JP4769436B2 - Image forming apparatus and process cartridge - Google Patents

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a printer, and a process cartridge, and more particularly to an image carrier, a charging unit that charges the image carrier, and an image carrier charged by the charging unit. Exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image by exposure, developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure means, transfer means for transferring the image developed by the developing means to a transfer material, In the image forming apparatus, comprising: a lubricant supply unit that supplies a lubricant to the image carrier on the downstream side of the transfer unit in the rotation direction of the image carrier and on the upstream side of the charging unit. The present invention relates to a mechanism for removing the deteriorated lubricant applied to the surface.

  Conventionally, as an example of a mechanism for removing a lubricant, it is known that excessive lubricating oil forms an oil recovery toner image TX and is removed by a cleaning unit without secondary transfer (for example, , See Patent Document 1). However, in the case of such a method, there is a problem that the toner consumption increases. In addition, there is also known one that removes excess lubricant with a developing device (see, for example, Patent Document 2). However, when this method is used, there is a problem that the lubricant is mixed in the developer, the charge amount of the developer is reduced, and an abnormal image is generated accordingly. Furthermore, a blade-like auxiliary member proposed by the present applicant is applied to the lubricant applied to the surface of the image carrier thinly and uniformly between the charging unit and the developing unit, and the large-diameter lubricant is blocked. There are also examples (see, for example, Patent Document 3). However, since the present invention is configured such that the lubricant is applied to the charging roller after being applied to the charging roller, when the lubricant is applied to the charging roller, the lubricant on the charging roller is not charged when the photosensitive member is charged. The lubricant that has deteriorated and has been transferred to the photosensitive member has a problem in that the original lubricating action cannot be exhibited.

JP 2000-66533 A JP 11-327359 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-142897

  Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the conventional one, prevents the toner consumption from increasing, prevents the charge amount of the developer from being reduced due to mixing of the lubricant into the developing means, and applies the lubricant. Maintains the peeling force between the developer (toner) and the image carrier reduced in step 1, thereby suppressing the occurrence of abnormal images, and without causing deterioration of the lubricant. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of extending the life of an image carrier and a process cartridge used in the apparatus.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an image carrier, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, and an electrostatic charge by exposure to the image carrier charged by the charging unit. Exposure means for forming a latent image, development means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure means, transfer means for transferring the image developed by the development means to a transfer material, and the image carrier Cleaning means for cleaning the residual toner on the upper side; lubricant supply means for supplying lubricant to the image carrier downstream of the transfer means in the image carrier rotation direction and upstream of the charging means; The image forming apparatus includes a lubricant removing unit that removes the lubricant on the image carrier on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the image carrier of the charging unit and on the upstream side of the exposure unit. An image forming apparatus.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the lubricant removing means is a blade pressed in the counter direction with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the lubricant removing means is a roller that rotates in the counter direction at the image carrier contact position with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the lubricant removing means is a belt that rotates in the counter direction at the image carrier contact position with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier.

  The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the lubricant removing means is a blade pressed in the trailing direction with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the lubricant removing means is a roller that rotates in a rotating direction at the image carrier contact position with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier. A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the lubricant removing means is a belt that rotates in a rotational direction at the image carrier contact position with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier.

  The invention described in claim 8 is characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 7, the lubricant supply means has a fur brush and a lubricating member. According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the lubricant supply means includes a rotating body and a lubricating member different from the fur brush. According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the lubricant pulverization is performed on the downstream side of the lubricant supplying means in the rotation direction of the image carrier and on the upstream side of the charging means. Means are provided.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including a plurality of the image forming apparatuses according to any one of the first to tenth aspects and forming a color image. According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier, a charging unit for charging the image carrier, which is sequentially arranged around the image carrier from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction, and charged by the charging unit. An exposure unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member by exposure, a cleaning unit that cleans residual toner on the image bearing member, and a lubricant on the image bearing member. Of the lubricant removing means to be removed on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the carrier and upstream of the exposure means, at least the lubricant removing means is integrally supported, and is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body. A process cartridge. A thirteenth aspect of the invention is an image forming apparatus in which one or a plurality of process cartridges according to the twelfth aspect are detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The present invention is as described above, and has a lubricant removing means for removing the lubricant on the image carrier on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the image carrier of the charging means and on the upstream side of the exposure means , The lubricant that has deteriorated by the lubricant removing means can be removed before going to the developing means, so that the charge amount of the developer can be prevented from being lowered, and the peeling force between the toner and the image carrier can be maintained. Therefore, the image quality is improved and the lubricant is not deteriorated, so that the life of the image carrier can be extended. In addition, there are excellent effects such as less toner consumption.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 shows an example applied to an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine). FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus as a general black-and-white image copying machine. FIG. It is an enlarged view around the body. The image forming apparatus shown here has an image carrier 2 disposed in an image forming apparatus main body 1. The image carrier 2 is composed of a drum-like photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical conductive base. The image carrier 2 is an endless belt-like image carrier that is wound around a plurality of rollers and rotated. The body can also be used.

