Patent ID: 7426358
Filing Date: 2008-09-16
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit comprising: charging means for providing electric charges onto an image carrier to electrically charge the image carrier; light exposing means for exposing the charged image carrier to light to form an electrostatic latent image; developing means which retains a developing agent, supplies the developing agent to the electrostatic latent image to perform development, forms a developing agent image on the image carrier and collects the developing agent remaining on the image carrier; and transferring means which is configured to be pressed against the image carrier through a transfer medium and transfers the developing agent image onto the transfer medium to form a transferred image, wherein the image forming unit is a cleanerless mechanism which does not include a cleaner which removes and discards a residual developing agent remaining on the image carrier after transfer of the developing agent image, a quantity of the residual developing agent is 0.014 mg/cm the transferring means is configured to be pressed against the image carrier by a pressing force having a total load of 150g to 1500 g and a surface load of 10 to 150 g/cm