Abstract: A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of an electrically conductive material such that a charge introduced to the bracket is delivered to the charge roller.

Abstract: A cleaning member for cleaning an image carrier. The cleaning member includes a support plate having a planar face portion configured to be fixed to an object in a position adjacent to the image carrier, a plurality of reinforcement features configured to reinforce a strength of the support plate, at least one of the reinforcement features arranged on the planar face portion, and a blade connecting portion arranged on the planar face portion. The cleaning member further includes an elastic blade member connected to the blade connecting portion of the support plate such that the elastic blade extends toward the image carrier when the support plate is fixed to the object. The image cleaner may be positioned within an image forming apparatus or an image developing cartridge.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning an imaging surface with a cleaning blade including a drop seal actuator that urges a seal into position and then collects toner in a cleaner unit. The seal captures falling accumulated toner from the cleaning blade which may contaminate the xerographic area when the cleaning blade is retracted from the imaging surface. Implementation of the drop seal actuator in contact with the seal positions the seal to contain toner within the cleaner unit.

Abstract: A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of an electrically conductive material such that a charge introduced to the bracket is delivered to the charge roller.

Abstract: A toner cleaning device for removing toner which remains on an organic photoreceptor is provided. The toner cleaning device can include a cleaning blade, a support member of the cleaning blade and a damping material. An image forming method is also provided. The method includes removing toner which remains on an organic photoreceptor by using the toner cleaning device.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable on an image forming apparatus, including a frame and a blade member held by the frame, wherein a double-sided adhesive tape is stuck between the frame and the blade member along the lengthwise direction of the blade member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the workability of assembling of a cleaning blade is improved, and the dimensional accuracy between the cleaning blade and a photosensitive member is properly ensured.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a toner from a surface of a cylindrical latent image carrier having; a cleaning blade mechanism which includes a cleaning blade arranged so that a tip edge portion on a first surface of the cleaning blade contacts with the surface of the cylindrical latent image carrier, and a supporting member positioned on a second surface at a base end portion of the cleaning blade to urge the cleaning blade to contact with the surface of the cylindrical latent image carrier; and a laminar vibration-damping member whose base end portion is held by the supporting member on the second surface of the cleaning blade, wherein, on a tip end portion of the vibration-damping member, a plurality of slits are formed so that a plurality of tab portions are formed to be arranged in the axial direction of the cylindrical latent image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member, which is contactable to a moving image bearing member to clean a surface of the image bearing member; a holder holds the cleaning member; and a vibrator. The holder is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the image bearing member. The vibrating means is supported by the holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning an imaging surface with a cleaning blade including a drop seal actuator that urges a seal into position and then collects toner in the cleaner unit. The contamination seal captures falling accumulated toner from the blade which may contaminate the xerographic area when the cleaning blade is retracted from the imaging surface. Implementation of the actuator in contact with the drop seal positions the seal to contain toner within the cleaner.

Abstract: A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may comprise a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of an electrically conductive material such that a charge introduced to the bracket is delivered to the charge roller.

Abstract: A cleaning method of a toner image carrying body, includes the steps of: bringing a discharging member formed in a shape of flexible plate having electric conductivity, which is electrically grounded or to which a discharging voltage is applied, into contact with the toner image carrying body, thereby discharging a toner on the toner image carrying body; and operating a cleaning device on the toner image carrying body whereby cleaning the toner.

Abstract: A cleaning blade has a fixed end and a distal cleaning end, with the fixed end maintained in a substantially fixed position. The cleaning blade has a blade cleaning surface arranged for facing a photosensitive element surface of a moving photosensitive element, with the cleaning end arranged to contact and clean the photosensitive element surface. The cleaning blade has a blade temperature. The cleaning blade includes at least one heater for maintaining the blade temperature at a fixed temperature.

Abstract: A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may include a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of a molded thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: A cleaning device comprises a device case having a toner collecting space, a blade holder swingably supported in directions in which the blade holder approaches and leaves from the photosensitive drum, an elastic seal member attached to one of a wall of the toner collecting space and the blade holder, between an outer face of the wall forming the toner collecting space and the blade holder, in order to be forcibly brought into contact with one of the wall forming the toner collecting space and the blade holder, wherein the blade holder or the wall forming the toner collecting space has a protrusion that is at least partly welded into the elastic seal member, and is forcibly brought into contact with the elastic seal member.

Abstract: A bracket to mount a charge roller and a blade against a photoconductive drum within an image forming apparatus. Bracket may comprise a pair of guides that extend outward to receive the ends of the charge roller. A biasing device may be positioned to bias the charge roller against the photoconductive drum. The guides may include an opening sized to allow the charge roller to move and maintain contact with the photoconductive drum. A mounting surface may be positioned on the bracket for receiving adhesive to mount the blade. In one embodiment, the bracket is constructed of a molded thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: In a developing device, a developer carrier carries developer and a control member controls the thickness of the developer on the developer carrier. The control member has an abutting member that abuts against a reference plane of a main body of the developing device and an elastic member that overlaps the abutting member. The elastic member is urged toward the developer carrier and has a center portion of the overlapped sections of the elastic member and the abutting member that is wider than the end portions of the overlapped sections. An overlap member overlaps the elastic member.

