Abrasion Or Film Removal Patents (Class 399/347)
  • Patent number: 10877424
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrophotographic printer comprising a photoconductive cylinder, and a cleaning element comprising an absorbent foam substrate. The absorbent foam substrate has an abrasive material disposed on at least an outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate. At least part of the outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate is engageable with the photoconductive cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Lavi Cohen, Minedys Macias Guzman
  • Patent number: 9639019
    Abstract: Provided is a cleaning member including a helical convex section formed on an outer peripheral surface, wherein the cleaning member comes into complete contact with a target cleaning member in an axial direction of the target cleaning member, and rotates in contact with the target cleaning member rotating around an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fuyuki Kano, Minoru Rokutan
  • Patent number: 9217984
    Abstract: An image carrier unit includes: an image carrier; a cleaning roller collecting a residual toner remaining on a circumferential surface of the image carrier; a conveyance member receiving the residual toner and conveying the residual toner towards a one-end part side in a rotation-axis direction of the cleaning roller; and an operating mechanism making the cleaning roller perform thrust operation in the rotation-axis direction. The cleaning roller is obtained by spirally winding, around a roller circumferential surface a plurality of times, a base cloth of a long shape in which a plurality of brush bristles are implanted, and a plurality of wound areas formed on the roller circumferential surface by the winding have a downstream side of the roller circumferential surface in a side view from a direction orthogonal to a rotating shaft is directed towards the one-end part side in the rotation-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Fujii
  • Patent number: 8824950
    Abstract: The rotating speed of the coating brush of the image forming apparatus fluctuates between the upper limit speed and the lower limit speed across the standard speed. Consequently, the positional relation of the contact between the brush textile of the coating brush and the surface of the photographic sensitive drum varies for a wider range compared to a case where the rotating speed of the coating brush does not vary. Since the thin area of the brush textile moves for a wider range of the surface of the photographic sensitive drum in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the photographic sensitive drum, the area where the coating amount of the lubricant is less is evened out by the area where the coating amount of the lubricant is rich, thus improving the unevenness of coating of the lubricant on the photographic sensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nakamura, Takahiro Iwasaki, Masami Maruko
  • Patent number: 8787788
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body that holds an electrostatic latent image; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner and forms a toner image on the image holding body; a transfer member having a fluorocarbon resin dispersion layer at least at a surface layer of the transfer member, fluorocarbon resin being dispersed in the fluorocarbon resin dispersion layer; a first transfer device that first-transfers the toner image, which is formed on the image holding body, on the transfer member; a second transfer device that second-transfers the toner image, which is first-transferred on the transfer member, on a recording medium; and an abrading member that is arranged to come into contact with and be separated from the transfer member and abrades part of the surface layer of the transfer member when the abrading member contacts the transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsunao Koujiri, Taku Fukuhara, Yoko Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8768191
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member which fixes a toner image on a sheet; a plurality of sliding contact members which sliding contact a surface of the fixing member in which roughness of sliding surfaces of the plurality of sliding contact members is different from each other; a counter which accumulates a count value based on the number of fixing operations to determine a contact period of time of the plurality of sliding contact members to be brought into contact with the fixing member; and a controller which controls the plurality of sliding contact members to be brought into contact with the fixing member based on the accumulated count value of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masami Maruko
  • Patent number: 8731437
    Abstract: There are provided a focus adjusting apparatus and method in which a look of an image plane can be improved when an object area to be focused in the image plane is judged and focused prior to image-taking preparation operation. A first operation for determining the object area to be focused is performed prior to the image-taking preparation operation, and a second operation for performing the focus adjusting operation is performed at the time of the image-taking preparation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 8699930
    Abstract: According to embodiments, a heating member or a sliding member arranged in contact with the surface of a fusing roller is moved in an intersecting direction with the rotational direction of the fusing roller in a contact state with the heating member or the sliding member so as to prevent a scratch from being generated on the surface of the fusing roller or to repair the scratch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Tanaka, Atsuyoshi Abe, Daisuke Aoki, Kazuhisa Kemmochi, Tsutomu Miki
  • Patent number: 8463167
