JP5533469B2 - Lubricant coating apparatus, process cartridge, intermediate cleaning unit, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lubricant application device, a process cartridge, an intermediate cleaning unit, and an image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, a lubricant for which zinc stearate or the like is generally used is applied to a lubricant application member (hereinafter referred to as an application roller) such as an application roller or a sponge roller, and a photosensitive member or intermediate transfer as an image carrier. It is applied to a belt or the like to improve the cleaning properties of these photosensitive drums and intermediate transfer belts, improve the service life, and improve the transfer properties such as anti-worming measures during image transfer.

  That is, the application roller is rotatably arranged on the image carrier side surface of the image carrier so that the outer peripheral surface thereof is uniformly in contact with the image carrier, and the application roller is driven or rotated as the image carrier rotates. A lubricant applicator configured to contact the rotating applicator roller with a solid lubricant while ensuring a predetermined pressure is employed. It is already known that the lubricant is linearly pressed and urged against the lubricant application roller by using the weight of the lubricant, the load of the weight or the elastic force of the spring, and the like, so as to ensure a predetermined pressure.

  In conventional lubricant application devices, in order to obtain a slidable state in the frame in which a long solid lubricant is inserted, a certain amount of space is provided between the inner surface of the frame and the outer surface of the solid lubricant. The gap is provided. Therefore, when a force in the longitudinal direction acts on the solid lubricant unexpectedly, such as vibration of the lubricant application device body, the solid lubricant is displaced in the frame and moves in the longitudinal direction, which is also the axial direction of the application roller.

  As a result, contact with the lubricant occurs only on one side of the frame. When it comes into contact with one piece, the sliding frictional resistance increases only on the contacted side, so that the pressing biasing force is in a state of lack of balance between one and the other in the longitudinal direction on the axial direction of the application roller, so that the solid lubricant is in a normal state. There is a problem that the solid lubricant does not contact evenly in the longitudinal direction with respect to the application roller, but comes into contact with the application roller, resulting in uneven application amount.

  As another example of the lubricant application device, a solid lubricant is applied to the roller for the purpose of removing a uniform amount of lubricant in the longitudinal direction over a long period of time and making the amount of lubricant applied onto the image carrier uniform. There is one provided with a pressurizing means for pressurizing a supporting member that supports the solid lubricant so as to press and urge the brush roller. The pressurizing means includes a base member fixed so as to be parallel to the axis of the brush roller, an elastic member for pressing the support member of the solid lubricant, the base member, and the support member. And a plurality of rotating arms that are attached to a plurality of locations separated from each other with respect to the longitudinal direction and that can rotate simultaneously with the same length (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is similar to the present invention in that a uniform amount of lubricant is scraped in the longitudinal direction over a long period of time, and the amount of lubricant applied onto the image carrier is made uniform. However, the problem that solid lubricant may come into contact with the inner wall of the frame and tilt when the force is applied unexpectedly, such as vibration of the lubricant coating device main body, cannot be solved.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention prevents contact between the frame and the solid lubricant, prevents the solid lubricant from tilting even when a force such as vibration is applied unexpectedly, and stably applies the lubricant. It is an object to provide means that can be performed.

