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US4797707A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming apparatus

Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
•
Filing: 1987-12-21
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Granted: 1989-01-10
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Expires: 2007-12-21
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Abstract

Abstract Present invention provides an image forming apparatus wherein a photosensitive member is subjected to optimum fatigue treatment in order to prevent the fluctuation of copying density and prevent fogging. Therefore, an image forming apparatus according to the invention is arranged so that the duration of prerotation for subjecting a photosensitive member to the fatigue treatment in advance is regulated in accordance with both the rest time after the completion of a previously-executed copying operation and the current temperature of the photosensitive member.

Inventors

  • 👤 Haruo Iwahashi
  • 👤 Kazuhiro Nakazawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 20:31
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/0094; G03G15/00; G03G15/50; G03G15/5033; G03G15/5045; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00025; G03G2215/00071; G03G2215/00084

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
Image forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive member being rotatable for forming latent image thereon, said photosensitive member having an electric capability of establishing electric potential thereon by being subjected to electrification and having a fatigue characteristic in which the electric capability changes with respect to operation period and the changed electric capability recovers with respect to rest time period, a means for judging the rest time period, a means for detecting temperature of said photosensitve member, a means for providing fatigue to said photosensitive member in order to change the electric capability, a means for controlling said fatigue providing means based on the rest period and the temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 108 words
Image forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive member being rotatable for forming latent image thereon, said photosensitive member having an electric capability of establishing electric potential thereon by being subjected to electrification and having a fatigue characteristic in which the electric capability changes with respect to operation period and the changed electric capability recovers with respect to rest time period, a means for judging the rest time period, a means for detecting temperature of said photosensitve member, a means for providing fatigue to said photosensitive member in order to change the electric capability, a means for controlling said fatigue providing means based on the rest period and the temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controlling means preliminary rotates said photosensitve member while actuating said fatigue providing means in advance of image forming operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controlling means controls the number of prerotation times of said photosensitive member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controlling means controls the prerotation period of said photosensitve member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controlling means has at least two control modes of which, on the first mode, the prerotation of said photosensitive member is carried out after turning on power source of said image forming apparatus before indicating copy ready information and, on the second mode, the prerotation of said photosensitve member is carried out after receiving image forming order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 61 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a developing means for obtaining toner image by developing the latent image formed on said photosensitive member, and a fixing means having a heat fixing roller for fixing toner image onto recording-medium, wherein said judging means judges the rest period based on the temperature of said heat fixing roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 59 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said controlling means has at least two control modes of which, on the first mode, the prerotation of said photosensitive member is carried out after turning on power source of said image forming apparatus and, on the second mode, the prerotation of said photosensitve member is carried out ater receving image forming order.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said controlling means controls the first mode in accordance with the rest period judged on the basis of the temperature of said heat fixing roller.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 121 words
lmage forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive member being rotatable for forming toner image thereon, a fixing means having a heat fixing roller for fixing toner image onto recording medium, said photosensitive member having an electric capability of establishing electric potential thereon by being subjected to electrification and having a fatigue characteristic in which the electric capability changes with respect to operation period and the changed electric capability recovers with respect to rest time period, a means for providing fatigue to said photosensitive member in order to change the electric capability, a means for judging the rest time period based on the temperature of said heat fixing means, a means for controlling said fatigue providing means based on the rest time period.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 121 words
lmage forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive member being rotatable for forming toner image thereon, a fixing means having a heat fixing roller for fixing toner image onto recording medium, said photosensitive member having an electric capability of establishing electric potential thereon by being subjected to electrification and having a fatigue characteristic in which the electric capability changes with respect to operation period and the changed electric capability recovers with respect to rest time period, a means for providing fatigue to said photosensitive member in order to change the electric capability, a means for judging the rest time period based on the temperature of said heat fixing means, a means for controlling said fatigue providing means based on the rest time period.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4563079A Cited
US4551000A Cited
US4627714A Cited
US4618247A Cited
US4739367A Cited
US4751484A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-01-10 1992-07-11 1993-01-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-01-10 1996-07-11 1997-01-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-01-10 2000-07-11 2001-01-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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