    Abstract: According to embodiments, a heating member or a sliding member arranged in contact with the surface of a fusing roller is moved in an intersecting direction with the rotational direction of the fusing roller in a contact state with the heating member or the sliding member so as to prevent a scratch from being generated on the surface of the fusing roller or to repair the scratch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Tanaka, Atsuyoshi Abe, Daisuke Aoki, Kazuhisa Kemmochi, Tsutomu Miki
  • Patent number: 8320785
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming portions. The first and second image forming portions forms a toner image. The second image forming portion forms a toner image so that the toner image is superimposed on the toner image formed by the first image forming portion. The second image forming portion includes an image bearing member, a cleaning member that removes transfer residual toner existing on the image bearing member at an abutting position, and a supply unit that supplies abrasive particles or toner to the abutting position. The image forming apparatus includes a controller that controls the amount of toners or abrasive particles, which are supplied by the supply unit, in accordance with the amount of toner used in the first and second image forming portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 8270856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which forms a releasing agent absorption toner image on an in-between printed sides area of a moving surface of an image carrier in the duplex printing mode. When the in-between printed sides area of the moving surface enters a transfer position at which a toner image is transferred from the image carrier to a recording medium, the transferring operation of transferring the toner image from the image carrier to a recording medium is interrupted to keep the releasing agent absorption toner image on the in-between printed sides area of the moving surface of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takehide Mizutani, Hiroyoshi Haga, Tsutomu Kato, Yohhei Watanabe, Yoshimi Saitoh, Masayoshi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8200116
    Abstract: A cleaning element for an image forming apparatus, such as a printer. The cleaning element may include a brush, which may include a support structure and brush filaments extending therefrom. Each of the brush filaments has a tip at the distal end from the support structure and may be configured to contact a surface of a member to be cleaned. An inorganic microparticle may be bonded at or proximate to the tip by a discharge product as an adhesive. Thus, it is possible to provide a cleaning element capable of removing material adhering to the surface of the member to be cleaned. The cleaning element is capable of providing long-term effective cleaning of a member of an image forming apparatus during extended use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: KYOCERA MITA Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8112026
    Abstract: A lubricant applying device that faces a rotatable body, and that applies a solid lubricant to the rotatable body, includes: a lubricating roll in which the solid lubricant for application is formed into a circular sectional shape around a rotatable support shaft, and that is contacted with the rotatable body; and a pressing mechanism that presses the lubricating roll toward the rotatable body, wherein the lubricating roll that is pressed against the rotatable body by the pressing mechanism applies the lubricant in a state where the lubricating roll is not rotated relative to the rotatable body, and, when a rotational torque due to the contact with the rotatable body exceeds a predetermined value, the lubricating roll is rotated in accordance with rotation of the rotatable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, Tsutomu Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8050614
    Abstract: Hard image forming apparatuses and methods are described. According to one arrangement, a hard image forming apparatus includes an imaging member comprising a surface, a development system configured to provide a marking agent to the surface of the imaging member to form developed images upon the surface of the imaging member which correspond to latent images formed using the surface of the imaging member, and a transfer system configured to transfer the developed images from the surface of the imaging member to media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shahar Nuriel, Wael Salalha, Doron Avramov, Ziv Gilan, Marko Richter, Giries Kadis, Sharon Nagler
  • Patent number: 7998275
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a circumferential surface of a cylinder of a printing press provides for improved cleaning to be achieved during a short time. In order to clean the circumferential surface, a cleaning fluid is first applied to the circumferential surface. In order then to remove contaminants, the contaminants a broken up mechanically after the cleaning fluid is applied and before a cleaning apparatus acting on the circumferential surface is set into operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Jörg Frey, Jörg Heuschkel, Bernd Maier
  • Patent number: 7831189
    Abstract: A lubricant applying unit, included in a process cartridge provided in an image forming apparatus, includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant supporting unit to support the solid lubricant, a lubricant holder to accommodate the solid lubricant supported by the lubricant supporting unit, a pressing mechanism located between the lubricant supporting unit and the lubricant holder and designed to press the solid lubricant against a lubricant applying member, and a frictional resistance reducing member to reduce a frictional resistance produced at sliding contact portions between the lubricant supporting unit and internal surfaces of the lubricant holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroomi Harada, Shuji Tanaka, Naohiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 7729653
