US 5,294,964 A · Cleanerless image forming apparatus

Abstract

The image forming apparatus does not have a separate cleaning unit. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an exposing unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, a transfer unit for transferring toner onto a recording sheet to perform a transfer process, a paper feed mechanism for transferring the recording sheet through the transfer unit, a charging unit for charging the photosensitive drum to a predetermined voltage, a memory removing member for scattering toner remaining on the photosensitive drum upon a completion of the transfer process, a developing unit for feeding the toner over the electrostatic latent image and for recovering the toner from the photosensitive drum, and a controller for producing upon the completion of the image forming process a voltage difference between the photosensitive drum and the memory removing member so as to generate an electrostatic attracting force which causes the toner remaining on the memory removing member to be collected on the photosensitive drum. The collected toner is recovered by the developing unit later.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a photosensitive drum adapted to hold a toner image,
a transfer unit for applying a transfer unit voltage to a recording sheet such that the toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum to the recording sheet,
a memory removing member having a voltage applied thereto by a voltage source,
control means, operable at a predetermined time after an image forming operation, for charging the photosensitive drum to a predetermined voltage with the transfer unit and for adjusting the voltage applied to the memory removing member to a voltage lower than the predetermined voltage, whereby toner remaining on the memory removing member after the image forming operation is transferred to the photosensitive drum.

1 more element

A cleanerless image forming apparatus, comprising:

a photosensitive drum,
charging means for charging the photosensitive drum to a predetermined voltage,
exposing means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum,
developing means for feeding the toner over the electrostatic latent image and for recovering the scattered toner from the photosensitive drum,
toner transfer means for transferring toner from the photosensitive drum to a recording sheet during a transfer process, the toner transfer means having a voltage applied thereto,
sheet transfer means for transferring the recording sheet past the toner transfer means,
memory removing means for scattering toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after a completion of the transfer process, said memory removing means having a voltage, and
control means, operable at a predetermined time after an image forming operation, for charging the photosensitive drum to a predetermined voltage with the toner transfer means and for adjusting the voltage of the memory removing means to a voltage lower than the predetermined voltage, whereby an electrostatic attracting force is generated between the photosensitive drum and the memory removing means and toner is transferred from the memory removing means to the photosensitive drum.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cleanerless image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Cleanerless image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12