Method and apparatus for manufacturing cleaning member

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus for manufacturing a cleaning member including a fiber bundle having an oil agent uniformly attached thereto with no irregularity, wherein a first fiber bundle fed continuously in a prescribed direction is brought into contact with a transfer roller rotated in a direction opposite to the feeding direction of the first fiber bundle to transfer the oil agent applied to the surface of the transfer roller to the first fiber bundle.

1 . A method for manufacturing a cleaning member including a fiber bundle having an oil agent attached thereto, the method comprising a step of:
 bringing the fiber bundle continuously fed in a prescribed direction into contact with a roller rotated in a direction opposite to the feeding direction of the fiber bundle so as to transfer the oil agent applied on the surface of the roller to the fiber bundle.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle is brought into contact with the roller while the fiber bundle is held in a floating state. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the roller is a mirror surface roller. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of applying the oil agent to the surface of the roller before bringing the fiber bundle into contact with the roller. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the oil agent is applied to the surface of the roller by rotating the roller with a portion thereof being dipped in a bath containing the oil agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising a step of achieving a uniform thickness of the oil agent applied to the surface of the roller before bringing the fiber bundle into contact with the roller and after applying the oil agent to the surface of the roller. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for manufacturing a cleaning member including a fiber bundle having an oil agent attached thereto, the apparatus comprising:
 a fiber bundle feeding unit that feeds the fiber bundle in a prescribed direction;   a roller provided so as to come into contact with the fiber bundle while being rotated in a direction opposite to the feeding direction of the fiber bundle; and   an oil agent application unit that applies the oil agent to the surface of the roller before the roller comes into contact with the fiber bundle.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein any member which presses the fiber bundle to the roller is not provided. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the roller is a mirror surface roller. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the oil agent application unit applies the oil agent to the surface of the roller by rotating the roller with a portion thereof being dipped in a bath containing the oil agent. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a blade member which scraps off an excess of the oil agent applied to the surface of the roller before bringing the fiber bundle into contact with the roller and after applying the oil agent to the surface of the roller. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a roll provided at a certain clearance to the roller so as to achieve a uniform thickness of the oil agent applied to the surface of the roller before bringing the fiber bundle into contact with the roller and after applying the oil agent to the surface of the roller.