Image forming apparatus for developing a latent image on an image carrying body with a one component developing agent and simultaneously removing residual developing agent from the image carrying body

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a latent image on an image carrying body; a roller comprising an elastic and a conductive layer for carrying a one-component developing agent to the image carrying body and for removing a residual developing agent from the image carrying body, means for rotating the elastic and conductive roller at a predetermined peripheral speed faster than a peripheral speed of the image carrying body so that the elastic and conductive roller is in slidable contact with the image carrying body with a predetermined contact width, means for applying a linear load in a range of 20 to 150 g/cm to the elastic and conductive roller so as to produce a frictional force between the one-component developing agent and the residual developing agent to thereby enhance cleaning of the residual developing agent from the image carrying body; means for transferring the developed latent image on the image carrying body to a recording medium; and means for disordering the developing agent remaining on the image carrying body after transfer of the developed latent image by the transferring means, so as to disorder any pattern therein.

Claim 3

An image forming apparatus as cited in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating operates to rotate said roller at a predetermined peripheral speed which is 1.5 to 4 times greater than the peripheral speed of the image carrying body.

Claim 4

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the predetermined contact width is in a range of 1 to 4 mm.

Claim 5

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the predetermined contact width is in a range of 1 to 4 mm.

Claim 6

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for applying a biasing voltage to said roller.

Claim 7

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said roller comprises a developing roller including a metal shaft, said elastic layer surrounding the metal shaft, and a conductive surface layer formed on a surface of the elastic layer.

Claim 8

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said elastic layer has polyurethane foam, and said conductive surface layer has a mixture of polyurethane resin and 10 to 30% by weight of conductive carbon.

Claim 9

The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said conductive surface layer has an electric resistance ranging from 10 2 to 10 9 Ω · cm.

Claim 10

The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an elastic blade in sliding contact with the roller.

Claim 11

The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said development performed by the image forming apparatus is reverse development wherein the developing agent adheres to said latent image on an exposed portion of said image carrying body.

Claim 12

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing agent on said roller is charged to a same polarity as the electrostatic latent image.

Claim 13

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes a transfer roller.

Claim 14

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the latent image forming means comprises: a charger for charging said image carrying body; and an exposure station for exposing said image carrying body to an image to be developed to thereby form said latent image; and wherein said disordering means is positioned between said transferring means and said charger.

Claim 15

An image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a latent image on an image carrying body; an integrated developing/cleaning roller for developing the latent image with a one-component developing agent and for simultaneously removing residual developing agent remaining on the image carrying body therefrom while the latent image is developed, the developing/cleaning roller having an elastic and a conductive layer for carrying the one-component developing agent to an exposed portion of an image carrying body and for simultaneously removing residual developing agent from the same exposed portion of the image carrying body; means for rotating the developing/cleaning roller at a predetermined peripheral speed faster than a peripheral speed of the image carrying body so that the developing/cleaning roller is in slidable contact with the image carrying body with a predetermined contact width; means for applying a linear load to the developing/cleaning roller so as to produce a frictional force between the one-component developing agent and the residual developing agent to thereby enhance cleaning of the residual developing agent from the image carrying body; means for transferring the developed latent image on the image carrying body to a recording medium by bringing the recording medium into pressure-contact with the image carrying body, the transfer means having an elastic and a conductive layer to which a transfer bias voltage is applied; and means for disordering the developing agent remaining on the image carrying body after transfer of the developed latent image by the transferring means, so as to render the remaining developing agent unreadable or nonpatterned, the disordering means having a conductive elastic member which is brought into sliding contact with the image carrying body wherein the remaining developing agent on the image carrying body is disordered by means of mechanical and electrostatic forces.

Claim 16

An image forming apparatus comprising: means for forming a latent image on an image carrying body; an integrated developing/cleaning roller for developing the latent image with a one-component developing agent and for simultaneously removing residual developing agent remaining on the image carrying body therefrom while the latent image is developed, the developing/cleaning roller having an elastic and a conductive layer for carrying the one-component developing agent to an exposed portion of an image carrying body and for simultaneously removing residual developing agent from the same exposed portion of the image carrying body; means for rotating the developing/cleaning roller at a predetermined peripheral speed faster than a peripheral speed of the image carrying body so that the developing/cleaning roller is in slidable contact with the image carrying body with a predetermined contact width; means for applying a linear load to the developing/cleaning roller so as to produce a frictional force between the one-component developing agent and the residual developing agent to thereby enhance cleaning of the residual developing agent from the image carrying body; means for transferring the developed latent image on the image carrying body to a recording medium by bringing the recording medium into pressure-contact with the image carrying body, the transfer means having an elastic and a conductive layer to which a transfer bias voltage is applied; and means for disordering the developing agent remaining on the image carrying body after transfer of the developed latent image by the transferring means, so as to render the remaining developing agent unreadable or nonpatterned, the disordering means having a conductive elastic member which is brought into sliding contact with the image carrying body wherein the remaining developing agent on the image carrying body is disordered by means of mechanical and electrostatic forces.

Claim 17

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the latent image forming means comprises: a charger for charging said image carrying body; and an exposure station for exposing said image carrying body to an image to be developed to thereby form said latent image; and wherein said disordering means is positioned between said transferring means and said charger.

Claim 18

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein said linear load is in a range of 20 to 150 g/cm.

Claim 19

An image forming apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said linear load is in a range of 20 to 150 g/cm.