Abstract: A cleaning device comprises a device case having a toner collecting space, a blade holder swingably supported in directions in which the blade holder approaches and leaves from the photosensitive drum, an elastic seal member attached to one of a wall of the toner collecting space and the blade holder, between an outer face of the wall forming the toner collecting space and the blade holder, in order to be forcibly brought into contact with one of the wall forming the toner collecting space and the blade holder, wherein the blade holder or the wall forming the toner collecting space the blade holder has a protrusion for wedging to a part of a surface of the elastic seal member, and is forcibly brought into contact with the elastic seal member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming portion for forming an image by a developer, a bearing and conveying member capable of bearing thereon and conveying a transfer material on which the developer image is formed, or the developer image directly transferred thereto, and a cleaning portion for cleaning the bearing and conveying member, the cleaning portion has a cleaning blade abutting against the bearing and conveying member, and a holding member holding the cleaning blade and swingable about a rotary shaft, wherein the angle formed by a tangential line on the abutting portion of the cleaning blade against the bearing and conveying member with a line connecting the center of the rotary shaft and the abutting portion is designed to be equal to or greater than 0° and equal to or smaller than 15°, and the abrasion wear of the surface of the bearing and conveying member when in use of the apparatus, the bearing and conveying member has made 10,000 revolutions is designed to be equal t

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing electrostatically charged particles from a surface such as the backside of an image bearing belt of the type found in an electrostatographic printing apparatus or a drive roller supporting an image bearing belt. The apparatus includes an electrically biased cleaning blade, a supporting device, and a housing for storing the particles removed from the surface by the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning member for removing residual toner from an image bearing member. A supporting portion for supporting the cleaning member, the supporting portion being of a material different from that of the cleaning member. A reinforcing member, wherein the reinforcing member and the cleaning member sandwich the supporting portion.

Abstract: A cleaning unit removing residual toner on a photoreceptor employed in an electrophotographic machine is disclosed. The cleaning unit has a cleaning blade composed of a plurality of plate materials having different length and different impact resilience laminated each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed with a cleaner assembly for removing toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing body that includes a rotating paddle for conveying toner to a collector. The image forming apparatus includes a developer for developing a static latent image on an image bearing body using toner, a transfer unit for transferring a developed image on a transfer member, a cleaner assembly in sliding contact with the surface of the image bearing body, a rotating paddle having a toner-conveying face, and a toner scraping sheet in contact with the rotating paddle conveying face. The tips of the rotating paddle may be angled to reduce friction and wear.

Abstract: A developing roller cleaning apparatus for a liquid printer includes a cleaning brush rotating in contact with a developing roller so that developer adhering to an outer circumferential surface of the developing roller can be cleaned, a blade holder, and a blade installed to be bent as the blade contacts the developing roller for removing foreign material back-plated on the developing roller after being cleaned by the cleaning brush, one end of the blade being coupled to the blade holder and the other end thereof contacting the outer circumferential surface of the developing roller. The blade has a blade interference &dgr;=(R−r), a blade leading edge pressure P, and a cleaning angle &thgr;2 satisfying the below conditions of 1.0 mm≲&dgr;≲1.5 mm, 10 g/cm≲P≲20 g/cm, and 5°≲&thgr;2≲20°.

Abstract: In a method of mounting a cleaning member in a process cartridge, the cleaning member to be mounted in the process cartridge has in the opposite ends thereof screw-cramping holes for fixing a supporting plate to the frame of the cartridge, and cut-away portions for fitting and inserting thereinto pins for adjustably moving the supporting plate in a direction for adjustment when the mounting position is adjusted before the supporting plate is fixed to the frame, and during the adjustment of the mounting, the pins are fitted in the cut-away portions and the cleaning member has its mounted position adjusted by the pins being moved, and after the cleaning member has been moved to a predetermined position, the opposite sides of the supporting plate are screw-cramped to thereby effect the positioning of the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cleaning device having a cleaning blade, including a toner image bearing member for bearing a toner image, a cleaning blade for frictionally removing residual toner remaining on the bearing member after a transferring process, and a device for applying vibration to the cleaning blade. Further, the vibration applied to the cleaning blade has a stead-state waveform. The vibration applying device may be a device for a vibration waveform having a frequency and an amplitude required for providing energy for obtaining a cleaning action, which vibration waveform is to be applied to the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A blade device includes an elongated elastic blade, and a support member, disposed along a longitudinal direction of the elastic blade, for supporting one end of the elastic blade in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Lateral end sections of the elastic blade in the longitudinal direction are more protruded than a central section thereof in a direction opposite to the support member. Portions of the support member corresponding to protruded portions of the elastic blade and supporting the elastic blade are retracted toward a direction opposite to a protruding direction of the elastic blade. The support member may be made of different shapes to achieve the retracted configuration. In addition, the support member may be made of two different materials so that portions of the support member have different elasticities.

