JPH03157174A - Device for cleaning drum - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove the firm stain of toner, etc., and to prevent the development of uneven cleanness by inserting the outer peripheral face of a drum so as to be slidingly brought into contact with an annular cleaning tool. CONSTITUTION:Cleaning means 20 having an annular cleaning tool (suction nozzle 22 and rubber blade 21) inserting a drum 10 into the inside, the drum 10 being vertically held, is elastically brought into contact with all over the outer peripheral face of drum. Further, the above cleaning means 20 is lifted/ lowered with driving means 40 and the toner stuck to the outer peripheral of drum 10 is scraped with the rubber blade 21 and made to suck in a suction nozzle 22. In such a manner, the cleaning is automatically executed to over the whole length from upper end to lower end in the outer peripheral face of drum to surely remove the toner, etc., and also the uneven cleanness is not left.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a drum cleaning device for cleaning the outer peripheral surface of a drum such as a photosensitive drum used in an image forming apparatus.

(Prior Art) Photosensitive drums used in image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic copying machines and printers are manufactured by forming a photosensitive layer on the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum tube. Before the manufactured photoreceptor drum is incorporated into an apparatus as a product, it is installed in an electrophotographic copying machine to perform image generation to form a copy of a predetermined original image. Based on this, product inspection is performed. In this image production, first, the photoreceptor drum carried in is set in an electrophotographic copying machine for testing, an actual image is formed, and the properties of the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum are inspected. If the photoreceptor drum is determined to have no abnormality on its outer circumferential surface, the toner adhering to the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum is wiped off, and the photoreceptor drum is transported out of the image display inspection process.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In such image inspection of photoreceptor drums, toner adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum is manually wiped off after the inspection. Therefore, work efficiency is poor, and if toner is firmly adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum, there is a possibility that such toner cannot be removed. Moreover, it is difficult to uniformly clean the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum, and uneven wiping is likely to occur. Furthermore, there is also the problem that toner removed from the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum is scattered around, deteriorating the working environment.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its object is to provide a drum cleaning device that can mechanically clean the outer peripheral surface of the drum strongly and uniformly.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The drum cleaning device of the present invention has an annular shape into which a drum is fitted, and a cleaning means having an annular cleaning tool that contacts the entire outer circumferential surface of the drum. and a drive means for moving the cleaning means in the direction of the drum axis relative to the drum, thereby achieving the above object.

(Example) The present invention will be described below with reference to Examples.

The drum cleaning device of the present invention is used to remove toner adhering to the outer circumferential surface of a photoreceptor drum used for copy image formation in an image inspection process when manufacturing photoreceptor drums.

The drum cleaning device includes a drum 10 as shown in FIG.
a support means 30 for vertically holding the drum 10; a cleaning means 20 for cleaning the outer circumferential surface of the drum 10 through which the drum 10 vertically supported on the support means 30 is inserted; and a drive for raising and lowering the cleaning means 20. means 40.

The support means 30 includes a cylindrical drum support stand 32 erected on a pedestal 31 . The upper part of the drum support stand 32 is
It has a cylindrical support part that is fitted into the lower end of the drum 10, and by fitting the lower end of the drum 10 into the support part, the drum 10 is held vertically. The portion of the drum receiver excluding the upper support part of the stand 32 has the same outer diameter as the outer diameter of the drum 10, and is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the drum IO.

In the drum support, for example, three vertical guide rods 33 are erected on a pedestal 31 on which a stand 32 is erected. A cleaning means 20 for cleaning is supported so as to be movable up and down. The height of each guide rod 33 is such that the drum holder extends slightly above the upper end of the drum 10 held on the stand 32.

The cleaning means 20 includes a support plate 23 that is horizontally supported by each guide rod 33 and has a rectangular shape in plan view and has a circular opening formed in the center, and is fitted into the opening of the support plate 23. It has an annular suction nozzle 22 and a rubber blade 21 that is an annular cleaning tool fitted into the suction nozzle 22. The rubber blade 21 is mounted on a drum support base 32.
It is substantially concentric with the drum 10 held by the drum 10, and its inner diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the drum 10. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the rubber blade 21 comes into elastic contact with the entire outer peripheral surface of the drum 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the annular suction nozzle 22, which is interposed between the rubber blade 21 and the support plate 23, is installed in an opening in the center of the support plate 23, and is attached to the inner circumference of the support plate 23. An annular rubber blade 21 is attached to the upper portion so that its inner circumferential portion extends inward from the inner circumferential surface of the suction nozzle 22 .

Therefore, a slight gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the suction nozzle 22 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 10 that is fitted into the annular rubber blade 21. The suction nozzle 22 is hollow over its entire circumference, and one end of a flexible hose 24 is communicated with the inside of the suction nozzle 22 . A filter and a suction pump (not shown) are connected to the other end of the flexible hose 24. A large number of nozzle holes 22a extending radially toward the axis are provided at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumference of the suction nozzle 22, and each nozzle hole 22a It is opened inward from the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle 22. Therefore, by operating the suction pump, air on the inner peripheral side of the suction nozzle 22 is sucked into the suction nozzle 22 through each nozzle hole 22a.

The driving means 40 for raising and lowering the cleaning means 20 includes a vertical screw rod 41 rotatably erected on the pedestal 31;
The motor 42 is connected to the lower end of the screw rod 41 and rotates the screw rod 41 in forward and reverse directions.

