CHARGING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging device capable of preventing degradation in image quality caused by charging failure and nonuniform charging, by sufficiently cleaning the surface of a charging member, and to prevent degradation in image quality caused by charging failure and non-uniform charging, by sufficiently cleaning the surface of a gap holding member, thereby highly accurately maintaining a gap (separation distance) for a long time. SOLUTION: The charging device includes a first cleaning roller whose surface is formed from a continuous foam body, and a second cleaning roller whose surface is formed from an elastic body. The first cleaning roller is disposed so as to be rotated in the normal direction of the rotation of the charging member in contact with the electric resistance adjustment layer of the charging member and a gap holding member. The second cleaning roller is disposed downstream of the first cleaning roller in the rotating direction of the charging member so as to be rotated slower than the charging member in the opposite direction of the rotating direction of the charging member in firm contact with the surface electric resistance adjustment layer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT