Image forming apparatus and cleaning method thereof
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAtsuhisa Nakashima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For a cleaning the conveyor belt of the image forming apparatus, the adhesive surface of the sheet of the sheet roller abuts on the outer surface of the conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt is driven in a direction so that the sheet roller rotates to roll the sheet in order to conduct a cleaning. For a renewal of the sheet, the conveyor belt is driven in a direction so that the sheet roller to unroll the sheet, the sheet is unrolled for a predetermined length, adhered to the outer surface of the conveyor belt and cut off in order to renew the adhesive surface of the sheet of the sheet roller.
Claims26
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a conveying device having a conveying surface to convey a recording medium;
- a sheet roller mounted rotatably and rolled with a sheet having a cleaning surface which abuts on the conveying surface to clean the conveying surface;
- and
- a drive control device which drives the conveying device so that the sheet roller rotates in a direction to roll the sheet when a cleaning is conducted, and rotates in a direction to unroll the sheet when the cleaning surface is renewed.
The image forming apparatus as set forth inclaim 17, wherein the drive control device further includes a shift control device which makes the sheet roller abut on the conveying surface with the shift device corresponding to the cleaning requirement determination device determining that a cleaning on the conveying surface is required.
A cleaning unit to clean a conveying surface of a conveying device which conveys a recording medium comprising:
- a sheet roller mounted rotatably and rolled with a sheet having a cleaning surface which abuts on the conveying surface to clean the conveying surface;
- a shift device to make the cleaning surface of the sheet roller abut on the conveying surface and separate therefrom and makes the cleaning surface of the sheet roller abut on the conveying surface when a cleaning is conducted;
- and
- a cutter device disposed to cut off the sheet at a position where a rotation stopper member abuts the sheet when the sheet is unrolled to renew the cleaning surface.
A cleaning method of an image forming apparatus comprising a conveying device having a conveying surface to convey a recording medium;
- a sheet roller mounted rotatably and rolled with a sheet having a cleaning surface which abuts on the on the conveying surface and separate therefrom;
- and a drive control device which drives the conveying device,
- the method comprising steps of:
- making the cleaning surface abut on the conveying surface with the shift device, driving the conveying device with the drive control device in a direction so that the sheet is rolled, and cleaning the conveying surface with the sheet roller for a cleaning;
- and
- rotating the sheet roller in a direction so that the sheet is unrolled, and reversing the rotational direction of the conveyor belt with the drive control device so that the sheet is unrolled for a predetermined length and adheres on the conveying surface for a renewal of the cleaning surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.