Lubricant applying unit, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and image forming method
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsDaichi Yamaguchi, Kenji Sugiura, Takahiko Tokumasu, Takuya Seshita, Katsuhiko Tani, Yumiko Yagi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lubricant applying unit includes a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid; an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application; and a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject. The spreading member spreads the lubricant in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.
Claims75
A lubricant applying unit comprising:
- a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid;
- an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application;
- and
- a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject, wherein
- the spreading member spreads the lubricant in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.
A process cartridge that supports integrally an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by an electrostatic charge, and a processing unit that includes at least one of a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit, the process cartridge being detachable from the image forming apparatus, the process cartridge comprising a lubricant applying unit that includes
- a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid;
- an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application;
- and
- a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed;
- a charging unit that charges the image carrier;
- a latent-image forming unit that forms a latent image on the image carrier by exposing the image carrier;
- a developing unit that supplies toner to the latent image on the image carrier to form a toner image that is visible;
- a transferring unit that transfers the toner image to a recording medium directly or via an intermediate transfer body that moves on a surface of the image carrier while being in contact with the image carrier;
- a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning blade that gathers the toner remained on the surface of the image carrier after transferring the toner image to the recording medium;
- and
- a lubricant applying unit that includes
- a lubricant composed of metal salt of fatty acid;
- an applying member that applies the lubricant on a subject under lubricant application;
- and
- a spreading member that forms a thin layer of the lubricant applied on the subject in such a manner that a thickness of the thin layer is in a range of 8 nanometers to 12 nanometers.
An image forming method for an image forming apparatus including an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging unit having a charging member, a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant on the image carrier, and is disposed on a downstream side of a transferring unit in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and on an upstream side of the charging unit, and a lubricant spreading unit that forms a thin layer of the lubricant on the image carrier, the image forming method comprising:
- detecting a replacement of the image carrier by a detecting unit;
- and
- passing, when the replacement of the image carrier is detected, at least one of the lubricant applying unit and the lubricant spreading unit more than two times.
An image forming method for an image forming apparatus including an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging unit including a charging member that is in proximity with or in contact with the image carrier, a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant on the image carrier, and is disposed on a downstream side of a transferring unit in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and on an upstream side of the charging unit, and a lubricant spreading unit that forms a thin film of the lubricant on the image carrier, the image forming method comprising:
- counting time or number of prints by a counter;
- and
- passing, every time a predetermined time is elapsed or a predetermined number of prints is output, at least one of the lubricant applying unit and the lubricant spreading unit more than two times.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed;
- a charging unit including a charging member that is in proximity with or in contact with the image carrier;
- a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant on the image carrier, and is disposed on a downstream side of a transferring unit in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and on an upstream side of the charging unit;
- a lubricant spreading unit that forms a thin film of the lubricant on the image carrier;
- a detecting unit that detects a replacement of the image carrier;
- and
- a controlling unit passes, when the replacement of the image carrier is detected, at least one of the lubricant applying unit and the lubricant spreading unit more than two times.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed;
- a charging unit including a charging member that is in proximity with or in contact with the image carrier;
- a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant on the image carrier, and is disposed on a downstream side of a transferring unit in a direction of rotation of the image carrier and on an upstream side of the charging unit;
- a lubricant spreading unit that forms a thin film of the lubricant on the image carrier;
- a counter that counts time collapsed or number of prints;
- and
- a controlling unit that passes, every time a predetermined time is elapsed or a predetermined number of prints is output, at least one of the lubricant applying unit and the lubricant spreading unit more than two times.
A lubricant applying unit comprising:
- a lubricant that is disposed at a position at which the lubricant is applicable on a surface of an image carrier on which a toner image is formed;
- a detecting unit that detects a strength of a discharge that is generated between the image carrier and a charging member that is disposed close to or in contact with the surface of the image carrier;
- and
- an amount adjusting unit that adjusts an amount of the lubricant to be applied on the surface of the image carrier based on a result of detection by the detecting unit.
An image forming apparatus comprising;
- an image carrier on which a toner image is formed;
- a lubricant applying unit including
- a lubricant that is disposed at a position at which the lubricant is applicable on a surface of an image carrier on which a toner image is formed;
- a detecting unit that detects a strength of a discharge that is generated between the image carrier and a charging member that is disposed close to or in contact with the surface of the image carrier;
- and
- an amount adjusting unit that adjusts an amount of the lubricant applied on the surface of the image carrier based on a result of detection by the detecting unit;
- a charging member that is disposed closed to or in contact with the surface of the image carrier and charges the surface of the image carrier by generating a discharge between the image carrier and the charging member;
- an optical writing unit that forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing the surface of the image carrier;
- a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image as a toner image by supplying a toner;
- and
- a transferring unit that transfers the toner image to a recording medium.
A process cartridge comprising:
- an image carrier on which a toner image is formed;
- a cartridge case that rotatably holds the image carrier;
- and
- a lubricant that is held in a position at which the lubricant is applicable on the surface of the image carrier, wherein
- an amount of the lubricant to be applied on the surface of the image carrier is adjusted based on a result of a detection by a detecting unit that detects a strength of a discharge generated between the image carrier and a charging member that is disposed in proximity with or in contact with the surface of the image carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.