IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes at least one image forming unit, a primary transfer belt, and a secondary transferer. The image forming unit includes an image carrier and a primary transfer bias applicator. The secondary transferer includes a secondary transfer nip, a secondary transfer bias applicator, and a facing member facing the second transfer bias applicator. The secondary transfer bias applicator forms a secondary transfer electric field. The image forming apparatus further includes a bias applicator, a contact start site, and an electrode. The bias applicator applies a bias voltage having a same polarity as the normal charge polarity of the toner to the primary transfer belt, downstream of the primary transfer bias applicator. The recording medium starts to contact the toner image at the contact start site, located upstream of the secondary transfer nip, where the electrode forms an electric field.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and attendant advantages of the invention will be more fully appreciated, as the same becomes better understood from the detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a tandem image forming apparatus employing an intermediate transfer method according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an image forming unit included in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged illustration of a main part of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is an illustration to explain rollers to form primary transfer nips according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4B illustrates a state in which the rollers are in upper positions to form the primary transfer nips;

FIG. 4C illustrates a state in which the rollers are in lower positions;

FIG. 5A is an illustration of a primary transfer region in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5B is an illustration of the primary transfer region in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged illustration of the primary transfer region of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an illustration of a primary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 14 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 16 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 17 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 18 is an illustration of a secondary transfer region according to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 19 is a graph showing a relation between toner scattering and bias voltages applied by bias applicators according to an exemplary embodiment.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus including: at least one image forming unit, comprising, an image carrier to which toner is applied to form a toner image, and a primary transfer bias applicator to apply a bias voltage, which has an opposite polarity to a normal charge polarity of the toner, to a primary transfer belt to transfer the toner image from the image carrier to the primary transfer belt;wherein the primary transfer belt is configured to form a primary transfer nip with the image carrier; anda secondary transferer comprising, a secondary transfer nip configured to contact the toner image on the primary transfer belt via a recording medium,a secondary transfer bias applicator to form a secondary transfer electric field to transfer the toner image on the primary transfer belt on to the recording medium, anda facing member to face the second transfer bias applicator;wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises:a bias applicator to apply a bias voltage having a same polarity as the normal charge polarity of the toner to the primary transfer belt, in a position downstream of the primary transfer bias applicator in a rotation direction of the primary transfer belt,a contact start site at which the recording medium starts to contact the toner image, located upstream of the secondary transfer nip in the rotation direction of the primary transfer belt, andan electrode to form an electric field at the contact start site to increase an electrostatic attraction between the primary transfer belt and the toner having the normal charge polarity.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner image transferred from the image carrier to the primary transfer belt is a single color image or a multiple color image formed from plural image forming units.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bias applicator is provided in the primary transfer nip.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode contacts a back surface of the primary transfer belt.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a discharger to discharge the recording medium when the recording medium is released from the primary transfer belt downstream of the secondary transfer nip in the rotation direction of the primary transfer belt.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the back surface of the primary transfer belt has a surface resistivity not less than 109 ohms per square.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an absolute value of current flowing between the secondary transfer bias applicator and the facing member is greater than an absolute value of current flowing between the electrode and the secondary transfer bias applicator during secondary transferring.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a constant current power source to supply power to the secondary transfer bias applicator during secondary transferring.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a constant voltage power source to supply power to the electrode.