Abstract: A cleaning unit, providable to an image carrier unit or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member disposed in contact with a target member to electrically remove residual toner from the target member, an elastic blade disposed in contact with the target member upstream from the cleaning member, a blade supporting member, a blade power source, and a conductive member that is more conductive than the elastic blade, and electrically connects the blade supporting member and the elastic blade. The conductive member is disposed so that an edge part of the conductive member is closer to where the elastic blade contacts the target member than an edge part of the blade supporting member.

Abstract: A cleaning brush configured to remove toner from a surface of a member of an image forming apparatus; wherein the cleaning brush includes a plurality of fibers having an inside part formed from a conductive material and a surface part formed by an insulating material.

Abstract: A cleaning unit that can remove particles of residual toner remaining on an image carrier after transfer and be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable to an image forming apparatus, includes a brush roller disposed in contact with the image carrier to remove the residual toner remaining on the image carrier from the image carrier, and a polarity control member disposed in contact with the image carrier to control charge polarities of the residual toner remaining on the image carrier before the residual toner is removed by the brush roller. The polarity control member includes a first surface where the polarity control member contacts the image carrier, a second surface where the polarity control member does not contact the image carrier, and a conductive filler that is not exposed on the first surface that contacts the image carrier.

Abstract: A polarity controlling device for controlling polarity of residual material on an image bearing member, including a blade, to which a first voltage is applied and which has a contact edge contacted with the surface of the image bearing member to charge the residual material, wherein the contact edge is covered with a resin layer including an electroconductive material. A cleaner including the polarity controlling device; a brush contacting the image bearing member to electrostatically collect the charged residual material utilizing potential difference; a collection member contacting the brush to collect the residual material; and a cleaning blade contacting the collection member to scrape the residual material therefrom. An image forming apparatus including an electrostatic image bearing member; a developing device developing the electrostatic image using a developer including a toner to form a toner image; a transfer device transferring the toner image onto a receiving material; and the cleaner.

Abstract: A cleaning device used for removing toner particles remaining on an image bearing member, including a plurality of brush rollers capable of coming into contact with the image bearing member, the brush rollers being disposed around the image bearing member in a row in a direction in which the image bearing member is moved, wherein one of the brush rollers includes brush fibers each containing a conductive agent dispersed homogeneously therein or only in its surface layer, wherein another brush roller includes oblique brush fibers, looped brush fibers, or both of them, each brush fiber containing the conductive agent localized in a center portion thereof without being dispersed in its surface layer, and wherein the oblique brush fibers are obliquely provided in the another brush roller so that tip portions thereof are curled on the image bearing member in a direction in which the image bearing member is moved.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a conductive member configured to charge powder remaining on a member to be cleaned so as to have a single polarity and configured to scrape off at least part of the powder, and disposed to contact with the member to be cleaned; a cleaning member configured to electrically adsorb the powder present on the member to be cleaned, disposed to contact with the member to be cleaned and located downstream of the conductive member in a direction in which the powder is conveyed thereon; a first recovering member configured to electrically adsorb the powder present on the cleaning member and disposed to contact with the cleaning member; and a second recovering member configured to scrape off the powder from the first recovering member and disposed to contact with the first recovering member, wherein the conductive member is constant-current controlled.

Abstract: A cleaning device 20 for removing a toner remaining on an image bearing member 5A after transfer, including: a polarity control member 23 configured to unify polarities of the remaining toner on the image bearing member 5A, a cleaning member 25 configured to remove the remaining toner having a polarity unified by the polarity control member 23, a collecting member 24 configured to collect the remaining toner transferred to the cleaning member 25, a blade 26 configured to remove the remaining toner from the collecting member 24, and a brush roller 21 configured to sweep the remaining toner on the image bearing member 5A and inject charge, disposed upstream of the polarity control member 23 in the traveling direction of the image bearing member 5A.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a cleaning brush positioned upstream of a blade nip in the direction of movement of the surface of a photoconductive drum. To prevent toner from accumulating at the blade nip, the surface of the photoconductive drum is moved in the direction opposite to the regular direction for image formation, conveying toner accumulated in a wedge-shaped space upstream of the blade nip 2n to a position where the cleaning brush removes it. With this configuration, the image forming apparatus can stably clear spherical toner particles left on the drum over a long period of time.

Abstract: A cleaning device including an elastic blade whose tip is contacted with a surface of a rotating member in such a manner as to counter the rotated member to remove particles of a toner on the rotated member; and a holder configured to support the elastic blade, wherein a nip formed by longitudinal end portions of the tip of the blade and the surface of the rotated member has a first nip width in a rotation direction of the rotated member, and a nip formed by a central portion of the blade and the surface of the rotated member has a second nip width, and wherein the first nip width is less than the second nip width.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, providable to an image carrier unit or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member disposed in contact with a target member to electrically remove residual toner from the target member, an elastic blade disposed in contact with the target member upstream from the cleaning member, a blade supporting member, a blade power source, and a conductive member that is more conductive than the elastic blade, and electrically connects the blade supporting member and the elastic blade. The conductive member is disposed so that an edge part of the conductive member is closer to where the elastic blade contacts the target member than an edge part of the blade supporting member.

