BLADE SHAPE MEASURING METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To always stably retain cleaning performance by providing a means for quantitatively measuring the shape of the edge of a cleaning blade used for cleaning the image forming apparatus. SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, the shape of the blade edge is quantitatively measured by supplying spacer particles of a fixed particle diameter to the cleaning blade and measuring the position where the particles accumulate. By associating each shape with torque changed by the coefficient of friction between a rotation body and the blade, information about the shape of the leading edge of the blade is estimated from the toque or the shape of the blade is measured by a light section method. The shape of the blade and the set angle of it are controlled from the information about the shape of the leading edge of the blade. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT