Patent ID: 8019268

Claim:
A cleaner comprising: a polarity controlling device for controlling a polarity of a residual material on a surface of an image bearing member, the polarity controlling device including a blade, to which a voltage is applied and which has a contact edge contacted with the surface of the image bearing member to charge the residual material so as to have a charge with a polarity when the residual material passes through a nip between the contact edge of the blade and the surface of the image bearing member, wherein the contact edge of the blade is covered with a cover layer including a resin and an electroconductive material dispersed in the resin; a brush, to which a second voltage having a second polarity opposite to the polarity of the voltage applied to the blade of the polarity controlling device is applied and which contacts the image bearing member to electrostatically collect the residual material on the surface of the image bearing member after the residual material is charged by the blade of the polarity controlling device; a collection member, to which a third voltage having the second polarity and being greater than the second voltage is applied and which contacts the brush to electrostatically collect the residual material on the surface of the brush; and a collection member cleaning blade, to which a fourth voltage having the second polarity and being greater than the third voltage is applied and which contacts the collection member to scrape the residual material from the surface of the collection member.