JP2612689B2 - Cleaning equipment for wet copiers - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for a wet copying machine in which a transfer paper conveyance path is formed below a photoreceptor and a cleaning apparatus having a cleaning foam roller in a lateral direction is provided.

(Prior Art) In a conventional wet-type copying machine, a cleaning device is disposed above the center of a photosensitive drum, and a cleaning liquid flows down to the outer surface of the photosensitive drum and accumulates in a cleaning liquid receiving portion disposed below. Since a reversing type transfer paper transport path was formed on one side of the photosensitive drum to prevent the cleaning liquid from adhering to the transfer paper, there was no need to consider prevention of dripping of the cleaning liquid. However, since the transfer paper transport path is of a reversing type, it is difficult to transport thick paper transfer paper, and the cleaning liquid receiving portion becomes large in size, so that the whole cannot be made compact.

Therefore, in order to smoothly transfer even thick transfer paper, it was conceivable to form a transfer paper transfer path straight below the photoreceptor and arrange a cleaning device in the upper lateral direction. The problem is prevention of dripping of the cleaning liquid. In order to prevent this dripping, after the copy is completed, the supply of the cleaning liquid may be stopped and the cleaning foam roller may be rotated for several tens of seconds. However, this is not preferable due to a problem at the time of a jam or an electrical safety standard. In addition, the cleaning liquid accumulated on the diffusion plate or the cleaning liquid supplied to the diffusion plate from the cleaning liquid supply port due to the inertia at the end of copying falls between the cleaning blade and the cleaning foam roller and is collected by the cleaning foam roller. When the main motor stops, the rotation of the cleaning foam roller also stops.Therefore, if the amount of the cleaning foam roller drops more than the amount of liquid held, the dripping will occur. When the cleaning foam roller is pressed against the photoreceptor at the time of recopying, the cleaning foam roller concentrates on the lower portion of the cleaning foam roller, thereby causing a problem that the transfer paper conveyance path is stained and the back of the copy is stained.

(Purpose) The present invention relates to a wet copying machine in which a transfer paper transport path is formed in a straight line below a photoreceptor and a cleaning device is disposed in a horizontal direction so that thick transfer paper can be transported smoothly. It is an object of the present invention to prevent dripping from a cleaning device after copying is completed or at the time of a jam, and to prevent a transfer paper transport path from being stained and a copy back stain.

(Structure) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention forms a transfer paper conveyance path below a photoconductor drum, and provides a cleaning blade and a cleaning foam roller beside the photoconductor drum. The cleaning blade is disposed downstream of the cleaning foam roller with respect to the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum so that the cleaning blade rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum. Control means for keeping the cleaning foam roller pressed against the photosensitive drum even after the rotation is stopped, and continuing to rotate while squeezing with the squeezing roller, and separating the cleaning foam roller from the photosensitive drum after 5 minutes or more. It is characterized by having.

Hereinafter, a specific description will be given based on the illustrated embodiment. 1
Denotes a photosensitive drum, and a conveying roller 2, a guide plate 3, a transfer charger 4, a separation roller 5, a conveying belt 6
The transfer paper transport path is formed in a straight line so that the transfer paper 7 is transported from right to left. Reference numeral 8 denotes a cleaning device disposed on the upper left side of the photosensitive drum 1 and a holder 82 that swings around a shaft 81 and a cleaning foam roller.
83 and a cleaning blade 84 are attached. 85
Reference numeral denotes a squeeze roller that is in pressure contact with the cleaning foam roller 83 when the cleaning foam roller 83 is in pressure contact with the photosensitive drum 1. Reference numeral 86 denotes a cleaning liquid diffusion plate that swings around a shaft 87, and reference numeral 88 denotes a cleaning liquid supply port. Reference numeral 9 denotes a developing unit disposed on the right side of the photosensitive drum 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a discharging lamp, reference numeral 11 denotes a main charger, reference numeral 12 denotes an eraser, reference numeral 13 denotes a developing tank unit, reference numeral 14 denotes a developer supply pipe, and reference numeral 15 denotes a developer recovery pipe. .

