# US 10,768,555 B1 · Cleaning device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,555 B1 - Document ID: US10768555B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/511,694 - Filed: 2019-07-15 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-20 - Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuya Ogishima; Akira Shimodaira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768555B1 ## CPC - G03G 15/161: {with means for handling the intermediate support, e.g. heating, cleaning, coating with a transfer agent} - G03G 21/0011: {using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming} - G03G 15/168: {with means for conditioning the transfer element, e.g. cleaning} - G03G 21/0076: {Plural or sequential cleaning devices} - G03G 2215/1661: of transfer belt - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A cleaning device includes a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body, and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body. The container has a through-hole that opens in a portion of the container facing the scraping portion and that allows a gas to flow from an inside of the container toward the scraping portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning device comprising: a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body; and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body, wherein the container has a through-hole that opens in a portion of the container facing the scraping portion and that allows a gas to flow from an inside of the container toward the scraping portion, wherein the scraping portion includes a first scraping member whose edge is pressed against the rotational body and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body, and a second scraping member that is disposed on a downstream side of the first scraping member in a rotation direction of the rotational body, whose edge is pressed against the rotational body, and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body, and wherein the through-hole allows the gas to flow toward the second scraping member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the through-hole allows the gas to flow into a space that is interposed between the first scraping member and the second scraping member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the first scraping member covers an opening region of the container and suppresses a flow of the gas from the inside of the container toward the second scraping member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cleaning device according to claim 3, further comprising: a guide portion that guides the gas that has flowed toward the second scraping member in a direction in which a rotation shaft of the rotational body extends. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The cleaning device according to claim 3, further comprising: a sealing portion that is interposed between the first member and the second member and that seals the container, wherein the sealing portion includes a portion that faces the through-hole, and wherein the portion that faces the through-hole allows a flow of the gas toward the scraping portion and suppresses a flow of the toner to an outside through the through-hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the container further comprises another through-hole, wherein the through-hole and the other through-hole are disposed each on one side of the in a width direction of the scraping portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the container further comprises another through-hole, wherein the through-hole and the other through-hole are arranged along the scraping portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the container includes an acceleration mechanism that is disposed in the container and that accelerates a flow of the gas toward the through-hole. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein the acceleration mechanism is a guide surface that is a part of an inner surface of the container and that guides the gas toward the through-hole. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The cleaning device according to claim 8, wherein the acceleration mechanism is another rotational body that rotates in a direction of a flow of the gas in the container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein the other rotational body rotates around another rotation shaft that is parallel to the rotation shaft of the rotational body and transports the toner contained in the container in a direction in which the other rotation shaft extends. ### Claim 12 A cleaning device comprising: a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body; and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body, wherein the container has an opening that faces a space at least a part of which is defined by the scraping portion. ### Claim 13 A cleaning device comprising: a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body; and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body, wherein the container has a through-hole that opens in a portion of the container facing the scraping portion and that allows an inside and an outside of the container to communicate with each other. ### Claim 14 A cleaning device comprising: a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body; and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body, wherein the container has a through-hole that opens in a portion of the container facing the scraping portion and that allows a gas to flow from an inside of the container toward the scraping portion, wherein the container includes a first member in which the through-hole is formed and a second member that is combined with and fixed to the first member, and wherein the second member includes a positioning tab whose end is inserted into the through-hole of the first member and that determines a position of the second member relative to the first member. ### Claim 15 A cleaning device comprising: a scraping portion whose edge is pressed against a rotational body to which toner adheres and that scrapes the toner off the rotational body; and a container that contains the toner that has been scraped off the rotational body, wherein the container has a through-hole that opens in a portion of the container facing the scraping portion and that allows a gas to flow from an inside of the container toward the scraping portion, wherein the cleaning device comprises multiple through-holes.