JP4501463B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a cleaning technique for an image forming apparatus that transfers molten toner.

JP 2002-278111 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-15289 JP-A-11-295995 JP 2002-236422 A JP 2002-268404 A

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an image forming apparatus of a type that heats and melts toner transferred on an intermediate transfer body and transfers the molten toner to a recording material. In such an image forming apparatus, since the adhesive force between the toner and the intermediate transfer member is relatively strong, there is a problem that it is difficult to clean the residual toner after transfer. Conventionally, the following proposals have been made for such a problem. That is, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for removing residual toner on an intermediate transfer member by bringing a blade into contact with the intermediate transfer member. Patent Documents 2 to 5 disclose techniques for removing residual toner from an intermediate transfer body by bringing a molten adhesive body into contact with the intermediate transfer body.

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to strongly press the blade onto the intermediate transfer member in order to remove the residual toner having a high adhesion force, which may damage the intermediate transfer member. Further, in the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 2 to 5, it is necessary to heat the pressure-sensitive adhesive body that is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer body, which increases energy consumption.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that consumes less energy while reducing damage to the image carrier during cleaning. It is to provide.

The present invention is an image forming apparatus having an image carrier that holds and rotates toner, a heating unit that heats the image carrier, and a cleaning unit that removes toner on the image carrier,
The cleaning unit includes a first cleaning unit that distorts an area of the surface of the image carrier that is equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner, and is located downstream of the first cleaning unit in the rotation direction of the image carrier and on the image carrier. And an image forming apparatus including a second cleaning unit that collects toner.

  Further, the image carrier is an intermediate transfer member made of an elastic body, and the heating unit removes the toner image from an N-th transfer position where the toner image is N-transferred in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member. The intermediate transfer member is heated in an area up to the N + 1 primary transfer position where N + 1 primary transfer is performed, and the cleaning unit is configured to transfer the toner image from the N + 1 primary transfer position where the toner image is N + 1 transferred in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member. The toner on the intermediate transfer member can also be removed within the region up to the N-th transfer position where N is transferred in the N-th order.

The first cleaning unit can be configured to give a distortion amount of 5% or more to the image carrier, and more preferably can be configured to give a distortion amount of 7% or more.
The first cleaning unit can be configured to contact the image carrier and apply distortion, and more specifically, a pad, a blade, or a sphere may be brought into contact with the surface of the image carrier. In addition, it is preferable to form the part which contacts the image carrier of these members in the shape of a curved surface. It is also preferable to bring a roll that does not rub against the image carrier (which rotates following) into contact with the image end carrier.

  The second cleaning unit may be configured to contact the image carrier and collect the toner. Specifically, the toner can be collected by bringing a rotating brush or blade into contact with the surface of the image carrier. More preferably, the second cleaning unit can be configured to collect toner without contacting the image carrier. Specifically, it is possible to use a vacuum device so that a certain area on the surface of the image carrier has a negative pressure, and the toner is collected without contacting the image carrier.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that consumes less energy while reducing damage to the image carrier during cleaning.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a full-color printer (image forming apparatus) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. First, the configuration of this full-color printer will be described. The main part of this full-color printer is composed of image forming units U (Y) to (K) corresponding to the respective colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, and a recording material conveying unit 3 facing each image forming unit U. ing. Each image forming unit U includes an image forming unit 1 and an intermediate transfer unit 2. Further, the image forming unit 1 includes a photosensitive drum 10 and a charging roll 11, an exposure device 12, a developing device 13, and a photosensitive drum cleaning device 14 around the photosensitive drum 10. The intermediate transfer unit 2 includes an intermediate transfer roll (image carrier, intermediate transfer body) 20, and an intermediate transfer roll cleaning device 4 and a secondary transfer roll 21 around the intermediate transfer roll 20. On the other hand, the recording material conveyance unit 3 includes a recording material conveyance belt 30, first to third stretching rolls 31 to 33 that stretch the recording material conveyance belt 30, a charging unit 34 that faces the recording material conveyance belt 30, and the like. It has.