The screw rod 41 has a thread groove formed on its outer circumferential surface excluding the lower end, and the thread groove is screwed to the plate 23 of the cleaning means 20.

Therefore, when the screw rod 41 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions by the motor 42, the cleaning means 20 moves the support plate 23 up and down while being guided by the guide rod 33, and the cleaning means 20 moves the support plate 23 up and down while being guided by the guide rod 33. The rubber blade 21 attached to the drum support is vertically moved up and down while maintaining the drum support concentrically with respect to the stand 32. The moving means 40
The vertical stroke of the cleaning means 20 starts from the upper limit position where the suction nozzle 22 is located slightly above the upper end of the drum 10 held on the stand 32;
The rubber blade 21 is positioned at a lower limit position slightly below the lower end of the drum 10 held by the drum 2 .

In the drum cleaning device having such a configuration, when removing toner adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum, the cleaning means 20
The motor 42 of the drive means 40 is operated in the direction of raising the cleaning means 20 to the upper limit position. In this state, the drum receiver in the support means 30 is mounted on the stand 32.
The lower end of the drum IO is fitted into the upper part of the drum holder, and the drum holder holds the drum 10 vertically on the stand 32. Then, while operating the suction pump connected to the flexible hose 24 of the cleaning means 20, the motor 42 of the driving means 40 is operated to lower the cleaning means 20.

As the cleaning means 20 descends, the horizontal rubber blade 21 is fitted onto the upper end of the drum 1o, and the inner peripheral surface of the rubber blade 21 is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the drum 1o with uniform pressure over the entire circumference. contact elastically.

In this state, if the cleaning means 2o is further lowered,
The toner adhering to the outer circumferential surface of the drum IO is removed by the rubber blade 2.
The toner scraped off by the drum 1o from the outer peripheral surface of the drum 1o is sucked into the suction nozzle 22.

In this way, by lowering the cleaning means 2o to the lower limit position below the lower end of the drum 10, the drum 1o
The entire length of the outer circumferential surface from the top to the bottom is cleaned,
Toner adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the drum 1o is reliably removed.

At this time, the rubber blade 21 of the cleaning means 2o is attached to the drum 1.
Because it can be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of 0 under high pressure,
Toner firmly attached to the outer peripheral surface of the drum 10 can also be reliably removed. Moreover, since the rubber blade 21 is disposed coaxially with the drum LO, it contacts the outer circumferential surface of the drum LO with uniform pressure in the circumferential direction, so there is no possibility of uneven wiping.

Since the toner removal work is performed automatically, no operator is required during the toner removal work, and the toner removed from the outer peripheral surface of the drum 10 is sucked to prevent it from scattering. The environment for removal work will be improved.

When the cleaning means 20 reaches the lower limit and the rubber blade 21 stops at a position below the lower end of the drum 10, the drum holder removes the drum 10 from the stand 32 and raises the cleaning means 20 to a predetermined upper limit position. to prepare for the next cleaning of the drum 10.

In the above embodiment, a rubber blade is used as the cleaning tool 21 of the cleaning means 20, but the configuration is not limited to this.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, an annular brush 2 having brush bristles 25a arranged radially on the inner circumferential surface is used as a cleaning tool.
5 may be used.

In this embodiment, the brush 25 is supported on one side by a driving means 40, and is raised and lowered by the driving means 40.

On the other hand, the drum support stand 35 is rotated by a motor 36. The cleaning means 20 having the blower 25 is provided with a suction nozzle similar to that of the above embodiment.

In this drum cleaning device, when the brush 25 is lowered, the drum 10, which rotates integrally with the drum holder 35, is inserted into the bristle group 2Sa of the brush 25. As a result, the entire outer peripheral surface of the drum 10 is strongly and uniformly slid into contact with the brush bristles 2Sa from the upper end to the lower end, and the drum 10
Toner attached to the outer circumferential surface of the toner is reliably and evenly and stably removed.

In each of the above embodiments, the cleaning means 20 is driven in the axial direction of the drum 10, but by moving the drum 10 in the axial direction, the cleaning tool of the cleaning means 20 can be inserted. You may also do so.

(Effects of the Invention) In the drum cleaning device of the present invention, since the drum is inserted into the annular cleaning tool and the outer circumferential surface of the drum is securely brought into sliding contact with the cleaning tool, the outer circumferential surface of the drum toner etc. can be reliably removed. Since the cleaning tool slides evenly over the entire outer peripheral surface of the drum, there is no possibility of uneven cleaning. Further, since the outer peripheral surface of the drum is automatically cleaned, no operator is required during cleaning.

4. Diagram □ Explanation I Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the drum cleaning device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of its cleaning means, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the drum cleaning device of the present invention. It is a perspective view showing an example of a pond.

IO...Drum, zO...Cleaning means, 21...Rubber blade, 22...Suction nozzle, 25...Brush, 25a...Brush bristle group, 30...Supporting means, 32
．． 35...Drum support is a stand, 40...Driving means.

that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning means having an annular shape into which a drum is fitted and having an annular cleaning tool that contacts the entire outer circumferential surface of the drum; A drum cleaning device comprising: a drive means for relatively moving the drum in the axial direction.