Apparatus for cleaning photosensitive member of electrostatic copying machine

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning a photosensitive member of an electrostatic copying machine which eliminates the above difficulties.
This object of the invention is achieved in an electrostatic copying machine of dry developing and image transfer type in which a toner image formed on a photosensitive member is transferred onto a transfer sheet in a transfer station and any residual toner is removed by a cleaning apparatus located in a cleaning station, by providing a cleaning apparatus including neutralizing means electrically connected to the ground and which is disposed for contact with the surface of the photosensitive member in a region between the transfer station and the cleaning station.
In accordance with the invention, the provision of neutralizing means disposed for contact with the photosensitive member in a region between the transfer station and the cleaning station permits the peak voltage, which is produced as a result of the separation of a transfer sheet after it has a toner image transferred thereto, to be removed before it moves into the cleaning station, thereby preventing the peak field from being developed again in the cleaning station.
Accordingly, the occurrence of a black streak on a next copy is eliminated, allowing a high copy quality to be maintained.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the neutralizing means comprises a thin conductive plate or sheet which is electrically connected to ground and which is disposed for contact with the photosensitive member, and this is all that is required to perform the neutralization of the photosensitive member.
Hence, the arrangement is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and compact in respect of the space requirement.
It will be appreciated that the invention dispenses with a high voltage generator which is required when a charger is used, improving the cost and the space requirements.
In addition, the arrangement of the invention does not suffer from the problem of wear or fatigue of the photosensitive member which may be experienced when the light irradiation is utilized, permitting the arrangement to be used over a prolonged period of time