Patent ID: 6516169
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:an image bearing device comprising a photoreceptor comprising an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer located on the electroconductive substrate, and optionally a protective layer located on the photosensitive layer, said photoreceptor rotating in a direction, wherein the photoreceptor has an image forming portion having two ends substantially parallel to the rotating direction; a charging roller configured to charge the photoreceptor while rotating, wherein the charging roller has a gap forming member on both ends of a periphery surface of the charging roller to form a gap between a surface of the image forming portion of the photoreceptor and the periphery surface of the charging roller, and wherein the gap forming members do not contact the image forming portion of the photoreceptor; a light irradiator configured to irradiate the photoreceptor with light to form an electrostatic latent image in the image forming portion of the photoreceptor; an image developer configured to develop the latent image with a toner to form a toner image on the image forming portion of the photoreceptor; and an image transferer configured to transfer the toner image onto a receiving material, wherein the following relationship is satisfied: t&gE;2g wherein g represents the gap between the surface of the image forming portion of the photoreceptor and the periphery surface of the charging roller and t represents a distance between an inside edge of one of the gap forming members and one of the two ends of the image forming portion of the photoreceptor, said one of the two ends being closer to the inside edge of the one of the gap forming members than the other of the two ends.