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US 10,895,822 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakehiro Kojima, Teppei Nagata, Ryota Fujioka, Shota Takami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to execute a stop mode in which, after image forming operation is stopped, a developer bearing member is rotated for a predetermined time with a potential difference between a film forming electrode and a developer bearing member set to zero or smaller than that during image formation, and thereafter, the rotation of the developer bearing member is stopped.
Claims7
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a photosensitive member;
- a rotatable developer bearing member configured to bear liquid developer containing toner and carrier liquid and develop, by being applied voltage, an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member at a developing portion;
- a feeding unit configured to feed liquid developer to the developer bearing member;
- a film forming electrode arranged downstream of the feeding unit in a direction of rotation of the developer bearing member and configured to form a film of liquid developer being supplied to the developer bearing member in a state where a voltage is applied thereto;
- an abutment roller arranged downstream of the film forming electrode and upstream of the developing portion in the direction of rotation of the developer bearing member and configured to abut against the developer bearing member;
- a cleaning roller arranged downstream of the developing portion and upstream of the feeding unit in the direction of rotation of the developer bearing member and configured to abut against the developer bearing member and remove toner on the developer bearing member after developing an image;
- a removing member configured to abut against the cleaning roller and remove toner on the cleaning roller;
- and
- a control unit configured to execute a stop mode in which, after image forming operation is stopped, the developer bearing member is rotated for a predetermined time with a potential difference between the film forming electrode and the developer bearing member set to zero or less than the difference during image formation, and thereafter, the rotation of the developer bearing member is stopped,
- wherein during execution of the stop mode, the control unit outputs a signal to stop feeding of liquid developer by the feeding unit after the developer bearing member has been rotated for the predetermined time with the potential difference between the film forming electrode and the developer bearing member set to zero or less than the difference during image formation and before outputting a signal to turn off application of voltage to the developer bearing member and the film forming electrode.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.