Destaticizer and image forming apparatus employing the same

A destaticizer for removing electric charges from a surface of a photoreceptor by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light, the destaticizer comprising:

• a light source;
• and
• a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor;
• wherein the light guide member includes a plurality of twisted optical fibers, one-end portions of the plurality of optical fibers being bundled into a shape such that the light emitted from the light source can readily be incident therein, the other-end portions of the plurality of optical fibers being aligned in a predetermined direction.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• a main charger for charging a surface of the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential;
• a cleaning unit for removing residual toner adhering onto the photoreceptor surface;
• and
• a destaticizer for removing electric charges from the photoreceptor surface, the destaticizer being adapted to remove electric charges from the photoreceptor surface by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light, and having a light source and a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor;
• wherein the light guide member is an elongated member which has an end face serving as a light receiving face for receiving the light emitted from the light source, a light transmitting path for transmitting the light received by the light receiving face, and a plurality of reflecting portions arranged along the length of the light guide member for reflecting the light transmitted through the light transmitting path in a direction intersecting the length of the light guide member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• a main charger for charging a surface of the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential;
• a cleaning unit for removing residual toner adhering onto the photoreceptor surface;
• and
• a destaticizer for removing electric charges from the photoreceptor surface, the destaticizer being adapted to remove electric charges from the photoreceptor surface by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light, and having a light source and a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor;
• wherein the light guide member includes a plurality of twisted optical fibers, one-end portions of the plurality of optical fibers being bundled into a shape such that the light emitted from the light source can readily be incident therein, the other-end portions of the plurality of optical fibers being aligned in a predetermined direction.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• a main charger for charging a surface of the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential;
• a cleaning unit for removing residual toner adhering onto the photoreceptor surface;
• and
• a destaticizer for removing electric charges from the photoreceptor surface, the destaticizer being adapted to remove electric charges from the photoreceptor surface by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light, and having a light source and a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor;
• wherein the light source is adapted to emit two different kinds of light beams, one kind of which has a greater wavelength than the other.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photoreceptor;
• a main charger for charging a surface of the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential;
• a cleaning unit for removing residual toner adhering onto the photoreceptor surface;
• and
• a destaticizer for removing electric charges from the photoreceptor surface, the destaticizer being adapted to remove electric charges from the photoreceptor surface by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light, and having a light source and a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor;
• wherein the light source is adapted to emit light including a light component having a wavelength of 650 nm or greater.