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. 19, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1998
Katsuhiro Sakaizawa, Numazu, JP;
Yukihiro Ohzeki, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus wherein a developer remaining on a photosensitive member after an image transfer process is removed by developing means, the apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a contact charging means including an electrode contacted to the photosensitive member to electrically charge the photosensitive member, the contact charging means being supplied with a bias voltage form a charging bias voltage source; exposure means for exposing the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image thereon after the photosensitive member is electrically charged by the charging means; developing means for supplying the developer from a developer carrying member to a latent image portion of the photosensitive member to develop the photosensitive member and simultaneously removing the developer remaining on the photosensitive member after the transfer process and conveyed to a downstream of the contact charging means on the photosensitive member, to the developer carrying member by a potential difference between the developer carrying member supplied with a developing bias and a latent image of the photosensitive member; and control means for controlling the charging bias and a developing bias, during a preparatory pre-rotation process of the photosensitive member for preparation for an image forming operation, to maintain a potential difference between the photosensitive member and the developer carrying member at a level lower than that during normal image forming operation, by surface potentials of the developer carrying member supplied with the developing bias and of the photosensitive member charged by the charging means.