Cleaning Blade Young's Modulus and Tip Angle Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning blades fail to suppress color streaks when cleaning image holders without lubricant application, due to high frictional forces leading to vibration and slipping issues, and are prone to chipping or belly-abutting, which results in cleaning defects.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning blade with a Young's modulus of 14 MPa to 25 MPa and a tip angle of 55 degrees to 80 degrees is developed, specifically configured with a polyurethane rubber member having a hard segment and soft segment, and an area ratio of aggregates between 18% and 28%, to maintain contact and prevent slipping and chipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a cleaning blade with low Young's modulus is used to reduce chipping, then the blade becomes too soft and slips under high frictional forces, but if a cleaning blade with high Young's modulus is used to prevent slipping, then the blade becomes prone to chipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the Young's modulus within the range of 14-25 MPa and the tip angle within 55-80 degrees. This optimized parameter range creates a balance where the blade is sufficiently rigid to maintain contact under frictional forces while remaining soft enough to prevent chipping, resolving the contradiction between resistance to chipping and contact stability
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning blade uses a composite material structure consisting of hard segments and soft segments in a polyurethane rubber composition. The hard segments (20-40 parts by mass) provide structural integrity and resistance to deformation, while the soft segments (60-80 parts by mass) provide flexibility and prevent chipping. This composite approach allows the blade to simultaneously achieve both resistance to chipping and contact stability under friction
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tip angle is made smaller to reduce contact pressure, then the blade is more prone to belly-abutting, but if the tip angle is made larger to prevent belly-abutting, then the blade causes more cleaning defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the tip angle within the specific range of 55-80 degrees. This angle range is sufficiently large to prevent belly-abutting by maintaining adequate contact pressure distribution, yet not so large as to cause excessive cleaning defects. The precise control of this geometric parameter resolves the contradiction between preventing belly-abutting and maintaining cleaning quality
3Reliability
If lubricant is applied to reduce frictional forces, then the blade maintains stable contact, but the system becomes more complex and requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle by designing the cleaning blade itself to provide the friction management function that would otherwise require a separate lubricant application system. The optimized material composition and geometric parameters enable the blade to maintain stable contact under frictional forces without requiring external lubrication, thereby eliminating additional components and simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning blade in which a Young's modulus of a contact portion that comes into contact with a member to be cleaned is 14 MPa or more and 25 MPa or less, and a tip angle of the contact portion is 55 degrees or more and 80 degrees or less.