Patent ID: 6337960
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An electrostatographic recording apparatus comprising:a primary image forming member (PIFM) moving along a closed path, the PIFM being sufficiently large to form a series of images thereon in the direction of movement of the PIFM during a production run of image formation; a toner image recorder that forms plural series of toner images on the PIFM during production runs, toner images of the plural series of toner images normally being formed at a first location on the PIFM which is adjacent to and downstream of, in the direction of movement of the PIFM, a second location that is not used for image recording of production images during the production runs; a transfer device in engagement with the PIFM for transferring the toner images from the PIFM; a source of electrical bias for electrically biasing the transfer device to a voltage of a first polarity when transferring the toner images from the PIFM and for electrically biasing the transfer device to a voltage of a second polarity that is of a polarity that is opposite to the polarity of the first polarity at the second location on the PIFM during production runs when the transfer device is not transferring toner images from the PIFM; a controller for controlling the source for signaling the source to switch from the one polarity to the second polarity; and the controller being programmed to control the toner image recorder by providing, after a new cycle-up of the apparatus, for no recording at the first location on the PIFM of a first image forming a part of a new production run of images and instead recording the first image at a next available location on the PIFM downstream of the first location in the direction of movement of the PIFM.