Patent ID: 8145082
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a photoconductor that includes a photoconductive layer, and an overcoat layer containing electroconductive particles and provided on the photoconductive layer; a charging unit that charges the photoconductor to first potential; an exposure unit that sets an exposure region of the photoconductor to have second potential by exposing the photoconductor charged to the first potential by the charging unit, the second potential being smaller than the first potential in absolute values; a development unit that includes a developer carrier carrying a two-component developer containing toner and carriers and a developing power supply setting the developer carrier to have third potential different from the first potential and the second potential; a potential setting unit that sets the third potential smaller than the first potential and larger than the second potential in absolute values in a first image forming operation in which the photoconductor charged by the charging unit is exposed by the exposure unit and then developed by the development unit, and that sets the third potential larger than the first potential in absolute values in a second image forming operation in which the photoconductor charged by the charging unit is developed by the development unit without being exposed by the exposure unit; a current setting unit that sets an inflowing current caused to flow into the photoconductor from the charging unit, to a fixed current value set in advance, in the second image forming operation; a detection unit that detects image density of a toner image developed on the photoconductor in the second image forming operation; and a controller that controls toner supply with respect to the development unit in accordance with the image density detected by the detection unit, wherein