Abstract: Vortex flow resisters (20, 220) deliver liquid from an upper chamber (16, 216) to a lower chamber (18, 218) prior to the liquid being distributed onto a cylinder (12, 14, 212, 122).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier for carrying toner. A charger charges the surface of the image carrier and an exposure part then forms an electrostatic latent image thereon. A developer uses toner to develop the electrostatic latent image and a transfer part transfers a toner image from the image carrier to a recording medium. A cleaning roller has a circumferential surface that contacts with the surface of the image carrier and removes deposits therefrom by using toner that the circumferential surface carries. A carrier driver drives the image carrier and a power detector detects power consumption of the carrier driver. A roller controller determines, based on the detected power consumption whether a removal capacity of the cleaning roller to remove the deposits needs to be increased, and then controls rotation of the cleaning roller in response to a result of the determination.

Abstract: A photosensitive unit includes: a photosensitive member that carries a developer image on a surface thereof; a primary roller, which contacts the surface of the photosensitive member, and which captures a foreign substance on the surface of the photosensitive member; a pair of primary bearing members that rotatably support axial end portions of the primary roller; a pair of pressing members that press the pair of primary bearing members toward the photosensitive member; and a pair of guide members that guide the pair of primary bearing members in a pressing direction in which the pair of pressing members press the pair of primary bearing members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a photosensitive drum includes a cleaning roller, a cleaning blade, and a layer control member. The layer control member may include an upstream scraper having a surface that surface contacts the cleaning roller in a substantially same direction as a rotation direction of the cleaning roller. In addition, the layer control member may include a downstream scraper having an edge that contacts the cleaning roller. The downstream scraper may be positioned downstream of the contact position between the cleaning roller and the upstream scraper in the rotation direction of the cleaning roller. In some embodiments, the downstream scraper edge may line contact the cleaning roller in a direction opposing the rotation direction of the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism includes a rubbing roller, a bearing, a toner amount restricting plate, and a bracket. The rubbing roller is abrasively contacted with the surface of a photosensitive drum. The bearing rotatably supports the rubbing roller. The toner amount restricting plate restricts the amount of toner adhered to the surface of the rubbing roller. The bracket holds the toner amount restricting plate in a state that the toner amount restricting plate is contacted with the rubbing roller. The bracket has a bearing holding portion which holds the bearing, and a toner amount restricting plate mounting portion to which the toner amount restricting plate is fixedly mounted. The bearing holding portion and the toner amount restricting plate mounting portion continue to each other via a first bent portion.

Abstract: A cleaning unit that can remove particles of residual toner remaining on an image carrier after transfer and be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable to an image forming apparatus, includes a brush roller disposed in contact with the image carrier to remove the residual toner remaining on the image carrier from the image carrier, and a polarity control member disposed in contact with the image carrier to control charge polarities of the residual toner remaining on the image carrier before the residual toner is removed by the brush roller. The polarity control member includes a first surface where the polarity control member contacts the image carrier, a second surface where the polarity control member does not contact the image carrier, and a conductive filler that is not exposed on the first surface that contacts the image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning member has a core member that is freely rotatable, a cleaning material that is spirally wound around an outer peripheral surface of the core member, and holding members. The holding members hold end portions of the cleaning material by the end portions being nipped between the holding members and the outer peripheral surface of the core member. An opening is provided in each of the holding members. Each of the openings is continuously open in line with an axial direction of the core member, and the cleaning material is exposed from the openings.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to set full breed printing automatically in case enlarged divisional printing is set.

Abstract: A roller for use in a developing unit of an image forming apparatus may include a non-conductive shaft member and a non-conductive member to surround at least a part of an outer periphery of the shaft member. The shaft member may include a cylindrical rolling part and a pair of support parts formed to project from both ends of the rolling part in a lengthwise direction. The rolling part of the shaft member may be arranged opposite a charge roller in a developing unit and may rotate in contact with the charge roller to absorb and remove foreign substances adhered to a surface of the charge roller.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a rotary member that contacts with an image carrier and moves materials on a surface of the image carrier along a rotation direction of the rotary member; a scraping member that contacts with the rotary member to scrape the materials adhering on the rotary member; a collected material receiving portion disposed downstream of a contact portion of the rotary member and the scraping member in a gravity direction; plural openings provided along a width direction of the image carrier by a partition member, through which the materials scraped by the scraping member pass to the collected material receiving portion; a protrusion portion that is arranged between the openings and the contact portion of the rotary member and the scraping member, and protrudes toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the rotary member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning an image carrier that is used for transferring a toner image onto a recording medium which includes a black image step in which a black image, i.e., an image of the entire area which is filled with toner, is formed on the image carrier and is transferred onto a cleaner that engages the image carrier for removing dust therefrom, wherein, prior to the black image step, a black page step is carried out in which a black page is printed by transferring a black image from the image carrier onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A processing liquid applying apparatus includes a processing liquid transfer roller which transfers a processing liquid to a transfer medium while rotating in a predetermined direction; a processing liquid applying section which applies the processing liquid to a surface of the processing liquid transfer roller; a downstream wall which is positioned on a downstream side in a rotating direction of the processing liquid transfer roller with respect to the processing liquid applying section; and a downstream wall moving mechanism which moves the downstream wall between a downstream wall first position at which the downstream wall is positioned when the processing liquid is transferred to the transfer medium and a downstream wall second position at which the downstream wall is positioned when the surface of the processing liquid transfer roller is washed with the processing liquid.