  The image carrier 2 is driven to rotate clockwise during the image forming operation, and at this time, the image carrier 2 is charged to a predetermined polarity by the charging means 3. Although a non-contact charging roller is used as the charging unit 3 in FIG. 1, the invention is not limited to this, and a contact charging roller may be used. The image carrier 2 charged by the charging unit 3 is irradiated with light-modulated laser light emitted from a laser writing unit which is an example of the exposure unit 4, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier 2. Is done. In the example shown in the figure, the absolute value of the potential of the surface portion of the image carrier 2 irradiated with the laser beam decreases, and this becomes an electrostatic latent image (image portion), and the absolute value of the potential without being irradiated with the laser beam. The part where is kept high becomes the background part. This electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by toner charged to a predetermined polarity when passing through the developing means 5. As the exposure unit 4, in addition to the laser writing unit described above, an exposure unit having an LED array, an exposure unit that illuminates a document surface and forms an image of the document on an image carrier, or the like can also be used. .

  On the other hand, a transfer material made of, for example, transfer (recording) paper is sent out from the paper supply unit 9, and the transfer material is placed at a predetermined timing between the transfer unit 6 and the image carrier 2 facing the image carrier 2. Sent in. At this time, the toner image formed on the image carrier 2 is electrostatically transferred onto the transfer material. The transfer material on which the toner image has been transferred continues to pass through the fixing means 10, and at this time, the toner image is fixed on the transfer material by the action of heat and pressure. The transfer material that has passed through the fixing unit 10 is discharged to a paper discharge unit. Untransferred toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier without being transferred to the transfer material is removed by the cleaning means 7. The fixing unit 10 has a two-roller configuration in the figure, but there is no problem with other configurations such as a belt and a roller.

  The developing means 5 has a developing case 5a containing a dry developer and a developing roller 5b that conveys the developer while carrying the developer. As the developer, for example, a dry developer having a toner and a carrier, or a one-component developer having no carrier can be used. Further, a developing means using a liquid developer can be employed. The developing roller 5b is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the developer is carried and conveyed on the peripheral surface of the developing roller 5b, and the developer in the developer conveyed to the developing area between the developing roller 5b and the image carrier 2 is transported. The toner is electrostatically transferred to the electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image.

  The transfer means 6 is constituted by a transfer roller to which a transfer voltage having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner on the image carrier 2 is applied. The transfer means 6 includes a transfer brush, a transfer blade, or a corona discharger having a corona wire. Means can also be used. Further, instead of directly transferring the toner image on the image carrier 2 to a transfer material as a final recording medium, the toner image on the image carrier is transferred onto a transfer material made of an intermediate transfer member, and the toner image Can be transferred to the final recording medium.