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method for cleaning a photoreceptor are realized that allow cleaning a surface of the photoreceptor to eliminate foreign substances adhering thereto, without using a special abrasive sheet. A recording sheet is fed and brought into contact with photoreceptors of all photoreceptor drums. The recording sheet is stopped by causing the vicinity of a rear end of the recording sheet to be sandwiched between a pair of registration rollers. Then, the photoreceptor drums are rotated. By this way, the cleaning is carried out to the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawamoto, Jitsuo Masuda, Masayasu Narimatsu, Naoki Fukudo
  • Publication number: 20100111556
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a charging member contactable to said photosensitive member to electrically charge said photosensitive member; applying means applying a charging bias voltage to said charging member; detecting means detecting a current flowing between said charging member and said photosensitive member; a controller for controlling said image forming apparatus to execute an operational mode for removing an electric discharge product deposited on a surface of said photosensitive member, in the case that detecting means detects a current not lower than a predetermined value when a voltage lower than a voltage at which an electric charge starts between said photosensitive member and said charging member is applied to said charging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Shibuya, Takayuki Ganko
  • Patent number: 7664430
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that rotates in a predetermined direction so as to carry a toner image, a charging member that charges the image carrier by a discharge operation, a toner holding member that is disposed to be in contact with the image carrier so as to hold toner in a portion being in contact with the image carrier and that removes a discharge product generated on the image carrier, and a holding amount adjusting unit that adjusts a toner holding amount of the toner holding member. The holding amount adjusting unit includes an estimation unit that estimates a current toner holding amount of the toner holding member, and a correction unit that corrects the toner holding amount of the toner holding member on a basis of an estimation result obtained from the estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamashita, Yutaka Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 7653329
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a motor, a photoconductive drum, a charging unit, an abrasion tool, a timer, and a controller. The charging unit is provided at a periphery of the photoconductive drum, and charges the photoconductive drum by a corona discharge method. The abrasion tool is provided at the periphery of the photoconductive drum, and abrades the surface of the photoconductive drum while the photoconductive drum is rotating. The timer measures a job interval from when the motor is stopped to end a previous print job until when the motor is driven to start a next print job. The controller executes over a predetermined period of time a pre-rotation process to adjust the photoconductive drum and a peripheral system of the photoconductive drum into an optimum state, and calculates a period when the pre-rotation process is to be executed according to the measured job interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Sasai
  • Patent number: 7620343
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of effectively suppressing the occurrence of image deletion etc. and thus stably obtaining a high-quality image and stably reducing the influence of titanium oxide particles on image quality. The image forming apparatus includes an amorphous silicon photoconductor drum having a heater provided therein; a charging device; and a rotating member that cleans the surfaces of the amorphous silicon photoconductor drum using titanium oxide particles included in toner particles. In the image forming apparatus and the image forming method using the same, the heater controls a difference between the surface temperature of the amorphous silicon photoconductor drum and the outdoor temperature within a predetermined range, and slide friction between the amorphous silicon photoconductor drum and the rotating member and the average primary particle diameter of the titanium oxide particles are set in predetermined ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Shinki Miyaji, Nobuyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7505728
    Abstract: A lubricant applying unit includes a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid; an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application; and a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject. The spreading member spreads the lubricant in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Daichi Yamaguchi, Kenji Sugiura, Takahiko Tokumasu, Takuya Seshita, Katsuhiko Tani, Yumiko Yagi
  • Publication number: 20080298865
    Abstract: An apparatus is mounted on a moveable carriage of an external drum platesetter for removing air-borne ablative particles caused when a printing plate mounted on an outside surface of a rotating drum of the platesetter is imaged via a laser source having a window for transmitting a laser beam. The apparatus includes a nozzle, a redirecting surface and a vacuum chamber. The nozzle transmits a line of compressed air towards the redirecting surface which in turn redirects and splits the line of compressed air into two parts. A first part is directed towards the drum and a second part is diverted towards the laser window. The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum channel for removing air including the ablative particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen R. Manning, Torsten Platz
  • Patent number: 7437115
