A Theoretical Study of the Mechanics of a Xerographic Cleaning Blade

Abstract

The use of a polymeric blade is common in removing the residual toner from the imaging surface in xerography. The cleaning action of such a blade is influenced by its local deformation in the contacting region. A nonlinear beam theory approach is presented for studying the deformation of a xerographic cleaning blade. Both the straight and tip regions of the blade are examined. The parameters studied include the normal load, the ratio of tangential and normal forces (the coefficient of friction , μ), the blade tip angle, blade inclination angle, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, blade length, and thickness. The effect of these parameters on the size of the contacting region is presented. The critical ratio μ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">c</sub> and the critical inclination angle which determine blade curl-under and curl-up are discussed. The maximum blade inclination angle which governs the tip stability is predicted. Cleaning performance criteria for planning and local curl-unders are developed in terms of the pressure in the contacting region. Agreement of the analytical findings with the available experimental data is good.