Patent ID: 9250563
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to rotate; a latent image forming unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with a developer, the developer including a toner and an external additive added to the toner; a transfer unit configured to transfer an image developed on the image carrier to a recording material; a cleaning member configured to clean a residue that remains on the image carrier after transfer; a supply unit configured to supply a developing bias between the image carrier and the developing unit, the developing bias having an alternating-current component superimposed on a direct-current component; and a setting part configured to increase a peak-to-peak value of the alternating-current component of the developing bias when a non-image region on the image carrier passes a developing region facing the developing unit, in comparison to when an image region on the image carrier passes the developing region, and maintain a magnitude of the direct-current component of the developing bias when the non-image region on the image carrier passes the developing region facing the developing unit, in comparison when the image region on the image carrier passes the developing region.