Image forming apparatus with low ozone generation and improved image quality

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the transfer material supplied from the supply means through the image carriers; suction means provided on an upstream side of the image carriers in a conveying direction of the conveyer belt, for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force; and a plurality of transfer means arranged to oppose the image carriers, respectively, with the conveyer belt being interposed between the transfer means and the image carriers, for respectively transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material conveyed by the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a running distance L1 (mm) of the conveyer belt from a peeling position, at which the transfer material passes through the image carrier situated in a rearmost position on a downstream side in the conveying direction of the transfer material, to a suctioning position at which the suction means is located, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy a relation of L1/V≧(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×7.

Claim 3

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction means comprises a suction member provided in contact with the conveyer belt and having a predetermined volume resistance, and suction bias supply means for applying electric charges of the same polarity as that of the developer images to the conveyer belt.

Claim 4

An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the suction member includes a rubber roller which is in rolling contact with the conveyer belt and has a volume resistance of 10 5 to 10 12 Ω·cm.

Claim 5

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of transfer means respectively comprise corona chargers for applying a transfer bias to the transfer material, said transfer bias having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the developer images.

Claim 6

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image carriers include first to fourth image carriers arranged in order from a side of the supply means in the conveying direction of the transfer material, and the plurality of image forming means include first to fourth image forming means for forming developer images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors on the first to fourth image carriers, respectively.

Claim 7

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the transfer material supplied from the supply means through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means arranged to oppose the image carriers, respectively, with the conveyer belt being interposed between the transfer means and the image carriers, for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for respectively transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material conveyed by the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a running distance L2 (mm) of the conveyer belt from a final transfer position, at which a developer image transferred to the transfer material from the image carrier situated at a most downstream side in the conveying direction of the transfer material, to a first transfer position, at which a developer image is transferred to the transfer material from the image carrier situated at a most upstream side in the conveying direction of the transfer material, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy a relation of L2/V ≧(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×10. 7.

Claim 8

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the transfer material supplied from the supply means through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means arranged to oppose the image carriers, respectively, with the conveyer belt being interposed between the transfer means and the image carriers, for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for respectively transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material conveyed by the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a running distance L2 (mm) of the conveyer belt from a final transfer position, at which a developer image transferred to the transfer material from the image carrier situated at a most downstream side in the conveying direction of the transfer material, to a first transfer position, at which a developer image is transferred to the transfer material from the image carrier situated at a most upstream side in the conveying direction of the transfer material, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy a relation of L2/V ≧(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×10. 7.

Claim 9

An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of transfer means respectively comprise corona chargers for applying a transfer bias to the transfer material, said transfer bias having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the developer images.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of image carriers include first to fourth image carriers arranged in order from a side of the supply means in the conveying direction of the transfer material, and the plurality to image forming means include first to fourth image forming means for forming developer images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors on the first to fourth image carriers, respectively.

Claim 11

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the supplied transfer material through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material, the transfer means including a plurality of transfer members provided in planar or linear contact with the conveyer belt on a side opposite to the image carriers, and bias applying means for applying a transfer bias through the transfer members to the transfer material on the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a distance X (mm) between two adjacent image carriers, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy relations as follows: X/V≦(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×15 and 5×10.sup.8 ≦ρ≦10.sup.14.

Claim 12

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the supplied transfer material through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material, the transfer means including a plurality of transfer members provided in planar or linear contact with the conveyer belt on a side opposite to the image carriers, and bias applying means for applying a transfer bias through the transfer members to the transfer material on the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a distance X (mm) between two adjacent image carriers, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy relations as follows: X/V≦(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×15 and 5×10.sup.8 ≦ρ≦10.sup.14.

Claim 13

An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the transfer members include transfer rollers provided to be in rolling contact with the conveyer belt and having a predetermined volume resistance, respectively.

Claim 14

An image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of image carriers include first to fourth image carriers arranged in order from a side of the supply means in the conveying direction of the transfer material, and the plurality of image forming means include first to fourth image forming means for forming developer images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors on the first to fourth image carriers, respectively.

Claim 15

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the transfer material supplied from the supply means through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material, the transfer means including a plurality of transfer members provided in contact with the conveyer belt at a number of contact points on a side of the belt opposite to the image carriers, and bias applying means for applying a transfer bias through the transfer members to the transfer material on the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a distance X (mm) between two adjacent image carriers, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy relations as follows: X/V≦(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×20 and 5×10.sup.9 ≦ρ≦10.sup.15. 13.

Claim 16

An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in parallel with each other; a plurality of image forming means for respectively forming developer images on the image carriers; supply means for supplying a transfer material onto which the developer images are transferred; a conveyer belt provided so as to oppose the image carriers, for conveying the transfer material supplied from the supply means through the image carriers; and a plurality of transfer means for maintaining the supplied transfer material on the conveyer belt by a suction force and for transferring the developer images formed on the image carriers to the transfer material, the transfer means including a plurality of transfer members provided in contact with the conveyer belt at a number of contact points on a side of the belt opposite to the image carriers, and bias applying means for applying a transfer bias through the transfer members to the transfer material on the conveyer belt; wherein a conveying speed V (mm/sec) of the conveyer belt, a distance X (mm) between two adjacent image carriers, a volume resistance ρ (Ω·cm) of the conveyer belt, and a relative dielectric constant ε of the conveyer belt are set so as to satisfy relations as follows: X/V≦(ε·ε.sub.0 ·ρ)×20 and 5×10.sup.9 ≦ρ≦10.sup.15. 13.

Claim 17

An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the transfer members include transfer brushes provided to be in rolling contact with the conveyer belt and having a predetermined volume resistance, respectively.

Claim 18

An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of image carriers include first to fourth image carriers arranged in order from side of the supply means in the conveying direction of the transfer material, and the plurality of image forming means include first to fourth image forming means for forming developer images of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors on the first to fourth image carriers, respectively.