Cleaning apparatus having multiple wiper blades
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsEdward L. Schlueter, Jr., James F. Smith, Nero R. Lindblad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cleaning apparatus for removing particles from a moving surface includes a movable blade holder having at least one geometrically formed slot. A removable blade matably fits into each geometrically formed slot. Each of the removable blades has at least one cleaning edge, which is in frictional contact with the moving surface during a cleaning operation. An individual blade may be removed from the blade holder by an operator to replace a used cleaning edge with an unused cleaning edge.
Claims20
A cleaning apparatus for removing particles from a moving surface, comprising:
- a plurality of blades having a size and geometry for removably and matably securing said blades, each one of said blades including at least one cleaning edge in frictional contact with the moving surface for removing particles from the surface during a cleaning operation, said blades being operator removable to replace a used cleaning edge with an unused cleaning edge;
- and
- a rotatable, single-piece self-clamping blade holder having a central portion and a plurality of extrusions extending radially outward from said central portion, said extrusions being spaced from one another, wherein the facing sides of each adjacent two such extrusions form a geometrically shaped slot, wherein each of said slots conforms to the size and geometry of all enclosed surfaces of one of said mating blades when said blades are removably mounted in said blade holder, so as to securely lock said mating blades into operative position.
A printing machine of the type having a photoconductive member in the form of an endless dielectric belt entrained about a supporting device including a cleaning apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a plurality of blades having a size and geometry for removably and matably securing said blades, each one of said blades including at least one cleaning edge in frictional contact with a moving surface within said printing_machine for removing particles from said surface during a cleaning operation, said blades being operator removable to replace a used cleaning edge with an unused cleaning edge;
- and
- a rotatable, single-piece self-clamping blade holder having a central portion and a plurality of extrusions extending radially outward from said central portion, said extrusions being spaced from one another, wherein the facing sides of each adjacent two such extrusions form a geometrically shaped slot, wherein each of said slots conforms to the size and geometry of all enclosed surfaces of one of said mating blades when said blades are removably mounted in said blade holder, so as to securely lock said mating blades into operative position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.