In order to achieve the object, the present invention has the following configuration.
(1): a solid lubricant, and an application roller (application member) for scraping off the solid lubricant as a powdery lubricant by contacting the solid lubricant while rotating and applying to the image carrier. In the provided lubricant application device, a magnet is attached or magnetic force is attached to the solid lubricant and the frame body containing the solid lubricant in the direction in which they repel each other (Claim 1).
(2): Solid lubricant holding for holding a solid lubricant in a lubricant coating device including a solid lubricant and a coating roller (coating member) that rotates and scrapes off the lubricant to apply to the image carrier. A magnet or a magnetic force was attached to the member and the frame containing the solid lubricant in the direction in which they repel each other (Claim 2).
(3): In the lubricant application device according to (2), the solid lubricant is fixed to the solid lubricant holding member (claim 3).
(4): In the lubricant application device according to any one of (1) to (3), the member that presses the lubricant against the application roller (application member) is an elastic body.
(5): In the lubricant application device according to any one of (1) to (4), the solid lubricant contains zinc stearate (claim 5).
(6): at least one of an image carrier, a charging unit that charges the image carrier, a developing unit that supplies toner to the image carrier, and a cleaning unit that collects toner remaining on the image carrier (1) to (5) are provided with the lubricant application device according to any one of (1) to (5). Claim 6).
(7): an image carrier, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, an exposure unit for exposing the image carrier to create an electrostatic latent image, and supplying toner to the image carrier for static A developing unit that visualizes the electrostatic latent image with toner, a transfer unit that transfers the visible image formed on the image carrier to a transfer target, and a cleaning that recovers toner remaining after transfer to the image carrier. An image forming apparatus comprising the means includes the lubricant application device according to any one of (1) to (5).
(8) In an intermediate cleaning unit provided in an intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus and including a cleaning member for cleaning an intermediate transfer body after a visible image is transferred to a recording material by toner, (1) to ( The lubricant application device according to any one of 5) is provided (claim 8).
(9): The intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus includes either or both of the process cartridge described in (6) and the intermediate cleaning unit described in (8).

  Solid lubricant application roller (application member) even when force is applied unexpectedly such as vibration of the lubricant application device main body by preventing contact between the frame and solid lubricant or the frame and solid lubricant holding member The lubricant can be applied stably without the inclination with respect to.

It is a front view of a lubricant application device. It is sectional drawing which looked at the lubricant application device from the side. It is the front view which showed one of the conventional lubricant application apparatuses as a comparative example. It is the front view which showed one of the conventional lubricant application apparatuses as a comparative example. It is a schematic front view of a process cartridge. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus.

Example 1. Example of Avoiding Contact of Solid Lubricant Holding Member, Solid Lubricant, and the like with Frame The embodiment of the present invention will be described in comparison with a comparative example.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a lubricant material application device 44 according to the present invention. The lubricant application device 44 is a long rod-shaped, rectangular parallelepiped solid lubricant J in a fixed frame 3e, and an application roller 3a that contacts the solid lubricant J to scrape off the lubricant and apply it to the photoreceptor 1. With. As the application roller 3a, an application brush, a sponge roller, or the like is used, and an application brush is more often used.

  The application roller 3a is disposed so as to be in pressure-contact with the drum-shaped photoconductor 1 as an image carrier, and supports the solid lubricant J and its pressing means so as to face the application roller 3a. The frame 3e is disposed, and the frame 3e is formed with a concave storage space 5 for storing the solid lubricant J and its pressing means. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lubricant application device in FIG. 1 cut at a right angle to the application roller 3a.

The storage space 5 is a rectangular concave space in which a portion facing the application roller 1 is opened.
In the storage space 5, a solid lubricant J that loosely fits in the storage space 5 is held by a plate-like lubricant support plate 3 c that is a reinforcing member. Between the lubricant support plate 3 c and the bottom of the storage space 5, extensible pressure springs 3 d are arranged at two locations in the axial direction of the application roller 1. Due to the elasticity of the spring 3d, the solid lubricant J is pressed toward the application roller 3a as shown by the arrow 6. The movement of the solid lubricant J toward the application roller 3a due to the elasticity of the spring 3d is prevented by the surface portion of the solid lubricant J coming into contact with the application roller 3a. An elastic body such as a spring 3d is used as power for pressing the solid lubricant J against the application roller 3a and for sending out the solid lubricant J due to wear. It does not use a special driving force and has an inexpensive configuration.

  The solid lubricant J is pressed against the application roller 3 a by the elasticity of the spring 4. The solid lubricant J and the lubricant support plate 3c are loosely fitted in the storage space 5 and have a gap, so that the solid lubricant J and the lubricant support plate 3c can move in the storage space 5 in a direction in which the solid lubricant J and the lubricant support plate 3a come in contact with and away from the application roller 3a. is there.

