Electrophotographic apparatus with manual and programmable blade cleaner

Abstract

An electrophotographic apparatus includes an image forming mechanism for forming an image on a paper sheet, and a magnetic cleaning system for magnetically cleaning cleaning a surface of an image carrier of the mechanism for each cycle of image formation. A mechanical cleaning system is provided for mechanically cleaning the image carrier. The mechanical cleaning system includes a blade movable between a contact position where it contacts with the surface of the carrier and an off position where it is kept apart from the surface. The blade is intermittently moved to the contact position, by a drive mechanism and a control unit, for predetermined operating times at predetermined time intervals. The blade is arranged to be manually operable through a lever attached to the blade.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for .Iadd.supplementing said primary cleaning means by .Iaddend.mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position; and   actuating means for selectively moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position, said actuating means including drive means for moving the contact member to the contact position, and control means for actuating the drive means at predetermined time intervals and for predetermined operating time durations, said control means including means for changing said operating time durations when a predetermined number of said time intervals has occurred.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means includes input means for entering a command signal in the control means, and said control means includes means for actuating the drive means to move the contact member to the contact position for a predetermined period of time without regard to said time intervals, in response to the command signal. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for changing said time intervals when a predetermined number of said time intervals has occurred. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuating means includes urging means for urging the contact member toward the off position thereof, and said drive means includes a solenoid/plunger mechanism connected to the contact member for moving the contact member to the contact position when the solenoid/plunger mechanism is energized. 
     
     
       5. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for .Iadd.supplementing said primary cleaning means by .Iaddend.mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position;   drive means for moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position; and   control means for actuating the drive means at regular time intervals, for gradually increasing predetermined operating times.   
     
     
       6. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position; drive means for moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position; and   control means for actuating the drive means at gradually reducing time intervals, for the same operating time.   
     
     
       7. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for .Iadd.supplementing said primary cleaning means by .Iaddend.mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position;   a casing containing the image forming means, the .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means, and the mechanical cleaning means, said casing having an opening therein; and   actuating means for selectively moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position, said actuating means including an operating member coupled to the contact member and movable integrally therewith, said operating member having an end portion projecting outwardly from the casing through said opening of the casing, and said operating member being manually operable from outside the casing, said actuating means including indicating means for indicating a shift of said operating member.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said indicating means has a scale disposed on an outer surface of the casing in the vicinity of the opening. 
     
     
       9. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for .Iadd.supplementing said primary cleaning means by .Iaddend.mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position;   a casing containing the image forming means, the .[.magnetic.]..Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means, and the mechanical cleaning means; and   actuating means for selectively moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position, said actuating means including an operating member coupled to the contact member and movable integrally therewith, said operating member being arranged in the casing and having an end portion manually operable from outside the casing, said casing including an opening facing the end portion of the operating member, and a cover for exposing and closing the opening.   
     
     
       10. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: image forming means including an image carrier, for forming an image on a recording medium;   .[.magnetic.]. .Iadd.primary .Iaddend.cleaning means for .[.magnetically.]. cleaning a surface of the image carrier for each cycle of image formation;   mechanical cleaning means for .Iadd.supplementing said primary cleaning means by .Iaddend.mechanically cleaning the surface of the image carrier, said mechanical cleaning means including a contact member movable between a contact position where the contact member is in contact with the surface of the image carrier, thereby cleaning the surface, and an off position where the contact member is kept spaced apart from the surface of the image carrier, the contact member normally being in the off position; and   actuating means for selectively moving the contact member from the normally off position to the contact position, said actuating means including drive means for moving the contact member to the contact position, and control means for actuating the drive means at predetermined time intervals and for predetermined operating time durations, said control means including means for changing at least one of said operating time durations and said time intervals when a predetermined number of said time intervals has occurred.