Image forming apparatus

• US 10,168,636 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohazama, Kazuyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonnette, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US15/803,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20180307155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0258 provided with means for the maintenance of the charging apparatus, e.g. cleaning devices, ozone removing devices G03G15/0225, G03G15/0291 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0448 Charge-erasing means for the non-image area
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0451 Light-emitting array or panel
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0453 Light-emitting diodes, i.e. LED-array

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a charging member; a light source that includes light source elements and that radiates charge-eliminating light toward the charging member; a processing member that performs a process on the charging member; a function member provided to enable the process of the processing member and disposed between the light source and the charging member, the function member facing a radiation path of the charge-eliminating light and extending in an arrangement direction of the light source elements; and an adjusting portion formed on a surface of the function member that faces the radiation path, the adjusting portion adjusting an amount of irradiation of the charging member by the charge-eliminating light so as to reduce a difference in the amount of irradiation between regions corresponding to arrangement positions of the light source elements and regions between the light source elements.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a charging member that moves;

a light source that includes a plurality of light source elements arranged at a predetermined arrangement pitch and that radiates charge-eliminating light toward the charging member;

a processing member that performs a process on a surface of the charging member at a position upstream or downstream of an irradiation region, in which the charging member is irradiated with the charge-eliminating light from the light source, in a direction in which the charging member moves;

a function member provided to enable the process of the processing member and disposed between the light source and the charging member at a position spaced from the light source, the function member facing a radiation path of the charge-eliminating light from the light source and extending in an arrangement direction in which the light source elements are arranged; and

an adjusting portion formed on a surface of the function member that faces the radiation path, the adjusting portion adjusting an amount of irradiation of the charging member by the charge-eliminating light so as to reduce a difference in the amount of irradiation between regions corresponding to arrangement positions at which the light source elements are arranged and regions between the light source elements.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting portion is configured so that the surface of the function member that faces the radiation path has a periodic variation with a period equal to the arrangement pitch of the light source elements.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting portion is an uneven portion provided on the surface of the function member that faces the radiation path, the uneven portion having the periodic variation with the period equal to the arrangement pitch of the light source elements.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the uneven portion, which is the adjusting portion, has a substantially wavy shape with a substantially sinusoidal cross section.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the uneven portion, which is the adjusting portion, has a substantially wavy shape with a substantially rectangular-wave-shaped cross section.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting portion has a reflection intensity distribution on the surface of the function member that faces the radiation path, the reflection intensity distribution having the periodic variation with the period equal to the arrangement pitch of the light source elements.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting portion is formed at least on an end portion of the function member that is adjacent to the charging member.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting portion corrects the amount of irradiation by the charge-eliminating light so as to reduce a difference in the amount of irradiation by the charge-eliminating light between an end portion and a central portion in the arrangement direction of the light source elements.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing member is a charging device that is adjacent to the light source and that charges the charging member, and

wherein the function member is a light blocking member that prevents the charge-eliminating light from the light source from irradiating a charging region in which the charging member is charged by the charging device.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the adjusting portion is integrated with the light blocking member.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing member is a cleaning device that is adjacent to the light source and that includes a plate-shaped cleaning member that is in contact with the charging member, and

wherein the function member is a support member that supports the plate-shaped cleaning member.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the adjusting portion is provided on the support member that supports the plate-shaped cleaning member.