  In the case of applying the lubricant to the photoreceptor 1, conventionally, the photoreceptor 1 and the application roller 3a are rotationally driven, and the solid lubricant J is scraped by the application roller 3a and applied to the photoreceptor 1. When a force is applied unexpectedly due to vibration of the solid lubricant J, as described in the background art section, the solid lubricant J may come into contact with the frame body 3e and be inclined.

  Therefore, in this example, magnets are attached to the solid lubricant J and the frame 3e so that a magnetic force acts in the direction in which the solid lubricant J repels in the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 1, in more detail, each of one end side and the other end side in the axial direction of the application roller 3 a is spaced apart at a portion where the lubricant support plate 3 c and the frame body 3 e face each other. 3f is attached so that a repulsive force acts.

  It is assumed that the solid lubricant J is firmly fixed and held on the lubricant support plate 3c. Since the rigidity is increased by the lubricant support plate 3c, the deformation of the lubricant itself is reduced when the solid lubricant J is pressed against the application roller 3a, and the solid lubricant is uniformly applied to the application roller 3a in the longitudinal direction. can do.

  The magnets 3f provided at the respective portions of the lubricant support plate 3c and the frame body 3e facing each other are mounted with their magnetic poles oriented so that the magnetic force acts in the direction in which they repel each other. The lubricant support plate 3c and the frame body 3e are in a non-contact state between the one end side and the other end side in the axial direction of the application roller 3a, and the lubricant support plate 3c is in a non-contact state. And the frame body 3e do not cause a problem that either one end side or the other end side of the application roller 3a in the axial direction comes into contact with each other, the lubricant is uniformly applied to the photoconductor 1, and the solid body is solid. The lubricant is in a uniform wear state.

  In the example shown in the figure, the magnet 3f is attached to the frame 3e and the lubricant support plate 3c. Of course, a magnet may be attached to the solid lubricant J instead of the lubricant support plate 3c. Good. When a magnet is attached to the solid lubricant J, it is preferable to embed it on the base end side (lubricant support plate 3c side) so as to function even if the solid lubricant J decreases. As for the frame 3e, the magnet 3f may be fixed separately from the frame as shown in FIG. 1, but as another method, all or a part of the frame 3e is made of a magnetic material and magnetized. You may give magnetic force.

[Comparative example]
As described in Example 1, FIGS. 3 and 4 show a comparative example in which the magnet 3f is not attached to the frame 3e and the lubricant support plate 3c.
When the magnet 3f is not attached to the frame 3e and the lubricant support plate 3c, the lubricant support plate 3c is not subjected to an unexpected force such as vibration of the image forming apparatus main body as shown in FIG. The solid lubricant J held in contact with the coating roller 3a is uniformly in contact with the elasticity of the spring 3d.

  However, when a force is unexpectedly applied in the longitudinal direction of the application roller 3a such as vibration of the image forming apparatus main body, as described in the background art section, the lubricant support plate 3c and the solid lubricant J held by the lubricant support plate 3c are Since it slips within the frame body 3e, moves in the axial direction of the application roller 3a and hits the frame body 3e, and the sliding resistance due to contact increases, it tilts as shown in FIG. 4, and a piece of solid lubricant J with respect to the application roller 3a. A hit occurs, causing unevenness in the amount of lubricant applied in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.

  According to the present invention described in Example 1, since the situation where the lubricant support plate 3c (or the solid lubricant J) hits the frame 3e is avoided, the solid lubricant has conventionally been generated by causing the contact. The uneven wear that occurs in the longitudinal direction of J does not occur, and as a result, the amount of lubricant applied to the photoreceptor 1 does not become uneven.

