Cleaning blade for use in image-forming apparatus

• US 7,496,325 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Mutsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Sophia S
• Application Number:
  US11/637,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20070140761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 399/350, 399/343, 399/101, 399/99, 152/565, 152/565.1, 525/940
• 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 into a thin plate a thermosetting elastomer composition containing:

a rubber component (1) consisting of a moderate high-nitrile acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber having a bound acrylonitrile amount of 31% to 36%, a hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber having a residual double bond content of not more than 10%, or a mixture of said rubbers, 0.1 parts by mass to 80 parts by mass of a filler (2) per 100 parts by mass of said rubber component (1), 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),

wherein said filler is either a combination of methacrylic acid, carbon black and magnesium oxide or a combination of zinc oxide, carbon black and stearic acid;

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

to 50°

; and

wherein 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 filler (2) includes at least one substance selected from the group consisting of a co-crosslinking agent, a vulcanization accelerator, a vulcanization-accelerating assistant, an age resistor, a softener for rubber, and a reinforcing agent.

3. 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.

4. The cleaning blade according to claim 1, wherein said filler (2) is present in an amount of 20 parts by mass to 70 parts by mass, and wherein the crosslinking agent (3) is present in amount of 1 part by mass to 20 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of said rubber component (1).