Cleaning blade for use in image-forming apparatus

• US 20070140761A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Mutsuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/350
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/0017 Details relating to the internal structure or chemical composition of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/0005 Cleaning of residual toner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 525/94 Hydrogenation of a polymer

Abstract

A cleaning blade, for use in an image-forming apparatus, which is formed by molding a thermosetting elastomer composition containing a rubber component consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, natural rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber, acrylic rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber or a mixture of two or more of the rubbers into a thin plate. An initial contact angle of the cleaning blade to the photoreceptor is set to 10° to 50°. A line pressure of the cleaning blade to be applied to the photoreceptor is set to 0.1 N/cm to 1.5 N/cm.

Claims

1. A cleaning blade, for cleaning toner on a surface of a photoreceptor of an image-forming apparatus, which is formed by molding a thermosetting elastomer composition containing a rubber component (1) consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, natural rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, chloroprene rubber, acrylic rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, and ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber or a mixture of two or more of said rubbers into a thin plate,

wherein an initial contact angle of said cleaning blade to said photoreceptor is set to 10°

to 50°

; and

a line pressure of said cleaning blade to be applied to said photoreceptor is set to 0.1 N/cm to 1.5 N/cm.

2. The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein said thermosetting elastomer composition comprises 0.1 parts by mass to 80 parts by mass of a filler (2) and 0.1 parts by mass to 30 parts by mass of a crosslinking agent (3) per 100 parts by mass of said rubber component (1).

3. The cleaning blade according to claim 2, wherein said rubber component (1) includes acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber or hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber.

4. The cleaning blade according to claim 2, wherein said filler (2) includes at least one substance selected from a group of a co-crosslinking agent, a vulcanization accelerator, a vulcanization-accelerating assistant, an age resistor, a softener for rubber, a reinforcing agent, and other kinds of additives.

5. The cleaning blade according to claim 3, wherein said filler (2) includes at least one substance selected from a group of a co-crosslinking agent, a vulcanization accelerator, a vulcanization-accelerating assistant, an age resistor, a softener for rubber, a reinforcing agent, and other kinds of additives.

6. The cleaning blade according to claim 2, wherein said crosslinking agent (3) includes sulfur, an organic sulfur-containing compound, an organic peroxide, a heat-resistant crosslinking agent, and a resin crosslinking agent.

7. The cleaning blade according to claim 3, wherein said crosslinking agent (3) includes sulfur, an organic sulfur-containing compound, an organic peroxide, a heat-resistant crosslinking agent, and a resin crosslinking agent.

8. The cleaning blade according to claim 4, wherein said crosslinking agent (3) includes sulfur, an organic sulfur-containing compound, an organic peroxide, a heat-resistant crosslinking agent, and a resin crosslinking agent.

9. The cleaning blade according to claim 5, wherein said crosslinking agent (3) includes sulfur, an organic sulfur-containing compound, an organic peroxide, a heat-resistant crosslinking agent, and a resin crosslinking agent.