    Abstract: An image forming device 30 is constituted capable of executing a refresh mode, including: a toner discharge process that transports toner on a developing sleeve 4a inside a developing unit 4 to a photoreceptor drum 1 side when starting up the image forming device from the power supply off state, the sleep (energy saving) mode, and the like, to the copy start state; a transfer roller refresh process that transports the toner transported to the photoreceptor drum 1 side by the toner discharge process to a transfer roller 5 side; and a return process that once again transports the toner transported to the transfer roller 5 side by the transfer roller refresh process to the photoreceptor drum 1 side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Ohba
  • Patent number: 7283767
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: an image carrier driven into rotation; a charger for electrically charging a surface of the image carrier; a latent image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged image carrier surface; a developing unit for forming a toner image by supplying a toner to an area of the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier surface; a transferring unit for transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier surface to a transfer medium; and a non-rotary type polishing member employing a foamed elastic material, the polishing member contacted against the surface of the image carrier at place downstream from the transferring unit in a moving direction of the image carrier and between the transferring unit and the charger, and reciprocally moved in a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Noritoshi Hagimoto
  • Patent number: 7272354
    Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a first blade and a second blade. The first blade is in contact with an image carrier or a paper carrier and removes adhered substances remained on surface of these. The second blade has an abrasive layer that is formed by including abrasive particles in an elastic material and is disposed in the downstream side of the first blade. The second blade is allowed to be in contact with the image carrier 1 or the paper carrier. Volume occupancy of abrasive particles in an area of contact of the second blade with either the image carrier or the paper carrier is not less than 50 percent and not more than 90 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eisaku Murakami, Masami Tomita, Masanori Kawasumi, Toshio Koike, Naohiro Kumagai, Atsushi Sampe, Takeshi Shintani, Masato Yanagida, Yutaka Takahashi, Hiroya Hirose, Shin Hasegawa, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Takeshi Uchitani, Kazunori Karasawa, Kentaroh Matsumoto, Tokuya Ohjimi, Mugijiroh Uno
  • Patent number: 7257362
    Abstract: A cleaning system for cleaning an imaging surface moving in a process direction, including: an abrading brush for uniformly abrading the imaging surface to remove laterally conductive deposits that lead to lateral charge migration therefrom, the abrading brush includes a core defining a core length and having fibers extending outwardly therefrom, the fibers include abrasive particles attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Facci, William H. Wayman, Moritz P. Wagner, Paul J. McConville, Michael J. Turan, Douglas A. Lundy
  • Patent number: 7224929
    Abstract: A cleaning system including: a cleaning device for cleaning laterally conductive deposits from the imaging surface; an AC bias member, adjacent to the imaging surface and positioned downstream from the cleaning device; and a power supply for biasing the AC bias member to generate corona that contacts the imaging surface to degrade laterally conductive deposits that lead to lateral charge migration on the imaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Facci, Michael J. Turan, Moritz P. Wagner, William H. Wayman, Douglas A. Lundy, Paul J. McConville
  • Patent number: 7110696
    Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a first blade and a second blade. The first blade is in contact with an image carrier or a paper carrier and removes adhered substances remained on surface of these. The second blade has an abrasive layer that is formed by including abrasive particles in an elastic material and is disposed in the downstream side of the first blade. The second blade is allowed to be in contact with the image carrier 1 or the paper carrier. Volume occupancy of abrasive particles in an area of contact of the second blade with either the image carrier or the paper carrier is not less than 50 percent and not more than 90 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eisaku Murakami, Masami Tomita, Masanori Kawasumi, Toshio Koike, Naohiro Kumagai, Atsushi Sampe, Takeshi Shintani, Masato Yanagida, Yutaka Takahashi, Hiroya Hirose, Shin Hasegawa, Hiroyuki Nagashima, Takeshi Uchitani, Kazunori Karasawa, Kentaroh Matsumoto, Tokuya Ohjimi, Mugijiroh Uno
  • Patent number: 7110149
    Abstract: A carriage module for scanner comprises a case, an image sensor, a mirror set and a lens set. The image sensor, the mirror set and the lens set are arranged in the case and used to guide a reflected light from a document to be scanned as well as convert the reflected light to an electrical counterpart. The case composed of a first shell and a second shell with a larger length than that of the first shell. The second shell is movably arranged in the first shell and can be moved along a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Cho
  • Patent number: 6968149
