Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus for transferring transfer residual toner onto image bearing member

US8180247B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 15, 2011
Grant dateMay 15, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 15, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G2221/1627
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

There is a charge member which charges secondary transfer remaining toner on an intermediate transfer member to a polarity opposite to a normal charge polarity. The transfer remaining toner charged by the charge member is moved in the direction opposite to that of normal toner by a transfer bias and moved from the intermediate transfer member onto an image bearing member. A BK station is arranged on the downstream of other stations. In a continuous BK monochromatic mode, by applying a reverse bias to transfer portions of the other stations and applying the transfer bias only to the BK station, waste toner can be collected into the BK station (simultaneously with the transfer). In a full-color mode, since each transfer bias is applied to all stations, the waste toner is collected into the station on the uppermost stream. Thus, the image bearing member for collecting the transfer remaining toner on the intermediate transfer member is made different according to the mode, thereby suppressing that the collection of the waste toner is concentrated on one image bearing member.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.