Image forming apparatus which removes a surface potential of an intermediate transfer member

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer means for carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing means;
• a primary transfer means for applying a charge to the intermediate transfer means for transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means;
• a control means for controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer means based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a discharging means for applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer means for removing a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer means to a final transfer means, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer member carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing member;
• a primary transfer member applying a charge to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member;
• a control section controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer member based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a discharger applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer member to remove a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a final transfer member, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member, and
• wherein the charge applied by the primary transfer member is switched based on a number of the plurality of transferring operations of the toner image to the intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer member carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing member;
• a primary transfer member applying a charge to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member;
• a control section controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer member based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a discharger applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer member to remove a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a final transfer member, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a secondary transfer charger applying a transfer charge to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member to the final transfer member, and
• wherein the discharging charge applied from the discharger is switched based on whether the intermediate transfer member faces said secondary transfer charger during a charging operation.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer member carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing member;
• a primary transfer member applying a charge to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member;
• a control section controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer member based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a discharger applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer member to remove a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a final transfer member, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a moving speed controller switching a moving speed of the intermediate transfer member based on a thickness of the final transfer member, and
• wherein the discharging charge applied from the discharger is switched based on the moving speed of said intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer member carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing member;
• a primary transfer member applying a charge to the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member;
• a control section controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer member based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a discharger applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer member to remove a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a final transfer member, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer member;
• a pre-transfer charger for charging the intermediate transfer member prior to transferring the toner image from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member, and
• wherein an output of the pre-transfer charger is controlled based on a moving speed of the intermediate transfer member.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer means for carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing means;
• a primary transfer means for applying a charge to the intermediate transfer means for transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means;
• a control means for controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer means based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a discharging means for applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer means for removing a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer means to a final transfer means, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means, and
• wherein the charge applied by the primary transfer means is switched based on a number of the plurality of transferring operations of the toner image to the intermediate transfer means.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer means for carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing means;
• a primary transfer means for applying a charge to the intermediate transfer means for transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means;
• a control means for controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer means based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a discharging means for applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer means for removing a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer means to a final transfer means, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a secondary charging means for applying a transfer charge to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer means to the final transfer means, and
• wherein the discharging charge applied from the discharging means is switched based on whether the intermediate transfer means faces said secondary transfer charging means during a charging operation.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer means for carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing means;
• a primary transfer means for applying a charge to the intermediate transfer means for transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means;
• a control means for controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer means based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a discharging means for applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer means for removing a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer means to a final transfer means, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a moving speed control means for switching a moving speed of the intermediate transfer means based on a thickness of the final transfer means, and
• wherein the discharging charge applied from the discharger means is switched based on the moving speed of said intermediate transfer means.

An image forming apparatus including:

• an intermediate transfer means for carrying a toner image transferred from an image bearing means;
• a primary transfer means for applying a charge to the intermediate transfer means for transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means;
• a control means for controlling a discharging of the intermediate transfer means based on a determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a discharging means for applying a discharging charge to the intermediate transfer means for removing a surface potential from the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer means to a final transfer means, wherein the discharging charge is proportional to the determined surface potential of the intermediate transfer means;
• a pre-transfer charging means for charging the intermediate transfer means prior to transferring the toner image from the image bearing means to the intermediate transfer means, and
• wherein an output of the pre-transfer charging means is controlled based on a moving speed of the intermediate transfer means.