Cleaning device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

摘要

There is provided a cleaning device for removing residual toner on an image carrier. The cleaning device includes a housing to cover a specified region of an image carrier. A first cleaning section and a second cleaning section are respectively placed in upper and lower parts of the housing partitioned by a partition member. The first cleaning section includes a first cleaning brush and a first regulating member. The second cleaning section includes a second cleaning brush and a second regulating member. The partition member substantially extends in a continuous manner with respect to a horizontal direction from the specified region to at least a position equivalent to an end portion on a housing sidewall side of the first or the second regulating member. A clearance exists between the housing sidewall and an end portion on the housing sidewall side of the partition member.

主权项

1. A cleaning device for removing residual toner on an annular image carrier which moves in a circumferential direction, comprising:
a housing placed beside a specified region of the image carrier with respect to the circumferential direction so as to cover the specified region, the housing having a housing sidewall facing the specified region; a first cleaning section placed in an upper part within the housing, the first cleaning section including a first cleaning brush which comes into contact with a portion of the specified region and a first regulating member having a blade that is placed closer to a housing sidewall side than the first cleaning brush for scraping toner on the first cleaning brush; a second cleaning section placed in a lower part within the housing, the second cleaning section including a second cleaning brush which comes into contact with a portion of the specified region downstream from the portion with which the first cleaning brush comes into contact and a second regulating member having a blade that is placed closer to the housing sidewall side than the second cleaning brush for scraping toner on the second cleaning brush; and a partition member substantially extending in a continuous manner with respect to a horizontal direction from the specified region to at least a position between end portions on the housing sidewall side of the first and the second regulating members so as to partition the housing into the first cleaning section and the second cleaning section; wherein a clearance exists between the housing sidewall and an end portion on the housing sidewall side of the partition member with respect to a horizontal direction, and a space between the first cleaning section and the second cleaning section electrically insulates the first cleaning section from the second cleaning section.