Lubricant supplying device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus

摘要

A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplier contacting an image bearer, a solid lubricant contacting the roller, a detector detecting a lubricant amount, and a controller controlling a supplying of the roller based on a detector detection. The detector outputs to the controller a first signal of a near-end state when the amount reaches a first amount, a second signal of an end state when the amount reaches a second amount smaller than the first amount, and a third signal of an absolute end state when the amount reaches a third amount smaller than the second amount. The controller temporarily stops the supplying when the second signal is output, cancels a roller temporary stopped state even when lubricant replacement is not completed after this state, stops the supplying when the third signal is output, and maintains a roller stopped state until the replacement is completed after this state.

主权项

1. A lubricant supplying device for supplying a lubricant on an image bearer supporting a toner image, comprising:
a lubricant supplier that makes a sliding contact with the image bearer when the image bearer rotates in a predetermined direction; a solid lubricant that makes a sliding contact with the lubricant supplier; a residual amount detector that detects a residual amount of the solid lubricant; and a controller that is configured to control a supplying operation of the lubricant supplier based on a detection result detected by the residual amount detector, wherein the residual amount detector outputs a first signal informing that the solid lubricant is in a near-end state to the controller when the residual amount of the solid lubricant reaches a first predetermined amount, and outputs a second signal informing that the solid lubricant is in an end state to the controller when the residual amount of the solid lubricant reaches a second predetermined amount that is smaller than the first predetermined amount, and outputs a third signal informing that the solid lubricant is in an absolute end state to the controller when the residual amount of the solid lubricant reaches a third predetermined amount that is smaller than the second predetermined amount, and wherein the controller is configured to:
temporarily stop the supplying operation of the lubricant supplier when the residual amount detector outputs the second signal,cancel a temporary stopped state of the lubricant supplier by a predetermined operation even when a replacement of the solid lubricant is not completed after the temporary stopped state,stop the supplying operation of the lubricant supplier when the residual amount detector outputs the third signal, andmaintain a stopped state of the lubricant supplier until the replacement of the solid lubricant is completed after the stopped state.