Cleaning unit including a cleaning roller and a separator plate which separates a cleaning chamber from a toner storage and which comes within a predetermined spacing from the cleaning roller

摘要

There is provided a cleaning unit for removing residual toner present on the periphery of a photoconductive drum after toner image transfer, which includes: a main blade for scraping the toner from the surface of the photoconductive drum; and a cleaning roller disposed below the main blade and abutting against the periphery of the photoconductive drum. The inner space of the cleaning housing is divided into a cleaning chamber and a toner storage by a separator plate. A spacing between the lower end of the separator plate and the periphery of the cleaning roller is adjusted to preferably 1 mm to 2 mm, more preferably 1.3 mm to 1.5 mm. By thus adjusting the spacing, the toner is compressed when passing through the spacing and, hence, the toner transportation pressure is increased.