Image forming apparatus and process cartridge

An image process cartridge, comprising:

• a rotating image carrier having an image carrier surface;
• a brush roller in contact with the image carrier surface;
• a charging member in proximity to or in contact with the image carrier surface, the charging member configured to transfer a charge to the image carrier surface;
• and
• a casing including a flexible sheet in contact with the image carrier surface and arranged to separate the brush roller from the charging member, wherein the flexible sheet comprises urethane resin.

A method for applying an image to a transfer medium, comprising:

• negatively charging a surface of a rotating image carrier with a charging roller;
• exposing the charged surface of the rotating image carrier with light;
• applying toner from a developing roller to the exposed, charged surface of the rotating image carrier via a magnetic field;
• transferring toner from the exposed, charged surface of the rotating image carrier to a transfer belt;
• cleaning positively charged residual toner from the surface of rotating image carrier with a brush roller charged with negative charge;
• grounding the charging roller;
• cleaning the brush roller by applying a positive charge to the brush roller so that collected toner is transferred from the brush roller to the surface of a rotating image carrier;
• and
• collecting onto the developing roller the toner transferred from the brush roller.

A image transfer apparatus, comprising:

• means for negatively charging a surface of a rotating image carrier with a charging roller;
• means for exposing the charged surface of the rotating image carrier with light;
• means for applying toner from a developing roller to the exposed, charged surface of the rotating image carrier via a magnetic field;
• means for transferring toner from the exposed, charged surface of the rotating image carrier to a transfer belt;
• means for cleaning positively charged residual toner from the surface of rotating image carrier with a brush roller charged with negative charge;
• means for grounding the charging roller;
• means for cleaning the brush roller by applying a positive charge to the brush roller so that collected toner is transferred from the brush roller to the surface of a rotating image carrier;
• and
• means for collecting onto the developing roller the toner transferred from the brush roller.

An image process cartridge, comprising:

• a rotating image carrier having an image carrier surface;
• a brush roller in contact with the image carrier surface;
• a charging member in proximity to or in contact with the image carrier surface, the charging member configured to transfer a charge to the image carrier surface;
• and
• a casing including a sheet in contact with the image carrier surface and arranged to separate the brush roller from the charging member, wherein the sheet comprises urethane resin, wherein
• the brush roller and the rotating image carrier rotate in the same direction.