Example 2. An example in which the solid lubricant contains zinc stearate The solid lubricant J may be composed of a fatty acid metal salt, a fluororesin, or the like, but a fatty acid metal salt is particularly preferred. Examples of the fatty acid metal salt include fatty acid metal salts of linear hydrocarbons such as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and array acid. Examples of the metal include lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, zinc, cadmium, Aluminum, cerium, tyran, magnesium stearate, aluminum stearate, iron stearate and the like are preferable, and zinc stearate is particularly preferable. The solid lubricant J obtained by molding the fatty acid metal salt into a rectangular parallelepiped shape is fixed to the lubricant support plate 3c with a double-sided tape or an adhesive.

Example 3 This is an example in which a lubricant application device is incorporated in a process cartridge.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the process cartridge 45 that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body.
The process cartridge 45 includes a charging unit 41 for charging the photosensitive member 1 around the photosensitive member 1 as an image carrier, a developing unit 42 for supplying toner to the photosensitive member 1, the lubricant applying device 44 of the present invention, and the photosensitive member. The cleaning unit 43 and the like for collecting the toner remaining in 1 are integrated into a single unit. Note that a region between the charging unit 41 and the developing unit 42 is an area irradiated with laser light for exposure.

  In general, an image forming apparatus has a complicated structure, and it is often difficult to easily replace each constituent means. However, an integrated process cartridge 45 as in this embodiment is used. Thus, operability and maintenance at the time of replacement can be improved.

  In FIG. 5, the lubricant application device 44 is arranged upstream of the cleaning blade 43 a with respect to the rotation direction of the photoreceptor 1 indicated by an arrow 46. The process cartridge 45 includes all of the photosensitive member 1, the charging unit 41, the developing unit 42, the cleaning unit 43, and the like in addition to the lubricant application device 44. It is sufficient if at least one of the developing means 42 and the cleaning means 43 and the lubricant applying device 44 are provided.

Example 4 This is an example in which the lubricant application device of the present invention is incorporated in an image forming apparatus.
FIG. 6 is an example of a color image forming apparatus configuration diagram. The image forming apparatus is an apparatus that forms one image from four color toners of yellow (hereinafter Y), cyan (hereinafter C), magenta (M), and black (K). The image forming apparatus includes four photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K as image carriers, which are driven to rotate in the direction of arrow A in the figure while being in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 31.

  Next, a process for obtaining a color image will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 6, from the left in the drawing, toner is replenished to the developing means 42 of each color by a predetermined replenishment amount from a toner bottle 10 that replenishes toner filled with yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner through a conveyance path (not shown). . The transfer paper 20 is fed out by the paper feed roller 21 and conveyed to the nip between the secondary transfer roller 34 and the intermediate transfer belt 31.

  On the other hand, the photosensitive member 1 uniformly charged in advance by the charging roller 41 is exposed and scanned with the laser light L from the writing unit 25, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive member 1. Each electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing means 42 for each color, whereby yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images are formed on the surfaces of the photoreceptors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K.

  Next, a voltage is applied to the transfer roller 32, and the toner on each photoconductor 1 is sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 31. At this time, the image forming operation for each color is executed while shifting the timing from the upstream side toward the downstream side so that the toner image is transferred to the same position on the intermediate transfer belt 31. The intermediate transfer belt 31 includes an image carrier that carries a toner image. The image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer roller 34, sent out from the paper feed roller 21, and secondarily transferred to the transfer paper 20 restarted from the registration rollers.

  The transfer paper 20 on which the toner images of the respective colors are transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit 40 and thermally fixed, and is discharged by a paper discharge roller 41. The residual toner on the photosensitive member 1 is cleaned by the respective cleaning means 43, and the residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is cleaned by the intermediate cleaning means 33. These waste toners are disposed in the cleaning means. The toner is discharged to a waste toner container provided in the image forming apparatus by the toner conveying screw.

