Title: Image forming apparatus having a guide device for guiding a brush roller
Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device that, by allowing a brush roller to be rotated so as to be set in contact with a surface of a photosensitive body, charge the surface of an image carrier, a light exposure device that radiates image information light onto the surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image into a developing agent image, a transfer device that transfers the developing agent to a sheet, and a guide device that guides an outer periphery of the brush roller so as to prevent the image information light from being blocked by the brush roller.
Patent Number: 6,915,093 Issued on 07/05/2005 to Hatakeyama
| Inventors:
|
Hatakeyama; Takashi (Yokohama, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Tokyo, JP);
Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
383676 |
| Filed:
|
March 10, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
399/175; 399/107 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G03G 015/02 |
| Field of Search: |
399/107,111,115,168,174,175
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 5754926 | May., 1998 | Sakuraba.
| |
| 6038415 | Mar., 2000 | Nishi et al.
| |
| 6173142 | Jan., 2001 | Kawakami.
| |
| 6505021 | Jan., 2003 | Shibuya et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 63-210862 | Sep., 1988 | JP.
| |
| 1-231074 | Sep., 1989 | JP.
| |
| 3017201 | Dec., 1999 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Tran; Hoan
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foley & Lardner LLP
Claims
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller to be rotated in
such a state as to be set in contact with a surface of an image carrier, charge
the surface of the image carrier;
a light exposure device configured to radiate image information light onto the
surface of the image carrier which is charged by the charging device and form an
electrostatic latent image;
a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed
by the light exposure device into a developing agent image;
a transfer device configured to transfer the developing agent image developed
by the developing device to a to-be-transferred medium; and
a guide device configured to guide an outer periphery of the brush roller so
as to prevent the image information light which is directed toward the image carrier
from being blocked by the brush roller of the charging device.
2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance from the
center of the brush roller of the charging device to the image information light
is set to be below ½ the outer diameter size of the brush roller.
3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length dimension
of the guide device along an axial direction of the image carrier is set to be
longer than an axial length dimension of the brush roller.
4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brush roller
of the charging device is configured to have a brush comprising a shaft and bristles
formed on the shaft, the bristles comprising oblique bristles oriented in one direction.
5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the bristles comprise
a conductive fiber-formed cloth.
6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide device
is made of a metal material or a resin material.
7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a surface of the
metal material which contacts the brush roller is insulation-treated.
8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller to be rotated in
such a state as to be set in contact with a surface of an image carrier, charge
the surface of the image carrier;
a light exposure device configured to radiate image information light onto the
surface of the image carrier charged by the charging device and, by doing so, form
an electrostatic latent image;
a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image which
is formed by the light exposure device into a developing agent image;
a transfer device configured to transfer the developing agent image which is
developed by the developing device to a to-be-transferred medium;
a guide device configured to guide an outer periphery of the brush roller so
as to prevent the image information light which is radiated toward the image carrier
from being blocked by the brush roller of the charging device; and
a moving device configured to move the brush roller of the charging device toward
and away from the guide device and image carrier.
9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller to be rotated in
such a state as to be set in contact with a surface of an image carrier, charge
the surface of the image carrier;
a light exposure device configured to radiate image information light onto the
surface of the image carrier charged by the charging device and, by doing so, form
an electrostatic latent image;
a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed
by the light exposure device into a developing agent image;
a transfer device configured to transfer the developing agent image which is
developed by the developing device onto a to-be-transferred medium;
a charge eliminating device configured to, after the developing agent image has
been transferred to the medium by the transfer device, discharge the surface of
the image carrier, the charge eliminating device being set in a position contacting
the brush roller of the charging device; and
a guide device configured to guide an outer periphery of the brush roller so
as to prevent the image information light which is radiated from the light exposure
device from being blocked by the brush roller of the charging device.
10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a protective
member provided between the charge eliminating device and the brush roller to prevent
direct contact between the charge eliminating device and the brush roller.
11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a contact area
between the protective member and the brush roller at least electrically insulates
the protective member from the brush roller.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used, for example,
in an electrophotographic copying machine.
As this type of image forming apparatus, an apparatus as shown, for example,
in
FIG. 11 is known. That is, reference numeral
101 denotes a drum-like photosensitive
body which is rotatable as an image carrier. Around the circumference of the photo-sensitive
drum
101, a charging brush roller
102, a developing device
104,
a transfer roller
105, a cleaning device
106 and a charge eliminator
107 are arranged along a rotation direction (indicated by an arrow) of the
photosensitive drum.