In the above wet copying machine, after copying the cleaning foam roller 83 and the cleaning blade 84,
Even when a jam occurs, no dripping of the cleaning liquid occurs if the photosensitive drum 1 is pressed against the photosensitive drum 1. And other problems. Therefore, after the copy is completed, when the cleaning foam roller 83 and the cleaning blade 84 are separated from the photosensitive drum 1 at the time of a jam, the cleaning fluid flows around the opposite side of the cleaning blade 84 or the remaining cleaning liquid on the photosensitive drum 1 starts copying. When the cleaning foam roller 83 and the cleaning blade 84 are pressed against the photosensitive drum 1, the photosensitive drum 1 rotates, and the tip of the photosensitive drum 1 is not sufficiently squeezed with the residual cleaning liquid. Charge, exposure and development proceed, and as a result, white streaks always occur in the image of the first copy.

That is, when the cleaning liquid adheres to the photoreceptor as shown in FIG. 4, it is charged (+) through the liquid surface as shown in FIG.
As described above, when the toner is developed by the developing roller, the cleaning liquid is removed and the charge on the photoconductor is leaked. This development is more remarkable at a lower potential. As described above, since the toner does not adhere to the portion where the cleaning liquid has adhered, the toner comes out white.

As a result of various studies, it was confirmed that the copying machine was stopped and the cleaning unit was pressed against the photoconductor, and the degree of toner sticking, crystal of the photoconductor, and other problems occurred, and the copier was rotated again within two hours. I confirmed that there was no problem at all. Furthermore, after the copying machine was stopped, the time required for the liquid remaining in the cleaning unit to decrease to a level that did not cause a problem was examined and confirmed.
It was confirmed that no dripping would occur if left for 15 minutes, preferably 30 minutes or more.

Therefore, there is no problem if the cleaning means is released in conjunction with the auto shut-off of the copier from the above, and the auto shut-off generally differs depending on the model.
0.5hr, 1hr, 2hr ‥‥‥ can be changed. Here, leaving for 15 minutes is a considerably excellent level as a level at which no abnormal image is generated, and it is considered that even 5 minutes is possible in consideration of an allowable level of image quality. However, on the other hand, if the cleaning means is left under pressure for more than 12 hours,
This causes problems such as crystallization. In particular, it has been clarified that such a problem occurs in a shorter time in an environment where the cleaning liquid easily evaporates.

The present invention has been made based on the above research. After the rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 is stopped after copying is completed, the cleaning foam roller 83 continues to rotate while being squeezed by the squeezing roller 85. During this time, the cleaning residue remaining between the cleaning foam roller 83 and the cleaning blade 84 between the upper surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1 is efficiently absorbed by the cleaning foam roller 83. And cleaning foam roller 83
When the cleaning liquid remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 does not flow down to the transfer paper 7 below the photosensitive drum 1 even when the cleaning foam roller 83 is separated from the photosensitive drum 1, the cleaning foam roller 83 is separated from the photosensitive drum 1. I do. This operation may be interlocked with the automatic shut-off means described above, or may be performed by a manual operation.

Next, the case of occurrence of a jam, running out of the developer and toner, will be described. The supply of the cleaning liquid is synchronized with the rotation of the photosensitive drum, and when the photosensitive drum is stopped during copying for the occurrence of a jam or the supply of developer and toner, the supply of the cleaning liquid is also stopped immediately. If the jammed transfer paper enters the front of the cleaning foam roller and stops at the position of the cleaning blade, the cleaning foam roller is squeezed when the transfer paper is pulled and removed, and the cleaning liquid is dripped. There is a need. Conventionally, when the front cover is opened, all the power is turned off, a solenoid (not shown) that presses the cleaning foam roller against the photosensitive drum is also cut, and the cleaning foam roller is also separated. The accumulated cleaning liquid flows down along the photosensitive drum 1 and accumulates downward to form water droplets. When copying is further performed in this state, the cleaning liquid in the form of water drops moves with the rotation of the photosensitive drum, comes into contact with a transfer guide plate or a transfer charger close to the photosensitive drum, is conveyed, and again transfers the transfer paper. There was a problem of getting dirty.

