Image forming apparatus

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus for sequentially forming a first toner image and a second toner image on a surface of an image bearing member, comprising: developing means for developing first and second electrostatic latent images into the first and second toner images by a first developer including positively charged toner and a second developer, respectively; wherein said developing means includes a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias AC voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and minimum voltage Vmin to said developer carrying member to form an electric field between said image bearing member and said developer carrying member, wherein |Vmin-V.sub.T /d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of the first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said developing means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the following is satisfied |Vmin-V.sub.T |/d≦2.0 (V/micron).

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing means includes an additional developer carrying member for the first developer.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference ΔV between V T and V DC which is equal to (Vmax-Vmin)/2 is not more than 250 V.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage V T is a voltage after said image bearing member is re-charged by recharging means.

Claim 7

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable image bearing member; electrostatic latent image forming means for forming a first electrostatic latent image and a second electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member; first developing means for forming a first toner image by developing the first electrostatic latent image by a first developer including positively charged toner; means for charging said first toner image, said charging means being disposed downstream of said first developing means with respect to movement of said image bearing member; second developing means disposed downstream of said charging means for forming a second toner image by developing the second electrostatic latent image with a second developer, said second developing means including a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias AC voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin to said developer carrying member to form an electric field between said image bearing member and said developer carrying member, wherein |Vmin-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of a first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said second developing means and after the first latent image is subjected to an operation of said charging means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 8

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable image bearing member; electrostatic latent image forming means for forming a first electrostatic latent image and a second electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member; first developing means for forming a first toner image by developing the first electrostatic latent image by a first developer including positively charged toner; means for charging said first toner image, said charging means being disposed downstream of said first developing means with respect to movement of said image bearing member; second developing means disposed downstream of said charging means for forming a second toner image by developing the second electrostatic latent image with a second developer, said second developing means including a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias AC voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin to said developer carrying member to form an electric field between said image bearing member and said developer carrying member, wherein |Vmin-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of a first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said second developing means and after the first latent image is subjected to an operation of said charging means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein |Vmin-V.sub.T |/d≦2.0 (V/micron).

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein |Vmax-Vmin| is not less than 800 V and not more than 1300 V.

Claim 11

An image forming apparatus for sequentially forming a first toner image and a second toner image on a surface of an image bearing member, comprising: developing means for developing first and second electrostatic latent images into the first and second toner images by a first developer including negatively charged toner and a second developer, respectively; wherein said developing means includes a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer and spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, to said developer carrying member to form an electric field between said image bearing member and said developer carrying member, the electric field having a direction alternately changing, wherein the following is satisfied: |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of the first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said developing means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 12

An image forming apparatus for sequentially forming a first toner image and a second toner image on a surface of an image bearing member, comprising: developing means for developing first and second electrostatic latent images into the first and second toner images by a first developer including negatively charged toner and a second developer, respectively; wherein said developing means includes a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer and spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, to said developer carrying member to form an electric field between said image bearing member and said developer carrying member, the electric field having a direction alternately changing, wherein the following is satisfied: |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of the first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said developing means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the following is satisfied |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.0 (V/micron).

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said developing means includes an additional developer carrying member for the first developer.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a difference between V T and (Vmax-Vmin)/2 is not more than 250 V.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the voltage V T is a voltage after said image bearing member is re-charged by recharging means.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first and second developers are negatively charged, and wherein the images to be developed by said first and second developing means are negative.

Claim 18

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable image bearing number; electrostatic latent image forming means for forming a first electrostatic latent image and a second electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member; first developing means for forming a first toner image by developing the first electrostatic latent image by a first developer including negatively charged toner; means for charging said first toner image, said charging means being disposed downstream of said first developing means with respect to movement of said image bearing member; second developing means disposed downstream of said charging means for forming a second toner image by developing the second electrostatic latent image by a second developer, said second developing means including a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer and spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, to said developer carrying member and said developer carrying member, the electric field having a direction alternately changing, wherein the following is satisfied: |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of a first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said second developing means and after the first latent image is subjected to an operation of said charging means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 19

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable image bearing number; electrostatic latent image forming means for forming a first electrostatic latent image and a second electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member; first developing means for forming a first toner image by developing the first electrostatic latent image by a first developer including negatively charged toner; means for charging said first toner image, said charging means being disposed downstream of said first developing means with respect to movement of said image bearing member; second developing means disposed downstream of said charging means for forming a second toner image by developing the second electrostatic latent image by a second developer, said second developing means including a developer carrying member for carrying the second developer and spaced apart from said image bearing member by a distance d so as not to contact the first toner image, and means for applying a developing bias voltage which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, to said developer carrying member and said developer carrying member, the electric field having a direction alternately changing, wherein the following is satisfied: |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.25 (V/micron), where V T (V) is a potential of a first toner image immediately before formation of the second toner image by said second developing means and after the first latent image is subjected to an operation of said charging means, the potential of the first toner image being a surface potential of the first toner image under existence of the first latent image.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the following satisfied |Vmax-V.sub.T |/d≦2.0 (V/micron).

