Image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- (a) a photoreceptor which forms an electrostatic latent image thereon;
(b) a developing device which applies a developing bias voltage obtained by superimposing an AC bias voltage onto a DC bias voltage to the photoreceptor, and develops the latent image on the photoreceptor with a two-component developer to form a toner image;
(c) a controller for controlling the developing bias voltage;
(d) a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material;
(e) a fixing device for fixing the toner image on the transfer material; and
(f) a cleaning device for collecting and cleaning a toner on a surface of the photoreceptor, wherein the image forming apparatus provides a toner forced discharge mode for forming a toner image for forced discharge in a first image formation area provided in a non-image formation area other than a second image formation area on the photoreceptor to forcibly discharge a toner from the developing device, and when the toner forced discharge mode is selected, an AC bias voltage at a frequency lower than that in the second image formation area is applied to the first image formation area for forced discharge to develop a latent image for forced discharge, thereby a toner image for forced discharge is formed, and a toner of the toner image for forced discharge is collected by the cleaning device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device which applies a developing bias voltage obtained by superimposing an AC bias voltage onto a DC bias voltage to a photoreceptor, and develops a latent image on the photoreceptor with a developer to form a toner image. The apparatus has a toner forced discharge mode for forming a toner image for forced discharge in a first image formation area provided in a non-image formation area other than a second image formation area on the photoreceptor to forcibly discharge a toner from the developing device. When the mode is selected, an AC bias voltage at a frequency lower than that in the second image formation area is applied to the first image formation area to develop a latent image for forced discharge, to form a toner image, and a toner of the toner image is collected by a cleaning device.
28 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a photoreceptor which forms an electrostatic latent image thereon;
(b) a developing device which applies a developing bias voltage obtained by superimposing an AC bias voltage onto a DC bias voltage to the photoreceptor, and develops the latent image on the photoreceptor with a two-component developer to form a toner image;
(c) a controller for controlling the developing bias voltage;
(d) a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material;
(e) a fixing device for fixing the toner image on the transfer material; and
(f) a cleaning device for collecting and cleaning a toner on a surface of the photoreceptor, wherein the image forming apparatus provides a toner forced discharge mode for forming a toner image for forced discharge in a first image formation area provided in a non-image formation area other than a second image formation area on the photoreceptor to forcibly discharge a toner from the developing device, and when the toner forced discharge mode is selected, an AC bias voltage at a frequency lower than that in the second image formation area is applied to the first image formation area for forced discharge to develop a latent image for forced discharge, thereby a toner image for forced discharge is formed, and a toner of the toner image for forced discharge is collected by the cleaning device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a photoreceptor which forms an electrostatic latent image thereon;
(b) a developing device which applies a developing bias voltage obtained by superimposing an AC bias voltage onto a DC bias voltage to the photoreceptor, and develops the latent image on the photoreceptor with a two-component developer to form a toner image;
(c) a controller for controlling the developing bias voltage;
(d) a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material;
(e) a fixing device for fixing the toner image on the transfer material; and
(f) a cleaning device for collecting and cleaning the toner on a surface of the photoreceptor, wherein there is provided a toner forced discharge mode for forming a toner image for forced discharge in a first image formation area provided in a non-image formation area other than a second image formation area on the photoreceptor to forcibly discharge a toner from the developing device, and when the toner forced discharge mode is selected, an AC bias voltage at a peak value higher than that in the second image formation area is applied to the first image formation area for forced discharge to develop a latent image for forced discharge, thereby a toner image for forced discharge is formed, and a toner of the toner image is collected by the cleaning device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification