Image forming apparatus and layer thickness measuring method

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoconductor having a photoconductive layer on an outer surface thereof;
• a charging portion that charges the photoconductor;
• a developing portion that develops a latent image formed on the photoconductor;
• a transfer portion that transfers a developed image;
• a current detector connected to a power supply of the charging portion, the power supply of the developing portion, and the power supply of the transfer portion to detect currents respectively flowing from power supplies to the photoconductor;
• an integrating portion that calculates a charge amount by integrating the currents detected by the current detector over a given period of time;
• and
• a layer thickness calculating portion that calculates a thickness of the photoconductive layer based on the charge amount.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoconductor having a photoconductive layer on an outer surface thereof;
• a charging portion that charges the photoconductor;
• a developing portion that develops a latent image formed on the photoconductor;
• a transfer portion that transfers a developed image;
• a current detector connected between the photoconductor and ground to detect a current flowing from the photoconductor;
• an integrating portion that calculates a charge amount by integrating the current detected by the current detector over a given period of time;
• and
• a layer thickness calculating portion that calculates a thickness of the photoconductive layer based on the charge amount.

A layer thickness measuring method for an image forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor having a photoconductive layer on an outer surface thereof, a charging portion that charges the photoconductor, a developing portion that develops a latent image formed on the photoconductor and a transfer portion that transfers a developed image, the method comprising:

• detecting currents respectively flowing from the charging portion, the developing portion and the transfer portion to the photoconductor;
• calculating a charge amount by integrating the currents detected over a given period of time;
• and
• calculating a thickness of the photoconductive layer based on the charge amount.

A layer thickness measuring method for an image forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor having a photoconductive layer on an outer surface thereof, a charging portion that charges the photoconductor, a developing portion that develops a latent image formed on the photoconductor and a transfer portion that transfers a developed image, the method comprising:

• detecting currents respectively flowing from a power supply of the charging portion, a power supply of the developing portion, and a power supply of the transfer portion, to the photoconductor;
• calculating a charge amount by integrating the currents detected over a given period of time;
• and
• calculating a thickness of the photoconductive layer based on the charge amount.

A layer thickness measuring method for an image forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor having a photoconductive layer on an outer surface thereof, the method comprising:

• detecting a current flowing from the photoconductor to ground;
• calculating a charge amount by integrating the currents detected over a given period of time;
• and
• calculating a thickness of the photoconductive layer based on the charge amount.