US5438398A — Image forming apparatus with intermediate transfe…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 124 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; wherein the toner image is further transferred onto a second image bearing member therefrom; wherein said intermediate transfer member comprises a conductive layer to which a voltage is applied, a surface layer on the conductive layer, and a volume resistivity of the surface layer is 10 5 -10 11 ohm.cm, wherein a voltage is set so that a current in a non-image portion during an image transfer operation from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member is less than twice a current in an image portion.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 124 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; wherein the toner image is further transferred onto a second image bearing member therefrom; wherein said intermediate transfer member comprises a conductive layer to which a voltage is applied, a surface layer on the conductive layer, and a volume resistivity of the surface layer is 10 5 -10 11 ohm.cm, wherein a voltage is set so that a current in a non-image portion during an image transfer operation from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member is less than twice a current in an image portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface layer is of elastic material.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface layer has a volume resistivity of 10 7 -10 10 ohm.cm.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to said second image bearing member is substantially the same position as a transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 95 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is selectively operable in a first mode in which the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to said second image bearing member, and in a second mode in which the second image bearing member is passed through between said first image bearing member and said intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from said first image bearing member to the second image bearing member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in the first mode, the transfer from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member is carried out a plurality of times, and thereafter, a plurality of images on the intermediate transfer member is transferred all together onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said apparatus is operable such that a first toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, a second toner image is formed on said first image bearing member, and the first and second toner images can be simultaneously transferred onto opposite sides of the second image bearing member supplied between said first image bearing member and said intermediate transfer member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 87 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at a first transfer position where the image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, a speed of said first image bearing member and a speed of said intermediate transfer member is different, and wherein at a second transfer position where the image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to the second image bearing member, the speed of the intermediate transfer member and a speed of the second image bearing member are different.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 66 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising transfer means for transferring the toner image from said intermediate transfer member onto the second image bearing member, constant current control means for supplying a constant current to said intermediate transfer member, and determining means for determining a voltage applied to said transfer means in accordance with a voltage V T provided during a constant current control operation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said transfer means is supplied with the following voltage V during the constant voltage control operation: V=aV T +b (a, b, constants including 0).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the constants a and b are changed when the voltage V T is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred at a transfer position from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, and adjacent the transfer position, a curvature of said intermediate transfer member is smaller than a curvature of said first image bearing member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is operable such that different color toner images are superposedly transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the different color toner images are all together transferable to the second image bearing member from said first intermediate transfer member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said apparatus is capable of forming a full-color toner image on said second image bearing member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is transferred electrostatically onto said intermediate transfer member, and the image is electrostatically transferred onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 12 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage is 2-5 KV.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 123 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; wherein said apparatus is selectively operable in a first mode in which the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to the second image bearing member, and in a second mode in which a second image bearing member is passed between said first image bearing member and said intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from said first image bearing member onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 123 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; wherein said apparatus is selectively operable in a first mode in which the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to the second image bearing member, and in a second mode in which a second image bearing member is passed between said first image bearing member and said intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image from said first image bearing member onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein an image transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to said second image bearing member is substantially the same position as a transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 52 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein in the first mode, the transfer from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member is carried out a plurality of times, and thereafter, a plurality of images on the intermediate transfer member is transferred all together onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 76 words

An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said apparatus is operable such that a first toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, a second toner image is formed on said first image bearing member, and the first and second toner images can be simultaneously transferred onto opposite sides of the second image bearing member supplied between said first image bearing member and said intermediate transfer member.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 87 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein at a first transfer position where the image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, a speed of said first image bearing member and a speed of said intermediate transfer member is different, and wherein at a second transfer position where the image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to the second image bearing member, the speed of the intermediate transfer member and a speed of the second image bearing member are different.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 66 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising transfer means for transferring the toner image from said intermediate transfer member onto the second image bearing member, constant current control means for supplying a constant current to said intermediate transfer member, and determining means for determining a voltage applied to said transfer means in accordance with a voltage V T provided during a constant current control operation.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 31 words

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said transfer means is supplied with the following voltage V during the constant voltage control operation: V=aV T +b (a, b, constants including 0).

