Rotating Charging Roller Cleaning Member for Toner Stain Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, the cleaning member for the charging roller is not effectively cleaned during continuous printing, leading to toner stains on the charging roller and potential staining of the image forming apparatus, reducing productivity and requiring forced stops for cleaning operations.
Innovation Solution
A brush-shaped cleaning member is designed to abut against the charging roller, with a specific abutment region arrangement that prevents toner from dropping into the apparatus main body, allowing for increased print volume before cleaning is necessary and minimizing internal staining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed type cleaning member is used to clean the charging roller, then the structure is simple, but toner accumulates in the cleaning member and eventually drops to stain the apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning member is designed to rotate along with the charging roller instead of being fixed. This dynamic configuration allows the cleaning member to continuously discharge accumulated toner outward due to centrifugal force, preventing toner from dropping into the apparatus while maintaining simple structure.
2Reliability
If the cleaning member is positioned to effectively clean the charging roller, then cleaning performance is improved, but toner may drop into the apparatus main body
Solution Approach 1:
By making the cleaning member rotate with the charging roller, centrifugal force acts on the accumulated toner, directing it outward away from the apparatus interior. This dynamic positioning maintains effective cleaning contact while preventing harmful toner droppage into the apparatus main body.
3Productivity
If continuous printing is performed without cleaning operations, then productivity is maintained, but the cleaning member becomes saturated with toner and must be forcibly stopped for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating cleaning member continuously discharges accumulated toner during the printing operation itself, eliminating the need for separate cleaning stops. This maintains continuous printing productivity while preventing cleaning member saturation, as the rotation constantly expels toner outward through centrifugal force.
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge is detachably provided to a main body of an image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member which is rotatable, a charging roller which contacts and charges the image bearing member, and a cleaning member which cleans the charging roller with the brush portion. In a section substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of the charging roller, a contact point between a surface of the image bearing member and a tangent crossing a downstream end of an abutment region of the brush portion against the charging roller in a rotation direction of the charging roller among tangents to the image bearing member is vertically above a horizontal line passing through a center of the image bearing member, and an upstream end of the abutment region in the rotation direction of the charging roller is vertically above the downstream end in the rotation direction.