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US5508788A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming apparatus having contact charger wtih superposed AC/DC bias

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1994-08-16
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Granted: 1996-04-16
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Expires: 2014-08-16
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Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus including a contact charger for charging the surface of an image carrying body, a latent image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the charged image carrying body, a developing device for developing the latent image to form a visible image, a power source for applying a DC/AC superposed bias to the contact charger, a detector for detecting the current value of the superposed bias applied to the contact charger, and a device for controlling the AC:DC voltage ratio of the superposed bias applied to the contact charger, in accordance with a detected value from the detector. The AC bias is between 150 to 400 V while the DC bias is set between 500 to 800V.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takeshi Watanabe
  • 👤 Minoru Yoshida

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 21:26
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/02; G03G15/0266; G03G15/0208; G03G15/0216

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 113 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: contact charging means for charging the surface of an image carrying body; image forming means for forming an image on the charged image carrying body; means for applying a DC/AC superposed bias to the contact charging means; detecting means for detecting a current value of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means; and means for controlling the AC:DC ratio of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means, in accordance with a detected value from the detecting means, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 150 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 800 V.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 113 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: contact charging means for charging the surface of an image carrying body; image forming means for forming an image on the charged image carrying body; means for applying a DC/AC superposed bias to the contact charging means; detecting means for detecting a current value of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means; and means for controlling the AC:DC ratio of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means, in accordance with a detected value from the detecting means, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 150 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 800 V.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 300 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 650 V.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 47 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises means for lowering the voltage ratio for the AC and DC components of the superposed bias in accordance with a reduction of the current value of the superposed bias, detected by the detecting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises means for lowering the voltage ratio for the AC and DC components of the superposed bias in stages in accordance with a reduction of the current value of the superposed bias, detected by the detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises means for continuously lowering the voltage ratio for the AC and DC components of the superposed bias in accordance with a reduction of the current value of the superposed bias, detected by the detecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact charging means comprises a brush charger.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact charging means comprises a rotating-brush charger.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact charging means comprises a stationary-brush charger.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 97 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: contact charging means for charging the surface of an image carrying body; image forming means for forming an image on the charged image carrying body; means for applying a DC/AC superposed bias to the contact charging means; and means for controlling the AC:DC ratio of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means, in accordance with a surface potential of the image carrying body, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 150 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 800 V.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 97 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: contact charging means for charging the surface of an image carrying body; image forming means for forming an image on the charged image carrying body; means for applying a DC/AC superposed bias to the contact charging means; and means for controlling the AC:DC ratio of the superposed bias applied to the contact charging means, in accordance with a surface potential of the image carrying body, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 150 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 800 V.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 36 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controlling means comprises means for changing voltage ratios for the DC and AC components of the superposed bias in accordance with the frequency of image formation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 35 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said superposed bias is a bias obtained by superposing an AC bias of 300 to 400 V on a DC bias of 500 to 650 V.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4672505A Cited
US5420671A Cited
JPH0212276A Cited
JPH0269781A Cited
US5144368A Cited
US5229818A Cited
US5305177A Cited
JPH04181962A Cited
JPH05181350A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-04-16 1999-10-16 2000-04-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-04-16 2003-10-16 2004-04-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-04-16 2007-10-16 2008-04-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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