  Next, the operation of this full color printer will be described. In each image forming unit U, the photosensitive drum 10 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in the drawing. A charging bias is applied to the charging roll 11 to uniformly charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 10. Then, an image forming command transmitted from a personal computer (not shown) or image information input from a scanner device (not shown) is interpreted and image processing is performed, and the exposure device 12 according to the image forming command and image information sensitizes the laser beam. Irradiate the surface of the body drum 10. A potential difference is generated on the surface of the photosensitive drum between the portion irradiated with the laser beam and the portion not irradiated with the laser beam, which constitutes an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner by the developing device 13 and becomes a toner image (visualized image). The toner image is primarily transferred from the photosensitive drum 10 to the intermediate transfer roll by the action of the primary transfer electric field generated between the photosensitive drum 10 and the intermediate transfer roll 20 at the primary transfer position T1. The primary transfer electric field can be generated by adjusting electric characteristics such as a potential resistance value between the photosensitive drum 10 and the intermediate transfer roll 20, for example. Residual toner that has not been primarily transferred is removed by the photosensitive drum cleaning device 14.

  The intermediate transfer roll 20 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow B in the figure. On the other hand, the secondary transfer roll 21 is opposed to the intermediate transfer roll 20 with the recording material conveyance belt 30 interposed therebetween. The primarily transferred toner image is heated by a heater (heating means) in the intermediate transfer roll 20 (not shown) and reaches a molten state. At the secondary transfer position T2, the molten toner image is pressed onto a recording material (for example, recording paper) P conveyed by the secondary transfer roll 21, and is secondarily transferred onto the recording material P. The residual toner that has not been secondarily transferred is removed from the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 by the intermediate transfer roll cleaning device (cleaning means) 4.

  The recording material conveyance belt 30 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow C in the figure. In addition, a recording material conveyance region is formed on the downstream side of the first tension roll 31 in the rotation direction of the recording material conveyance belt 30 and on the upstream side of the second tension roll 32. In this recording material conveyance area, the recording material P is conveyed from a recording material container (not shown) at a predetermined timing. Then, the recording material P is charged by the charging unit 34 so that the toner easily adheres. Further, the toner images of the respective colors are secondarily transferred onto the recording material P at the respective secondary transfer positions T2 (Y) to (K). That is, on the recording material P, the toner images of the respective colors are sequentially superimposed in the order of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black to form a full color toner image.

  Incidentally, an intermediate transfer roll cleaning device 4 for removing residual toner on the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 of the full-color printer is attached. The cleaning device 4 cleans (a part of) a cleaning target area downstream of the secondary transfer position T2 and upstream of the primary transfer position T1 in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer roll 20. The detailed configuration of the intermediate transfer roll cleaning device 4 will be described below as an example.

Example 1
FIG. 2 illustrates the configuration of the intermediate transfer roll cleaning device 4 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “cleaning device” in some cases) 4 according to the first embodiment. In the cleaning device 4, a roll member (first cleaning means) 51 is provided in the upstream portion C1 of the cleaning target area, and a rotating brush member (second cleaning means) 61 is provided in the downstream portion C2. The temperature of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner on the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 in the upstream portion C1 is equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner.

  The roll member 51 is in pressure contact with the intermediate transfer roll 20 and is driven to rotate as the intermediate transfer roll 20 rotates (the intermediate transfer roll 20 is not rubbed). The roll member 51 gives a strain amount of 5% or more, more preferably 7% or more to the intermediate transfer roll 20 which is an elastic body. Here, the amount of strain is a percentage of the ratio of the length deformed by pressurization to the length of the elastic body before pressurization in the load application direction. That is, assuming that the length of the elastic body before pressurization in the load application direction is L1, and the length of the elastic body after pressurization is L2, the amount of strain is an amount obtained by 100 * (L1-L2) / L1. . On the other hand, the rotating brush member 61 is in contact with the intermediate transfer roll 20 and removes residual toner by rubbing the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 with a resin brush.

  Next, the operation of the cleaning device 4 will be described. Most of the toner image on the intermediate transfer roll 20 is secondarily transferred onto the recording material P at the secondary transfer position T2, but only a small part of the toner image remains on the intermediate transfer roll 20 without being secondary transferred. To do. The residual toner is cooled in a region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer roll 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, the roll member 51 applies distortion to the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner is different, the amount of distortion by the roll member 51 is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner whose adhesive force is reduced reaches the downstream portion C 2 and is easily removed by the rotating brush member 61. Instead of the rotating brush member 61, for example, a cleaning blade can be used.

