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US 6,807,385 B2Granted
Difference potential preventing image forming apparatus
AssigneeFuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
InventorsKoji Miyake, Masaki Suto, Hiroyuki Mitsu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus capable of preventing generation of an excessive difference in potential between a cleaning member and an intermediate transfer member to thereby increase the service life of the intermediate transfer member, including an image bearing member; an image forming unit; an intermediate transfer device formed by at least one intermediate transfer member; a final transfer member; a cleaning member; and a control unit which applies an intermediate-transfer-member-bias to the intermediate transfer member and applies a cleaning-member-bias to the cleaning member to thereby control the potential gradient between the cleaning member and the intermediate transfer member.
Claims20
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
- an image forming unit that forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing member;
- an intermediate transfer device formed by at least one intermediate transfer member, and which is in contact with the image bearing member;
- a final transfer member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- a cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- and
- a control unit which applies an intermediate-transfer-member-bias to the intermediate transfer member and applies a cleaning-member-bias to the cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member to control a potential gradient between the cleaning member and the intermediate transfer member,
- wherein when switching the intermediate-transfer-member-bias to be applied to the intermediate transfer member from a first intermediate-transfer-member-bias to a second intermediate-transfer-member-bias and switching the cleaning-member-bias to be applied to the cleaning member from a first cleaning-member-bias to a second cleaning-member-bias, respectively, a surface potential of the intermediate transfer member is changed transitionally, the control unit makes a switching start timing for the intermediate-transfer-member-bias earlier than a switching start timing for the cleaning-member-bias.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
- an image forming unit that forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing member;
- an intermediate transfer device formed by at least one intermediate transfer member, and which is in contact with the image bearing member;
- a final transfer member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- a cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- and
- a control unit which applies an intermediate-transfer-member-bias to the intermediate transfer member and applies a cleaning-member-bias to the cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member to control a potential gradient between the cleaning member and the intermediate transfer member,
- wherein when switching the intermediate-transfer-member-bias to be applied to the intermediate transfer member from a first intermediate-transfer-member-bias to a second intermediate-transfer-member-bias and switching the cleaning-member-bias to be applied to the cleaning member from a first cleaning-member-bias to a second cleaning-member-bias, respectively, the control unit makes a switching start timing for the intermediate-transfer-member-bias earlier than a switching start timing for the cleaning-member-bias, the cleaning member is a metal cleaning roll and a metal cleaning blade is caused to abut against the cleaning roll.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
- an image forming unit which forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing member;
- an intermediate transfer device formed by at least one intermediate transfer member, and which is in contact with the image bearing member;
- a final transfer member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- a cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- and
- a control unit which applies an intermediate-transfer-member-bias to the intermediate transfer member and applies a cleaning-member-bias to the cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member to control a potential gradient between the cleaning member and the intermediate transfer member,
- wherein when switching the intermediate-transfer-member-bias to be applied to the intermediate transfer member from a first intermediate-transfer-member-bias to a second intermediate-transfer-member-bias and switching the cleaning-member-bias to be applied to the cleaning member from a first cleaning-member-bias to a second cleaning-member-bias, respectively, the control unit effects the switching of the cleaning-member-bias stepwise in at least two steps.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image bearing member;
- an image fanning unit which forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing member;
- an intermediate transfer device formed by at least one intermediate transfer member, and which is in contact with the image bearing member;
- a final transfer member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- a cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member;
- and
- a control unit which applies an intermediate-transfer-member-bias to the intermediate transfer member and applies a cleaning-member-bias to the cleaning member which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member to control a potential gradient between the cleaning member and the intermediate transfer member,
- wherein when switching the intermediate-transfer-member-bias to be applied to the intermediate transfer member from a first intermediate-transfer-member-bias to a second intermediate-transfer-member-bias and switching the cleaning-member-bias to be applied to the cleaning member from a first cleaning-member-bias to a second cleaning-member-bias, respectively, the control unit effects the switching of the cleaning-member-bias stepwise, the cleaning member is a metal cleaning roll and a metal clearing blade is cause to abut against the cleaning roll.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.