    Abstract: There is provided a simply structured, cleanerless image forming apparatus capable of suppressing occurrence of filming without significant remodeling. An image forming apparatus 100 according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image forming units 100a, 100b, 100c, and 100d for forming toner images of corresponding colors on photoconductor drums 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d according to a cleanerless system. These image forming units respectively have adhered toner film cleaners 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d each of which touches a surface of the photoconductor and mechanically cleans the surface at every cleaning timing for cleaning the surface of the photoconductor. The adhered toner film cleaner does nothing during image formation, but cleans the photoconductor surface only at cleaning timing when the image formation is complete for the specified number of sheets. Accordingly, it is possible to decrease filming without affecting the photoconductor's life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Takahashi, Takeshi Watanabe, Shinji Aoki
  • Patent number: 6785485
    Abstract: An image forming device develops a static-electric latent image into a visible image using non-magnetic, single component developer. The image forming device includes a photosensitive drum and a developing roller that are disposed in confrontation with each other. The photosensitive drum supports a static-electric latent image on its surface and the developing roller supplies the non-magnetic, single component developer to develop the static-electric latent image into a visible image. The image forming device further includes a photosensitive drum driver and a developing roller driver for driving rotation of the photosensitive drum and the developing roller, respectively. A drive controller is provided for controlling drive of the photosensitive drum driver and the developing roller driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Kamimura
  • Patent number: 6706459
    Abstract: An electrophotographic drum-shaped photoconductor has an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer formed thereon, with a lubricating material being applied to the surface thereof in the shape of a plurality of bands spaced therebetween, constituting band-shaped lubricating material applied areas, extending along a circumference of the drum-shaped photoconductor in the direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the drum-shaped photoconductor. An electrophotographic image formation method and an image forming apparatus employing the above-mentioned drum-shaped photoconductor are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Narihito Kojima, Ryuta Takeichi, Akiyo Nakajima, Hiroshi Nagame, Yohta Sakon
  • Patent number: 6562529
    Abstract: An electrophotographic drum-shaped photoconductor has an electroconductive support and a photoconductive layer formed thereon, with a lubricating material being applied to the surface thereof in the shape of a plurality of bands spaced therebetween, constituting band-shaped lubricating material applied areas, extending along a circumference of the drum-shaped photoconductor in the direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the drum-shaped photoconductor. An electrophotographic image formation method and an image forming apparatus employing the above-mentioned drum-shaped photoconductor are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Narihito Kojima, Ryuta Takeichi, Akiyo Nakajima, Hiroshi Nagame, Yohta Sakon
  • Patent number: 6555192
    Abstract: A pressure-sensitive cleaning sheet is disclosed which comprises a substrate, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on one or both sides of the substrate, and a porous screen disposed on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The cleaning sheet is substantially non-tacky when the cleaning sheet surface is kept in a non-pressed state, and exhibits tackiness when the cleaning sheet surface is kept in a pressed state. Also disclosed are a method of using the cleaning sheet, an image-forming material having a cleaning part, and a method of cleaning an image-forming apparatus. These are useful for the cleaning of, e.g., the magnetic reading parts and magnetic-card transport parts of apparatuses accepting various magnetic cards and the thermal heads and/or transport rollers of various recording apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Naomitu Tanaka, Tatsuo Koyama, Masanori Sano
  • Patent number: 6459865
    Abstract: A transfer roller cleaning mechanism 12 is brought into contact with a transfer roller 11 so as to remove a harmful substance contained in a developer remaining on the transfer roller 11 after a transfer step. Upon completion of printing of a predetermined number of pages, a fixation roller 13 is moved apart from the transfer roller 11 and a developed image for cleaning is formed over the entire printing area on a photosensitive body 1. This developed image is made into a film shape, which is transferred onto the transfer roller 11. The film-shaped developed image for cleaning is cleaned by the transfer roller cleaning mechanism 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiya Kusayanagi
  • Publication number: 20020119381
    Abstract: A photosensitive member which can prevent occurrence of a streak image due to wear of a surface of the photosensitive member while preventing occurrence of image-flow is provided, and an average particle diameter of a scraped particle obtained from a surface of the photosensitive member by the rubbing of a cleaning member is 9.0 &mgr;m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: SATORU MOTOHASHI, KEIJI OKANO, MASANOBU SAITO, GAKU KONISHI, YASUSHI SHIMIZU, HIROSHI SATO, AKIRA DOMON
  • Patent number: 6311037
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member for bearing a toner image thereon, a transfer device for transferring the toner image from the image-bearing member to a recording medium at a transfer position, a drive mechanism for moving the image-bearing member, and a cleaning blade abutted against the image-bearing member for removing a transfer residual toner remaining on the image-bearing member after the transfer of the toner image to the recording medium in accordance with the movement of the image-bearing member. The image forming apparatus is operated effectively for a long period by cleaning the image-bearing member according to a method wherein cleaning aid particles having a volume-average particle size of 0.1-3 &mgr;m smaller than that of the toner are caused to be resident in a width of 50-100 &mgr;m along an upstream side of the cleaning blade with respect to the moving direction of the image-bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisataka Hisakuni, Yuji Nakayama, Norihiko Kubo