In the first embodiment, the rotating roll member 51 is pressed from the outside of the intermediate transfer roll 20 at the upstream portion C1 to apply the concave distortion to the intermediate transfer roll 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is shown in FIG. As described above, it is also possible to apply convex distortion to the intermediate transfer roll 20 by pressing the rotary roll member (first cleaning means) 52 from the inside of the intermediate transfer roll.

Example 2
FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of the cleaning device 4 according to the second embodiment. This cleaning device 4 uses a pad member (first cleaning means) 53 instead of the rotating roll member 51 of the cleaning device 4 of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given in the drawing and the description thereof is omitted. The pad member 53 is fixedly pressed against the intermediate transfer roll 20, and a cross section (by a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the intermediate transfer roll 20) of the pressed portion is formed in an arc shape. The pad member 53 gives a strain amount of 5% or more, more preferably 7% or more to the intermediate transfer roll 20 which is an elastic body.

  Next, the operation of the cleaning device 4 will be described. A portion of the toner image on the intermediate transfer roll 20 remains on the intermediate transfer roll 20 without being subjected to secondary transfer. The residual toner is cooled in a region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer roll 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, the pad member 53 applies distortion to the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner are different from each other, the amount of distortion by the pad member 53 is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner whose adhesive force is reduced reaches the downstream portion C 2 and is easily removed by the rotating brush member 61.

Example 3
FIG. 5 illustrates the configuration of the cleaning device 4 according to the third embodiment. This cleaning device 4 uses a blade member (first cleaning means) 54 instead of the rotating roll member 51 of the cleaning device 4 of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given in the drawing and the description thereof is omitted. The blade member 54 is fixedly pressed against the intermediate transfer roll 20, and a cross section (by a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the intermediate transfer roll 20) of the pressed portion is formed in an arc shape. The blade member 54 gives a strain amount of 5% or more, more preferably 7% or more, to the intermediate transfer roll 20 which is an elastic body.

  Next, the operation of the cleaning device 4 will be described. A portion of the toner image on the intermediate transfer roll 20 remains on the intermediate transfer roll 20 without being subjected to secondary transfer. The residual toner is cooled in a region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer roll 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, the blade member 54 distorts the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner are different, the amount of distortion by the blade member 54 is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner whose adhesive force is reduced reaches the downstream portion C 2 and is easily removed by the rotating brush member 61.

Example 4
FIG. 6 illustrates the configuration of the cleaning device 4 according to the fourth embodiment. The cleaning device 4 uses a spherical member (first cleaning means) 55 instead of the rotating roll member 51 of the cleaning device 4 of the first embodiment. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given in the drawing and the description thereof is omitted. The spherical member 55 is configured by continuously providing, for example, a resin or metal having a diameter of about 1 to 3 mm, and is pressed against the intermediate transfer roll 20 substantially in parallel with the rotation axis thereof. The spherical member 55 gives a strain amount of 5% or more, more preferably 7% or more to the intermediate transfer roll 20 which is an elastic body.

  Next, the operation of the cleaning device 4 will be described. A portion of the toner image on the intermediate transfer roll 20 remains on the intermediate transfer roll 20 without being subjected to secondary transfer. The residual toner is cooled in a region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer roll 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, the spherical member 55 distorts the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner are different from each other, the amount of distortion by the spherical member 55 is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner whose adhesive force is reduced reaches the downstream portion C 2 and is easily removed by the rotating brush member 61.

Example 5
FIG. 7 illustrates the configuration of the cleaning device 4 according to the fifth embodiment. This cleaning device 4 uses a suction device (second cleaning means) 64 instead of the rotating brush member 61 of the cleaning device 4 of the second embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are given in the drawing, and description thereof is omitted. The suction device 64 includes a suction port 62 and a suction pump 63. The suction port 62 is provided close to the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 at the downstream portion C2, but does not come into contact with the intermediate transfer roll 20. On the other hand, the suction pump 63 is configured to suck in air around the suction port 62.

  Next, the operation of the cleaning device 4 will be described. A part of the toner image on the intermediate transfer roll 20 remains on the intermediate transfer roll 20 without being subjected to secondary transfer. The residual toner is cooled in a region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer roll 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, the pad member 53 applies distortion to the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner is different, the amount of distortion by the pad member 53 is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer roll 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner with reduced adhesion reaches the downstream portion C2, is sucked together with the surrounding air from the suction port 62, and is removed from the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20. Further, since the suction port 62 does not physically contact the intermediate transfer roll 20, it is possible to prevent the surface of the intermediate transfer roll 20 from being damaged.