According to the present invention, the cleaning foam roller 83 is independently controlled by a power source different from the other power sources, and the separation timing of the cleaning foam roller 83 is delayed for a few seconds after the photosensitive drum 1 is stopped, thereby preventing the transfer paper tip liquid from being stained during recopying. doing.

When the main motor is stopped after the copy is completed, the cleaning foam roller 83 is kept pressed and rotated against the photosensitive drum 1, and only the cleaning liquid diffusion plate 86 is separated to the non-supply position as shown in FIG. After a certain period of time, the holder 82 is rotated about the shaft 81 as shown in FIG.

Therefore, the supply of the cleaning liquid is stopped simultaneously with the stop of the main motor, and the cleaning liquid accumulated on the cleaning liquid diffusion plate 86 and the cleaning liquid dropped on the cleaning liquid diffusion plate 86 due to the inertia at the end of the copy are deposited on the photosensitive drum 1. It is discharged into the cleaning device without falling.

Next, means for detecting abnormal deformation such as turning of the cleaning blade will be described with reference to FIGS. The cleaning foam roller and the cleaning blade 84 come into pressure contact with each other after the photosensitive drum 1 has rotated several times and the developing solution has sufficiently adhered thereto. If the cleaning liquid is not sufficiently adhered due to a defect of the cleaning device itself or an abnormal dimension related to the photoreceptor, and abnormal friction occurs between the photoreceptor drum 1 and the cleaning blade 84, turning over as shown in FIG. May occur. When this turning occurs, it not only damages the expensive photoconductor drum and cleaning blade, but also causes an abnormal load on the photoconductor drum drive system and deforms and breaks the body side plate that supports the drive shaft, making it difficult to repair the machine. It may be. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a reflective photo sensor 90 for detecting an abnormal deformation such as a curl near the tip of the cleaning blade 84.
And a control device 91 for stopping the main body driving system in response to a signal from the sensor 90 or performing panel display or the like to notify an operator or a service person.

(Effects) According to the present invention, a transfer paper transport path is formed below the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning blade and a cleaning foam roller are provided beside the photosensitive drum. The cleaning blade is disposed downstream of the cleaning foam roller with respect to the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum, and the squeezing roller is pressed against the cleaning foam roller so that the rotation of the photoconductor drum is stopped even after the rotation of the photoconductor drum is stopped. Since the cleaning foam roller is kept in pressure contact with the photoconductor drum, the rotation is continued while being squeezed by the squeezing roller, and control means is provided for separating the cleaning foam roller from the photoconductor drum after 5 minutes or more. Prevents white streaks in the image area caused by dripping of the cleaning liquid It is possible to prevent toner from sticking to the body and to prevent crystals from forming on the photoreceptor, and also to clean the photoreceptor drum after copying is completed or when the photoreceptor drum stops during copying to supply developer and toner. It prevents liquid dripping from the device, and prevents transfer paper transport path contamination and copy back contamination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view at the time of copying according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view when only a cleaning liquid diffusion plate of the cleaning device of FIG. 1 is separated, and FIG. 3 is a cleaning means of FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an abnormal image is generated in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a front view showing the turning of the cleaning blade, and FIG. 6 is a front view showing the turning detecting means. FIG. 7 and FIG. 7 are flowcharts for detecting turning over. 1 photoreceptor drum, 8 cleaning device 83 cleaning foam roller 84 cleaning blade 86 cleaning liquid diffusion plate

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Arai 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-56-101178 (JP, A) JP-A Sho 53-83748 (JP, A) JP-A-53-22435 (JP, A) JP-A-54-147047 (JP, A) JP-A-54-84739 (JP, A) JP-A-60-184278 (JP, A A) Real opening 60-78061 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A transfer paper transport path is formed below a photosensitive drum, and a cleaning blade and a cleaning foam roller are provided beside the photosensitive drum, and the cleaning foam roller is arranged in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the photosensitive drum. The cleaning blade is disposed downstream of the cleaning foam roller in the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum so that the rotation of the photoconductor drum is stopped. A wet type wherein the roller is kept in pressure contact with the photosensitive drum, and the control means keeps rotating while squeezing with the squeezing roller, and separates the cleaning foam roller from the photosensitive drum after 5 minutes or more. Copier cleaning device.