Automated lens cleaning and shutter system for an electrophotographic imaging device

An imaging device, comprising:

• at least one photoconductive member;
• at least one developer unit, the at least one developer unit being adjacent to and cooperating with the at least one photoconductive member to develop toner thereon during a printing operation;
• a printhead unit generating at least one light beam, the at least one light beam being incident upon the at least one photoconductive member during the printing operation of the imaging device, the printhead unit comprising at least one exit lens through which the at least one light beam passes before being incident upon the at least one photoconductive member and defining areas of the at least one photoconductive member on which toner develops during the printing operation;
• at least one shutter-wiper member moveable in a first direction between a first position in which the at least one shutter-wiper is positioned over and otherwise covers the at least one exit lens and a second position in which the at least one shutter-wiper does not cover the at least one exit lens so as to allow the at least one light beam to pass through the at least one exit lens;
• a motion distributor link disposed in the imaging device and moveable in the first direction within the imaging device;
• and
• at least one shutter actuator coupled between the motion distribution link and the at least one shutter-wiper member, such that movement of the motion distribution link in the first direction causes the at least one shutter actuator to move in a second direction in the imaging device generally orthogonal to the first direction.

An imaging device, comprising:

• a plurality of photoconductive members;
• a plurality of developer units, each developer unit being adjacent to and cooperating with a photoconductive member;
• a printhead unit generating a plurality of light beams, each light beam being incident upon a photoconductive member during a printing operation of the imaging device, the printhead unit comprising a plurality of exit lenses through which the plurality of light beams pass before being incident upon the photoconductive members and defining areas of the photoconductive members on which toner develops during the printing operation;
• a plurality of shutter-wiper members, each shutter-wiper member being moveable in a first direction between a first position in which each shutter-wiper is positioned over and covers a corresponding exit lens and a second position in which each shutter-wiper is positioned away from and does not cover the corresponding exit lens so as to allow the at least one light beam to pass through the corresponding exit lens;
• a plurality of shutter actuators, each shutter actuator coupled to a corresponding shutter-wiper member, such that movement of each shutter actuator in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction causes the corresponding shutter-wiper members to move in the first direction;
• at least one sensor having a protective lens;
• a wiper housing on which at least one wiper is located, the wiper housing configured to move in the second direction;
• and
• a wiper arm coupled between one of the shutter actuators and the wiper housing, the wiper arm pivoting in response to movement of the one of the shutter actuators so as to move the at least one wiper relative to the protective lens of the at least one sensor.