JPS6145829B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a corona discharger generally applied to electrophotographic image forming apparatuses and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a corona discharger equipped with a cleaning means for cleaning the corona discharge wire, shield member, etc. of the corona discharger.

Generally, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses,
Contaminants such as toner and dust are constantly floating inside the device. As copying is continued for a long time, these contaminants adhere to the corona discharge wire of the corona discharger. As described above, contaminants are accumulated in each part of the corona discharger as the number of copies increases, and after approximately several thousand copies are made, the discharge efficiency decreases due to the adhered contaminants. Uneven discharge occurs. This ultimately results in a decline in the quality of the copied images. Therefore, cleaning is always required after several thousand to tens of thousands of copies have been made.
However, since the discharge wire is a thin metal wire with a diameter of 10μ, cleaning the discharge wire must be done by a certain level of expertise.
It was very common to get hurt.

Furthermore, since dust adheres to the discharge wires quite strongly, the cleaning member used to rub and remove the contaminants attached to the discharge wires will not be able to completely remove the contaminants unless they come into strong contact with the discharge wires. I can't do that. However, if the cleaning member is in strong contact with the discharge wire, the distance of the discharge wire to the photoreceptor/shield is determined by the cleaning member, so there is a drawback that accurate positioning cannot be performed. Particularly in a discharge device in which the height of the discharge wire is adjustable, movement of the height of the discharge wire is blocked by the cleaning member and cannot be adjusted. In the various discharger cleaning members that have been proposed in the past, no consideration has been given to this point.
In order to make the adjustment possible, it is possible to provide a positioning section for the discharge wire in the cleaning member, but this would complicate the structure of the cleaning member, and since the cleaning member is movable, accurate positioning would not be possible. There are drawbacks. Another method is to make the cleaning member removable and remove it during discharge, but this is very troublesome and lacks reliability. However, if the distance between the discharge line and the photoreceptor/shield is not accurate, the potential will be uneven and the image will be adversely affected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a discharge device having a cleaning member for the discharge device, which allows an operator of an image forming apparatus to easily perform cleaning work without fear of disconnection of the discharge wire. Further, the distance between the discharge line and the photoreceptor/shield can be easily and accurately determined. A discharge vessel having a cleaning member for the discharge vessel is provided. Another object of the present invention is to provide a discharge device in which the cleaning member is fixed at a position that does not affect discharge when not being cleaned.

That is, the present invention, which achieves the above object, provides a corona discharger in which a discharge wire is cleaned by a cleaning member,
The cleaning member has a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire in order to clean the discharge wire, and an elastic member that presses the rubbing member against the discharge wire with elastic force. This corona discharger is characterized by comprising a separating member that engages with the cleaning member that has moved to this end and separates the rubbing member from the discharge wire against the elastic force of the elastic member.

Another aspect of the present invention is a corona discharger in which a discharge wire is cleaned by a cleaning member, wherein the cleaning member includes a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire in order to clean the discharge wire, and a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire in order to clean the discharge wire; The corona discharger further includes an elastic member that separates the rubbing member from the discharge wire by elastic force, and the corona discharger further includes a guide member that guides the movement of the cleaning member, and a guide member that guides the movement of the cleaning member, and a guide member that is arranged in the central area of the discharge wire of the corona discharger. On the other hand, the corona discharger is characterized in that it includes a guide member that brings the sliding member into pressure contact with the discharge wire against the elastic force of the elastic member.

