Patent ID: 7362996
Filing Date: 2008-04-22
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A cleaning and spots blade lubricating apparatus for use on a moving photoreceptor surface, the cleaning and spots blade lubricating apparatus comprising: (a) a pre-clean charging device including a first bias having a first polarity for charging residual toner particles on the moving photoreceptor surface; (b) a cleaning device for removing charged residual toner particles on the photoreceptor surface, the cleaning device having (i) a cleaning mode including a second bias having a second polarity opposite the first polarity, and (ii) a non cleaning mode including a third bias having a third polarity; (c) a spots blade for removing random spots from the moving photoreceptor surface being cleaned; and (d) a programmable controller connected to the pre-clean charging device and to the cleaning device for intermittently and momentarily switching the cleaning device from the cleaning mode to the non-cleaning mode for repelling and leaving a lubricating toner stripe on said moving photoreceptor surface upstream of contact with said spots blade, thereby intermittently enhancing lubrication of said spots blade and preventing said spots blade from abrading and scratching said moving photoreceptor surface.