Patent US4284345A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4284345A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Blade-type cleaning device for electrophotographic copying machine
Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-31
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Granted: 1981-08-18
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Expires: 1999-08-31
Abstract
Abstract An electrophotographic copying apparatus has a frame with two portions which are movable away from each other. An electrophotographic photoconductive member is mounted on one of the frame portions for being exposed when the frame portions are moved away from each other to enable the member to be removed from the frame. A blade-type cleaning device is provided having an elastic blade member for contacting the surface of the electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from the surface during movement of the member and a blade holder holding the blade member and mounted on the one frame portion for movement toward and away from the surface of the electrophotographic photoconductive member. A spring is connected to the holder for biasing the holder to urge the blade member into contact with the surface when the frame portions are together. A retracting device is connected to the cleaning device for retracting the holder from the surface when the frame portions are moved away from each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Sugiyama
- 👤 Masaya Ogawa
- 👤 Hiroshi Murasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 06:53
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/0005; G03G21/0011; G03G21/0029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an improved blade-type cleaning device comprising: an elastic blade member which is held in pressing contact with the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from the surface during movement of the photoconductive member; holder means for holding the blade member, said holder means being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°; and biasing means connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an improved blade-type cleaning device comprising: an elastic blade member which is held in pressing contact with the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from the surface during movement of the photoconductive member; holder means for holding the blade member, said holder means being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°; and biasing means connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A blade-type cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, in which said angle α is defined by 30°≦α≦90°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A blade-type cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means connected to said holder means for retracting the blade member from the surface of photoconductive member against the biasing force of said biasing means when at least one part of said copying apparatus is moved.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
174 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising: a frame having upper and lower portions which are movable away from each other; an electrophotographic photoconductive member mounted on said upper frame portion for being exposed when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion to enable said member to be removed from said upper frame portion; a blade-type cleaning device having an elastic blade member for contacting the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from said surface during movement of said member and a blade holder means holding said blade member and mounted on said upper frame portion for movement toward and away from the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member, and biasing means connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface when said frame portions are together; and retracting means connected to said cleaning device for retracting said holder means from said surface when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising: a frame having upper and lower portions which are movable away from each other; an electrophotographic photoconductive member mounted on said upper frame portion for being exposed when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion to enable said member to be removed from said upper frame portion; a blade-type cleaning device having an elastic blade member for contacting the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from said surface during movement of said member and a blade holder means holding said blade member and mounted on said upper frame portion for movement toward and away from the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member, and biasing means connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface when said frame portions are together; and retracting means connected to said cleaning device for retracting said holder means from said surface when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said holder means is mounted on said upper frame portion for being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
125 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said retracting means comprises lever means on said upper frame portion and engaging said holder means, said lever means being engagable with the lower frame portion when said frame portions are together for urging said lever out of contact with said holder means, whereby said biasing means biases said holder to urge said blade member into contact with said surface, and when said frame portions are moved apart said lever means is disengaged from said lower frame portion and engages said holder means for urging said holder means in a direction opposite to the direction in which said biasing means biases said holder means for moving said blade out of contact with said surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said lever means is a slidable lever having further biasing means connected thereto urging said slidable lever toward said holder means for pivoting said holder means, and a crank means pivotally mounted on said upper frame portion and having one end pivotally connected to said slidable lever and having the other end engagable with said lower frame portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said lever means is a pivotable lever pivotally mounted on said upper frame portion having one end engaged with said holder means for pivoting said holder means and having the other end engagable with said lower frame portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
213 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an improved blade-type cleaning device comprising: an elastic blade member which is held in pressing contact with the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from the surface during movement of the photoconductive member; holder means for holding the blade member, said holder means being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°; and a spring member connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface, the elastic modulus of said spring member being larger than the elastic modulus of said blade member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
213 words
In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an improved blade-type cleaning device comprising: an elastic blade member which is held in pressing contact with the surface of an electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from the surface during movement of the photoconductive member; holder means for holding the blade member, said holder means being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°; and a spring member connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface, the elastic modulus of said spring member being larger than the elastic modulus of said blade member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A blade-type cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, in which said angle α is defined by 30°≦α≦90°.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
A blade-type cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising means connected to said holder means for retracting the blade member from the surface of said photoconductive member against the biasing force of said spring member when at least one part of said copying apparatus is moved.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
197 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising: a frame having upper and lower portions which are movable away from each other; an electrophotographic photoconductive member mounted on said upper frame portion for being exposed when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion to enable said member to be removed from said upper frame portion; a blade-type cleaning device having an elastic blade member for contacting the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from said surface during movement of said member and a blade holder means holding said blade member and mounted on said upper frame portion for movement toward and away from the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member, and a spring member connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface when said frame portions are together, the elastic modulus of said spring member being larger than the elastic modulus of said blade member; and retracting means connected to said cleaning device and said upper frame portion for retracting said holder means from said surface when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
197 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus comprising: a frame having upper and lower portions which are movable away from each other; an electrophotographic photoconductive member mounted on said upper frame portion for being exposed when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion to enable said member to be removed from said upper frame portion; a blade-type cleaning device having an elastic blade member for contacting the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member for removing residual toner from said surface during movement of said member and a blade holder means holding said blade member and mounted on said upper frame portion for movement toward and away from the surface of said electrophotographic photoconductive member, and a spring member connected to said holder means for biasing said holder means to urge said blade member into contact with said surface when said frame portions are together, the elastic modulus of said spring member being larger than the elastic modulus of said blade member; and retracting means connected to said cleaning device and said upper frame portion for retracting said holder means from said surface when said upper frame portion is moved away from said lower frame portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electrophotographic copying apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which said holder means is mounted on said upper frame portion for being turnable about a support point for bringing the blade member into or out of contact with the surface and holding said blade member when it is in contact with the surface positioned at an angle θ defined by 65°≦θ≦85° relative to the portion of a tangent to the surface through the point of contact between the blade member and the surface and which portion extends on the side of the blade toward which the uncleaned portion of said surface is moving, said support point lying on a line through said point of contact and on the same side of said blade as said tangent portion and which is at an angle α relative to said blade defined by 0°≦α≦90°.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-08-17 | 1985-02-16 | 1985-08-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-08-17 | 1989-02-16 | 1989-08-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-08-17 | 1993-02-16 | 1993-08-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |