Image forming apparatus

A method of forming an image using an image forming apparatus, the image apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations each comprising an image carrier having a movable image carrier surface to carry an electrostatic latent image and a developing device that forms a toner image on said image carrier surface and electrically recovers toner remaining on said image carrier surface after an image forming operation on said image carrier, the method comprising:

• moving a contact member of the apparatus, the contact member having a contact surface and a transfer mechanism, relative to said image carrier surface while the contact surface contacts said image carrier surface of each image forming station;
• removing toner attached on said contact surface, wherein the contact angle of said image carrier surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water;
• and
• pressing a sheet against said image carrier surface using the transfer mechanism.

A method of forming an image using an image forming apparatus, the image apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations each comprising an image carrier having a movable image carrier surface to carry an electrostatic latent image and a developing device that forms a toner image on said image carrier surface and electrically recovers toner remaining on said image carrier surface after an image forming operation on said image carrier, the method comprising:

• moving a contact member of the apparatus, the contact member having a contact surface and a transfer mechanism, relative to said image carrier surface while the contact surface contacts said image carrier surface of each image forming station;
• and
• removing toner attached on said contact surface, wherein the contact angle of said image carrier surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water,
• wherein the contact pressure between said image carrier surface and said contact surface of an image forming station located on an upstream side with respect to the moving direction of said contact surface is lower than that of another image forming station located on a downstream side.

A method of forming an image using an image forming apparatus, the image apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations each comprising an image carrier having a movable image carrier surface to carry an electrostatic latent image and a developing device that forms a toner image on said image carrier surface and electrically recovers toner remaining on said image carrier surface after an image forming operation on said image carrier, the method comprising:

• moving a contact member of the apparatus, the contact member having a contact surface comprising a transfer surface of a transfer belt, relative to said image carrier surface while the contact surface contacts said image carrier surface of each image forming station;
• removing toner attached on said contact surface, wherein the contact angle of said image carrier surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water;
• transferring the toner image formed on said image carrier surface to said transfer belt;
• holding the toner image on the transfer belt;
• and
• transferring the held toner image to a sheet.

A method of forming an image using an image forming apparatus, the image apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations each comprising an image carrier having a movable image carrier surface to carry an electrostatic latent image and a developing device that forms a toner image on said image carrier surface and electrically recovers toner remaining on said image carrier surface after image forming operation on said image carrier, the method comprising:

• moving a contact member of the apparatus relative to said image carrier surface while a contact surface of said contact member contacts said image carrier surface of each image forming station;
• removing toner attached on said contact surface, wherein the contact angle of said image carrier surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water;
• and
• applying a transfer bias voltage in transferring the toner image formed on said image carrier surface, wherein, when the coverage rate for an image forming station located on an upstream side of the moving direction of said contact surface is higher than that for another image forming station located on a downstream side, the transfer bias voltage applied to said downstream image forming station is lower than that applied to said upstream image forming station.

A method of forming an image using an image forming apparatus, the image apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations each comprising an image carrier having a movable image carrier surface to carry an electrostatic latent image and a developing device that forms a toner image on said image carrier surface and electrically recovers toner remaining on said image carrier surface after image forming operation on said image carrier, the method comprising:

• moving a contact member of the apparatus relative to said image carrier surface while a contact surface of said contact member contacts said image carrier surface of each image forming station;
• removing toner attached on said contact surface, wherein the contact angle of said image carrier surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water;
• and
• applying a transfer bias voltage in transferring the toner image formed on said image carrier surface, wherein, when the coverage rate for an image forming station located on an upstream side of the moving direction of said contact surface is lower than that for another image forming station located on a downstream side, the transfer bias voltage applied to said downstream image forming station is higher than that applied to said upstream image forming station.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor having a photosensitive surface carrying thereon an electrostatic latent image;
• a developing device which forms a toner image on said photosensitive surface and electrically recovering toner remaining on said photosensitive surface after an image forming operation at said photoreceptor;
• a transfer roller having a roller surface which is in contact engagement with said photosensitive surface;
• a cleaner which removes toner attached on said roller surface;
• a CPU which controls an applied transfer bias voltage in transferring the toner image formed on said photosensitive surface;
• and
• wherein said CPU is operable to control an applied voltage, at least one of the voltage value and the polarity thereof being different from said transfer bias voltage, during a time when transferring of the toner image from said photosensitive surface is not being performed,
• wherein the contact angle of said photosensitive surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water, and wherein said transfer roller is operable to press a sheet against said image carrier surface.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor having a photosensitive surface carrying thereon an electrostatic latent image;
• a developing device which forms a toner image on said photosensitive surface and electrically recovering toner remaining on said photosensitive surface after an image forming operation at said photoreceptor;
• a transfer belt having a transfer surface which is in contact engagement with said photosensitive surface, and to which the toner image formed on said photosensitive surface is transferred and which holds such toner image and then transfers such held toner image to a sheet;
• a cleaner for removing toner attached on said transfer surface;
• a CPU for controlling an applied transfer bias voltage in transferring the toner image formed on said photosensitive surface;
• and
• wherein said CPU is operable to control an applied voltage, at least one of the voltage value and the polarity thereof being different from said transfer bias voltage, during a time when transferring of the toner image from said photosensitive surface is not being performed, and
• wherein the contact angle of said photosensitive surface for water is greater than that of said contact surface for water.