  In the color image forming apparatus of this example, the configuration around each of the four photoconductors 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K may be the configuration in which the process cartridge described with reference to FIG. 5 is arranged, or may not be a process cartridge. In addition, the charging unit 41, the developing unit 42, and the cleaning unit 43 (including the cleaning blade 43a and the lubricant application device 44), which are each element of the process cartridge, may be individually assembled to the image forming apparatus main body.

  Further, the present invention can be applied in the same manner to the cleaning means of the photoconductor not only in the intermediate transfer type color image forming apparatus as in this example but also in the direct transfer type image forming apparatus. The present invention can be similarly applied to a so-called tandem type or direct transfer type color image forming apparatus.

  In this example, the intermediate transfer belt 31 is formed of an image carrier, and the intermediate cleaning unit 33 has the same configuration as the cleaning unit 43 in the photosensitive member 1 in order to protect the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 31. . As shown in FIG. 6, the intermediate cleaning unit 33 is disposed so as to face the support roller 47 that supports the intermediate transfer belt 31. Opposite to the intermediate transfer belt 31 on the support roller 47, the cleaning blade 33a corresponding to the cleaning blade 43a, and the lubricant applying device 44 on the upstream side of the cleaning blade 33a in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 31. A lubricant application device 48 is provided. The lubricant application device 48 can also have all the features of the lubricant application device 44 according to the present invention.

1 Image carrier (photoreceptor)
3a Coating roller 3c Lubricant support plate 3d Spring 3e Frame 3f Magnet 5 Storage space 10 Toner bottle 20 Transfer paper 21 Paper feed roller 31 Intermediate transfer belt 32 Transfer roller 34 Secondary transfer roller 40 Fixing unit 41 Charging means 42 Developing means 33 43 Cleaning means 43a Cleaning blades 44, 48 Lubricant application device 45 Process cartridge 47 Support roller 31 Intermediate transfer belt A, 46 Arrow J Solid lubricant L Laser light

JP 2007-140377 A

Claims (9)

  In a lubricant application device comprising: a solid lubricant; and an application member that scrapes off the solid lubricant as a powdery lubricant by contacting the solid lubricant while rotating, and applies to an image carrier. A lubricant application device comprising a solid lubricant and a frame containing the solid lubricant, each having a magnet attached thereto in a repelling direction or having a magnetic force. In a lubricant application device comprising a solid lubricant and a coating member that rotates and scrapes off the lubricant to apply to the image carrier,
A lubricant application device, wherein a solid lubricant holding member for holding a solid lubricant and a frame body for containing the solid lubricant are each provided with a magnet or a magnetic force in a repulsive direction. The lubricant application device according to claim 2,
A lubricant application device, wherein the solid lubricant is fixed to a solid lubricant holding member. In the lubricant application device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The lubricant application device, wherein the member that presses the lubricant against the application member is an elastic body.   5. The lubricant application device according to claim 1, wherein the solid lubricant contains zinc stearate. At least one of an image carrier, a charging unit that charges the image carrier, a developing unit that supplies toner to the image carrier, and a cleaning unit that collects toner remaining on the image carrier. In the process cartridge configured to be detachable from the image forming apparatus main body,
A process cartridge comprising the lubricant application device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. An image carrier, charging means for charging the image carrier, exposure means for exposing the image carrier to create an electrostatic latent image, and supplying toner to the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image A developing unit that forms a visible image with toner; a transfer unit that transfers a visible image formed on the image carrier to a transfer target; and a cleaning unit that collects toner remaining on the image carrier after transfer. In the image forming apparatus,
An image forming apparatus comprising the lubricant application device according to claim 1. In an intermediate cleaning unit provided in an image forming apparatus of an intermediate transfer system and provided with a cleaning member for cleaning an intermediate transfer body after transferring a visible image by toner to a recording material,
An intermediate cleaning unit comprising the lubricant application device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   An image forming apparatus of the intermediate transfer system, comprising either or both of the process cartridge according to claim 6 and the intermediate cleaning unit according to claim 8.

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