Abstract: A brush roller includes conductive brush fibers and a conductive rotating shaft, and rotates around the rotating shaft so that the brush fibers make contact with a cleaning target to remove dirt from a surface of the cleaning target. A brush-roller cleaning unit makes contact with the brush fibers to remove the dirt from the brush fibers. A brush-fiber charge imparting unit makes contact with the brush fibers on a downstream side of a location where the brush-roller cleaning unit makes contact with the brush fibers and on an upstream side of a location where the brush fibers make contact with the cleaning target in rotation direction of the brush roller.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member, a collection member, an electrical field generator, and a separation member. The cleaning member has a surface capable of moving while contacting a surface of a cleaning target to remove toner on the surface of the cleaning target. The collection member has a surface capable of moving while contacting the surface of the cleaning member to collect the toner on the surface of the cleaning member. The electrical field generator generates an electrical field to move the toner from the cleaning member to the collection member. The separation member contacts the surface of the collection member to separate the toner on the surface of the collection member. The collection member has a centerline average surface roughness of not more than 0.1 ?m and shows a surface hardness rank of B or higher in a steel-wool scratch test.

Abstract: A blade, including: a cut surface provided by obliquely cutting a part of a tip surface to set an angle forming a tip ridge portion of the blade as an obtuse angle, wherein the tip ridge portion is configured to be pressed to a surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A cleaning brush configured to remove toner from a surface of a member of an image forming apparatus; wherein the cleaning brush includes a plurality of fibers having an inside part formed from a conductive material and a surface part formed by an insulating material.

Abstract: A cleaning unit for removing toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier of an image-forming apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning unit includes a vibration member, a blade member, and a driving part. The vibration member extends in the direction of the width of the image carrier, and has at least one vibration application part attached thereto. The blade member is attached to at least the end region of the vibration member, extending in the direction of the width of the image carrier. The driving part drives at least one vibration application part at a driving frequency that is a resonance frequency. The vibration member provides vibration to the blade member and a force to press the blade member against the image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning device cleans off a toner from a surface of a member rotating in a first direction. The cleaning device includes a blade made of an elastic material including a tip portion with a slanting portion that is pressed against the surface in a second direction counter to the first direction. A supporter supports the blade. An angle between the slanting portion and a longitudinal direction of the blade is obtuse. The slanting portion is pressed against the surface at a surface pressure of 2.0 MPa or more.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a cleaning brush to which a voltage is applied to remove residual toner particles from a cleaning target having a moving surface. The cleaning brush is configured to be triboelectrically charged to a polarity opposite to that of the voltage applied to the cleaning brush by contacting the cleaning target.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for removing charged particles includes a cleaning brush and a recovery unit. The cleaning brush removes the charged particles from an object by attracting the charged particles having positive and negative polarity. The recovery unit for recovering the charged particles from the cleaning brush includes a recovery member, a first charge applicator, a second charge applicator, and a voltage control unit. The recovery member is supplied with a voltage to attract the charged particles. The recovery member has a core and a surface layer. The first charge applicator applies a voltage to the surface layer of the recovery member. The second charge applicator applies a voltage to the core of the recovery member. The voltage control unit controls a polarity of the voltage to be applied by the first and second charge applicators depending on a polarity of the charged particles to be recovered.

Abstract: A cleaner for cleaning a surface of a rotating material, including an elastic blade arranged to counter the rotating material while a tip of the elastic blade is contacted with the surface of the rotating material to clean the surface of the rotating material, wherein the elastic blade has a first surface facing the rotating material, and a second surface opposite to the first surface thereof, and wherein the elastic blade has a recessed portion, which has a bottom surface and a wall, in a rear portion of the second surface; and a support plate configured to support the elastic blade, wherein the support plate has a first surface facing the rotating material, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a tip surface, wherein the elastic blade is connected with the support plate in such a manner that the bottom surface and the wall of the recessed portion of the blade are contacted with the first surface and the tip surface of the support plate, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image carrier, a charger, an electrostatic latent image forming member, a developing member, a transferor, and a cleaning device. The electrostatic latent image forming member forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the image carrier charged by the charger. The developing member develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier with toner particles to form a toner image. The transferor transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier onto a recording medium. The cleaning device includes a fine particle supplier and an electrostatic cleaning mechanism. The fine particle supplier supplies fine particles onto the surface of the image carrier while an image forming operation is not performed. The electrostatic cleaning mechanism electrostatically removes a foreign substance adhered to the supplied fine particles from the surface of the image carrier.