At a time of forming an image, the surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly
charged by the rotation of the charging brush roller
102. Image information
light
109 is radiated onto the charged surface of the photosensitive drum
101 by means of a light exposure device, not shown, to form an electro-static
latent image there. The electrostatic latent image is sent by the rotation of the
photosensitive drum
101 to a position where it faces the developing device
104 and is then developed by being supplied with a toner from the developing
device
104. In this way, a toner image is created there. The toner image
is electrostatically transferred by the transfer roller
105 to a conveying
sheet P. The sheet having the transferred toner image is heated/pressed by a fixing
unit, not shown, to allow the image to be fixed to the sheet and a given image
to be formed there.
After the toner image has been transferred to the sheet, residual toner on
the photosensitive drum
101 is cleaned off by the cleaning device
106.
After the cleaning step, the surface of the photosensitive drum
1 is discharged
by the charge eliminator
107.
In recent years, there has been a tendency toward more compact image forming
apparatuses
and not only the photosensitive drum
101 but also the surrounding mechanisms
(developing device
104, cleaning device
106, charge eliminator, etc.)
have been made more compact. Further, the distance between the respective mechanisms
has been reduced and there is a growing demand that the charging section also be
made more compact. If the charging section is made smaller, then there arises charging failure.
If, for example, charging is made by the charging brush roller
102 and,
in this case, the roller diameter is made smaller, then the surface area becomes
smaller and the brushing amount involved is decreased. As a result, less contact
is involved between the brush and the photosensitive drum
101, so that there
arises a charging failure. In order to maintain a better charging level, it is
essential to secure an adequate roller diameter.
In order to secure an adequate diameter of the charging brush roller
102,
however, it becomes necessary that the distance L between the center of the charging
brush roller
102 and the image information light
109 be made greater.
That is, unless the distance L is made more than one half the diameter of the charging
brush roller
102, the outer peripheral portion of the brush
102a
blocks out the image information light
109, so that it is not possible
to give exposure light.
In the case where a charging roller
102 of a greater outer diameter is
used, the distance L becomes greater and there is the inconvenience that it is
not possible to provide a compact apparatus.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved with the above in view and the object
of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which, even if
a charging brush roller of a greater diameter is used, can decrease the distance
between the center of the charging brush roller and image information light.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus
comprising a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller to be rotated
in such a state as to be set in contact with the surface of the image carrier,
charge the surface of the image carrier; a light exposure device configured to
radiate image information light onto the surface of the image carrier charged by
the charging device and form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device
configured to develop the electrostatic latent image which is formed by the exposure
device into a developing agent image; a transfer device configured to transfer
the developing agent image which is developed by the developing device onto a to-be-transferred
medium; and a guide device configured to guide an outer periphery of the brush
roller so as to prevent the image information light which is directed toward the
image carrier from being blocked by the brush roller of the charging device.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an image forming
apparatus comprising a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller
to be rotated in such a state as to be set in contact with a surface of the image
carrier, charge the surface of the image carrier; a light exposure device configured
to radiate image information light onto the surface of the image carrier charged
by the charging device and, by doing so, form an electrostatic latent image; a
developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image which is
formed by the light exposure device into a developing agent image; a transfer device
configured to transfer the developing agent image which is developed by the developing
device onto a to-be-transferred medium; a guide device configured to guide an outer
periphery of the brush roller so as to prevent the image information light which
is directed toward the image carrier from being blocked by the brush roller of
the charging device; and a moving device configured to move the brush roller of
the charging device toward and away from the guide device and image carrier.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided an image forming
apparatus comprising a charging device configured to, by allowing a brush roller
to be rotated in a such a state as to be set in contact with a surface of an image
carrier, charge the surface of the image carrier; a light exposure device configured
to radiate image information light onto the surface of the image carrier charged
by the charging device and form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device
configured to develop the electrostatic latent image which is developed by the
light exposure device into a developing agent image; a transfer device configured
to transfer the developing agent image developed by the developing device onto
a to-be-transferred medium; an charge eliminating device set to a position contacting
with the brush roller of the charging device and configured to, after the developing
agent image has been transferred by the transfer device onto the medium, discharge
the surface of the image carrier; and a guide device configured to guide an outer
periphery of the brush roller so as to prevent image information which is radiated
from the light exposure device from being blocked by the brush roller of the charging device.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description,
or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the
invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations
particularly pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of
the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention,
and together with the general description given above and the detailed description
of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an inner schematic view showing an electrophotographic copying machine
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a charging brush roller and guide member
in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the charging brush roller in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a charging brush roller in a second embodiment
of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the charging brush roller of FIG.
