Patent US4411042A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4411042A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Cleaning device

Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-12-21
•
Granted: 1983-10-25
•
Expires: 2001-12-21
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A device for removing residual toner and other particulate materials deposited on the peripheral surface of a roller in a toner image fixing unit includes a thin perforated member in pressure engagement with the peripheral surface. The perforations are large enough to permit the passage therethrough of the particulate materials, are arranged so that their longitudinal extensions along the direction of advance of the peripheral surface are at least transversely continuous and the perforation edges opposed to the peripheral surface direction of advance are at an angle to such direction. The perforations may be of different shapes, circular, elliptical, triangular, etc. and a receiving receptacle is positioned below the cleaning device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshio Sakata
  • 👤 Takeji Morikawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 21:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/0005; G03G15/00; G03G15/20; G03G15/2003; G03G15/2014; G03G15/2017; G03G15/2025

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 61 words
A cleaning device for removing toner from the surface of a moving member, said cleaning device including a cleaning member in pressing contact with the surface of the moving member and formed with a plurality of perforations in the area where the cleaning member is in contact with said surface to remove the toner by the edge portions defining said perforations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 61 words
A cleaning device for removing toner from the surface of a moving member, said cleaning device including a cleaning member in pressing contact with the surface of the moving member and formed with a plurality of perforations in the area where the cleaning member is in contact with said surface to remove the toner by the edge portions defining said perforations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, where said cleaning member is in the form of a sheet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning member is in the form of an endless belt.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning member is in the form of a hollow cylinder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 46 words
A cleaning device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said plurality of perforations of the cleaning member are aligned at least two perforations longitudinally of the moving member, with at least one perforation positioned on every circumferential band of the moving member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A cleaning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said edge portions defining the perforations and opposed to the direction of rotation of the moving member are shaped at an angle with respect to the direction of rotation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 104 words
In combination with a rotatable roller subject to deposits of a finely divided material, means for removing said deposits from the peripheral surface of said roller comprising a cleaning member extending along the width of and in pressing contact with said peripheral surface and having a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced perforations in the area where the cleaning member is in contact with said surface and of dimensions greater than the particle size of said timely divided material to remove the finely divided material by the edge portions defining said perforations, the longitudinal extensions of said perforations being at least substantially transversely continuous.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 104 words
In combination with a rotatable roller subject to deposits of a finely divided material, means for removing said deposits from the peripheral surface of said roller comprising a cleaning member extending along the width of and in pressing contact with said peripheral surface and having a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced perforations in the area where the cleaning member is in contact with said surface and of dimensions greater than the particle size of said timely divided material to remove the finely divided material by the edge portions defining said perforations, the longitudinal extensions of said perforations being at least substantially transversely continuous.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
The combination of claim 7 wherein said roller constitutes a component of a toner fixing mechanism in an electrophotographic copying machine and said material includes said toner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein said cleaning member comprises a thin flexible sheet having said perforations and engaging said peripheral surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The combination of claim 9 wherein said cleaning member extends longitudinally peripherally along said roller peripheral surface.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2329277A Cited
US3649992A Cited
US3868744A Cited
US3986227A Cited
US4260243A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-10-24 1987-04-25 1987-10-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-10-24 1991-04-25 1991-10-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-10-24 1995-04-25 1995-10-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag