Cleaning device including brush roller with high cleaning performance, image forming apparatus and process unit including the cleaning device, method of removing deposit, and method of forming an image

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier configured to carry an image on a surface of the image carrier;
• a charging member configured to charge the surface of the image carrier while contacting the surface of the image carrier;
• a toner image forming device configured to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier by use of toner;
• and
• a cleaning device configured to remove toner attached to a surface of the charging member, the cleaning device including,
• a brush roller configured to rotate by following a movement of the surface of the charging member, the brush roller including a rotary shaft element and a brush provided on the rotary shaft element, wherein,
• the brush is configured to abut the surface of the charging member due to a weight of the brush roller,
• the brush includes filaments, and
• the brush roller satisfies Y/X≦2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, wherein the brush is provided on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

A process unit for use in an image forming apparatus including a developing device, the process unit comprising:

• a latent image carrier configured to carry a latent image on a surface of the latent image carrier, wherein the developing device is configured to develop the latent image on the latent image carrier with toner;
• a member that contacts the surface of the latent image carrier;
• a cleaning device configured to remove toner attached to a surface of the member, the cleaning device including,
• a brush roller configured to rotate by following a movement of the surface of the member, the brush roller including a rotary shaft element and a brush provided on the rotary shaft element, wherein,
• the brush is configured to abut the surface of the member due to a weight of the brush roller,
• the brush includes filaments, and
• the brush roller satisfies Y/X≦2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, wherein the brush is provided on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

A method of removing deposit from a surface of a member, comprising:

• abutting a brush, which is provided on a rotary shaft element of a brush roller, against the surface of the member due to a weight of the brush roller;
• rotating the brush roller by moving the surface of the member relative to the brush,
• wherein the brush includes filaments, and the brush roller satisfies Y/X≦2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, and
• providing the brush on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

A method of forming an image, comprising:

• charging a surface of an image carrier by contacting a charging member to the surface of the image carrier;
• forming a toner image on the surface of the image carrier;
• removing toner attached to a surface of the charging member by abutting a brush, which is provided on a rotary shaft element of a brush roller, against the surface of the charging member due to a weight of the brush roller and by rotating the brush roller with a movement of the surface of the charging member,
• wherein the brush includes filaments, and the brush roller satisfies Y/X≦2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, and
• providing the brush on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

A cleaning device, comprising:

• brush means for removing deposit from a surface of a member to be cleaned while rotating due to a movement of the surface of the member;
• and
• supporting means for supporting and allowing rotation of the brush means, wherein,
• the brush means abuts the surface of the member due to a weight of the supporting means and the brush means when the cleaning device is positioned at the member,
• the brush means includes filaments, and
• the brush means satisfies Y/X≦2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X is a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, wherein the brush is provided on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image carrier configured to carry an image on a surface of the image carrier;
• a charging member configured to charge the surface of the image carrier while contacting the surface of the image carrier;
• a toner image forming device configured to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier by use of toner;
• and
• removing means for removing toner attached to a surface of the charging member, the removing means including,
• brush means for contacting the surface of the charging member and for rotating due to a movement of the surface of the charging member, and
• supporting means for supporting the brush means, wherein,
• the brush means abuts the surface of the charging member due to a weight of the supporting means and the brush means when the removing means is positioned at the charging member,
• the brush means includes filaments, and
• the brush means satisfies Y/X 2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, wherein the brush means is provided on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush means slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.

A process unit for use in an image forming apparatus including a developing device, the process unit comprising:

• a latent image carrier configured to carry a latent image on a surface of the latent image carrier, wherein the developing device is configured to develop the latent image on the latent image carrier with toner;
• a member that contacts the surface of the latent image carrier;
• removing means for removing toner attached to a surface of the member, the removing means including,
• brush means for contacting the surface of the member and for rotating due to a movement of the surface of the member, and
• supporting means for supporting the brush means, wherein,
• the brush means abuts the surface of the member due to a weight of the supporting means and the brush means when the removing means is positioned at the member,
• the brush means includes filaments, and
• the brush means satisfies Y/X 2.8, Y being a diameter of each of the filaments in units of denier, and X being a length of each of the filaments in units of millimeters, wherein the brush means is provided on the rotary shaft element such that each of the filaments of the brush means slants relative to a normal direction of the rotary shaft element.