Method of and system for cleaning roller members

An apparatus comprising:

• a photoconductive element;
• a roller member maintained in contact with said photoconductive element;
• and
• transfer means for transferring toner and other contaminants from said roller member to said photoconductive element, wherein said transfer means comprises speed varying means for changing the rotational speed of said roller.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• means for creating a latent image on a photoconductive surface;
• means for converting the latent image into a developed image;
• means for transferring said developed image onto a predetermined image medium;
• and
• means for cleaning toner and other contaminants remaining on the photoconductive surface, wherein the apparatus includes at least one roller in contact with the photoconductive surface for charging or discharging the photoconductive surface, or for transferring the developed image onto the predetermined image medium, and said apparatus further comprising transfer means for transferring toner and other contaminants from said roller to the photoconductive surface, wherein said transfer means comprises means for changing the rotational speed of said roller.

An apparatus comprising:

• a photoconductive element;
• a roller in contact with said photoconductive element;
• and
• pressure varying means for varying the pressure between the contact surfaces of said photoconductive element and roller, wherein said pressure varying means applies a first pressure during sensitive phases of operation and a second pressure, greater than said first pressure, during non-sensitive phases of operation, between the contact surfaces of said photoconductive element and roller.

An apparatus comprising:

• a photoconductive element capable of rotating at a first rotational speed;
• a roller in contact with said photoconductive element and capable of rotating at a second rotational speed;
• and
• control means for controlling the relative rotational speeds of said photoconductive element and roller so that said first and second rotational speeds are equal during sensitive phases of operation but different during non-sensitive phases of operation.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• means for creating a latent image on a photoconductive surface;
• means for converting the latent image into a developed image;
• means for transferring said developed image onto a predetermined image medium;
• and
• means for cleaning toner and other contaminants remaining on the photoconductive surface, wherein the apparatus includes at least one roller in contact with the photoconductive surface for charging or discharging the photoconductive surface, or for transferring the developed image onto the predetermined image medium, and said apparatus further comprising transfer means for transferring toner and other contaminants from said roller to the photoconductive surface, wherein said transfer means comprises pressure varying means for varying the pressure between the contact surfaces of said photoconductive surface and roller.

A method of removing toner and contaminants from a roller of an image forming apparatus, which method comprises:

• rotating a photoconductive element at a first rotational speed while maintaining and roller in contact with the photoconductive element;
• rotating the roller at a second rotational speed;
• transferring toner and other contaminants from the roller to the photoconductive element;
• and
• removing toner and other contaminants from the photoconductive element.