Process unit for image forming apparatus, including a charging brush

Claim 2

A process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips of said conductive brush fibers to touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact with said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus.

Claim 3

A process unit according to claim 1, wherein said unit case has an inner surface, and wherein said conductive brush type charger further comprises a conductive base, fixed to said inner surface of said unit case, on which said conductive brush fibers are provided.

Claim 4

A process unit according to claim 1, wherein said photosensitive member is a photosensitive belt transferred in the first direction, said photosensitive belt comprising a belt body on which a conductive material is coated and a photosensitive layer provided on said conductive material.

Claim 5

A process unit according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a spacer.

Claim 6

A process unit according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a spring.

Claim 7

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus, said process unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface which is transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush ytpe charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tipsof said conductive brush to touch the surface of said photosensitive member, and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact which said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus; image forming means for forming a toner image on said photosensitive member; and transfer means for transferring said toner image on said photosensitive member to a medium.

Claim 8

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus, said process unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface which is transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush ytpe charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tipsof said conductive brush to touch the surface of said photosensitive member, and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact which said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus; image forming means for forming a toner image on said photosensitive member; and transfer means for transferring said toner image on said photosensitive member to a medium.

Claim 9

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus, said processing unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface which is transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips of said conductive brush to touch the surface of said photosensitive member, and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a unit case for housing the photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact with said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus; image forming means for forming a toner image on said photosensitive member; transfer means for transferring said toner image on said photosensitive member to a medium; and positioning means for positioning said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers in contact which said surface of said photosensitive member, when said image forming means forms a toner image on said photosensitive member.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus, said processing unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface which is transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips of said conductive brush to touch the surface of said photosensitive member, and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a unit case for housing the photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact with said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus; image forming means for forming a toner image on said photosensitive member; transfer means for transferring said toner image on said photosensitive member to a medium; and positioning means for positioning said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers in contact which said surface of said photosensitive member, when said image forming means forms a toner image on said photosensitive member.

Claim 11

A process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging a surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by making the tips of said conductive brush fibers touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image so as to form a toner image on the surface of said photosensitive member for transcription on a sheet; cleaner means for cleaning toner left on the surface of said photosensitive member after the transcription of the toner image on the sheet; a unit case for housing said photosensitive member, said conductive brush type charger, said developing means and said cleaner means, so that said photosensitive member, said conductive brush type charger, said developing means and said cleaner means are loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus by loading or unloading said unit case; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact with said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus.

Claim 12

A process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging a surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by making the tips of said conductive brush fibers touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image so as to form a toner image on the surface of said photosensitive member for transcription on a sheet; cleaner means for cleaning toner left on the surface of said photosensitive member after the transcription of the toner image on the sheet; a unit case for housing said photosensitive member, said conductive brush type charger, said developing means and said cleaner means, so that said photosensitive member, said conductive brush type charger, said developing means and said cleaner means are loaded in or unloaded from said image forming apparatus by loading or unloading said unit case; and means for supporting said conductive brush type charger so as to position said tips of said conductive brush fibers out of contact with said surface of said photosensitive member, while said process unit is unloaded from said image forming apparatus.

Claim 13

A process unit according to claim 8, wherein said photosensitive member is a photosensitive drum comprising a conductive rotating drum having a wall surface rotated in the first direction and a photosensitive layer provided around the wall surface of the conductive rotating drum.

Claim 14

A process unit according to claim 8, wherein said photosensitive member is a photosensitive belt transferred in the first direction, said photosensitive belt comprising a belt body on which a conductive material is coated and a photosensitive layer provided on said conductive material.

Claim 15

A process unit according to claim 8, wherein the conductive brush fibers are carbon-dispersed chemical fibers.

