Electrophotography – Cleaning of imaging surface – Retractable cleaning arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-28
2003-10-28
Brase, Sandra (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Cleaning of imaging surface
Retractable cleaning arrangement
C399S357000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640079
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to engage and disengage means and a photosensitive medium cleaning device of a liquid printer eliminating remaining filth in the photosensitive medium by contacting a cleaning roller with the photosensitive medium and separating the cleaning roller from the photosensitive medium using the engage and disengage means. The present invention is based on Korean Patent Application No. 2001-9572, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, printers such as a laser printer and a photocopying machine, are divided into two groups according to their developing method: one employing a dry method using powder toner and the other employing the wet method using blended liquid toner hydrocarbon solvents like NORPAR. The two methods develop a predetermined image by supplying toner to a photosensitive medium like a photosensitive belt, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. Then, the developed image is printed on a paper as the paper goes through a transferring medium by contacting with the photosensitive belt. Recently, the wet method is widely applied.
FIG. 1
is a schematic block diagram showing a conventional printer employing a wet developing method.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a printer employing a wet developing method includes: a photosensitive belt
10
supported by a supporting roller
11
a
, steering roller
11
b
, and a driving roller
11
c
; a plurality of laser scanning units (LSU)
13
for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive belt
10
; a plurality of developing devices
14
for supplying a developing device with mixed toner containing predetermined colors and carrier on the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive belt
10
and developing a predetermined image; a drying unit
15
for drying carrier that is left on the photosensitive belt
10
after going through the developing devices
14
; a transferring unit
16
for transferring the developed image on the photosensitive belt
10
to the paper P; and a cleaning device
20
for cleansing the photosensitive belt
10
.
The transferring unit
16
includes a transferring roller
17
receiving an image from the photosensitive belt
10
while rotating in contact with the photosensitive belt
10
, and a settling roller
18
that rotates in contact with the transferring roller. A paper is printed on while moving between the settling roller
18
and the transferring roller
17
and receiving an image transferred from the transferring roller
17
.
The cleaning device
20
is formed for eliminating filth such as dust or remaining toner on the photosensitive belt
10
, which has not transferred to the transferring roller
17
from the photosensitive belt
10
during a printing operation. The cleaning device
20
includes a cleaning roller
21
, which contacts with the photosensitive belt
10
and rotates, and a NORPAR supplying unit
23
for supplying liquid NORPAR to the cleaning roller
21
. The cleaning roller
21
is disposed for rotating in contact with the photosensitive belt
10
, and the cleaning roller
21
is selectively rotated by a driving source (not shown). The NORPAR supplying unit
23
wets the cleaning roller
21
with NORPAR supplied from a NORPAR tank
24
to the cleaning roller
21
. Therefore, the cleaning roller
21
, wet with NORPAR, rotates in contact with the photosensitive belt, and thus removes remaining toner or filth from the photosensitive belt
10
.
However, in a conventional cleaning device
20
with the above construction, the cleaning roller
21
is maintained in contact all the time with the photosensitive belt
10
. Therefore, even when printing is not performed, the photosensitive belt
10
and the cleaning roller
21
are contacted with each other, and NORPAR on the cleaning roller
21
penetrates to the photosensitive belt
10
. Then, the photosensitive belt
10
swells because of the penetrated NORPAR, and when printing is performed, the image is not developed as a normal one and the life span of the photosensitive belt
10
is shortened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide engage and disengage means having an improved construction for engaging and disengaging an object to one side and a photosensitive medium cleaning device of a printer employing the wet method using the engage and disengage means.
To accomplish the above object, an embodiment of the present invention, including an engage and disengage means for engaging and disengaging an object to one direction, comprises: a housing; a driving motor disposed at the housing; a rotating bracket, rotatably disposed at the housing, for supporting the object; a cam unit, capable of rotating and moving straight by a rotating force of the driving motor, for transferring the rotating bracket to one side by being rotated after being moved straight to the rotating bracket while the driving unit is rotating in one direction, so that the rotating bracket can return to its initial position by being separated from the rotating bracket while the driving motor is rotating in the opposite direction.
It is preferable that the cam unit comprises: a driving shaft disposed at the housing for rotating by the driving motor; a cylinder type pipe disposed at the circumference of the driving shaft for rotating and moving straight for a predetermined length, and while the pipe is moving straight in one direction from its initial position, the front end of the pipe contacts with the rotating bracket and separates from the rotating bracket; a power transferring unit that transfers the rotating of the driving shaft to straight movement of the pipe, so that the pipe can move straight in one direction, and when the pipe is contacted with the rotating bracket, transfers the entire rotating power to the pipe for rotating; and a guide unit for guiding the rotating bracket to mount on the circumference of the pipe and rotate, while the pipe is rotating in one direction being contacted with the rotating bracket, and guiding the rotating bracket to return to its initial position, while the pipe is rotating in the opposite direction.
The photosensitive medium cleaning device of a printer employing the wet method according to the present invention, comprises: a cleaning roller for eliminating filth on the surface of the photosensitive medium by contacting with the photosensitive medium; a NORPAR supplying unit for supplying liquid NORPAR to the cleaning roller; and engage and disengage means for rotatably supporting the cleaning roller, and contacting the cleaning roller with the photosensitive medium and separating the cleaning roller from the photosensitive medium.
The photosensitive medium cleaning device of a printer employing the wet method according to the present invention, comprises: a cleaning roller for eliminating filth on the surface of the photosensitive medium by contacting with the photosensitive medium; a norpar supplying unit for supplying liquid norpar to the cleaning roller; and engage and disengage means for rotatably supporting the cleaning roller, and contacting the cleaning roller with the photosensitive medium and separating the cleaning roller from the photosensitive medium.
It is advisable that the engage and disengage means includes: a housing fixed closely to the photosensitive medium; a driving motor disposed at the housing for rotating a cleaning roller contacted with the photosensitive medium; a rotating bracket rotatably disposed at the housing for rotatably supporting the cleaning roller and contacting the cleaning roller with the photosensitive medium and separating the cleaning roller from the photosensitive medium; and a cam unit, rotating and moving straight by a rotating force of the driving motor, moves the rotating bracket for the cleaning roller to be contacted with the photosensitive medium by being rotated after being moved to
Lee Jin-soo
Lim Kwang-taek
Brase Sandra
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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