Image forming apparatus with a purge control means

摘要

An image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copier includes: a photoreceptor for holding a latent image; a charger for charging the photoreceptor; an exposure unit such as a LED array for exposing the photoreceptor with light so as to form a latent image on the photoreceptor; a developing unit placed in the vicinity of the photoreceptor, for developing the latent image with a developing agent so as to form a developing agent image on the photoreceptor; in which the developing unit includes a developing sleeve for holding the developing agent on its surface; a transfer unit for transferring the developing agent image on the photoreceptor to a recording medium; a cleaner for cleaning a residual developing agent on the photoreceptor after the developing agent image is transferred to the recording medium; and a purge control unit (801) for purging foreign matters, included in the developing agent, from the developing agent on the developing sleeve; in which the purge control unit includes: an attraction member for attracting the foreign matters from the developing sleeve. <IMAGE>