Claim 16

A process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips o said conductive brush fibers to touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers, said conductive brush type charger further comprising: a conductive base bar on which said conductive brush fibers are provided, said base bar being positioned substantially perpendicular to the first direction; thrust means for pushing said base bar toward the surface of said photosensitive member; stopper means for stopping said base bar against the thrust force of said thrust means so that the tips of the conductive brush fibers uniformly touch the surface of said photosensitive member; and spacer means insertable between said base bar and said stopper means, for providing a space between the tips of said conductive brush fibers and the surface of said photosensitive member, said spacer means being removable; and a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger.

Claim 17

A process unit to be loaded in or unloaded from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger comprising a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging the surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips o said conductive brush fibers to touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers, said conductive brush type charger further comprising: a conductive base bar on which said conductive brush fibers are provided, said base bar being positioned substantially perpendicular to the first direction; thrust means for pushing said base bar toward the surface of said photosensitive member; stopper means for stopping said base bar against the thrust force of said thrust means so that the tips of the conductive brush fibers uniformly touch the surface of said photosensitive member; and spacer means insertable between said base bar and said stopper means, for providing a space between the tips of said conductive brush fibers and the surface of said photosensitive member, said spacer means being removable; and a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger.

Claim 18

A process unit to be loaded in an image forming apparatus having a bar with a second sliding surface protruding therefrom, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger including: a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging a surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips of said conductive brush fibers to touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a conductive base bar on which said conductive brush fibers are provided, so that said conductive brush fibers are directed toward the surface of said photosensitive member, said conductive base bar being arranged in the second direction and positioned substantially in parallel with the surface of said photosensitive member, said conductive base bar comprising a first sliding surface substantially parallel to the surface of said photosensitive member for positioning said conductive base bar so that the tips of said conductive brush fibers uniformly touch the surface of said photosensitive member by contacting the second sliding surface on the bar which protrudes from the image forming apparatus, when said process unit is loaded into the image forming apparatus; and pulling means for pulling said conductive base bar outward from the surface of said photosensitive member, providing a space between the tips of said conductive brush fibers and the surface of said photosensitive member when said process unit is removed from the image forming apparatus, said pulling means always making tight contact between the first and second sliding surfaces when said process unit is loaded into the image forming apparatus; and a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger.

Claim 19

A process unit to be loaded in an image forming apparatus having a bar with a second sliding surface protruding therefrom, comprising: a photosensitive member having a surface and transferred in a first direction; a conductive brush type charger including: a plurality of conductive brush fibers having tips, arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, for electrostatically charging a surface of said photosensitive member uniformly by causing the tips of said conductive brush fibers to touch the surface of said photosensitive member and applying a charging voltage to the surface of said photosensitive member through said conductive brush fibers; a conductive base bar on which said conductive brush fibers are provided, so that said conductive brush fibers are directed toward the surface of said photosensitive member, said conductive base bar being arranged in the second direction and positioned substantially in parallel with the surface of said photosensitive member, said conductive base bar comprising a first sliding surface substantially parallel to the surface of said photosensitive member for positioning said conductive base bar so that the tips of said conductive brush fibers uniformly touch the surface of said photosensitive member by contacting the second sliding surface on the bar which protrudes from the image forming apparatus, when said process unit is loaded into the image forming apparatus; and pulling means for pulling said conductive base bar outward from the surface of said photosensitive member, providing a space between the tips of said conductive brush fibers and the surface of said photosensitive member when said process unit is removed from the image forming apparatus, said pulling means always making tight contact between the first and second sliding surfaces when said process unit is loaded into the image forming apparatus; and a unit case for housing said photosensitive member and said conductive brush type charger.

Claim 20

A process unit according to claim 13, wherein said photosensitive member is a photosensitive drum comprising a conductive rotating drum having a wall surface, rotated in the first direction and a photosensitive layer provided around the wall surface of the conductive rotating drum.

Claim 21

A process unit according to claim 13, wherein said photosensitive member is a photosensitive belt transferred in the first direction, said photosensitive belt comprising a belt body on which a conductive material is coated and a photosensitive layer provided on said conductive material.

Claim 22

A process unit according to claim 13, wherein said conductive brush fibers are carbon-dispersed chemical fibers.