Patent ID: 7486913
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming method, comprising: providing a plurality of drums arranged serially one behind the other along a path of movement of an image forming medium; providing a plurality of disturbing members, each disturbing member associated with a corresponding drum of the plurality of drums; applying a first bias to each of the disturbing members; performing an image forming operation using at least one drum selected from the plurality of drums; identifying at least one drum not involved in the image forming operation; and changing the bias of at least one disturbing member associated with said identified drum from the first bias to a second bias different from the first bias during the image forming operation, wherein each of the plurality of disturbing members collects toner from a surface of the corresponding drum when set to the first bias and ejects toner to the surface of the corresponding drum when set to the second bias.