Image forming apparatus having electrode cleaning member

#This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-344581, filed on Dec. 21, 2006, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-344582, filed on Dec. 21, 2006, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an electrophotographic image-forming process section, and more particularly, to improvements in a cleaning member in a corona discharger constituting the image-forming process section.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a drum unit in the image forming apparatus.

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a charging device incorporated in the image forming apparatus.

#The best mode for practicing the present invention will be described hereunder by reference to preferred embodiments and the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a drum unit in the image forming apparatus; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrifying device incorporated in the image forming apparatus; FIG. 4 is a partially-broken perspective view of the electrifying device when viewed in a direction of arrow X in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a cleaning member attached to the electrifying device; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the electrifying device taken along line Y-Y shown in FIG. 4; and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the electrifying device taken along line Z-Z shown in FIG. 6.

#An image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 preferably is a printer equipped with an electrophotographic recording section as an example. The image forming apparatus A is not limited to the printer but may also be applied to a copier equipped with an image reader, a facsimile, a so-called multifunction machine having their features, and the like. In the drawings, a main body 1 of the image forming apparatus A preferably includes a recording sheet (paper) sheet feeding section 2, an electrophotographic image recording section 3, and a printed recording sheet discharge section 4 which are stacked in this sequence into layers in a height direction. The recording sheet feeding section 2 preferably includes a sheet feeding cassette 2a which can stack a plurality of recording sheets and which can be removably inserted; a separating sheet feeding roller 2b disposed at the front end of the sheet feeding cassette 2a in a sheet-feeding direction; and a separation pad 2c resiliently contacting a circumferential surface of the separating sheet feeding roller 2b.

#Similar cassettes may additionally be stacked under the sheet feeding cassette 2a, to thus constitute a multilayer cassette. Alternatively, the sheet feeding cassette can also be constituted so that an optional cassette (not shown) can be placed. Further, a retard roller can also be used instead of the separation pad 2c.