Transferring Roller Cleaning with Foreign Material Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of spherical toner in image forming apparatuses leads to toner residue on the back side of sheets due to the small diameter and high average roundness of the toner, which is difficult to remove effectively with conventional cleaning methods, especially when paper powder adheres to the transferring roller.
Innovation Solution
A transferring device with a cleaning blade that applies stronger pressure to remove residual toner and a foreign material removing member to address the issue of paper powder adherence, combined with a lubricant supplying system to reduce toner adhesion, is implemented to prevent toner residue on the back side of sheets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pressure of the cleaning blade against the transferring roller is increased to remove spherical toner, then the cleaning ability improves, but paper powder adheres to the transferring roller and forms gaps that allow toner to pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is divided into two separate members: a cleaning blade for removing toner and a foreign material removing member for removing paper powder. This segmentation allows each component to address specific contaminants without the adverse effects of the other, resolving the contradiction between effective toner removal and preventing paper powder adherence.
Solution Approach 2:
The foreign material removing member acts as an intermediary between the cleaning blade and the transferring roller, removing paper powder before it can adhere and cause problems. This intermediary component prevents the harmful effect while allowing the cleaning blade to maintain its effective pressure for toner removal.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a cleaning blade is used to remove toner from the transferring roller, then toner residue is prevented, but spherical toner passes through the nip between the cleaning blade and transferring roller
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameters of the cleaning system by introducing a foreign material removing member with different functional characteristics from the cleaning blade. This allows optimization of each component for its specific task: the cleaning blade for toner removal and the foreign material removing member for paper powder removal, thereby improving overall reliability.
3Reliability
If the cleaning blade pressure is maintained at high levels continuously, then spherical toner is removed effectively, but the cleaning ability deteriorates over time due to paper powder accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The foreign material removing member performs preliminary action by removing paper powder before it can accumulate and interfere with the cleaning blade's operation. This preliminary removal of contaminants extends the effective duration of the cleaning blade's performance without requiring excessive pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The foreign material removing member operates continuously to remove paper powder, ensuring that the cleaning blade always works on a clean surface. This continuous action maintains the effectiveness of the cleaning system over extended periods, improving the duration of reliable toner removal.
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 solution effectively removes residual toner and paper powder from the transferring roller, preventing toner residue on the back side of sheets for a longer duration, even with high-pressure cleaning, thereby improving the cleaning performance and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricant supplying member configured to supply a lubricant on the surface of the image bearing member
Data Source
AI summary
A transferring device installed in an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear toner images on the surface. There is a transferring member configured to contact the image bearing member to form a transferring nip. A lubricant supplying member is configured to supply a lubricant to the surface of the transferring member, and there is a transferring member cleaning member such as a blade configured to remove residual toner and which contacts the surface of the transferring member. There is also a foreign material removing member configured to remove residual foreign material from the surface of the transferring member.