The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1997
Hidenori Hisada, Tokoname, JP;
Ikunobu Yoshiyama, Anjo, JP;
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a photosensitive drum; a laser scanner unit; a developing roller; a transfer roller; and a cleaning device. The cleaning device absorbs residual toner left on the surface of the photosensitive drum after a transfer process from the surface of the photosensitive drum by using a potential difference from the photosensitive drum in an absorption mode and for blowing off and dispersing the absorbed toner to the surface of the photosensitive drum by using another potential difference from the photosensitive drum in a blowing-off mode. The apparatus further includes a first power supply that provides a first voltage different from an electric potential of the ground to the cleaning device; a second power supply that provides a second voltage different from the electric potential of the ground and different from the first voltage to the photosensitive drum; and a switch for switching the image forming apparatus to the absorption mode by connecting the cleaning device to the ground and for switching the image forming apparatus to the blowing-off mode by connecting the cleaning device to the first power supply.