Recording apparatus with two charging units for achieving uniform after-transfer zones distribution

A recording apparatus for performing an image recording based on an electrophotographic system, comprising:

• electrostatic latent image carrier means having a photosensitive surface and being rotatable in one direction;
• exposure means for producing a partial decline in a charged area on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means to provide an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier means;
• developing means for depositing a toner on the electrostatic latent image provided by the exposure means to form a toner image, while attractively collecting a toner remaining, as a residual toner, on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means after a transfer step;
• image recording means for having the toner image recorded thereon;
• transfer means for transferring the toner image which has been formed by the developing means to the image recording means for recording the toner image on the image recording means;
• residual the toner image uniformalizing/charging means for uniformalizing a residual toner distribution on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means which is left after the transferring of toner by the transfer means, while charging the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means;
• and
• auxiliary charging means, including a corona charger, located on a downstream side of the residual toner image uniformalizing/charging means, but on an upstream side of the exposure means, with the rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image carrier means as a reference, and operable in conjunction with said residual toner image uniformalizing/charging means for assisting in charging of the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means by the residual toner image uniformalizing/charging means, said auxiliary charging means producing a discharge current;
• wherein a relation .vertline.Ia.vertline.<.vertline.Ico.vertline. is satisfied, where
• Ia:
• a discharge current in the auxiliary charging means when a charger potential on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means necessary for toner image formation is given by V0;
• and
• Ico:
• a discharge current in the auxiliary charging means when the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier means is charged to a potential V0 by the auxiliary charging means alone.