Electrophotography apparatus and exposing unit therefor

Abstract

An electrophotography apparatus has a charging unit, and an exposing unit, and a developing unit. The charging unit charges the surface of a rotating image bearing body having an axis of rotation. The exposing unit emits light to illuminate the surface of the image bearing body to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. The developing unit applies charged toner to the electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image into a visible image. The electrophotography apparatus includes, for example two electrodes and power supplies for applying voltages to the electrodes. The electrodes are disposed between the light-emitting surface of the exposing unit and extend parallel to the axis of rotation of the image bearing body. The electrodes are aligned on opposite sides of the light emitted from the exposing unit. The electrodes receive voltages from the power supplies, creating electric lines of force at an angle with a direction of the light so that the charged toner particles remaining on the image bearing body fly in a direction deviating from the direction of the light. The electrodes may be disposed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of light and receive voltages of different values from each other and of the same polarity as the charged powdered particles. The electrodes may be disposed in different planes perpendicular to the direction of light, one of the electrodes being closer to the image bearing body than the other.