Embodiment 2
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a full-color printer (image forming apparatus) according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. First, the configuration of this full-color printer will be described. The main part of this full-color printer is composed of image forming units U (Y) to (K) corresponding to the respective colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black, and an intermediate transfer unit 2 facing each image forming unit U. Yes. Each image forming unit U includes an image forming unit 1. The image forming unit 1 includes a photosensitive drum 10, a charging roll 11, an exposure device 12, a developing device 13, and a primary transfer roll around the photosensitive drum 10. 15 and a photosensitive drum cleaning device 14. The intermediate transfer unit 2 heats the intermediate transfer belt (image carrier, intermediate transfer member) 20, stretching rolls 22 to 24 that stretch the intermediate transfer belt 20, and the intermediate transfer belt 20 in contact with the back surface thereof. A secondary transfer roll 21 that faces a tension roll (backup roll) 24 across a heater (heating means) 25 and an intermediate transfer belt 20, and an intermediate transfer belt that faces a tension roll 23 across the intermediate transfer belt 20 A cleaning device 4 is provided. Hereinafter, the difference from the full-color printer according to the first embodiment will be mainly described.

  Next, the operation of this full color printer will be described. In the image forming unit U (Y), a yellow toner image is formed, and the yellow toner image is primarily transferred from the photosensitive drum 10 to the intermediate transfer belt 20 at the primary transfer position T1. Similarly, magenta, cyan, and black toner images are sequentially primary-transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 20 and finally a full-color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 20. This full-color toner image is heated by the heater 25 and reaches a molten state. At the secondary transfer position T2, the melted toner image is pressed onto a recording material (for example, recording paper) P conveyed by the secondary transfer roll 21, and is secondarily transferred onto the recording material P to form a full-color image. Is done. The residual toner that has not been secondarily transferred is removed from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 20 by the intermediate transfer roll cleaning device (cleaning means) 4.

  As in the color printer of the first embodiment, the cleaning device 4 is provided with the first cleaning means at the upstream portion C1 and the second cleaning means at the downstream portion C2 of the area to be cleaned. The residual toner is cooled in the region to be cleaned on the intermediate transfer belt 20, and when reaching the upstream portion C1, it is cooled below the melting temperature of the toner. In the upstream portion C1, distortion is given to the intermediate transfer belt 20 and the residual toner by the first cleaning unit. Here, since the Young's modulus of the intermediate transfer belt 20 and the residual toner is different, the amount of distortion by the first cleaning unit is different. Then, when removing the upstream portion C1, that is, the distorted portion, the intermediate transfer belt 20 and the residual toner slip slightly, thereby reducing the adhesive force between them (micro slip phenomenon). The residual toner having reduced adhesive force reaches the downstream portion C2, and is easily removed by the second cleaning means.

In the second embodiment, the upstream portion C1 and the downstream portion C2 exist in the region facing the tension roll 23. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in FIG. The intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 4 may be provided in a region downstream of the secondary transfer position T <b> 2 of the 20 cleaning target region and upstream of the stretching roll 23. In this case, auxiliary members (auxiliary rolls) 41 and 42 facing the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit can be provided from the back side of the intermediate transfer belt 20, respectively.

Experimental Examples The inventors have conducted a number of experiments before the present invention is completed. FIG. 10 illustrates this experimental process. As a sample, a 100 × 100 × 2 mm silicone rubber piece was developed by developing a 20 × 40 mm, 0.5 mg / cm ² cyan toner patch. The toner used was a toner of DocuColor 500, a color copier manufactured by Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. The sample was heated in an oven at 120 ° for 1 minute to melt the toner patch. Then, the temperature was lowered to room temperature to solidify the toner patch, and then the sample was passed through the nip portion of a pair of rubber rolls that were pressed against each other with a predetermined load and rotated to give distortion. This pressurization condition is a speed of 261 mm / sec, a roll temperature of 25 °, an upper roll having a diameter of 49.8 mm, a surface having a thickness of 0.5 mm, and a JIS-A hardness of 60 ° coated with silicone rubber. Has been. On the other hand, the lower roll has a diameter of 50 mm, the surface is coated with a silicone rubber having a thickness of 1.0 mm and a hardness of 30 ° according to JIS-A, and the surface is further coated with a PFA tube having a thickness of 0.05 mm. Yes. Thereafter, the experimenter scraped off the sample with the nonwoven fabric, and the cleaning property was evaluated by the area ratio from which the toner patch was removed. Note that the force when scraping the sample with the nonwoven fabric was set to the maximum level at which the melted and solidified toner patch that does not go through the pressurizing step (strain applying step) could not be removed.

