| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus and image forming method which surely exhibit the cleaning function of a blade while decreasing toner consumption and surely form an image of high image quality. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus primarily transfers a toner image, formed on an image forming body by the use of toner having a volume average particle diameter of 4 to 6 μm, onto an intermediate transfer member. The apparatus secondarily transfers the toner image onto an image recording material by applying a bias voltage to a secondary transfer means which is in contact with the intermediate transfer member in the secondary transfer area. The device forms a visible image by mechanically and electrostatically removes untransfer toner, passed through a secondary transfer area, by the use of an auxiliary means provided with a blade and conductive roller member. Thus, the apparatus forms a specific toner image that is separate from an ordinary toner image. In this case, when the specific toner images is passed through a cleaning area by the auxiliary means, the potential of the conductive roller member is switched to an idle potential at which the cleaning function of the auxiliary means decreases. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO |
