APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING IMAGE

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes a first electric charging unit having an electric discharge wire to uniformly electrify a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer, a second electric charging unit having a second electric discharge wire to execute a pre-electric charge removal electric charging process by electrifying the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer subsequent to a transfer process to transfer a toner image, and a first electric charge removing device to diselectrify the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer by irradiating it with electric charge removing light subsequent to the pre-electric charge removal electric charging process. The first electric charge removing device is disposed within an electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire on a downstream side of an extreme upstream edge of the electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire in a rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image bearer.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a rotary electrostatic latent image bearer to bear an electrostatic latent image; a first electric charging unit having at least one first electric discharge wire to uniformly electrify a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer; an electrostatic latent image writing device to write an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer electrified by the first electric charging unit; a developing device to render the electrostatic latent image borne on the electrostatic latent image bearer visible as a toner image with toner; a transfer device to transfer the toner image obtained by developing the electrostatic latent image onto a transfer medium in a transfer process; a second electric charging unit having a second electric discharge wire to execute a pre-electric charge removal electric charging process by electrifying the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer subsequent to the transfer process executed by the transfer device; and a first electric charge removing device to diselectrify the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer by irradiating the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer with first electric charge removing light subsequent to the pre-electric charge removal electric charging process, wherein the at least one first electric discharge wire provided in the first electric charging unit and the second electric discharge wire provided in the second electric charging unit are accommodated in a single housing, wherein the second electric discharge wire provided in the second electric charging unit is disposed upstream of the at least one first electric discharge wire in a rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image bearer, wherein the first electric charge removing device is disposed within an electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire and irradiates the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer with the electric charge removing light on a downstream side of an extreme upstream edge of the electric discharge region of the second electric discharge wire in the rotational direction of the electrostatic latent image bearer.