Still another aspect of the present invention provides a corona discharger that cleans the discharge wire with a cleaning member and is provided with a cleaning member located at the end of the corona discharger during discharge, wherein the cleaning member cleans the discharge wire with the cleaning member. A sliding member that rubs, an elastic member that separates the sliding member from the discharge wire by elastic force, and an operator who presses the sliding member against the discharge wire against the permeability force of the elastic member. The corona discharger further has a guide part for guiding the movement of the cleaning member, and the corona discharger has a guide part for guiding the movement of the cleaning member, and the corona discharger has a sliding member for guiding the movement of the cleaning member. A corona discharger characterized in that the sliding member is manually slid in pressure contact with the discharge wire against the elastic force of the elastic member, and the sliding member can be separated from the discharge wire by the elastic force of the elastic member at the end of the corona discharger. It's an electric appliance.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained using the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the corona discharger of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a corona discharge wire made of stainless steel, etc.; 2
is a shield member arranged so as to surround the corona discharge wire, and the edge 2' on the opening side of the seal member is bent inward and serves to guide a support member 9, which will be described later. Further, 3 is an insulating block that supports the corona discharge wire 1 and the shield member 2.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a terminal, which is provided in the discharger to apply a high voltage from a power source to the corona discharge wire. Reference numeral 5 denotes a guide rail, which is provided on the discharger in order to detachably attach the corona discharger to the main body of the copying machine. 6 is a knob for attaching and detaching the discharger, and is provided on the block 7. The above is an overview of various types of corona dischargers that have been proposed in the past. A discharge wire 1 with a diameter of several tens of microns is stretched between the two blocks 3 and 7, and connected to the terminal 4, for example, a discharge wire of several KV. Corona discharge is generated by applying a DC or AC voltage of ~10-odd KV. The present invention provides this corona discharger even if contaminants adhere to the corona discharge wire 1.
A cleaning member 9 is provided to clean the discharge wire 1 so as not to damage the characteristics of the corona discharger.
That is, in the figure, the cleaning member 9 is provided so as to be slidable in the direction in which the discharge wire 1 is stretched while rubbing the discharge wire 1, and the discharge vessel is cleaned by this rubbing. The configuration of the cleaning member 9 will be described below. The cleaning member 9 is composed of an insulating and elastic support member 8, and rubbing members 10 and 11 supported by the support member 8 so as to sandwich the discharge wire 1. Note that ABS resin, polyamide resin, polyacetal resin, etc. are suitable as materials for the support member 8 because they have insulation properties and elasticity. In addition, suitable materials for the sliding members 10 and 11 are sponge bodies such as urethane foam, or insulating materials that are elastic enough to capture dust such as nonwoven fabrics and felt. The support member 8 supports the sliding members 10 and 11 and moves in the direction in which the discharge wire 1 is stretched while being guided by the edge 2'. Here, 6' is the handle,
It is connected to the support member 8 by a connecting rod 8'.
By moving this handle 6, the support member 8 can be moved along the discharge line. However, it is also possible to move the support member 8 by holding it in your hands without providing a handle.

The mechanism of the support member 9 will be further explained using FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows a discharger installed in an electrophotographic copying machine as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The discharger is disposed with its open side facing the photoreceptor 12, which rotates in one direction on a drum, and uniformly discharges the surface of the photoreceptor 12. In the state shown in FIG.
is fixed to the end of the discharger so as not to affect the discharge. Further, a protrusion 13 is provided on the bottom of the shield at the end of the discharger to which the cleaning member 9 is to be fixed. When the support member 8 supporting the sliding members 10 and 11 is present at a location other than the end of the discharger where the protrusion 13 is provided at the bottom of the shield, the elastic force of the supporting member 8 causes the sliding members 10 and 11 to
1 to the discharge wire. However, as shown in FIG. 2, when the support member 8 is present at the end of the discharger, the sliding members 10 and 11 of the support member 8 are supported by the protrusion 13 provided at the bottom of the shield 2. As the parts are pushed apart, the rubbing members 10 and 11 are separated from the discharge wire 1. Here, the support member 8 is centered around the sliding members 10 and 11.
Notches are provided at both ends. Therefore, since the ends of the parts of the support member 8 that support the sliding members 10 and 11 are notched, the parts that support the sliding members 10 and 11 are easily pushed apart by the projections 13, and the sliding members 10 and 11 are easily pushed apart.
0.11 leaves the discharge line 1. In this state, the position of the discharge line 1 is determined only by the blocks 3 and 7 at both ends, so it is accurate, and it is also possible to adjust the height of the discharge line 1 with respect to the photoreceptor 12.
In addition, the protrusion 13 is provided at the bottom of the shield at one end of the discharger, in a portion other than the discharge area, and the support member 8 strongly holds the protrusion 13 with its elastic force. moved by
It never reaches the discharge area near the center of the discharger. Moreover, by appropriately selecting the size of the protrusion 13, the distance between the discharge wire 1 and the sliding members 10 and 11 can be adjusted. By adjusting this distance, vibration of the discharge wire 1 that occurs during discharge can also be prevented. That is,
When the discharge wire 1 vibrates, the sliding members 10 and 11 come into contact with the discharge wire 1, thereby regulating the vibration of the discharge wire.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the discharge wire 1 is cleaned. When the discharger is removed from the copying machine and the cleaning member 9 is moved a little, the support member 8 is removed from the protrusion 13, and the sliding members 10 and 11 are pressed against the discharge wire 1 by the elastic force of the support member 8. do. In this state, if the cleaning member 9 is guided by the edge 2' of the shield and moved along the discharge line 1,
The deposits on the discharge wire 1 can be completely removed.

