Image formation unit and image formation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9128404-B2
Application number	US-201314102570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2013
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	Sep 8, 2015
Grant date	Sep 8, 2015

Abstract

An image formation unit includes a rotatable image carrier, a charge member configured to electrically charge a surface of the image carrier, a charge cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and configured to clean a surface of the charge member, a first cleaning member configured to clean the surface of the image carrier, and a second cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and provided downstream of the first cleaning member in a rotation direction of the image carrier. The cell density of the charge cleaning member is equal to or more than the cell density of the second cleaning member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image formation unit comprising:
an image carrier provided in a rotatable manner;
a charge member configured to electrically charge a surface of the image carrier;
a charge cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and configured to clean a surface of the charge member;
a first cleaning member configured to clean the surface of the image carrier; and
a second cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and provided downstream of the first cleaning member in a rotation direction of the image carrier, wherein
the cell density of the charge cleaning member is equal to or more than the cell density of the second cleaning member.

2. The image formation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the charge cleaning member includes a support and a foam elastic layer, the cell marks being formed on the foam elastic layer.

3. The image formation unit according to claim 2 , wherein the charge cleaning member is provided to be rotatable about the support as a rotation shaft.

4. The image formation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the charge member includes a support and a conductive elastic layer.

5. The image formation unit according to claim 4 , wherein the charge member is provided to be rotatable about the support as a rotation shaft.

6. The image formation unit according to claim 5 , wherein the conductive elastic layer includes grooves formed on a surface thereof, the grooves extending in the rotation direction.

7. The image formation unit according to claim 5 , wherein the conductive elastic layer includes grooves formed on a surface thereof, the grooves being along a direction in which the support extends.

8. The image formation unit according to claim 5 , wherein the cell density of the charge cleaning member is equal to or more than half the cell density of the second cleaning member.

9. The image formation unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second cleaning member includes a support and a foam elastic layer, the cell marks being formed on the foam elastic layer.

10. The image formation unit according to claim 9 , wherein the second cleaning member is provided to be rotatable about the support as a rotation shaft.

11. The image formation unit according to claim 10 , wherein the linear velocity ratio between the second cleaning member and the image carrier is V 1 =α×V 0 , where V 1 is the linear velocity of the image carrier, V 0 is the linear velocity of the second cleaning member, and α is 1.0 2 to 1.2.

12. The image formation unit according to claim 5 , wherein the linear velocity ratio between the charge cleaning member and the charge member is V 3 =β×V 2 , where V 3 is the linear velocity of the charge cleaning member, V 2 is the linear velocity of the charge member, and β is 0.8 to 1.2.

13. An image formation apparatus including the image formation unit according to claim 1 .

14. The image formation unit according to claim 1 , wherein
the cell density of the charge cleaning member is more than the cell density of the second cleaning member.

15. An image formation unit comprising:
an image carrier provided in a rotatable manner;
a charge member configured to electrically charge a surface of the image carrier;
a charge cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and configured to clean a surface of the charge member;
a first cleaning member configured to clean the surface of the image carrier; and
a second cleaning member including cell marks in a surface layer thereof and provided downstream of the first cleaning member in a rotation direction of the image carrier.

16. An image formation unit comprising:
an image carrier provided in a rotatable manner;
a charge member configured to electrically charge a surface of the image carrier;
a charge cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the charge member;
a cleaning blade configured to clean the surface of the image carrier; and
a cleaning roller provided downstream of the cleaning blade in a rotation direction of the image carrier

17. The image formation unit according to claim 16 , wherein
the cleaning roller includes a foam elastic layer constituting the surface thereof.

18. The image formation unit according to claim 16 , wherein
the cleaning roller is provided to scatter matter attached on the image carrier that have passed through between the cleaning blade and the image carrier.

Assignees

• Oki Data Kk

Inventors

• Higaki Toshimasa

Classifications

• G03G15/0258 Primary

  provided with means for the maintenance of the charging apparatus, e.g. cleaning devices, ozone removing devices G03G15/0225, G03G15/0291 takes precedence · CPC title

• G03G21/0017

  Details relating to the internal structure or chemical composition of the blades · CPC title