Image forming apparatus having a high-voltage unit malfunction detecting function

• US 4,797,705 A
• Filed: 02/03/1987
• Issued: 01/10/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nishioka, Nobuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US07/010,476
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 355/3 CH, 355/14 CH, 355/14 D, 355/3 TR, 355/14 E, 355/14 TR, 355/3 DD, 355/3 R, 355/14 R
• US Class Current: 399/31
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/02 for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices G03G15/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0291 corona discharge devices, e.g. wires, pointed electrodes, means for cleaning the corona discharge device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/1635 the field being produced by laying down an electrostatic charge behind the base or the recording member, e.g. by a corona device
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member and is adpated to form an image on a paper by steps of charging the photosensitive member with a main charger, exposing to form an electrostatic latent image, developing the latent image with a toner, transferring the toner image to a paper with transferring charger. Furthermore the apparatus includes a sensor to detect the amount of the toner adhering to the photosensitive member or to the paper so as to detect a malfunction in the main charger or in the transferring charger.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner adhering to the photosensitive member or on the paper; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the charging means or in the transferring means based on an output from the sensing means.

2. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner present in the area of the photosensitive member on which the latent image is not formed;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the charging means based on an output from the comparing means.

3. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said sensing means is provided adjacent to the photosensitive member downstream of the transferring means, with respect to the direction of movement thereof.

4. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner present in the area of the photosensitive member from which the toner image has been transferred to the paper;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the transferring means based on an output from the comparing means.

5. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sensing means is provided adjacent to the photosensitive member downstream of the transferring means, with respect to the direction of movement thereof.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner present in the area of the paper on which the toner image is not transferred;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the charging means based on an output from the comparing means.

7. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sensing means is provided adjacent to the paper downstream of the transferring means, with respect to the direction of movement of the paper.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner present in the area of the paper on which toner image has been transferred;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the transferring means based on an output from the comparing means.

9. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said sensing means is provided adjacent to the paper downstream of the transferring means, with respect to the direction of movement of the paper.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner adhering to the photosensitive member;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the charging means based on a first output signal from the comparing means and for detecting a malfunction in the transferring means based on a second output signal from the comparing means.

11. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein

said first output signal is produced as a function of the amount of toner present on an area of the photosensitive member on which the latent image is not formed, and

said second output signal is produced as a function of the amount of toner present on an area of the phototsensitive member from which the latent image has been transferred to the paper.

12. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

means for charging the photosensitive member;

means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member charged by the charging means;

reversal development means for developing said latent image with a toner of the same polarity as the latent image;

means for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member to a paper;

a sensing means for detecting the amount of the toner adhering to the paper;

means for comparing an output from the sensing means with a predetermined value; and

means for detecting a malfunction in the charging means based on a first output signal from the comparing means, and for detecting a malfunction in the transferring means based on a second output signal from the comparing means.

13. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein

said first output signal is produced as a function of the amount of the toner present in the area of the paper on which the toner image is not transferred, and

the second output signal is produced as a function of the amount of the toner present in the area of the paper on which the toner image has been transferred.