4 is set in contact with a photosensitive body;
FIG. 6 is an inner schematic view showing an electrophotographic copying machine
according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which a charging brush roller of FIG. 6
is spaced apart from a photosensitive body and guide member;
FIG. 8 is an inner schematic view showing an electrophotographic copying machine
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which a charging brush roller in FIG. 8
is spaced away from a photosensitive body and guide member;
FIG. 10 is an inner schematic view showing an electrophotographic copying machine
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is an inner schematic view showing a conventional electrophotographic
copying machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing peripheral devices for a photosensitive drum
of an electrophotographic copying machine as an image forming apparatus according
to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral
1 shows a drum-like photosensitive body which
is rotatable as an image carrier. Around the circumference of the photosensitive
body
1, a charging brush roller
2 as a charging device, a guide member
3 as a guide device, a light exposure device
4, a developing device
5, a transfer roller
8, a cleaning device
6 and a charge eliminator
7 are arranged along a rotation direction (indicated as an arrow) of a photosensitive body.
The charging brush roller
2 is used to charge the surface of the photosensitive
body
1 and the guide member
3 is used to guide an outer periphery
of a brush
12 of the charging brush roller
2. The light exposure
device
4 is used to radiate image information light
4a onto
the surface of the photosensitive body
1. The developing device
5
is used to develop an electrostatic latent image. The transfer roller
8
is used to transfer a toner image on the photosensitive body
1 to a sheet
P. The cleaning device
6 is used to remove residual toner on the photosensitive
body
1 and the charge eliminator
7 is used to discharge the surface
of the photosensitive body
1.
The charging brush roller
2 and photosensitive body
1 are rotated
in a direction as indicated by an arrow, that is, rotated in an "against" direction.
The peripheral speed ratio between the charging brush roller
2 and the photosensitive
body
1 is preferably set to 0.5 to 3 times, and here two times, in order
to achieve better charging. In the case where the charging brush roller
2
and photosensitive body
1 are rotated in a "with" direction, their peripheral
speed ratio is preferably set to 1.1 to 4 times.
Now an image forming operation will be explained below.
When a copy button, not shown, is pushed, then the surface of the photosensitive
body
1 is uniformly charged by the rotation of the charging brush roller
2. Image information light
4a corresponding to an image is
radiated by the light exposure device
4 onto the surface of the photosensitive
body
1 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body
1. By the rotation of the photosensitive body
1, the electrostatic
latent image is sent to a position opposite the developing device
5. Toner
is supplied from the developing device
5 to form a toner image on the photosensitive
body
1. By the rotation of the photosensitive body
1, the toner image
is moved toward the transfer roller
8 where the image is electrostatically
transferred by the transfer roller
8 to a conveying sheet P. The toner image-transferred
sheet P is conveyed to a fixing device (not shown) where the sheet is heated/pressed
to allow the toner image to be fixed to the sheet P and a predetermined image to
be formed on the sheet.
After the toner image has been transferred, residual toner on the photosensitive
body is cleaned off by the cleaning device
6 and, after the cleaning step,
the surface of the photosensitive body
1 is discharged by the charge eliminator
7.
It is to be noted that the guide member
3 is formed of a metal sheet,
such
as a steel sheet, SUS and aluminum, or a resin, such as ABS and polyethylene. In
the case where the guide member
3 is made of the metal sheet, an insulating
surface treatment may be performed on its contact surface of the charging brush
roller
2 so as to prevent any electric shock. For example, a special insulating
and wear-resistant surface treatment such as Tough Ram treatment is applied to aluminum.
There is a danger that, depending upon the type of toner, the toner may be
deposited on the guide member
3. If this is the case, the Teflon sheet of
a better separation property, etc., may be either bonded to or coated on the surface
of contact with the charging brush roller
2 so as to prevent the toner from
being deposited on the guide member.
Further, the distance between the guide member
3 and the image information
light
4a may be set to over 1 mm because, if the distance is too
narrow, it is necessary to mount the guide member
3 or any associated component
part of an accurate finish.
The charging brush roller
2 comprises a shaft
11 and a brush
12
as shown in FIG.
3 and has an outer diameter of 12 mm to 20 mm to secure
a smaller dimension.
The bristles
12a of the brush
12 comprise a conductive-fiber-equipped
cloth which is spirally wound on the shaft
11 without any gap. The diameter
of the shaft
11 is set to be 5 mm to 10 mm taking its flexible nature, etc.,
into consideration. The length of the bristles
12a (straight bristles)
of the brush
12 is set to 2 mm to 5 mm from the standpoint of stabler contact
with the photosensitive body
1.