  The cleaning means 7 is composed of a cleaning blade as shown in the figure. In addition, the cleaning means 7 has a cleaning member made of a fur brush 7b rotatably supported by a cleaning case 7a, and these cleaning members are used for the image carrier 2. The transfer residual toner that contacts the surface and adheres to the surface is cleaned. As described above, for the cleaning blade which is the cleaning means 7, for example, a known material such as polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, chloroprene rubber is appropriately selected, and its elastic modulus, thickness, contact angle with the image carrier, etc. Can be appropriately set and used. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the residual charge on the image carrier 2 may be neutralized by using the neutralizing means 8 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

  Further, the fur brush 7 b constitutes a lubricating member 102 and a lubricant supplying means 103, and the lubricant is appropriately supplied from the lubricating member 102 to the image carrier 2 by the fur brush. Normally, the lubricant is continuously supplied from the lubricating member 102. However, the lubricating member may be constituted by a general cam, an electromagnetic clutch, or the like so as to be in contact with or separated from the fur brush 7b, and intermittent supply may be performed. Further, the torque of the image carrier 2, the current of the drive motor, the reflectance of the image carrier 2, and the like may be monitored so that the lubricant is supplied only when necessary.

  As the lubricant to be supplied, a fatty acid metal salt can be used, and it can be used in the form of powder or solid depending on the supply mode to the image carrier. In order to eliminate problems such as scattering, it is desirable to use it in a solid state. Examples of the metal element constituting the fatty acid metal salt include zinc, lithium, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, lead, nickel and the like. Examples of the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid metal salt include stearic acid, Examples thereof include lauric acid and palmitic acid. Of these, zinc stearate is preferred when used as a solid.

Lubricant removing means for removing the lubricant on the image carrier is provided downstream of the charging means 3 in the image carrier rotation direction and upstream of the exposure means 4 . Here, a blade 111 is used as a lubricant removing means, and is applied to the image carrier 2 in the counter direction (so that the angle formed by the blade and the image carrier spreads downstream in the rotation direction of the image carrier). In view of the ability to dampen the lubricant, the method of hitting the blade 111 in the counter direction is excellent. Will not go.

  The blade 111 may be made of the same material as that of the cleaning blade. That is, a known material such as polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, or chloroprene rubber may be used as the material. The elastic modulus is preferably 20 to 80%, the thickness is 1 to 6 mm, and the contact angle with the image carrier is preferably about 15 to 45 °. Further, the position of the blade 111 is preferably downstream of the charging unit 3 and upstream of the exposure unit 4 as shown in the figure, but may be downstream of the exposure unit 4 and upstream of the developing unit 5.

  FIG. 3 shows a modification of the lubricant removing means. In this example, the blade 114 used as the lubricant removing means is applied in the trailing direction (so that the angle formed between the blade and the image carrier narrows downstream in the rotation direction of the image carrier). In this way, when it is applied in the trailing direction, the ability of damming is reduced, which is convenient for removing a small amount of lubricant.

[Embodiment 2]
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, a roller 112 is used as a lubricant removing means. The roller 112 includes a brush roller. The rotation direction of the roller is clockwise as in the rotation direction of the image carrier 2. By rotating the roller 112 in this way, most of the lubricant is dammed up, and most of the lubricant does not flow downstream from the roller 112. Accordingly, the amount of lubricant removed increases. In order to remove most of the lubricant as described above, it is preferable that the roller 112 be clockwise as in the rotation direction of the image carrier 2, but the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the image carrier 2, that is, the counterclockwise direction. You may rotate in the clockwise direction. FIG. 5 shows a modification thereof. In this example, since the roller 115 used as the lubricant removing means rotates counterclockwise, the amount of lubricant removed is reduced, which is convenient in the case of removing a small amount.

When rotating the roller 115 counterclockwise, it is better to change the speed of the roller relative to the speed of the surface of the image carrier. When the speed of the surface of the image carrier is V1, the speed V2 of the roller is It is preferable to make the range.
0.5V1 ≦ V2 ≦ 5V1 (where V1 ≠ V2) (Equation 1)
When rotating clockwise, there is no particular problem within the range of the above formula.

Moreover, when using a brush roller, the density of the brush is preferably 2000 / cm ² or more and 1000 / cm ² or less, and more preferably 3000 / cm ² or more and 8000 / cm ^2. . The lower limit of the above range is a value determined based on the result of no abnormal image appearing on the image carrier in the experiment. The upper limit of the above range only indicates a manufacturing limit, but manufacturing technology will increase in the future, and higher densities may be possible. Therefore, the upper limit is not particularly limited. In addition, it is desirable that the charging polarity of the roller is more positive than that of the lubricant. This is because the image carrier is negatively charged and the lubricant is easily negatively charged, so that if the charging polarity of the roller is negative, the lubricant cannot be attracted to the roller. That is, the amount remaining on the image carrier increases although it is desired to be removed from the image carrier. In the case of a roller, unlike the blade, the removal amount should be controlled to some extent by the number of rotations.