Other embodiments will be described using FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. In this embodiment, the discharge wire is sandwiched between upper and lower sides by rubbing members. Moreover, one of the guide parts when moving the cleaning member is a separation member that separates the rubbing member from the discharge wire. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a discharger to which the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views thereof. The discharger 15 consists of blocks 19 and 17 at both ends and a shield 18, and a discharge wire 19 is stretched between the blocks 16 and 17. Further, the cleaning member 20 is placed close to a non-image area at one end of the discharger 15. Here, the cleaning member 20 is
It consists of supporting members 22 and 25 and sliding members 23 and 24. Support members 22 and 25 are sliding members 2
3 and 24, and the sliding members 23 and 24.
is for cleaning the discharge wire 19 by rubbing. The materials of each material are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, the cleaning member 20 moves along a guide 21 provided on the side surface of the shield, and the width of the guide 21 is widened in the non-image area at the end of the discharge vessel. Therefore, at the end of the discharger, the cleaning member 20 that has been guided by the guide 21 is guided separately, with the supporting member 25 being guided upward and the supporting member 22 being guided downward, and the sliding members 23 and 24 are guided separately. Separate from the electric wire 19. Along with this, the support member 25
is fixed between the edge 2' of the shield and the guide 21, and the support member 22 is fixed between the bottom plate of the shield and the guide, and does not move toward the image area during discharge.

In the separated state, as shown in FIG. 5, the support part 25 is restricted from moving downward by the guide 21, and is further prevented from moving upward by the elastic arm 27. Further, the movement of the support member 22 is restricted by the guide 21 and the arm 27. Therefore, the supporting members 22 and 25 are both fixed at the ends of the discharger and do not move toward the image area during discharge. Also, the 6th
The figure shows a state in which the discharge wire 19 is being cleaned by the rubbing members 23 and 24. As shown in the figure, when cleaning, when the cleaning member 20 is slightly shifted from the end, the width of the guide provided on the side of the shield becomes narrower, and the cleaning member is moved by its elastic force and the pressing force of the arm 27. Strongly rub the discharge wire 19 with members 23 and 24
Weld with pressure. In this state, if the cleaning member 20 is moved along the guide 21, the deposits on the discharge wire 19 are removed by rubbing. The cleaning member 20 may be moved by using the handle 6' or by holding the cleaning member 20 by hand.

Furthermore, other embodiments are shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.
This will be explained according to the diagram. In this embodiment, unlike the previous embodiments, the elastic force of the support member acts in a direction to separate the rubbing member from the discharge wire. 7th
The figure is a perspective view of a discharger to which the present invention is applied, and the eighth
FIG. 9 is a sectional view thereof. In the figures, the same numbers as in FIG. 1 indicate the same names as in FIG. 1. The cleaning member 28 includes a support member 29 and sliding members 30 and 31.
The material is the same as in the previous embodiment. The support member 29 protrudes from the opening of the discharger so that it can be easily pinched. Further, the elastic force always acts in a direction to separate the sliding members 30 and 31 from the discharge wire. Therefore, when not cleaning, the star sweeper member shown in FIG. 8 is not in contact with the discharge wire 1. When cleaning the discharge wire 1, the discharger is removed from the copying machine, and as shown in FIG. 9, the sliding member 30 is 31 strongly pinches the discharge wire 1 from both sides, and in this state, if the cleaning member 28 is reciprocated along the discharge wire using the guide part that is clear from the figure, the deposits on the discharge wire 1 can be completely removed. be able to. Moreover, by pinching the support member 29 by hand, the cleaning member 28 is separated from the shields at both ends or the contact pressure is weakened, so that the cleaning member can be easily cleaned. In addition, by appropriately selecting the shape and elastic force of the support member 29, the distance between the discharge wire 1 and the sliding members 30 and 31 can be adjusted, so that the discharge wire touches the sliding members 30 and 31 during vibration. By adjusting so that they are in contact with each other, it is possible to obtain the effect of preventing vibration of the discharge wire. Further, during discharge, the cleaning member 28 is fixed by contact pressure with the shield and does not move toward the image area.

