Electrophotographic apparatus with photosensitive drum requiring multiple rotations for production of a copy image on one sheet and method of operating same

An electrophotographic apparatus for forming a copy image on a sheet, said apparatus consisting of:

• a rotatable, electrically chargeable, photosensitive drum;
• said photosensitive drum comprising an outer photosensitive layer having an outer diameter such that a circumferential length of said drum, in a drum rotating direction, is less than one-half of a sheet size in said drum rotating direction whereby a copy image is formed on a sheet after said drum has rotated a plurality of times;
• and
• in the following order, said order being along a direction of rotation of said photosensitive drum,
• a main electrical charger for producing a charged surface potential on said outer photosensitive layer of said photosensitive drum,
• an optical image exposing mechanism,
• a developer mechanism,
• a toner transfer charger,
• a sheet separating charger,
• a toner cleaning member, and
• a discharge means for, in the formation of a copy image on a single sheet, discharging said photosensitive layer so that a residual potential of said photosensitive layer is 10% or less of said charged surface potential after the discharge on a first rotation of said photosensitive drum and an increase in said residual potential is not more than 30% after the discharge on a last rotation of said photosensitive drum.