Patent ID: 8948638
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrier configured to carry a latent image; a latent image writer configured to write the latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit including a toner carrier configured to carry toner, the toner carrier including a first electrode and a second electrode arranged along a surface thereof, the first electrode and the second electrode being insulated from each other via an insulator member, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply voltages to the first electrode and the second electrode such that first electric fields formed by a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode cause the toner to hop from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier to attach the hopping toner to the latent image formed on the latent image carrier to develop a toner image on the latent image carrier; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image developed on the latent image carrier to a transferring member, wherein, when alternating voltages are applied to the first electrode and the second electrode in a toner discharge mode, the alternating voltages having a same phase and a same amplitude and forming second electric fields between the latent image carrier and the toner carrier to cause the toner to hop from the toner carrier toward the latent image carrier, the toner is discharged from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier in the toner discharge mode.