# US 11,442,396 B2 · Cleaning blade, sheet conveyance roller, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 11,442,396 B2
- Document ID: US11442396B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/142,650
- Filed: 2021-01-06
- Published: 2021-07-15
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-14
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Kazuhiko Watanabe; Hiroshi Nakai; Masahiro Ohmori
- Inventors: Kazuhiko Watanabe; Hiroshi Nakai; Masahiro Ohmori
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442396B2

## CPC

- G03G 21/0017: {Details relating to the internal structure or chemical composition of the blades}
- G03G 21/1814: {Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing (G03G21/1835 takes precedence)}
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A cleaning blade includes a blade member including a ridgeline portion. The ridgeline portion contains polyrotaxane. A sheet conveyance roller includes a core and a surface layer. The surface layer contains polyrotaxane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cleaning blade configured to mechanically remove a substance from an image bearer, the cleaning blade comprising:
a blade member including an edge layer and a backup layer layered on the edge layer, the edge layer including a ridgeline portion configured to contact the image bearer, the ridgeline portion made of urethane rubber containing polyrotaxane and the backup layer including polyrotaxane at an amount smaller than that of the ridgeline portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1,
wherein the ridgeline portion has elasticity and a volume resistivity of 1×1010 Ω·cm or more.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1,
wherein the edge layer contains the polyrotaxane as a bulk.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1,
wherein the polyrotaxane has an ether base.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image bearer; and
the cleaning blade according to claim 1 configured to remove substances adhering to a surface of the image bearer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A process cartridge comprising:
an image bearer; and
the cleaning blade according to claim 1 configured to remove substances adhering to a surface of the image bearer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein the polyrotaxane and a prepolymer are mixed to make the urethane rubber such that the edge layer is formed from the urethane rubber having consistent concentration of the polyrotaxane therein.

### Claim 8

A cleaning blade configured to mechanically remove a substance from an image bearer, the cleaning blade comprising:
a blade member including an edge layer and a backup layer layered on the edge layer, the edge layer including a ridgeline portion configured to contact the image bearer, the ridgeline portion made of urethane rubber containing polyrotaxane and the backup layer including polyrotaxane at an amount smaller than that of the ridgeline portion, the ridgeline portion having a volume resistivity of 1×1010 Ω·cm or more.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The cleaning blade according to claim 8,
wherein the edge layer contains the polyrotaxane as a bulk.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The cleaning blade according to claim 8,
wherein the polyrotaxane has an ether base.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image bearer; and
the cleaning blade according to claim 8 configured to remove substances adhering to a surface of the image bearer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

A process cartridge comprising:
an image bearer; and
the cleaning blade according to claim 8 configured to remove substances adhering to a surface of the image bearer.