Image Holder Toner Refeed for Stable Cleaning Blade Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face decreased productivity and unnecessary toner consumption due to insufficient supply of external additives during low-density image formation, which interrupts the image forming process.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a cleaning blade that contacts the image holder, an accommodating member to store removed toner, and a supply unit that replenishes toner with external additives upstream of the cleaning blade, ensuring stable toner removal and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cleaning blade is used to scrape off toner from the image holder, then toner removal is achieved, but external additive supply is insufficient during low-density image formation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by supplying external additives to the image holder surface before the cleaning blade operates. The additive supply unit deposits external additives on the image holder upstream in the rotation direction, ensuring that when the cleaning blade scrapes toner later in the rotation cycle, sufficient external additives are already present on the surface to enable stable toner removal, even during low-density image formation.
2Reliability
If external additive supply is performed during low-density image formation, then toner removal stability is improved, but image forming process is interrupted and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the external additive supply function with the existing image forming process. The additive supply unit operates concurrently with image formation on the same image holder surface, combining two previously separate processes (additive supply and image formation) into a unified continuous operation, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring toner removal stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention ensures continuity of useful action by making the external additive supply an ongoing process that occurs continuously during image formation rather than as a separate interrupting step. The additive supply unit continuously deposits external additives on the image holder as it rotates, maintaining uninterrupted image forming operations while steadily supplying the necessary additives for subsequent toner removal.
3Reliability
If external additive supply is performed through toner supply during low-density image formation, then toner removal stability is improved, but unnecessary toner is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the external additive supply function from the toner supply process. Instead of relying on toner particles to carry external additives to the image holder surface, the system uses a dedicated additive supply unit that directly deposits external additives onto the image holder. This separation allows external additives to be supplied independently without requiring toner supply, thereby eliminating unnecessary toner consumption during low-density image formation.
4Productivity
If the cleaning blade continuously contacts the image holder to remove toner, then toner removal is maintained, but the cleaning blade wears out faster
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by depositing external additives on the image holder surface before the cleaning blade contacts it. These external additives form a protective layer that reduces direct friction and wear between the cleaning blade and the image holder surface, allowing the cleaning blade to continuously perform toner removal while extending its operational life through reduced wear.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a cleaning blade that comes into contact with a surface of an image holder and removes toner adhering to the surface of the image holder, an accommodating member that accommodates the toner removed by the cleaning blade, and a supply unit that is disposed in the accommodating member and supplies the toner accommodated in the accommodating member to the surface of the image holder on an upstream side in a rotation direction of the image holder with respect to the cleaning blade.