Image forming apparatus including means for removing residual toner

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• means for charging said image carrier;
• means for exposing said image carrier to form a latent image on said image carrier;
• means for developing said latent image to form a developed image on said image carrier with a developing agent;
• means for transferring said developed image onto a sheet-like material;
• means for distributing the residual developing agent remaining on said image carrier after the transfer of the developed image and before the next image forming operation;
• and
• means for removing residual developing agent remaining on said image carrier by causing transfer of the developing agent from said image carrier back to said developing means, said removing means being operated simultaneously with said developing means.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• means for charging said image carrier;
• means for exposing said image carrier to form a latent image on said image carrier;
• a casing containing a single-component developing agent therein;
• means for developing said latent image to form a developed image on said image carrier with said developing agent, said developing means being partially enclosed in said casing;
• means for transferring said developed image onto a sheet-like material;
• means for cleaning the residual developing agent remaining on said image carrier, said cleaning means being arranged in said casing and positioned between said exposing means and developing means;
• first means for applying a bias voltage across said developing means and image carrier to cause said developing agent to transfer from said developing means to said latent image;
• and
• second means for applying a bias voltage across said cleaning means and image carrier to cause the residual developing agent remaining on said image carrier after the transfer of the developed image to transfer to said cleaning.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• means for forming an electrostatic latent image having an image area and a non-image area on an image carrier;
• means, disposed in opposed relationship with said image carrier with a gap therebetween, for carrying a single-component developing agent thereon;
• and
• means for applying said single-component developing agent carried on said carrying means onto the image area of said electrostatic latent image across said gap so as to form the developed image and removing the residual developing agent remaining on the non-image area of said image carrier by causing back transition of the developing agent from said image carrier to said carrying means.