Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.

Ayaka Kurokawa

Satoru Nakamura

Teppei Shibuya

In order to prevent interference between a primary transfer bias voltage and a secondary transfer bias voltage, and to prevent occurrence of an image defect due to interference between these bias voltages, an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of primary transfer rollers, an intermediate transfer belt, a drive roller, a secondary transfer roller, and a rectifier roller. A primary transfer bias voltage of a polarity opposite to the polarity of toner is applied to a primary transfer bias applying unit. A secondary transfer bias voltage of a same polarity as the polarity of toner is applied to the drive roller. The rectifier roller is disposed between a most-downstream primary transfer roller and the drive roller. A bias voltage of the same polarity as the polarity of the primary transfer bias voltage or the polarity of the secondary transfer bias voltage is applied to the rectifier roller.

Image forming apparatus

A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, and first and second sealing members. The housing has formed therein an opening facing an image carrying member. The cleaning blade removes toner that remains attached to the image carrying member while being in contact with the circumferential surface of the image carrying member. The first and second sealing members prevent waste toner inside the housing from leaking out through a gap between the housing and the image carrying member, owing to the first and second sealing members abutting on the circumferential surface of the image carrying member.

Cleaning device and image forming apparatus therewith

An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, a driven roller, a belt cleaning device, and a counter roller. Toner images formed on image carriers are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt. The driving and driven rollers rotatably stretch the intermediate transfer belt. The belt cleaning device has a cleaning blade that removes residual toner adhered to the intermediate transfer belt. The counter roller is disposed facing the cleaning blade with the intermediate transfer belt interposed therebetween. The belt cleaning device is disposed at a position that is downstream of the driving roller in a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt but is upstream of the driven roller in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt. A leading end edge portion of the cleaning blade is disposed upstream of a top of the counter roller in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt.

Provided is an image forming apparatus, wherein when it is predicted that a surface potential of at least one of a plurality of photosensitive drums becomes less than the predetermined potential, whenever transfer of toner images corresponding to a predetermined number of sheets is completed by a plurality of transfer rollers, continuous print is interrupted for a predetermined time, a voltage with a polarity equal to a polarity of toner is applied to the plurality of transfer rollers by a power supply or the application of the voltage to the plurality of transfer rollers is stopped during the predetermined time.

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Osaka, Japan

Ayaka Kurokawa