  As the material of the roller, metals such as stainless steel and mild steel and reinforced plastics are used for the core metal, and as the rubber material outside the core metal, known materials such as polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, and chloroprene rubber are used. Material can be used. Furthermore, a coating layer on which the toner or lubricant hardly adheres may be provided on the surface layer of the rubber material. The characteristic required for the roller material is that not only the secretion (oil) from the inside does not bleed out, but also the change is small and the toner and lubricant are difficult to adhere.

[Embodiment 3]
FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment, and in this embodiment, a belt 113 is used as a lubricant removing means. FIG. 6 shows a structure in which one roller side of an endless belt wound around two rollers is brought into contact with the image carrier 2. Although not shown, in order to increase the contact area with the image carrier, an endless belt is rotatably supported by three or more rollers, and two of the rollers are in contact with the image carrier. You may take the structure to make. By adopting such a structure, the amount of lubricant removed can be increased. The rotation direction of the belt 113 moves the surface of the endless belt against the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier. By rotating the belt 113 in this manner, most of the lubricant is dammed up, and most of the lubricant does not flow downstream from the belt 113. Accordingly, the amount of lubricant removed increases. As described above, in order to remove most of the lubricant, it is preferable to move the belt 113 against the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier. However, the belt is moved along the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier. The structure may be such that the surface of the endless belt moves. FIG. 7 shows a modification thereof. In this example, since the belt 116 used as the lubricant removing means moves along the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier, the amount of lubricant removed is reduced, which is advantageous in the case of removing a small amount.

  The moving speed of the belt surface may be in the range shown in Equation 1. In addition, the belt configuration preferably includes at least three layers of a base layer, an elastic layer, and a surface layer, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, an elastic layer may be provided on the support roller side in a two-layer configuration of a base layer and a surface layer. The belt may be driven from a roller away from the image carrier, but it may be taken from a roller in contact with the other image carrier. It doesn't matter.

It has not been fully understood what state the lubricant should be on the image carrier 2 by the lubricant supply means 103 and the lubricant removal means. However, the element ratio [%] of the metal element contained in the fatty acid metal salt present on the surface of the image carrier is measured by XPS.
1.52 × 10 ⁻⁴ × {Vpp−2 × Vth} × f / v [%] (Formula 2)
If it is above, it turns out that the quality change (white turbidity) of the surface of the image carrier (photosensitive body) which is a to-be-charged body can be prevented. Where Vpp is the amplitude [V] of the AC component applied to the charging means, f is the frequency [Hz] of the AC component applied to the charging means, and Gp is the closest distance [μm] between the charging means surface and the image carrier surface. , V is the moving speed [mm / sec] of the surface of the image carrier facing the charging means, and Vth is the discharge start voltage. The value of Vth is 312 + 6. Where the film pressure of the image carrier is d [μm], the relative dielectric constant of the image carrier is εopc, and the relative dielectric constant in the space between the image carrier and the charging means is εair. 2 × (d / εopc + Gp / εair) + √ (7737.6 × d / ε).

  8 and 9 show a modification of FIGS. 3 to 8 in which the lubricant supply means are different. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the lubricant may be supplied to the image carrier using the lubricant supply means 105 different from the fur brush 7b. The lubricant supply means 105 includes a rotating brush 106 and a lubricating member 102. However, the rotating brush 106 may be a rotating roller, and may be any rotating body. In this case, the fur brush 7b functions not as a lubricant supply function but as a cleaning function.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a lubricant pulverizing means 110 is provided between the lubricant supplying means 105 and the charge eliminating means 8, and after the lubricant is supplied to the image carrier, the lubricant is pulverized using the lubricant pulverizing means 110. The agent may be made fine and thin on the image carrier.