Furthermore, other embodiments are shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. 35 is a cleaning member, and sliding members 32 and 33
It has a support member 34 that supports. In this embodiment, the elastic force of the support member 34 always acts in the direction of pressing the shield 2. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, during non-cleaning, the cleaning member 35 is fixed by the elastic force of the support member 34 to the end of the discharger which does not affect the discharge. During cleaning, the cleaning member 35 moves the shield 2 as shown in FIG.
The robot moves along a guide 36 provided on the side of the vehicle. At this time, since the guide 36 is provided so as to protrude from the side surface of the shield, the sliding members 32 and 33 are brought into contact with the discharge wire 1 against the elastic force of the support member 34. Therefore, the contaminants adhering to the discharge wire 1 are removed from the discharge wire 1 by the rubbing members 32 and 33.
It is removed by rubbing. The cleaning member 35 may be moved by a handle connected to the support member as in the previous embodiment, or may be moved by holding the support member by hand.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the cleaning member is moved manually, but when it is detected that a predetermined number of copies have been made, a driving means such as a motor is driven, and the cleaning is thereby carried out. It is also possible to clean the discharge wire by automatically moving the member. Furthermore, it is also possible to clean the discharge wires by moving the cleaning member in accordance with the movement of an object such as a cassette that is operated during non-copying operations.

In addition, in the part of the support member that comes into contact with the shield,
If a rubbing member is provided, it is also possible to clean the shield.

As described above in detail, the discharge device of the present invention can be easily cleaned without fear of cutting the discharge wire. Furthermore, during discharge, the cleaning section is fixed to the end of the discharger and does not move to a position where it can block discharge. Moreover, the discharge wire of the present discharge device is
This also has the effect of allowing easy positioning with respect to the photoreceptor/shield.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corona discharger to which the present invention is applied, Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of the corona discharger shown in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the corona discharger shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the corona discharger to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG.
9 are sectional views of the corona discharger shown in FIG. 7, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional views of the corona discharger. In the figure, 1...discharge wire, 2...shield, 4...connector,
6'...Handle, 8...Supporting member, 9...Cleaning member, 1
0.11...Sliding member, 13...Protrusion, 19...Discharge wire, 20...Cleaning member, 21...Guide, 22.25
...Supporting member, 23, 24...Sliding member, 27...Arm,
28...Cleaning member, 29...Supporting member, 30.31.
32, 33...Sliding member, 34...Supporting member, 35...
Cleaning member, 36...guidance guide.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a corona discharger in which a discharge wire is cleaned by a cleaning member, the cleaning member includes a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire to clean the discharge wire, and a rubbing member that rubs the discharge wire to clean the discharge wire. The end of the corona discharger is engaged with a cleaning member that has moved to this end, and the rubbing member is moved away from the discharge wire against the elastic force of the elastic member. A corona discharger characterized by comprising a spacing member that separates. 2. The corona discharger according to claim 1, wherein the corona discharger includes a shield member surrounding the electric wire and having at least a discharge opening, and the separation member is provided in the shield member. 3. The spacing member separates the sliding member from the discharge wire in a distance relationship such that the width of the discharge wire comes into contact with the sliding member when the discharge wire vibrates. Corona discharger. 4. In a corona discharger in which the discharge wire is cleaned by a cleaning member, the cleaning member includes a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire in order to clean the discharge wire, and an elastic force applied to the rubbing member at the end of the corona discharger. The corona discharger further includes a guide member that guides the movement of the cleaning member, and the corona discharger has an elastic member that moves the sliding member away from the discharge wire in a central discharge area of the discharge wire of the corona discharger. A corona discharger comprising a guide member that presses a discharge wire against the elastic force of the material. 5. The corona discharger according to claim 4, wherein the corona discharger includes a shield member surrounding the discharge wire and having at least a discharge opening, and the separation member is provided in the shield member. 6. The corona discharger according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the rubbing members are spaced apart at a distance such that the discharge wires come into contact with each other at the end of the corona discharger. 7. In a corona discharger equipped with a cleaning member that cleans the discharge wire with a cleaning member and is located at the end of the corona discharger during discharge, the cleaning member is a rubbing member that rubs against the discharge wire to clean the discharge wire. and a knob portion that is used by an operator to pinch the sliding member with his or her hand so as to press the sliding member against the discharge wire against the elastic force of the elastic member that separates the sliding member from the discharge wire by elastic force. The corona discharger further includes a guide portion for guiding the movement of the cleaning member, and manually moves the rubbing member against the central discharge area of the discharge wire of the corona discharger against the elastic force of the elastic member. 1. A corona discharger characterized in that a rubbing member is slidably pressed against a discharge wire and can be separated from the discharge wire by the elastic force of an elastic member at an end of the corona discharger. 8. The corona discharger according to claim 7, wherein the elastic member separates the rubbing member from the discharge wire at a distance such that the rubbing member comes into contact with the discharge wire when the discharge wire is activated.