Patent ID: 9063508
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A cleaning device comprising: a cleaning roller which is disposed in contact at a first contact region with a surface of an image carrier rotatable about a first rotational axis, is rotatable about a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis, extends in a direction along the second rotational axis, and is configured to remove toner from the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning blade which is disposed in abutment against the surface of the image carrier downstream of the first contact region in a direction of rotation of the image carrier, extends in the direction along the second rotational axis, and is configured to scrape off toner from the surface of the image carrier; a toner supply roller which is disposed in contact at a second contact region with a surface of the cleaning roller, is rotatable about a third rotational axis parallel to the second rotational axis, extends in a direction along the third rotational axis, and is configured to supply toner to the cleaning roller; a toner layer restricting member which is disposed in abutment against the surface of the cleaning roller downstream of the second contact region in a direction of rotation of the cleaning roller, extends in the direction along the second rotational axis, and is configured to restrict a thickness of a layer of toner deposited on the cleaning roller; and a toner receiving member which is disposed apart from and facing the toner supply roller downstream of the second contact region in a direction of rotation of the toner supply roller, extends in the direction along the third rotational axis, includes a toner receiving surface facing a peripheral surface of the toner supply roller, and is configured to receive toner having passed through the second contact region and supply the received toner to the toner supply roller, wherein the toner layer restricting member includes an inclined portion formed in a lateral region outside of an image forming region to incline gradually away from the surface of the cleaning roller with increasing distance from an inner side of the lateral region in the direction along the second rotational axis, the toner receiving member includes a lower-level upper end portion provided in the lateral region outside of the image forming region, the lower-level upper end portion being located below the second contact region, and the inclined portion is disposed in a region overlapping the lower-level upper end portion when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction along the second rotational axis.