Image forming apparatus and image forming system
First Claim
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
a process member configured to act on the image bearing member;
a voltage application unit configured to selectively output a voltage having positive polarity and a voltage having negative polarity to the process member;
a current detection unit configured to detect an electric current that flows to the image bearing member; and
a control unit configured to determine a first voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the positive polarity is applied to the process member, to determine a second voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the negative polarity is applied to the process member, and to calculate the surface potential based on the determined first voltage and the determined second voltage,wherein the control unit determines whether a surface of the image bearing member has an abnormality based on the calculated surface potential.
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a process member that acts on the image bearing member, a voltage application unit that applies a voltage to the process member, a current detection unit that detects an electric current that flows to the image bearing member, and a control unit that causes the voltage application unit to apply voltages respectively having positive and negative polarities to the process member, to determine a surface potential of the image bearing member based on a detection result acquired by the current detection unit, and to output information about a usage amount of the image bearing member according to the determined result.
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9 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image bearing member; a process member configured to act on the image bearing member; a voltage application unit configured to selectively output a voltage having positive polarity and a voltage having negative polarity to the process member; a current detection unit configured to detect an electric current that flows to the image bearing member; and a control unit configured to determine a first voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the positive polarity is applied to the process member, to determine a second voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the negative polarity is applied to the process member, and to calculate the surface potential based on the determined first voltage and the determined second voltage, wherein the control unit determines whether a surface of the image bearing member has an abnormality based on the calculated surface potential. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8)
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4. An image forming system comprising:
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an image forming apparatus; and a computer connected to the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises; an image bearing member; a process member configured to act on the image bearing member; a voltage application unit configured to selectively output a voltage having positive polarity and a voltage having negative polarity to the process member; a current detection unit configured to detect an electric current that flows to the image bearing member; and a control unit configured to determine a first voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the positive polarity is applied to the process member, to determine a second voltage to start discharge between the image bearing member and the process member from the detection result acquired by the current detection unit when the voltage having the negative polarity is applied to the process member, and to calculate the surface potential based on the determined first voltage and the determined second voltage, wherein the computer determines whether a surface of the image bearing member has an abnormality based on the calculated surface potential. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 9)
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Specification