Abstract: In an image forming method in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a rotating image carrier, the electrostatic latent image is developed by toner particles, to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier, the toner image is transferred to a recording medium, and toner particles or the like remaining on the surface of the image carrier are removed by a cleaning blade, inorganic fine particles having a BET specific surface area from 30 to 300 m.sup.2 /g stay in a portion on the upstream side of a portion where the cleaning blade is in contact with the surface of the image carrier in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, and the length of the portion where the inorganic fine particles stay on the upstream side of the contact portion in the direction of rotation of the image carrier is in the range of 5 to 50 .mu.m.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a charging member that allows easy removal of smears from an image forming drum. The apparatus removes smears from the image forming drum by placing a different portion of the charging member in contact with the drum. The apparatus uses a cam or a solenoid to press on the charging member to cause a different portion of the charging member to come into contact with the image forming drum.

Abstract: To provide a reasonable and economical recording apparatus wherein an inevitable fluctuation of an intermediate transfer drum or the like does not adversely influence other elements. A recording apparatus wherein a toner image on a photosensitive drum (11) is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer drum (21) and the toner image on the intermediate transfer drum (21) is secondarily transferred to a recording medium (100), characterized in that the apparatus comprises an intermediate transfer drum shifting device (40, 70) for shifting the intermediate transfer drum (21), during the primary transfer, into a first state wherein the intermediate transfer drum (21) is brought into press-contact with the photosensitive drum (11), and, during the secondary transfer, into a second state wherein the intermediate transfer drum (21) is brought into press-contact with the recording medium (100) but not brought into press-contact with the photosensitive drum (11).

Abstract: A printing machine and apparatus are disclosed that include an ultrasonically assisted cleaning blade to remove toner particles from an imaging surface. An ultrasonic transducer is attached to the cleaning blade to provide vibrational energy to the cleaning blade. The ultrasonic transducer concentrates vibrational energy at the blade tip for enhanced cleaning. A further element of the present invention is the addition of bias to create a strong electrostatic repulsion between the toner particles and the blade tip causing the toner to explode away from the cleaning edge, and to therefore enhance cleaning.

Abstract: In a roll cleaning assembly devised to remove liquid material continuously from the cylindrical surface of a rotating roll, for example from a compression roll (3) in a coating machine, a blade holder (5) which releasably retains a doctor blade (7) is mounted on a rigid support member (4), and force is applied along the length of the doctor blade, to urge it into contact with the roll, by force means (13) mounted independently of the blade support member.

Abstract: In order to set a position of a movable member in which a strip-like movable member which is disposed to be movable along a width direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the member is disposed so that one edge of the movable member along the longitudinal direction facing a defined line; and the strip-like movable member is positioned with respect to a fixing member under a condition where the one edge is parallel to the defined line to maintain a uniform protruding amount from the defined line is maintained, the one edge of the movable member is made coincident with the defined line; the movable member is temporily fixed to the fixing member by interposing a position setting jig according to the protruding amount between the movable member and the fixing member; and after cancelling the temporarily fixing step to remove the position setting jig, directly fixing the movable member to the stationary member.

Abstract: A spots cleaning blade for use in a cleaning apparatus in an imaging apparatus for cleaning agglomerate particles from an imaging surface, the spots cleaning blade comprising a polyether urethane and having a high hardness and low coefficient of friction.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning particles from a surface using a floating backer and cleaning or spots blade mounted to allow freedom to follow the location of the imaging surface. The cleaning or spots blade controls tolerances when the blade and the floating backer are mounted to a frame pivoted from a fixed photoreceptor backer. This freedom allows a minimization of the tolerances in blade load against the surface or photoreceptor, the blade angle to the photoreceptor and in the location of the blade relative to the backer. This floating backer and blade mount also minimizes the wrap required on the photoreceptor backers adjacent to the blade.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus which includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a cleaning device, where the electrophotographic photosensitive member is provided with a surface layer having conductivity, and the cleaning device has conductivity where it touches the photosensitive member. The electrophotographic apparatus is excellent in cleaning residual toner.

Abstract: In a reproduction apparatus including a fusing assembly for fixing a marking particle developed image to a receiver member, wherein a release liquid is applied to the fusing assembly to prevent marking particles of such image from adhering thereto, a mechanism for cleaning the assembly. The cleaning mechanism includes a blade member having an elongated body with an edge surface adapted to be located in scraping engagement with a portion of the fusing assembly. A housing assembly is provided for retaining the blade member, the end portions of the elongated body of the blade member extending further from the housing assembly than the central portion of the elongated body of the blade member by at least one spacer.

Abstract: A process cartridge mountable within an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge including (a) a frame, (b) an image bearing member provided in the frame, and (c) a blade member including an elastic blade, and a support member for supporting the elastic blade and having a supporting portion for supporting the elastic blade, a protruded portion protruding from the supporting portion in a longitudinal direction, and a hole formed in the protruded portion.