Long life cleaning system with reduced stress for start of cleaning blade operation
US8428481B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 21, 2010 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 16, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/0063
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to manage the contact of a cleaning blade and a moving surface to increase the useful life of the blade. For example, a cleaning apparatus for a photoreceptor surface comprises a cleaning unit with a blade holder that rotates about a pivot point, a cleaning blade that is coupled to the blade holder and is positioned to chisel excess toner from the photoreceptor surface, and which cleans excess toner from the photoreceptor surface. The apparatus further comprises a sensor that senses the start and the end of an operational procedure, and an actuator that rotates the blade holder about the pivot point to selectively advance or retract the blade during the start-up procedure and the shut-down procedure. After the cleaning surface has begun to move or reached operating speed, blade contact is increased to bring the blade load up to operational level. By making this change to the conventional static cleaning blade, the peak stress at start-up and shut-down is much reduced and cleaning blade life and reliability are much improved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.