Patent ID: 8958717
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning blade being in contact with a surface of an image bearing member to remove a residue from the surface of the image bearing member wherein a developer image is formed on the surface of the image bearing member; and a cleaning frame member including a residue collecting unit configured to collect the residue removed by the cleaning blade, wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises an elastic seal disposed at an end portion of the cleaning blade in a longitudinal direction, wherein the elastic seal is an integrated seal including an image bearing member contact portion and a side end surface facing portion that faces a side end surface of the cleaning blade and includes a side end surface contact portion which comes into contact with the side end surface of the cleaning blade when the cleaning blade is attached to the cleaning frame member, wherein a distance between the side end surface facing portion of the elastic seal and a corresponding portion on another side that corresponds to the side end surface facing portion, is set longer at least on a side adjacent to the image bearing member contact portion than a longitudinal dimension of the cleaning blade, and wherein a distance between the side end surface contact portion of the elastic seal and a corresponding portion on another side that corresponds to the side end surface contact portion is set shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the cleaning blade.