Image forming apparatus
View Patent ↗A drum idle rotation is executed by the timing before printing on the basis of the number of drum idle rotating times selected by the operator, or the number of drum idle rotating times is set in accordance with a print image kind or a drum count value and the drum idle rotation is performed by the timing before printing on the basis of the set value. The number of drum idle rotating times by the timing before printing is corrected by a print density or an apparatus environment. Defective exposure or generation of a lateral stripe due to oligomer which is generated in the portion where a developing roller or a photosensitive drum is come into contact is prevented.
1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image by executing a printing operation, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an electrostatic latent image-bearing body having an extraneous substance deposited on a surface thereof;
a developing member supplying a developer on the electrostatic latent image-bearing body;
a control unit for rotating said electrostatic latent image-bearing body by one or more predetermined number of times before performing the printing operation in which an electrostatic latent image is formed onto the electrostatic latent image-bearing body and the developing member supplies the developer to the electrostatic latent image; and
a removing member contacting with the electrostatic latent image-bearing body so that the removing member removes the extraneous substance from the surface of the electrostatic latent image-bearing body while said electrostatic latent image-bearing body is rotated by the predetermined number of times.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage providing section for providing said developing member with a voltage,
wherein, until said electrostatic latent image-bearing body is rotated by the predetermined number of times, said voltage providing section controls said voltage provided to said developing member.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrifying member for electrifying said electrostatic latent image-bearing body;
a transferring member for transferring said developer on said electrostatic latent image-bearing body onto a printing medium; and
a voltage providing section which provides respectively said electrifying member, said developing member and said transferring member with voltages, wherein, until said electrostatic latent image-bearing body is rotated by the predetermined number of times, said voltage providing section controls said voltages provided to said electrifying member, said developing member and said transferring member.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the transferring member is a transfer roller.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the electrifying member is a charging roller.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number is set on the basis of a kind of a print image.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein, when the print image is a kind having a higher print density the predetermined number is set bigger.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number is set on the basis of an accumulated rotation number of said electrostatic latent image-bearing body before performing the printing operation.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, when the extraneous substance is deposited more at the accumulated rotation number of said electrostatic latent image-bearing body before performing the printing operation, said predetermined number is set bigger.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined number is set on the basis of a print density of a printing image.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when the print density of said printing images is lower, said predetermined number is set bigger.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a detecting unit which obtains temperature/humidity information, wherein the predetermined number is set on the basis of a detection result of said detecting unit.
13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, when an absolute humidity which is calculated on the basis of the result of said detecting unit is higher, said predetermined number is set bigger.
14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning member for collecting the extraneous substance after the extraneous substance is removed from the electrostatic latent image-bearing body.
15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the removing member is a blade.
16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the removing member is a cleaning roller.
17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the extraneous substance is an oligomer.
18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the extraneous substance is a toner.
19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrostatic latent image-bearing body is completely rotated by said one or more predetermined number of times before performing the printing operation.