Image forming apparatus
US8948638B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 2011 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/1605
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier; a latent image writer to write a latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit including a toner carrier having first and second electrodes insulated via an insulator member and a voltage applying unit to apply voltages to the first and second electrodes having a potential difference to generate first electric fields to cause the toner to hop from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier to develop a toner image; and a transfer unit to transfer the developed toner image to a transferring member. When alternating voltages having a same phase and same amplitude are applied to the first and second electrodes to form second electric fields between the latent image carrier and the toner carrier, the toner is discharged from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier in a toner discharge mode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.