Powder conveying device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
US-2023384730-A1 · Nov 30, 2023 · US
Image forming apparatus and coating-film adjusting method
US12510859B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-12510859-B2 |
| Application number | US-202418665918-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | May 16, 2024 |
| Priority date | May 26, 2023 |
| Publication date | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 2025 |
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- Title
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Abstract
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An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a cleaning blade having an elastic member contacting a surface of the image bearer, the cleaning blade removing a residue on the surface of the image bearer, and a controller. In the image forming apparatus, the cleaning blade has a coating film of a lubricant formed on an edge contacting, at least, the image bearer, and the controller performs an initial coating film adjustment before an image is initially formed. In the image forming apparatus, the initial coating film adjustment includes driving the image bearer to rotate, sliding the image bearer and the cleaning blade, removing a portion of the coating film of the lubricant, which is formed on the cleaning blade, and exposing the edge of the cleaning blade.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1 . An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearer; a cleaning blade having an elastic member contacting a surface of the image bearer, the cleaning blade configured to remove a residue on the surface of the image bearer; and a controller, wherein the cleaning blade has a coating film of a lubricant on an edge contacting, at least, the image bearer, and the controller is configured to perform an initial coating film adjustment before an image is initially formed, wherein the initial coating film adjustment includes, driving the image bearer to rotate, sliding the image bearer and the cleaning blade, removing a portion of the coating film of the lubricant on the cleaning blade, and exposing the edge of the cleaning blade. 2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the initial coating film adjustment, the controller is configured to drive the image bearer to rotate in a direction reverse to when the image is formed. 3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the initial coating film adjustment, the controller is configured to drive the image bearer to rotate for a length of time equal to or longer than thirty seconds and equal to or shorter than ten minutes. 4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a lubricant applicator configured to apply the lubricant to the image bearer, wherein, in the initial coating film adjustment, the controller is configured to control whether or not to apply the lubricant using the lubricant applicator. 5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein, in the initial coating film adjustment, the controller is configured to, start applying the lubricant using the lubricant applicator as the image bearer starts rotating, and apply the lubricant while the image bearer is being driven to rotate, start applying the lubricant using the lubricant applicator before driving the image bearer to rotate, or apply the lubricant using the lubricant applicator only for a part of a period of time for which the image bearer is driven to rotate. 6 . A method of adjusting a coating film, the method comprising: initially adjusting the coating film before an image is initially formed; and forming the coating film of a lubricant at an edge of a cleaning blade of an image forming apparatus before the initially adjusting the coating film, wherein the edge of the cleaning blade contacts, at least, an image bearer of the image forming apparatus, the cleaning blade has an elastic member contacting a surface of the image bearer, the cleaning blade is configured to remove a residue on the surface of the image bearer, and the initially adjusting the coating film includes driving the image bearer to rotate, sliding the image bearer and the cleaning blade, removing a portion of the coating film of the lubricant formed on the cleaning blade, and exposing the edge of the cleaning blade.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Cleaning of residual toner · CPC title
using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming · CPC title
fatigue treatment of the photoconductor · CPC title
- G03G21/0017Primary
Details relating to the internal structure or chemical composition of the blades · CPC title
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- What does patent US12510859B2 cover?
- An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a cleaning blade having an elastic member contacting a surface of the image bearer, the cleaning blade removing a residue on the surface of the image bearer, and a controller. In the image forming apparatus, the cleaning blade has a coating film of a lubricant formed on an edge contacting, at least, the image bearer, and the controller perfor…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Kimura Hideki, Kogure Seiichi, Kikuchi Hiroshi, and 7 more
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification G03G21/0017. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Dec 30 2025 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 9 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).