US 11,693,351 B2
Image forming apparatus capable of reducing image defects caused by paper dust
Toshihiko Takayama, Kanagawa (JP); Shinsuke Kobayashi, Kanagawa (JP); Shuichi Tetsuno, Kanagawa (JP); Kazuhiro Funatani, Kanagawa (JP); and Jun Hara, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/675,629.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-027931 (JP), filed on Feb. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0269213 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 21/00 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/10 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/0035 (2013.01) [G03G 15/08 (2013.01); G03G 21/0064 (2013.01); G03G 21/10 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a rotatable image bearing member;
a driving unit configured to drive the image bearing member to rotate;
a charging member configured to charge a surface of the image bearing member at a charging portion where the charging member is opposed to the image bearing member;
an exposure unit configured to expose the surface of the image bearing member charged by the charging member to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image bearing member;
a developing member configured to develop the electrostatic latent image into a developer image by supplying a developer charged to a normal polarity to the surface of the image bearing member;
a transfer member configured to be in contact with the image bearing member to form a transfer portion and transfer the developer image from the surface of the image bearing member to a transfer material at the transfer portion;
a brush member configured to form a contact portion downstream of the transfer portion and upstream of the charging portion in a rotation direction of the image bearing member and be in contact with the surface of the image bearing member at the contact portion; and
a control unit configured to control the driving unit,
wherein the developing member is configured to, after the developer image formed on the surface of the image bearing member is transferred to the transfer material at the transfer portion, collect the developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the driving unit so that a driving state in which the image bearing member is driven with a first potential difference formed between the brush member and the image bearing member at the contact portion transitions to a stopped state where the image bearing member stops being driven with a second potential difference formed at the contact portion, the second potential difference having a same polarity as the first potential difference and an absolute value less than the absolute value of the first potential difference.