Abstract:
A cleaning device for cleaning a surface moving member such as an image carrier of an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge having the cleaning device. The cleaning device has a cleaning member that is brought into uniform abutment against the surface moving member in a longitudinal direction of the surface moving member. A high removing performance can be obtained while preventing the abrasion of the surface moving member and the cleaning blade, and the state of abutment between the surface moving member and the cleaning blade is securely maintained over time.
Abstract:
An elastic blade includes a contact edge to contact a contact object, an edge region including the contact edge, and a backup region different in at least one of material and physical property from the edge region and adjacent to the edge region on a cross section perpendicular to a direction in which the contact edge extends. The backup region is free of direct contact with the contact object. In the elastic blade, a converted elastic power X is from 57% to 90% and defined as X = S A S A + S B × e A + S B S A + S B × e B , where SA and SB represent cross-sectional areas of the edge region and the backup region on the cross section, eA and eB represent elastic powers of the edge region and the backup region, and t represents a thickness of the edge region in a direction perpendicular to the longer of two sides of the edge region on the cross section.
Abstract:
An elastic blade may include an edge layer and at least one backup layer laminated on the edge layer. The edge layer may include a contact edge to contact a contact object and an opposing face to oppose the contact object, and the backup layer may be greater in elastic power than the edge layer.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearer, a charging member to contact a surface of the image bearer and charge the image bearer, an exposure device to expose the image bearer and form a latent image, a developing device to develop the latent image on the image bearer into a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium, and a cleaning blade to contact the surface of the image bearer and remove toner from the image bearer after image transfer. The charging member has surface unevenness created by projections and recesses extending in a direction of rotation of the image bearer. The cleaning blade is configured to abrade projections formed on the surface of the image bearer.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus forms a color image, and includes an endless intermediate transfer belt which rotates and carries a toner image and plural image forming units for plural colors arranged in tandem along the intermediate transfer belt. Each of the image forming units includes an image carrier which rotates and carries a latent image, a charging device which charges the image carrier, a development device which develops the latent image into a toner image, and a cleaning device which cleans the image carrier after the toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt. The charging device of the extreme upstream image forming unit in the belt direction of rotation is a non-contact charging device not in contact with the image carrier. The extreme downstream image forming unit in the belt direction or rotation includes a lubricant application device which applies a lubricant to the image carrier.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a cleaning device that allows the obtaining of a high level of removal performance while reducing wear between a plate-shaped elastic member and a cleaning-targeted surface moving member, while also being able to stably maintain the contact status between the surface moving member and the plate-shaped elastic member, and an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge provided therewith. A plate holder retains a blade via warping restriction means, a bearing and a support shaft engage at an engaging portion with a degree of freedom due to the presence of a gap therebetween, the plate holder is able to be displaced relative to a frame of the device body, the support shaft is arranged on the device body in the direction of surface movement of a photosensitive element downstream a normal line of the surface of the photosensitive element at a portion contacted by the blade, and a foreign object infiltration prevention member is provided on the bearing or the support shaft of the engaging portion to prevent entry of foreign objects into the gap.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearers and a rotatable transferor. Images borne on the plurality of image bearers are transferred to the transferor. The transferor has an elastic power larger than an elastic power of each of the plurality of image bearers, and a difference in elastic power between the transferor and a most upstream image bearer in a rotation direction of the transferor is smaller than a difference in elastic power between the transferor and any other image bearer except the most upstream image bearer of the plurality of image bearers.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a latent image, a charging device to charge the image bearer, a developing device to develop the latent image on the image bearer, a cleaning device to clean a surface of the image bearer, a target component including at least one of the image bearer, the charging device, the developing device, and the cleaning device, and a temperature change suppression member opposed adjacent to or disposed in contact with an outer peripheral face of the target component. The temperature change suppression member suppresses a temperature change of the target component.
Abstract:
A fabrication method includes laminating a fabrication material to form an object, and applying a release material on a surface of the object to form a release layer on the surface of the object. A surface free energy of the release material is equal to or smaller than 25 mN/m.
Abstract:
A cleaning blade includes: a blade having plural layers formed with elastic materials having different degrees of hardness from each other, an edge line portion of the blade being brought into contact with a surface of a cleaning target performing surface movement to remove adhering matter from the surface of the cleaning target. A cleaning layer of the plural layers including the edge line portion is impregnated with a resin or is made of an elastic material having a high degree of hardness. A permanent elongation rate of the entire blade is set at 3.0% or lower.