Polyurethane Lubricant Levelling Blade for Uniform Image Bearer Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lubricant levelling blades in image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining consistent lubricant application and durability, especially in high-speed and low-temperature environments, leading to uneven lubricant distribution and increased friction, which can cause blade rolling and abnormal image formation.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant levelling blade with a polyurethane elastomer contact surface and a leading end ridge portion angle of 90 to 140 degrees, stabilized by a Martens hardness of 1.5 to 30.0 N/mm², prevents abrasion and ensures uniform lubricant distribution, enhancing durability and performance in high-speed, high-quality image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lubricant is fed upstream the cleaning blade contact site, then the cleaning blade can level the lubricant, but the lubricant distribution becomes uneven due to residual toner interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent feeds the lubricant downstream of the cleaning blade contact site, after the cleaning blade has already removed residual toner. This preliminary cleaning action ensures the lubricant applies to a clean surface, preventing toner-lubricant mixing and achieving uniform distribution without requiring the lubricant to level through toner interference
2Manufacturing precision
If a lubricant levelling member is added to level the lubricant, then lubricant distribution improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the cleaning blade perform dual functions: both cleaning the image bearer surface and levelling the lubricant. By positioning the lubricant feeding device downstream of the cleaning blade contact site, the cleaning blade's surface contact action naturally levels the lubricant without requiring an additional dedicated levelling member, thus avoiding increased device complexity
3Reliability
If the cleaning blade friction coefficient is reduced with lubricant, then blade rolling is prevented, but lubricant adhesion to surrounding members increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lubricant application location from the upstream area (where residual toner exists) and positions it downstream after the cleaning blade contact site. This separation ensures lubricant is applied only to clean areas, preventing lubricant adhesion to surrounding members while still achieving sufficient lubrication to prevent blade rolling
4Reliability
If the lubricant amount is increased to ensure sufficient coverage, then friction reduction improves, but lubricant adhesion to charging member and developer bearer increases causing abnormal images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the cleaning blade as an intermediary mechanism that controls lubricant distribution. The cleaning blade's contact with the image bearer surface acts as a mediator that spreads and levels the lubricant uniformly, ensuring sufficient coverage for friction reduction while preventing excessive lubricant accumulation that would cause adhesion to charging members and abnormal images
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The lubricant levelling blade effectively stabilizes lubricant application, preventing uneven distribution and blade abrasion, ensuring high-quality image formation and extended durability in low-temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A Martens hardness HM of a polyurethane elastomer forming a contact surface of an elastic member with an image bearer is high; i.e., 1.5 to 30.0 N/mm²
Implementation Method 2
prevents abrasion and ensures uniform lubricant distribution, enhancing durability
Implementation Method 3
configured to feed a lubricant such as a fatty acid metal salt to an image bearer surface for reducing the friction coefficient between the cleaning blade and the image bearer surface
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Provided is a lubricant levelling blade (104) including an elastic member (1042) configured to contact a surface of an image bearer (3) to apply a lubricant to the surface of the image bearer. A contact surface (104c) of the elastic member with the image bearer is a polyurethane elastomer. A Martens hardness HM of the contact surface of the elastic member with the image bearer is 1.5 N/mm2 or higher but 30.0 N/mm2 or lower.