Cleaning device and image forming apparatus using the same

A cleaning device comprising:

• a cleaning blade member that has a tip abutting a surface of an image carrier so as to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the image carrier;
• an attaching member that comprises a first attachment piece to which a base end of the cleaning blade member is attached, and a second attachment piece which is provided so as to intersect the first attachment piece at a predetermined angle;
• a fixing member;
• and
• a housing member to which one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece is fixed at both ends along a longitudinal direction thereof by the fixing member,
• wherein
• a surface of the housing member faces a surface of the other one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece, which is not fixed to the housing member, and both of the surfaces are provided in a direction oblique to a fixing direction of the fixing member so as to exert an external force in a direction which intersects the surfaces.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier on a surface of which a toner image according to image information is formed;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer body;
• a cleaning blade member that has a tip abutting a surface of an image carrier so as to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the image carrier;
• an attaching member that comprises a first attachment piece to which a base end of the cleaning blade member is attached, and a second attachment piece which is provided so as to intersect the first attachment piece at a predetermined angle;
• a housing member to which one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece is fixed at both ends along a longitudinal direction thereof;
• and
• an external force exerting member that is provided at both ends of the other one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece, which is not fixed to the housing member, and that exerts an external force in a direction which intersects a surface of the attachment piece not fixed to the housing member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier on a surface of which a toner image according to image information is formed;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer body;
• a cleaning blade member that has a tip abutting a surface of an image carrier so as to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the image carrier;
• an attaching member that comprises a first attachment piece to which a base end of the cleaning blade member is attached, and a second attachment piece which is provided so as to intersect the first attachment piece at a predetermined angle;
• a housing member to which one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece is fixed at both ends along a longitudinal direction thereof;
• and
• an external force exerting member that is provided at a middle portion of the other one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece, which is not fixed to the housing member, and that exerts an external force in a direction which intersects a surface of the attachment piece not fixed to the housing member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier on a surface of which a toner image according to image information is formed;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer body;
• a cleaning blade member that has a tip abutting a surface of an image carrier so as to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the image carrier;
• an attaching member that comprises a first attachment piece to which a base end of the cleaning blade member is attached, and a second attachment piece which is provided so as to intersect the first attachment piece at a predetermined angle;
• a fixing member;
• and
• a housing member to which one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece is fixed at both ends along a longitudinal direction thereof by the fixing member,
• wherein
• a surface of the housing member faces a surface of the other one of the first attachment piece and the second attachment piece, which is not fixed to the housing member, and both of the surfaces are provided in a direction oblique to a fixing direction of the fixing member so as to exert an external force in a direction which intersects the surfaces.