Image forming apparatus with removable process unit and developing device thereof
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsKazuhiko Kikuchi, Minoru Yoshida, Takeshi Watanabe, Masao Yamaguchi, Kouji Hirano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printer comprises a removable process unit which includes a photoconductive drum and an image forming section for forming an image on the drum. The process unit is provided with a removing member for removing dust from a transfer medium adhering to an aligning roller and a dust storage section for storing the dust removed by the removing member. The storage capacity of the dust storage section is larger than a capacity equivalent to the volume of the dust removed as the transfer medium corresponding in quantity to the service life of the process unit is processed.
Claims13
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on an image bearing member and transferring the image formed on said image bearing member onto a transfer medium, said apparatus comprising:
- a process unit detachably mounted on said image forming apparatus and including said image bearing member, means for transporting the transfer medium to the image bearing member, first removing means for removing dust of the transfer medium attached to said transporting means, and first collecting means for collecting the dust removed from said transporting means by said first removing means;
- means for forming the image on said image bearing member with developer;
- transfer means for transferring the image formed on said image bearing member onto the transfer medium
- said transporting means including a roller which includes an electrically conductive material and is in rolling contact with the transfer medium, said process unit having an opening which communicates with the firs collecting means and faces the roller, and said first removing means including a removing member for removing the dust from the roller by coming into contact therewith and guiding the removed dust to the first collecting means through the opening, the removing member having an electrically conductive material and a resin sheet which includes an edge portion in contact with the circumferential surface of the roller;
- means for applying a bias voltage to the roller;
- second removing means for removing residual developer remained on the image bearing member after transfer of the image by said transfer means;
- and
- second collecting means for collecting the developer removed from said image bearing member by said second removing means.
An image forming for forming an image on an image bearing member and transferring the image formed on said image bearing member onto a transfer medium, said apparatus comprising:
- a removable process unit including said image bearing member, image forming means for forming an image on the image bearing member, and means for transporting a transfer medium to the image bearing member;
- removing means provided at the process unit, for removing dust from the transfer medium adhering to the transporting means
- collecting means provided at the process unit, for collecting the dust removed by the removing means;
- and
- means for closing the collecting means to prevent the dust from dropping from the collecting means when the process unit is removed.
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on an image bearing member and transferring the image formed on said image bearing member onto a transfer medium, said apparatus comprising:
- a removable process unit including said image bearing member, image forming means for forming an image on the image bearing member, and means for transporting a transfer medium to the image bearing member, the transporting means having an electrically conductive roller;
- means for applying a bias voltage to the roller;
- removing means provided at the process unit, for removing dust from the transfer medium adhering to the roller, the removing means including an electrically conductive removing member in contact with the roller;
- and
- collecting means for collecting the dust removed by the removing means.
A developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, said device comprising:
- a storage section stored with a developing agent;
- developing means for supplying the developing agent to the image bearing member;
- developer supply/recovery means for supplying the developing agent from the storage section to the developing means and recovering the developing agent remaining on the developing means after the image is developed by the developing means;
- separating means abutting against the developer supply/recovery means, for separating the developing agent recovered by the developer supply/recovery means and dust from the developer supply/recovery means;
- and
- means for defining a recovery path through which the separated developing agent and dust are guided to the storage section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.