the recessed groove is J, it has a relationship of I < J.

8. The number of the thin pieces is 3 or more. Among the 3 or more thin pieces arranged in the thickness direction, when the cleaning blade abuts on the image carrier, the thin piece closest to the image carrier in the thickness direction is defined as the first thin piece, the second closest thin piece is defined as the second thin piece, and the third closest thin piece is defined as the third thin piece. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove between the first thin piece and the second thin piece is wider than the width in the thickness direction of the recessed groove between the second thin piece and the third thin piece.

9. The number of the thin meat slices is 2 or more, and among the 2 or more thin meat slices arranged in the thickness direction, when the cleaning blade abuts on the image carrier, the thin meat slice at the position closest to the image carrier in the thickness direction is defined as the first thin meat slice, and the thin meat slice second closest is defined as the second thin meat slice. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first thin meat slice is thinner than the second thin meat slice.

10. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the tip surface of the thin meat slice is a flat surface.

11. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the thin meat slice becomes thinner toward the tip.

12. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a lubrication treatment is applied to the surface of the tip portion of the thin meat slice.

13. When the entire remaining part other than the end portion is the blade body, the cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the blade body and the end portion are integrally formed.

14. The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the central portion and the end portion are formed of materials having different hardnesses.

15. The cleaning blade according to claim 14, characterized in that the end portion has a lower hardness than the central portion.

16. The image carrier is divided into an image forming area and a non-image forming area in the longitudinal direction, The cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the end portion is provided corresponding to the non-image forming area of the image carrier.

17. An image forming apparatus for cleaning residues on an image carrier with a cleaning member, The image forming apparatus, characterized in that the cleaning member includes the cleaning blade according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

Images