  The lubricant supply means 105 preferably contacts the solid lubricant with, for example, the rotating brush 106 or the rotating roller that contacts the image carrier 2 and supplies the lubricant to the image carrier via these rotating brushes. However, from the viewpoints of downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus, the lubricant may be supplied in direct contact with the image carrier.

  In FIGS. 8 and 9, the rollers 112 and 115 corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, are shown as an example of the lubricant removing means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the blade 111 corresponding to FIGS. 114 and belts 113 and 116 corresponding to FIGS. 6 and 7 may be used.

  In the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1, each means arranged around the image carrier 2 such as the charging means 3 is as shown in the first, second, and third embodiments. Some of them may be formed into process cartridges as shown in FIG. That is, in the process cartridge 107, a casing that rotatably supports the charging unit 3 and a cleaning case that supports the cleaning unit 7 are configured as an integrated unit case 108, and the image carrier 2 can be rotated in this unit. In addition to being assembled, a lubricant supply means, a cleaning means 7, a charging means 3, and a roller 112 as a lubricant removal means are assembled therearound. In this way, an image forming unit in which the charging unit 3 and the like and the image carrier 2 are assembled together is configured, and the image forming unit is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1. The charging means 3 and the image carrier 2 are incorporated in the unit case 108 in a state where the minute gap G is kept constant, and the image forming unit is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body while keeping the minute gap G constant. It can be attached to and detached from 1. For this reason, when attaching and detaching the image forming unit, it is possible to prevent a problem that the size of the minute gap G greatly varies. The image carrier 2 and the charging unit 3 may be separately attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 1. However, according to this configuration, the minute gap G is formed when the image carrier 2 and the charging unit 3 are attached and detached. There is a risk of change, and there is a risk that uniform charging cannot be performed. The developing means 5 disposed at a position facing the process cartridge 107 and the image carrier 2 is also formed as a process cartridge as shown in the figure, and is configured integrally with the process cartridge 107 or separately.

  The members such as the lubricant supply means may be configured to be detachable from the image forming apparatus main body 1 separately, but in this case, these members remain in contact with the image carrier when the means are attached / detached. Since it moves, a large external force is applied to the image carrier, which may cause the minute gap G to fluctuate. On the other hand, if the contacting member is also an element of the image forming unit, when the image forming unit is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus main body 1, the cleaning means 7, the lubricant supplying means, and the lubricant removing means are both attached and detached. Therefore, these members do not move relative to the image carrier, and there is no possibility that the minute gap G will fluctuate greatly, and it is possible to prevent the image carrier from being damaged due to contact. I can do it.

  Further, the image bearing member 2 has characteristics of an organic photoreceptor having a surface layer reinforced with a filler such as alumina powder of 0.1 μm or less, an organic photoreceptor using a cross-linked charge transport material, or both. When the organic photoconductor is configured, the surface hardness is increased and the wear resistance is improved, so that the life can be greatly extended.

  11 and 12 show an example in which the roller 112 as the lubricant removing means shown in FIG. 4 is mounted on the color image forming apparatus. In the color image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 11, a roller 112 is disposed around each of a plurality of image carriers 2 of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. The plurality of image carriers 2 are in contact with a transfer belt 16 that extends horizontally from below, and the transfer belt moves as indicated by arrows to transfer and convey the transfer material 15. Similarly, in the color image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 12, a roller 112 is arranged around each of the plurality of image carriers. An intermediate transfer belt 17 is brought into contact with the plurality of image carriers 2 from below, and the transfer belt moves as indicated by an arrow to transfer and convey the transfer material 15.

  The color image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is an example, and other two-color or color image forming apparatuses in which at least two developing machines are installed on one image carrier are also shown in FIGS. It is also possible to mount the lubricant removing means. Further, as the lubricant removing means, the roller 112 shown in FIG. 4 is shown, but the roller 115 shown in FIG. 5, the blades 111 and 114 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the belts 113 and 116 shown in FIGS. Good. Further, any of the units arranged around the image carrier 2 such as the charging unit 3 may be used as a process cartridge together with the image carrier.

  The invention described in claims 2, 3 and 4 can be expected to have the same effect as the invention described in claim 1. In addition, since the blade, roller, and belt are in contact with the image carrier in the counter direction, respectively, the lubricant removal rate is improved and the charge amount of the developer can be prevented from being lowered.