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the constants a and b are changed when the voltage V T is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred at a transfer position from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, and adjacent the transfer position, a curvature of said intermediate transfer member is smaller than a curvature of said first image bearing member.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus is capable of forming a full-color toner image on said second image bearing member.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the image is transferred electrostatically onto said intermediate transfer member, and the image is electrostatically transferred onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 92 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member on which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; transfer means for transferring the toner image from said intermediate transfer member onto the second image bearing member; constant current control means for supplying a constant current onto said intermediate transfer member; determining means for determining a voltage to be applied to said transfer means in accordance with a voltage provided in a constant current control operation.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 92 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member on which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member; transfer means for transferring the toner image from said intermediate transfer member onto the second image bearing member; constant current control means for supplying a constant current onto said intermediate transfer member; determining means for determining a voltage to be applied to said transfer means in accordance with a voltage provided in a constant current control operation.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein an image transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to said second image bearing member is substantially the same position as a transfer position where the toner image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 87 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein at a first transfer position where the image is transferred from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, a speed of said first image bearing member and a speed of said intermediate transfer member is different, and wherein at a second transfer position where the image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member to the second image bearing member, the speed of the intermediate transfer member and a speed of the second image bearing member are different.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 31 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said transfer means is supplied with the following voltage V during the constant voltage control operation: V=aV T +b (a, b, constants including 0).

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 24 words

An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the constants a and b are changed when the voltage V T is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 44 words

An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein toner images can be formed on both sides of the second image bearing member, and the constants a and b are determined in accordance with a number of image transfer operations to the second image bearing member.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred at a transfer position from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member, and adjacent the transfer position, a curvature of said intermediate transfer member is smaller than a curvature of said first image bearing member.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said apparatus is operable such that different color toner images are superposedly transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the different color toner images are all together transferable to the second image bearing member from said first intermediate transfer member.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said apparatus is capable of forming a full-color toner image on said second image bearing member.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the image is transferred electrostatically onto said intermediate transfer member, and the image is electrostatically transferred onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 114 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member on which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member at a first transfer position; wherein the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member onto a second image bearing member at a second transfer position; wherein a first speed of said first image bearing member in the first transfer position is different from a second speed of said intermediate transfer member, and a third speed of said intermediate transfer member at the second transfer position is different from a fourth speed of the second image bearing member.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 114 words

An image forming apparatus, comprising: a first image bearing member on which a toner image can be formed; an intermediate transfer member on which the toner image is transferable from said first image bearing member at a first transfer position; wherein the toner image is transferred from said intermediate transfer member onto a second image bearing member at a second transfer position; wherein a first speed of said first image bearing member in the first transfer position is different from a second speed of said intermediate transfer member, and a third speed of said intermediate transfer member at the second transfer position is different from a fourth speed of the second image bearing member.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 52 words

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein in the first mode, the transfer from said first image bearing member to said intermediate transfer member is carried out a plurality of times, and thereafter, a plurality of images on the intermediate transfer member is transferred all together onto the second image bearing member.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 46 words

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the second speed is larger than the first speed, and the third speed is larger than the fourth speed, or the second speed is smaller than the first speed, and the third speed is smaller than the fourth speed.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 54 words

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said apparatus is operable such that different color toner images are superposedly transferred from said first image bearing member onto said intermediate transfer member, and thereafter, the different color toner images are all together transferable to the second image bearing member from said first intermediate transfer member.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said apparatus is capable of forming a full-color toner image on said second image bearing member.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the image is transferred electrostatically onto said intermediate transfer member, and the image is electrostatically transferred onto the second image bearing member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-07-31	1999-01-30	1999-08-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-07-31	2003-01-30	2003-08-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-07-31	2007-01-30	2007-08-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image forming apparatus with intermediate transfer member

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