  11 and 12 are graphs for explaining the results of this experiment. FIG. 11 is a graph for explaining the relationship between the roll load and the toner removal amount, and FIG. 12 is a graph for explaining the relationship between the distortion amount and the toner removal amount. Here, as an experimental level, the rubber hardness and thickness of the silicone rubber were changed. That is, as a sample, a silicone rubber having a rubber hardness of 48 ° and a thickness changed to 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm, and a thickness of 2 mm and a rubber hardness changed to 20 ° and 30 ° were used.

  First, it was found from the graph shown in FIG. 11 that the toner removal amount (cleaning property) does not depend on the hardness and thickness of the silicone rubber and is constant at a removal amount of about 50%. Further, from data of a sample having a rubber hardness of 48 °, it was found that there is not much relation between the thickness of about 1 to 4 mm of the silicone rubber and the toner removal amount (cleanability). Furthermore, the relationship between the rubber removal hardness and the toner removal amount of the rubber having a thickness of 2 mm indicates that the smaller the rubber hardness, the lower the load required for pressurization. From these results, the present inventors have found that the amount of toner removal varies depending on the amount of strain applied.

  In the graph of FIG. 12, the horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 11 is changed from the roll load to the strain amount. Thus, it has been found that the toner removal amount increases to a certain extent when the distortion amount increases, and the toner removal amount is saturated when the distortion amount exceeds a certain distortion amount. Accordingly, it has been found that when toner cleaning is actually performed, it is difficult to completely remove the residual toner by applying the strain once, and it is necessary to apply the strain a plurality of times and collect the toner. In addition, in combination with other experimental results, if the image carrier is given a distortion amount of 5% or more, the residual toner can be removed almost completely by repeating almost four times. Further, when a distortion amount of 7% or more is given to the image carrier, the residual toner can be almost completely removed by repeating the process almost twice.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a full-color printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning device of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a cleaning device according to a modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning device of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning device of the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning device of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning device of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the full-color printer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of main parts of a full-color printer according to a modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates the experimental method. FIG. 11 illustrates the experimental results. FIG. 12 illustrates the experimental results.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Intermediate transfer roll, Intermediate transfer belt (image carrier, intermediate transfer body), 25 ... Heater (heating means), 4 ... Intermediate transfer roll cleaning device, Intermediate transfer belt cleaning device (cleaning means), 51, 52 ... Rotating roll member (first cleaning means) 53. Pad member (first cleaning means) 54. Blade member (first cleaning means) 55. Spherical member (first cleaning means) 61. (Second cleaning means), 64 ... suction device (second cleaning means)

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having an image carrier that holds and rotates toner, a heating unit that heats the toner on the image carrier to be in a molten state, and a cleaning unit that removes the toner on the image carrier. ,
The image carrier is an intermediate transfer member composed of an elastic body,
The heating unit heats the intermediate transfer member in a region from the N-th transfer position where the toner image is transferred N-order to the N + 1-second transfer position where the toner image is transferred N + 1-order in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member. At the same time, the cleaning means moves on the intermediate transfer member within a region from the N + 1 primary transfer position where the toner image is N + 1 transferred in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member to the N primary transfer position where the toner image is transferred N times. Remove the toner
The cleaning means includes
A first cleaning unit that applies pressure to a region of the surface of the image carrier where the temperature is lower than the melting temperature of the toner and applies distortion; and a toner on the image carrier that is present downstream of the first cleaning unit in the rotational direction of the image carrier. An image forming apparatus comprising: a second cleaning means for collecting. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning unit gives a distortion amount of 5% or more to the image carrier. Said second cleaning means, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in contact with the image bearing member to collect the toner. It said second cleaning means, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 for collecting toner without contacting the image bearing member.

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