Cleaner, and image forming apparatus using the cleaner

摘要

A cleaner includes a cleaning member electrostatically removing toner on an object; a first electricity supplier supplying a first voltage (or current) with polarity opposite to that of toner to the cleaning member; a toner collecting member collecting toner from the cleaning member; and a second electricity supplier supplying a second voltage with the polarity greater than the first voltage to the toner collecting member. The first and second electricity suppliers set plural setting values of the first and second voltages smaller than the targeted values of the first and second voltages, and first and second control members of the first and second electricity suppliers output first and second control signals while changing in step-by-step manner so that first and second output members of the first and second electricity suppliers apply the first and second voltage in step-by-step manner before the first and second voltages reach the targeted voltages.

主权项

1. A cleaner comprising:
at least one cleaning unit including:
a cleaning member to electrostatically remove toner which is charged with a first polarity and which is located on a rotatable object to be cleaned;a first power supply to apply a first voltage or current with a second polarity opposite to the first polarity to the cleaning member so that the cleaning member electrostatically attracts the toner on the rotatable object;a toner collecting member to collect the toner from the cleaning member; anda second power supply to apply a second voltage or current, which has the second polarity and which is greater than the first voltage or current in absolute value, to the toner collecting member so that the toner collecting member electrostatically attracts the toner on the cleaning member, wherein the first power supply includes:
a first output to output the first voltage or current to the cleaning member to form a predetermined electrostatic force on the cleaning member; anda first controller to output a first control signal to the first output so that the first output outputs the first voltage or current based on the first control signal, wherein the second power supply includes: a second output to output the second voltage or current to the toner collecting member to form a predetermined electrostatic force on the toner collecting member; and a second controller to output a second control signal to the second output so that the second output outputs the second voltage or current based on the second control signal, wherein the first power supply sets plural setting values of the first voltage or current, which are not greater than a targeted final value of the first voltage or current, and whenever the first voltage or current is applied to the cleaning member to clean the cleaning member, the first controller changes the first control signal in a step-by-step manner so that the first output applies the first voltage or current while changing the first voltage or current in a step-by-step manner based on the plural setting values before the first voltage or current reaches the targeted final value of the first voltage or current, and wherein the second power supply sets plural setting values of the second voltage or current, which are not greater than a targeted final value of the second voltage or current, and whenever the second voltage or current is applied to the toner collecting member to clean the toner collecting member, the second controller changes the second control signal in a step-by-step manner so that the second output applies the second voltage or current while changing the second voltage or current in a step-by-step manner based on the plural setting values before the second voltage or current reaches the targeted final value of the second voltage or current.