Patent ID: 7209700
Filing Date: 2007-04-24
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A cleaning unit comprising: a cabinet disposed downstream from a transfer position for transferring a toner image from an image carrier to a recording medium along an outer periphery of the image carrier and having an opening facing the outer periphery of the image carrier; a cleaning blade operative to scrape down residual toner adhering to the outer periphery of the image carrier when abutting against the outer periphery of the image carrier; a toner drop preventive sheet disposed below the cleaning blade and operative to prevent the residual toner scraped down by the cleaning blade from dropping between the image carrier and the cabinet; an auxiliary member disposed below the toner drop preventive sheet, the auxiliary member being movable between a first position for receiving a bulk substance dropping from the toner drop preventive sheet and a second position for dropping the bulk substance received from the toner drop preventive; and a driver section configured to move the auxiliary member between the first position and the second position during normal operation of transferring a toner image from the image carrier to a recording medium.