IP Library Granted Patent US 7,092,662
Granted Patent B2
US 7,092,662 · App. 10/923,833 · Granted Aug 15, 2006

Image forming apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,092,662
App. No.
10/923,833
Granted
Aug 15, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum, a charging device for charging the surface of the photosensitive drum, an exposing head for exposing the charged surface to an exposure light in order to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image by causing toner adhere to the electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a developing roller for carrying toner to be supplied to the photosensitive drum, a toner supplying roller for supplying toner to the developing roller, and a blade for shaping toner on the developing roller into a thin toner layer. The developing roller, the toner supplying roller, and the blade are applied with voltages VD, VS, and VB respectively, the voltages VD, VS, and VB being determined depending on surrounding temperature and humidity, and satisfying the relationship of |VB−VD|<|VS−VD|.

Claims (18)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image carrier;

a charging device for charging a surface of the image carrier;

an exposing device for exposing the surface of the image carrier charged by the charging device to an exposure light in order to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier;

a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image by causing toner adhere to the electrostatic latent image; and

a thermometer for measuring surrounding temperature;

the developing device including a toner carrier for carrying toner to be supplied to the image carrier, a toner supplying device for supplying toner to the toner carrier, and a toner regulating member for shaping toner on the toner carrier supplied from the toner supplying device into a thin toner layer;

wherein the toner carrier, the toner supplying device and the toner regulating member are applied with voltages VD, VS, and VB respectively, the voltages VD, VS, and VB being determined depending on surrounding temperature measured by the thermometer and satisfying relationship of |VB−VD|<|VS−VD|.

2. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image carrier;

a charging device for charging a surface of the image carrier;

an exposing device for exposing the surface of the image carrier charged by the charging device to an exposure light in order to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier;

a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image by causing toner adhere to the electrostatic latent image; and

a hygrometer for measuring surrounding humidity;

the developing device including a toner carrier for carrying toner to be supplied to the image carrier, a toner supplying device for supplying toner to the toner carrier, and a toner regulating member for shaping toner on the toner carrier supplied from the toner supplying device into a thin toner layer;

wherein the toner carrier, the toner supplying device and the toner regulating member are applied with voltages VD, VS, and VB respectively, the voltages VD, VS, and VB being determined depending on surrounding humidity measured by the hygrometer and satisfying relationship of |VB−VD|<|VS−VD|.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a counter for counting a cumulative number of image forming cycles executed by the image forming apparatus, the voltages VD, VS, and VB being modified in accordance with a count value of the counter.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a counter for counting a cumulative number of image forming cycles executed by the image forming apparatus, the voltages VD, VS, and VB being modified in accordance with a count value of the counter.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: OKI DATA CORPORATION
To: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059365/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2004
From: YAMAMURA, AKIHIRO
To: OKI DATA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015734/0088 →