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein Vmax-Vmin is not less than 800 V and not more than 1300 V.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first and second developers are negatively charged, and wherein the images to be developed by said first and second developing means are negative.

Claim 23

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable electrophotographic photosensitive member; first charging means for charging said photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity; first exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member charged by said first charging means to first information light to form a first electrostatic latent image; first developing means for developing the first electrostatic latent image with first toner to form a first toner image, wherein the first toner is charged to the predetermined polarity, and wherein the first developing means deposits the first toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the first information light; second charging means for charging the first toner image with a charge having a polarity the same as that of the first toner; second exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member acted on by said second charging means to second information light to form a second electrostatic latent image; and second developing means for developing the second electrostatic latent image with the second toner charged to the same polarity as the first toner to form a second toner image on the photosensitive member having the first toner image thereon; wherein said second developing means includes a rotatable developer carrying sleeve for carrying the second toner and deposits the second toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the second information light; and wherein the developer carrying the sleeve of said second developing means is supplied with a bias voltage having an AC component which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, wherein when the first toner is negatively charged, |Vmax-V.sub.T /d≦2.25 (V/micron), where d is a clearance between said developer carrying sleeve and said photosensitive member, and V T is a potential of the first toner charged by said second charging means.

Claim 24

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable electrophotographic photosensitive member; first charging means for charging said photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity; first exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member charged by said first charging means to first information light to form a first electrostatic latent image; first developing means for developing the first electrostatic latent image with first toner to form a first toner image, wherein the first toner is charged to the predetermined polarity, and wherein the first developing means deposits the first toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the first information light; second charging means for charging the first toner image with a charge having a polarity the same as that of the first toner; second exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member acted on by said second charging means to second information light to form a second electrostatic latent image; and second developing means for developing the second electrostatic latent image with the second toner charged to the same polarity as the first toner to form a second toner image on the photosensitive member having the first toner image thereon; wherein said second developing means includes a rotatable developer carrying sleeve for carrying the second toner and deposits the second toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the second information light; and wherein the developer carrying the sleeve of said second developing means is supplied with a bias voltage having an AC component which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and a minimum voltage Vmin, wherein when the first toner is negatively charged, |Vmax-V.sub.T /d≦2.25 (V/micron), where d is a clearance between said developer carrying sleeve and said photosensitive member, and V T is a potential of the first toner charged by said second charging means.

Claim 25

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable electrophotographic photosensitive member; first charging means for charging said photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity; first exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member charged by said first charging means to first information light to form a first electrostatic latent image; first developing means for developing the first electrostatic latent image with first toner to form a first toner image, wherein the first toner is charged to the predetermined polarity, and wherein said first developing means deposits the first toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the first information light; second charging means for charging the first toner image with a charge having a polarity the same as that of the first toner; second exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member acted on by said second charging means to second information light to form a second electrostatic latent image; and second developing means for developing the second electrostatic latent image with second toner charged to the same polarity as the first toner to form a second toner image on the photosensitive member having the first toner image thereon; wherein said second developing means includes a rotatable developer carrying sleeve for carrying the second toner and deposits the second toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the second information light; and wherein the developer carrying sleeve of said second developing means is supplied with a bias voltage having an AC component which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and minimum voltage Vmin, wherein when the first toner is positively charged, |Vmin-V.sub.T /d≦2.25 (V/micron) where d is a clearance between said developer carrying sleeve and said photosensitive member, and V T is a potential of the first toner charged by said second charging means.

Claim 26

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable electrophotographic photosensitive member; first charging means for charging said photosensitive member to a predetermined polarity; first exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member charged by said first charging means to first information light to form a first electrostatic latent image; first developing means for developing the first electrostatic latent image with first toner to form a first toner image, wherein the first toner is charged to the predetermined polarity, and wherein said first developing means deposits the first toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the first information light; second charging means for charging the first toner image with a charge having a polarity the same as that of the first toner; second exposure means for exposing said photosensitive member acted on by said second charging means to second information light to form a second electrostatic latent image; and second developing means for developing the second electrostatic latent image with second toner charged to the same polarity as the first toner to form a second toner image on the photosensitive member having the first toner image thereon; wherein said second developing means includes a rotatable developer carrying sleeve for carrying the second toner and deposits the second toner to that portion of said photosensitive member exposed to the second information light; and wherein the developer carrying sleeve of said second developing means is supplied with a bias voltage having an AC component which varies between a maximum voltage Vmax and minimum voltage Vmin, wherein when the first toner is positively charged, |Vmin-V.sub.T /d≦2.25 (V/micron) where d is a clearance between said developer carrying sleeve and said photosensitive member, and V T is a potential of the first toner charged by said second charging means.