Image forming apparatus including moisture removal mechansism for removing mositure on surface of photosensitive drum

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein, during execution of the temperature raising mode, a part of the first electrically conductive member which does not make contact with the image carrying body during image formation is kept in contact with the image carrying body outside the image formation region.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein the temperature raising mode is executed with the image carrying body rotated at lower speed than during image formation.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein the temperature raising mode is executed with rotation of the image carrying body stopped.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein, during execution of the temperature raising mode, an AC bias having a higher frequency than during image formation is applied to the first electrically conductive member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein the bias application device is capable of applying to the first electrically conductive member a bias having an AC bias superimposed on a DC bias, and
• during execution of the temperature raising mode, the AC bias is applied with a DC bias superimposed thereon which is equal to or lower than the discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• a controller which controls the bias application device;
• and
• a second electrically conductive member which makes contact with the image carrying body,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• the controller executes the temperature raising mode with an AC bias applied to the first electrically conductive member and the second electrically conductive member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrying body which has a photosensitive layer formed on a circumferential surface thereof;
• a first electrically conductive member which makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body;
• a bias application device which applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member;
• and
• a controller which controls the bias application device,
• wherein
• the image forming apparatus
• performs image formation on a surface of the image carrying body while rotating the image carrying body, and
• is capable of executing, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside an image formation region, an AC (alternating-current) bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as a discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise temperature of the surface of the image carrying body, and
• wherein the photosensitive layer formed on the circumferential surface of the image carrying body is an amorphous silicon photosensitive layer.