Patent ID: 7155146
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image bearing member comprising a photoconductive surface including an image forming area configured to bear an electrostatic latent image and a non-image forming area; a charging roller having a circular cross section with a first radius, the charging roller comprising a metallic core having a same rotational axis as the charging roller and a charging surface configured to charge the photoconductive surface of the image bearing member; and a pair of gap forming members disposed on longitudinal ends of the charging surface of the charging roller in direct contact with the metallic core and configured to contact longitudinal ends of the image bearing member to form a gap at least between the image forming area of the photoconductive surface of the image bearing member and the charging surface of the charging roller, each of the gap forming members having a circular cross section with a second radius such that a ratio of the second radius to the first radius is substantially constant through an entire rotational phase of the charging roller.