Patent ID: 9207573
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units driven by at least one driving motor under control of a driving controller, each of the multiple image forming units comprising: an image bearer to bear a latent image while traveling in a first direction to provide positive rotation; a developer bearer opposed to the image bearer to develop the latent image borne on the image bearer to obtain a toner image while traveling in a second direction opposite the first direction to provide positive rotation; wherein the driving controller controls the at least one driving motor to render the image forming units other than at least one prescribed image forming unit of the multiple image forming units each to run in an ordinary reverse rotation mode, in which at least one of the image bearer and the developer bearer included in each of the image forming units other than at least one prescribed image forming unit of the multiple image forming units rotates in an opposite direction to a corresponding one of the first direction and the second direction to provide ordinary reverse rotation during a non-image formation time period, wherein the driving controller either differentiates one of a rotation time period, a start timing, a rotational speed, and a frequency of operation of the at least one driving motor from those used in the ordinary reverse rotation mode of the image forming units other than the at least one prescribed image forming unit of the multiple image forming units and runs the at least one prescribed image forming unit in a special reverse rotation mode, in which at least one of the image bearer and the developer bearer included in the at least one prescribed image forming unit rotates in the opposite direction to a corresponding one of the first direction and the second direction based on the differentiated one of a rotation time period, a start timing, a rotational speed, and a frequency of operation to provide special reverse rotation during the non-image formation time period, or stops the at least one driving motor not to run the at least one prescribed image forming unit in the special reverse rotation mode.