The bristles
12a of the brush
12 are such that a conductive
carbon powder or metal powder is dispersed as a resistance adjusting agent in resin
fibers of rayon or nylon. In order to secure a better charging property, the bristles
12a are preferably configured to have a fiber diameter of 10 μm,
an electrical resistance of about 10
5 Ωcm and a density of about
15000 fibers/cm
2.
The distance L
1 (see FIG. 1) between the center of the charging brush
roller
2 and the image information light
4a is set to be below
½ the outer diameter of the charging brush roller
2 to achieve a smaller
size. Further, the charging brush roller
2, contacting the photosensitive
body
1, preferably has a push-in amount of 0.2 mm to 2 mm so as to secure
a better charging property.
On the other hand, the axial length of the charging brush roller
2 and
guide member
3 is set to be longer than a light exposure area
1a,
as shown in FIG. 2, from the standpoint of securing a stable charging property
and retaining the light exposure. Further, the axial length of the guide member
3 is made greater than that of the charging brush roller
2, so that
the brush
12 of the charging brush roller
2 is not caught by the
edge portions of the guide member
3.
The thus structured charging brush roller
2 is so rotated that the outer
periphery of the brush
12 is set in contact with the surface of the photosensitive
body
1. At this time, the outer peripheral portion of the brush
12
is guided along the inner surface of the guide member
3 so as to prevent
the image information light
4a from being blocked.
According to this embodiment, since the outer peripheral portion of the
brush
12 is guided by the guide member
3 so as to prevent the image
information light
4a from being blocked by the outer peripheral portion
of the brush
12 of the charging brush roller
2, the length L
1
between the center of the charging brush roller
2 and the image information
light
4a can be made smaller than one half the outer diameter of
the charging brush roller
2. It is, therefore, possible to make the resultant
apparatus compact while maintaining a better charging property.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,
a charging brush roller
15 comprises a shaft
16 and a brush
17.
The bristles of the brush are formed as oblique bristles
17a.
In the charging brush roller
2 of the first embodiment, the bristles
12a
of the brush
12 are made as the straight bristles and only their forward
end portions contact the guide member
3 and photosensitive body
1.
If such contact is done over a prolonged period, there is a danger that these bristles
will collapse.
In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bristles of the brush
17
are formed as obliquely oriented bristles
17a. Since the oblique
bristles
17a contact with the guide member
3 and photosensitive
body
1 more in a somewhat lying posture than the straight bristles
12a,
they produce less stress and more elasticity than the straight bristles, so there
arises less collapse.
According to this embodiment, the oblique bristles
17a are
adopted as the bristles of the charging brush roller
15 and, even if the
charging brush roller
15 contacts with the guide member
3 and photosensitive
body
1 over a longer period, it is possible to prevent collapse of the bristles
and ensure stabler charging.
FIGS. 6 and 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. It is to be
noted that the same reference numerals are employed to designate parts or elements
corresponding to those shown in the embodiment above and further explanation of
them is, therefore, omitted.
In this embodiment, when an image formation operation is not performed, a charging
brush roller
2 is set in a non-contact relationship to a guide roller
3
and photosensitive body
1.
In this embodiment, the charging brush roller
2 is mounted on a bracket
21. The bracket
21 is so mounted as to be rotatable about a support
point
22 and so urged by a tension spring
23 as to be rotated in
a counterclockwise direction. The bracket
21 is so urged as to be downwardly
swung against an urging force of the tension spring
23 by the clockwise
rotation of a first cam
25.
Further, the guide member
3 is slidably mounted on the bracket
21
and is urged by a compression spring
26 in a direction away from the charging
brush roller
2. Further, the guide member
3 is moved against an urging
force of the compression spring
26 by a counterclockwise rotation of a second
cam
27 and set in contact with the charging brush roller
2.
At image forming operation time, as shown in FIG. 6, the first cam
25
is
rotated in a clockwise direction to cause the bracket
21 to be pressed down
against an urging force of the tension spring
23. By doing so, the charging
brush roller
2 is set in contact with the photosensitive body
1.
Then, the second cam
27 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to allow
the guide member
3 to be moved, in a sliding fashion, against an urging
force of the compression spring
26. By doing so, the guide member
3
is set in contact with the charging brush roller
2. From this state, a predetermined
image is formed on a sheet P in the same process as set out in connection with
the first embodiment.
After the image forming operation is completed, as shown in FIG. 7, the first
cam
25 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. By doing so, the bracket
21 is lifted up by the tension spring
23 to allow the charging brush
roller
2 to be moved away from the photosensitive body
10. Further,
the second cam
27 is rotated in the clockwise direction and the guide member
3 is pushed out under an urging force of the compression spring
26
and moved away from the charging brush roller
2.