  • Patent number: 6253044
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive body for forming electrostatic latent images thereon; a charging device structured with an electrode member in contact with the photosensitive body for forming the latent images on the photosensitive body; a cleaning device having a cleaning blade to rub and remove toner from the surface of the photosensitive body by enabling the leading edge thereof to abut thereupon in a counter to the moving direction of the photosensitive body; a developing device for developing with toner the latent images formed on the photosensitive body; and a surface roughing device arranged within a cleaning area to which the cleaning blade to abuts, outside the developing area of the developing means to carry out development, and further, arranged on the downstream side of the charging device observed in the moving direction of the photosensitive body, but on the upstream side of the cleaning blade to abut upon the photosensitive body for
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Shoji, Takashi Hibi
  • Patent number: 6192214
    Abstract: A roller cleaning apparatus of a liquid electrophotographic printer cleans a circumferential surface of a roller where a film is formed due to contact with a photoreceptor medium. The apparatus includes an abrasion member installed to be in contact with the roller for abrading the film using friction. Thus, contamination of the roller can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung-hwan Kim, Chang-soo Rhee
  • Patent number: 6063532
    Abstract: A photoreceptor for forming an electrophotography is disclosed. The photoreceptor comprises a photosensitive layer in an area excluding both edges in the axial direction on a cylindrical aluminum support and silicon oil on the surface of both edges which have no photosensitive layer on the cylindrical aluminum support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Kan Miyake
  • Patent number: 5878316
    Abstract: A cleaning mechanism for removing residual marking particles and other debris from a dielectric member of a reproduction apparatus and polish the dielectric member and remove fine scratches therefrom. The cleaning mechanism includes a substantially cylindrical fiber brush rotatable about its longitudinal axis with the fibers of the brush in contact with the dielectric member. A housing encloses that portion of the fiber brush not in contact with the dielectric member. The housing defines a substantially cylindrical chamber with the inner wall thereof spaced from the outer extremes of the brush fibers. In this manner, residual marking particles and debris are allowed to collect between the fibers of the brush to an extent sufficient to enable the fiber brush, when loaded with such marking particles and debris, to polish the dielectric member and remove fine scratches as the fibers clean the dielectric member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jamie S. Giardina
  • Patent number: 5856650
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a media preheater that is positioned in the media path of a printer is disclosed. The media preheater has a fixed heater and a movable plate array biased toward the heater such that printer media passing between the plate array and the heater is compressed therebetween and heated. The preheater may be positioned upstream of a print head and downstream of a media advancing mechanism in the media path. More than one plate may be provided in the plate array to accommodate non-planarity of the heater or the printing media. The method elevates the temperature of the contact surface of the preheater to a cleaning temperature that is greater than the operating temperature and then passes a chase sheet over the surface to remove contamination from the preheater surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Rise, William Y. Pong, Timothy L. Crawford, Meade Neal, Larry E. Hindman, Carl T. Urban
  • Patent number: 5671475
    Abstract: An electrostatographic printer for forming an image onto a web comprises at least one toner image-producing electrostatographic station having a drum onto which a toner image can be formed, a transport for conveying a web past the image-producing station, apparatus for controlling the speed and tension of the web while it is running past the image-producing station, and transfer apparatus for transferring the toner image on the drum onto the web. The printer is characterized by a control arrangement for switching between a printing mode wherein a printing web moves in synchronism with the peripheral speed of the drum and a refurbishment mode wherein a refurbishment web moves at a faster speed relative to the peripheral speed of the drum and in contact therewith, to cause refurbishment of the drum surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Xeikon NV
    Inventors: Etienne Marie De Cock, Lucien Amede De Schamphelaere, Jean Alois Rachel Norbert Van Daele, Ludo Verluyten
  • Patent number: 5667926
    Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprises an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a charging assembly, an exposure assembly, a development assembly, an image-transfer assembly, and a cleaning assembly arranged around the photosensitive member in this order, whereinthe photosensitive member has a surface layer containing fluoroplastic particles; andthe electrophotographic apparatus further comprises a polishing assembly for polishing the surface of the photosensitive member after the transfer assembly and before the cleaning assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Maruyama, Harumi Sako, Kazushige Nakamura, Shoji Amamiya