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:
Dec. 14, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2002
Image forming apparatus including a maximum charge quantity of toner particles forming useless toner
Hiroshi Akita, Hachioji, JP;
Kunio Shigeta, Hachioji, JP;
Takenobu Kimura, Hachioji, JP;
Yotaro Sato, Hachioji, JP;
Konica Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image is reverse-developed by a developing device with a development bias applied, through conveying a two-component developer layer containing toner particles having a volume-average particle diameter of 3 to 5 &mgr;m by a developer carrying member rotatably provided, a developed toner image is transferred onto a recording medium or an intermediate transfer body, and untransferred toner particles remaining on an image forming body having passed a transfer region are removed by a cleaning member provided in pressure contact with the surface of the image forming body. The length in an axis direction of the image forming body of an useless toner image formed on the image forming body at the starting time and the ending time of an image formation sequence denoted by L, the total charge quantity of the toner particles making up the useless toner image is 0.04L &mgr;C or less.