According to this embodiment, in a state in which the image is not formed,
the guide member
3 and photosensitive body
1 are not set in contact
with the charging brush roller
2 and it is possible to prevent the bristles
of the charging brush roller
2 from being collapsed and ensure stable charging.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,
a charge eliminator
7 is set to a position where it is put in a contacting
relationship to the charging brush roller
2. Here, in order to prevent the
charge eliminator
7 and charging brush roller
2 from directly contacting,
a protective member
31 is provided.
The protective member
31 is used to prevent short-circuiting with the
charge eliminator
7 and may be formed either separate from or integral with
the charge eliminator
7. The protective member
31, like the guide
member
3, is formed of a metal plate, such as a steel plate, SUS and aluminum,
or a resin, such as ABS and polyethylene. In the case where the protective member
31 is formed of the metal plate, an insulating surface treatment may be
applied to that surface of contact with the charging brush roller
2. Further,
in order to prevent toner from being deposited on that surface of the protective
member
31 which contacts the charging brush roller
2, for example,
a Teflon sheet of a better separation property may be bonded to or coated on that
contact surface.
In order to obtain a compact unit, the distance L
2 between the center
of
the charging brush roller
2 and the protective member
31 is set to
below one half the outer diameter of the charging brush roller
2, that is,
to a position where the charging brush roller
2 and protective member
31
are set in contact with each other. The push-in amount of the charging brush roller
2 relative to the protective member
31 is set to be preferably 0
to 2 mm, here, 1 mm.
It is to be noted that, if the outer wall of the charge eliminator
7 can
withstand its contact with the charging brush roller
2, a direct contact
structure may be adopted.
Further, the longitudinal length of the protective member
31 is set
to be greater than the axial length of the charge eliminator
7 and charging
brush roller
2. In the case where the length of the protective member
31
is shorter than the charge eliminator
7, an unprotected area is left there
and, in the case where the protective member
31 is shorter than the charging
brush roller
2, there is sometimes a case where the bristles
12a
of the brush
12 will be caught by the edge portions of the protective
member
31.
According to the present embodiment, the charge eliminator
7 and
charging brush roller
2 can be combined into a compact unit relative to
the circumferential portion of the photosensitive body
1, and it is possible
to obtain a more compact unit.
In the present embodiment, the charging brush roller
2 is so provided
as
to be moved toward and away from the photosensitive body
1, and, also, the
protective member
31 and guide member
3 are so arranged as to be
moved toward or away from the charging brush roller
2.
When an image formation operation is not performed, as shown in FIG. 9, the
charging brush roller
2 is moved upwardly away from the photosensitive body
1, and, also, the guide member
3 and protective member
31
are outwardly spread away from the charging brush roller
2.
According to the present embodiment, the photo-sensitive body
1,
guide member
3 and protective member
31 are not put in contact with
the charging brush roller
2 over an extended period and it is possible to
prevent the bristles of the charging brush roller
2 from being collapsed
and ensure stable charging.
FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, oblique bristles
17a are used for a brush
12
of a charging brush roller
2 and the distance L
1 between the center
of the charging roller
2 and image information light
4a is
set more away from one half the outer diameter of the charging brush roller.
In the case where the oblique bristles
17 are used for the brush
12,
it follows that, when the charging brush roller
2 is rotated, these oblique
bristles are outwardly extended under centrifugal force of the brush roller
2
as indicated by a dotted line. In the case where the distance L
1 is set
to be ½ the outer diameter of the charging brush roller
2, the image
information light
4a may be blocked and there is a danger that there
arises poor light exposure.
In the embodiment, a circular arc-like guide member
35 is provided along
an outer peripheral portion of the oblique bristles
17a of the charging
brush roller
2. By doing so, even if the brush roller
2 is rotated,
the oblique bristles
17a of the brush
12 are not extended
outwardly and, to this extent, the brush roller
2 can be moved near the
image information light
4a to make the distance L
1 smaller
and a resultant unit compact.
In the embodiment, a charge eliminator
7 is arranged near the brush roller
2 and a protective member
36 of the charge eliminator
7 is
formed in a circular arc-like fashion along the outer peripheral portion of the
oblique bristles
17a of the brush roller
2. Although the guide
member
35 and protective member
36 are formed integrally with each
other, these members may be formed separately from each other.
The present invention is not restricted to the above-mentioned embodiments and
various changes or modifications of the invention can be made within the spirit
and scope of the present invention.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled
in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the
specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of
the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
*
