Image formation apparatus and method for controlling the same
AssigneeKonica Minolta, Inc.
InventorMasayasu HAGA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image formation apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier as a toner image; a transfer device which transfers the toner image to a medium; a cleaning device which recovers toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred; and a lubricant application adjustment mechanism which applies a lubricant on the image carrier and recovers toner present on the image carrier upstream of the cleaning device; and a controller which controls the lubricant application adjustment mechanism. The controller causes the lubricant application adjustment mechanism to recover more toner when the toner image formed on the image carrier has a larger image area ratio.
Claims20
An image formation apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier;
- a developing device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier as a toner image;
- a transfer device which transfers the toner image to a medium;
- a cleaning device which recovers toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred;
- a lubricant application adjustment mechanism which applies a lubricant on the image carrier and recovers toner present on the image carrier upstream of the cleaning device;
- and
- a controller for controlling the lubricant application adjustment mechanism, which causes the lubricant application adjustment mechanism to recover more toner when an image area ratio of the toner image formed on the image carrier is larger.
A control method in an image formation apparatus, wherein the image formation apparatus comprises an image carrier, a developing device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier as a toner image, a transfer device which transfers the toner image to a medium, a cleaning device which recovers toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred, and a lubricant application adjustment mechanism which applies a lubricant on the image carrier and recovers toner present on the image carrier upstream of the cleaning device, the method comprising:
- obtaining an image area ratio of a toner image formed on the image carrier;
- and
- controlling the lubricant application adjustment mechanism to recover more toner when the obtained image area ratio is larger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.