Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus has two charging bodies that are held at different potentials. The first charging body makes contact with the surface of a photosensitive drum; the second charging body makes contact with the first charging body. Toner particles that have acquired an electrostatic charge opposite to their normal charge are attracted from the drum surface to the first charging body. These toner particles are then attracted from the first charging body to the second charging body, whereby the first charging body is kept clean and able to charge the surface of the photosensitive drum to a uniform potential.

Abstract: A method of cleaning is used to remove residual toner in an electrophotographic printer. After a printing operation, some amount of normally-charged toner and reversely-charged toner is left on the photoconductive drum and rollers such as charging rollers, transfer roller, and cleaning roller in contact with the photoconductive drum. A potential difference is applied between two members, for example, the cleaning roller and the photoconductive drum in electrical contact with each other so as to cause the residual toner to migrate from one member to the other. The potential differences are applied at specific timings so that the residual toner migrates properly onto the rotating photoconductive drum and is carried to the developing section for reuse.