  The inventions described in claims 5, 6 and 7 can be expected to have the same effect as the invention described in claim 1. In addition, since the blade, roller, and belt are in contact with the image carrier in the trailing direction, the lubricant removal rate is reduced.

  The invention described in claims 8, 9 and 10 can be expected to have the same effect as the invention described in claim 1. In addition, if a lubricant supply means including a rotating body and a lubricating member different from the fur brush is used as in the invention described in claim 9, it can be used as a dedicated function different from the fur brush. If the lubricant fine powdering means is used as in the invention described in claim 10, the lubricant can be finely powdered and thinned on the image carrier.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a color image forming apparatus with good lubricant removal. According to the invention of claim 12, a process cartridge with good lubricant removal can be obtained, and if such a process cartridge is used, the contact state between the image carrier and the lubricant removing means can be easily maintained. , Serviceability is improved. According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus incorporating a process cartridge can be obtained.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is an enlarged view around the image carrier. It is an enlarged view which shows the modification of a lubricant removal means same as the above. 6 is an enlarged view around an image carrier of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows the modification of a lubricant removal means same as the above. 6 is an enlarged view around an image carrier of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows the modification of a lubricant removal means same as the above. It is an enlarged view which shows the modification of a lubricant supply means. It is an enlarged view which shows the modification which provided the lubricant fine powdering means. It is drawing which shows the example which made the lubricant removal means the process cartridge. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a lubricant removing unit is mounted on a color image forming apparatus. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a lubricant removing unit is mounted on different color image forming apparatuses.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus main body 2 Image carrier 3 Charging means 4 Exposure means 5 Developing means 6 Transfer means 7 Cleaning means 8 Static elimination means 9 Paper feed means 10 Fixing means 15 Transfer material 16 Transfer belt 17 Intermediate transfer belt 102 Lubricating members 103 and 105 Lubricant supply means 106 Rotating brush 107 Process cartridge 108 Unit case 110 Lubricant fine powdering means 111, 114 Blade (lubricant removing means)
112, 115 roller (lubricant removing means)
113, 116 belt (lubricant removing means)

Claims (13)

An image carrier, a charging means for charging the image carrier, an exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier charged by the charging means by exposure, and the exposure means formed by the exposure means Development means for developing the electrostatic latent image, transfer means for transferring the image developed by the development means to a transfer material, cleaning means for cleaning residual toner on the image carrier, and image carrier of the transfer means And a lubricant supply unit that supplies a lubricant to the image carrier on the downstream side of the body rotation direction and on the upstream side of the charging unit. An image forming apparatus comprising a lubricant removing means for removing the lubricant on the image carrier on the side and upstream of the exposure means .   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing means is a blade pressed in the counter direction with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing unit is a roller that rotates in a counter direction at an image carrier contact position with respect to a rotation direction of the image carrier.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing means is a belt that rotates in the counter direction at the image carrier contact position with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing means is a blade pressed in the trailing direction with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing unit is a roller that rotates in a rotating direction at an image carrier contact position with respect to a rotation direction of the image carrier.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant removing means is a belt that rotates in a rotating direction at an image carrier contact position with respect to a rotation direction of the image carrier.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant supplying unit includes a fur brush and a lubricating member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant supply unit includes a rotating body different from the fur brush and a lubricating member.   10. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein a lubricant pulverization unit is provided downstream of the lubricant supply unit in the rotation direction of the image carrier and upstream of the charging unit. apparatus.   11. An image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of image forming apparatuses according to claim 1 and forming a color image. An image carrier, a charging unit that charges the image carrier, which is sequentially arranged around the image carrier from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction, and the image carrier charged by the charging unit are exposed. An exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image by the cleaning unit, a cleaning unit for cleaning residual toner on the image carrier, and a lubricant on the image carrier on the downstream side of the charging unit in the rotation direction of the image carrier. A process cartridge which integrally supports at least the lubricant removing means among the lubricant removing means to be removed on the upstream side of the exposure means, and is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.   An image forming apparatus comprising one or more process cartridges according to claim 12 detachably attached to an image forming apparatus main body.

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