# US 10,768,564 B2 · Image forming apparatus and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,564 B2 - Document ID: US10768564B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/667,033 - Filed: 2019-10-29 - Published: 2020-05-07 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-06 - Assignees: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Applicants: Konica Minolta, Inc. - Inventors: Keiki Katsumata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768564B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/065: {Arrangements for controlling the potential of the developing electrode} - G03G 15/5037: {the characteristics being an electrical parameter, e.g. voltage} - G03G 15/0266: {Arrangements for controlling the amount of charge} - G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display} - G03G 21/0023: {with electric bias} - G03G 21/0035: {using a brush; Details of cleaning brushes, e.g. fibre density (G03G21/0064 takes precedence; magnetic brushes G03G21/0047)} - G03G 21/0076: {Plural or sequential cleaning devices} - G03G 2215/00632: Electric detector, e.g. of voltage or current - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an image former and a hardware processor. The image former includes, an image carrier; a developer; a conductive rotating member; and a voltage applier which applies voltage to the rotating member. The hardware processor executes an attached material detection mode which detects material attached to a surface of the rotating member. In such mode, the hardware processor controls the voltage so that the developing bias is a value between a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which attached material exists on a surface of the rotating member if a reference voltage is applied by the voltage applier, and a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which the attached material does not exist on the surface of the rotating member if the reference voltage is applied. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image former which includes, an image carrier which carries a toner image transferred to a sheet; a developer which applies a developing bias and which develops the toner image on the image carrier; a conductive rotating member which rotates while coming into contact with the image carrier; and a voltage applier which applies a voltage to the rotating member, and a hardware processor which executes an attached material detection mode which detects material attached to a surface of the rotating member, wherein, in the attached material detection mode, the hardware processor controls the voltage applied by the developer and/or the voltage applier so that the developing bias is a value between a surface potential in a region on a surface of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which attached material exists on a surface of the rotating member if a reference voltage is applied by the voltage applier, and a surface potential in a region on the surface of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which the attached material does not exist on the surface of the rotating member if the reference voltage is applied, and the hardware processor controls the developer to develop a toner image on the image carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the attached material detection mode, the hardware processor rotates the image carrier and controls the voltage applier to apply voltage which changes at least within one rotation of the image carrier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the attached material detection mode, the hardware processor rotates the image carrier and controls the developer to apply voltage which changes at least within one rotation of the image carrier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a waveform of the applied voltage is a triangular wave. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hardware processor changes a rotation speed of the rotating member at least once each time a cycle of a triangular wave of the applied voltage changes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector which detects an intensity of the toner image formed on the image carrier in an axis direction in the attached material detection mode. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor changes an image forming condition for the image formed by the image former if an amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the hardware processor increases a rotation speed of the rotating member when the amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than the predetermined amount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is a cleaning brush which removes toner on the surface of the image carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is a lubricant applying brush which applies lubricant to the surface of the image carrier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a solid lubricant in contact with the rotating member, wherein, the hardware processor changes an image forming condition for the image formed by the image former if an amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and the hardware processor increases pressing force of the solid lubricant on the rotating member if the amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than the predetermined amount. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, the hardware processor changes an image forming condition for the image formed by the image former if an amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and the hardware processor executes a lubricant applying mode in which the rotating member applies lubricant to the surface of the image carrier if the amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than the predetermined amount. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor executes a cleaning mode which removes the attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member if an amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor executes a call for service if an amount of attached material attached to the surface of the rotating member is equal to or more than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for controlling a computer used in an image forming apparatus including an image former which includes, an image carrier which carries a toner image transferred to a sheet; a developer which applies a developing bias and which develops the toner image on the image carrier; a conductive rotating member which rotates while coming into contact with the image carrier; and a voltage applier which applies a voltage to the rotating member, wherein the program controls the computer to execute: an attached material detection mode which detects material attached to a surface of the rotating member, wherein, in the attached material detection mode, the voltage applied by the developer and/or the voltage applier are controlled so that the developing bias is a value between a surface potential in a region on a surface of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which attached material exists on a surface of the rotating member if a reference voltage is applied by the voltage applier, and a surface potential in a region on the surface of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which the attached material does not exist on the surface of the rotating member if the reference voltage is applied, and the developer is controlled to develop a toner image on the image carrier.