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US 12,181,808 B2Granted
Cleaning device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorMichiharu Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleaning device includes multiple cleaners, a partition, and a holder. The multiple cleaners include a first cleaner and a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner. The multiple cleaners each include a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object and a housing having an opening to collect the substance. The partition partitions the first cleaner and the second cleaner and defines a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner. The holder holds the multiple cleaners.
Claims18
A cleaning device comprising:
- multiple cleaners including:
- a first cleaner;
- and
- a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner, the multiple cleaners each including:
- a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object;
- and
- a housing having an opening to collect the substance;
- a partition partitioning the first cleaner and the second cleaner, the partition defining a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner;
- and
- a holder holding the multiple cleaners,
- wherein the partition including a surface facing the object, the surface of the partition defining a part of the opening.
8 more elements
A cleaning device comprising:
- multiple cleaners including:
- a first cleaner;
- and
- a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner, the multiple cleaners each including:
- a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object;
- and
- a housing having an opening to collect the substance;
- a partition partitioning the first cleaner and the second cleaner, the partition defining a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner;
- and
- a holder holding the multiple cleaners,
- wherein:
- the housing of one of the first cleaner and the second cleaner includes the partition,
- the multiple cleaners are overlapped vertically,
- the second cleaner is disposed above the first cleaner,
- the housing of the second cleaner includes the partition as a bottom plate of the second cleaner,
- the second cleaner is detachably attached to the first cleaner,
- the housing of the second cleaner includes a rib projecting from the bottom plate, and
- the first cleaner includes a fitting portion into which the rib of the second cleaner is fittable.
15 more elements
A cleaning device comprising:
- multiple cleaners including:
- a first cleaner;
- and
- a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner, the multiple cleaners each including:
- a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object;
- and
- a housing having an opening to collect the substance;
- a partition partitioning the first cleaner and the second cleaner, the partition defining a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner;
- and
- a holder holding the multiple cleaners,
- wherein the second cleaner is configured to be detachably attached to the first cleaner,
- the housing of the second cleaner includes a rib projecting from the partition, and
- the first cleaner includes a fitting portion into which the rib of the second cleaner is fittable.
10 more elements
A cleaning device comprising:
- multiple cleaners including:
- a first cleaner;
- and
- a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner, the multiple cleaners each including:
- a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object;
- and
- a housing having an opening to collect the substance;
- a partition partitioning the first cleaner and the second cleaner, the partition defining a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner;
- and
- a holder holding the multiple cleaners,
- multiple seals contacting the object to seal a gap between the housing and the object,
- wherein the multiple cleaners further include:
- a most upstream cleaner disposed most upstream of the multiple cleaners in a moving direction in which the object moves;
- and
- a most downstream cleaner disposed most downstream of the multiple cleaners in the moving direction, and
- the multiple seals include:
- an entrance seal on the most upstream of the housing of the most upstream cleaner in the moving direction;
- an outlet seal on the most downstream of the housing of the most downstream cleaner in the moving direction;
- and
- side seals on both sides of the housings of the multiple cleaners in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction.
17 more elements
A cleaning device comprising:
- multiple cleaners including:
- a first cleaner;
- and
- a second cleaner adjacent to the first cleaner, the multiple cleaners each including:
- a cleaning roller to remove a substance adhering to a surface of an object;
- and
- a housing having an opening to collect the substance;
- a partition partitioning the first cleaner and the second cleaner, the partition defining a part of a wall of each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner;
- and
- a holder holding the multiple cleaners,
- a first power source configured to supply a first voltage having a same polarity as a normal charge polarity of toner contained in the substance;
- and
- a second power source configured to supply a second voltage having a polarity opposite to the normal charge polarity of the toner,
- wherein the second cleaner is disposed downstream from the first cleaner in a direction in which the object moves, and
- the first cleaner includes:
- a first cleaning roller including a first rotation shaft electrically coupled to the first power source;
- a first bearing unit supporting the first rotation shaft and having a non-conductivity;
- and
- a first metal support supporting the first bearing unit;
- the second cleaner includes:
- a second cleaning roller including a second rotation shaft electrically coupled to the second power source;
- a second bearing unit supporting the second rotation shaft and having a non-conductivity;
- and
- a second metal support supporting the second bearing unit;
- each of the first cleaner and the second cleaner satisfies a following relationship,
- X[mm]≥Y[kV]×2 [mm/kV],
- where X[mm] are creepage distances that are shortest distances from contact positions at which the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft contact the first bearing unit and second bearing unit to the first metal support and the second metal support along surfaces of the first bearing unit and the second bearing unit, respectively, and
- Y[kV] is an absolute value of a first voltage applied to the first rotation shaft by the first power source or a second voltage applied to the second rotation shaft by the second power source.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.