Abstract: A cleaning device may include a polishing roller, an ejection member, and a conveying member. In some embodiments, the polishing roller may be configured to remove and collect a residual substance adhering to a surface of an image bearing member while rotating in contact with the image bearing member. In an embodiment, the ejection member may be configured to eject the substance collected by the polishing roller to the outside of the cleaning device. An embodiment may include a conveying member configured to follow the rotation of the polishing roller by being in contact with the polishing roller and to convey toner in the cleaning device on a surface of the polishing roller in an axial direction of the polishing roller. When an image is not formed, the polishing roller rotates in a direction opposite a rotating direction in which the polishing roller rotates when an image is formed.

Abstract: When the acute angle between a normal line, oriented outward from a blade abutting portion of a photosensitive member over which a cleaning blade remains abutted before separation of the surface of the photosensitive member from the cleaning blade, and a horizontal plane, passing through the origin of the normal line, is expressed as a positive value when the normal line lies above the horizontal plane and expressed as a negative value when the normal line lies below the horizontal plane; an imaging unit frame so supports a photosensitive module that the photosensitive member can rotate to a specific rotational position having a greater angle than the angle at the time of separation of the surface of the photosensitive member from the cleaning blade. Until the photosensitive member rotates from a normal rotational position to the specific rotational position, the photosensitive module cannot be removed from the imaging unit frame.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning blade configured to abut with a surface of the image carrier member, and to remove residual toner from the surface of the image carrier member; a cleaning roller rotatably configured to attach residual toner removed by the cleaning blade to the surface and make abrasive contact with the surface of the image carrier member; a toner layer regulating member configured to regulate residual toner attached to the cleaning roller to a predetermined toner layer thickness and scrape and remove excess residual toner; a frame member configured to store residual toner scraped and removed from the cleaning roller; and a toner supply member configured to make contact with the cleaning roller to attach residual toner stored in the frame member to the surface, and to attach residual toner attached to the surface to the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A cleaning member includes a core bar, an elastic coating layer, and high-friction coefficient parts provided on both ends of the cleaning member. The high-friction coefficient parts include an elastic material. Outer peripheries of the high-friction coefficient parts are inclined with respect to an axial direction of the core bar. The cleaning member is roller-shaped and is configured to clean a surface of a roller member to be cleaned in contact therewith. A charging device and a process cartridge also include the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an image carrier, a cleaning member and a drive mechanism. The image carrier carries a toner image. The cleaning member removes residual toner on the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier. The drive mechanism rotates the image carrier and for reciprocating the image carrier in an axial direction of the image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning device of the present invention includes: a housing with an opening that is open toward a photoreceptor drum; a cleaning roller that is contained inside the housing and disposed in contact with the photoreceptor drum; a sealing member for preventing toner leakage, detachably fixed to the housing; a separation claw that separates paper from a surface of the photoreceptor drum; and a positioning member that is integrated with the separation claw, in which the sealing member is positioned and fixed on the housing by the positioning member.

Abstract: A cleaning device for an intermediate transferring member, comprising: a first cleaning roller that is placed so as to rotate while being made in contact with a surface of the intermediate transferring member; a first bias-applying device that applies a bias voltage to the first cleaning roller; a second cleaning roller that is placed so as to rotate while being made in contact with the surface of the intermediate transferring member on a downstream side from the first cleaning roller in a surface-moving direction of the intermediate transferring member; and a second bias-applying device that applies a bias voltage having a polarity different from that of the bias voltage applied by the first bias-applying device to the second cleaning roller, wherein the first cleaning roller is a brush roller, and the second cleaning roller is a foam roller having a foam layer on a surface thereof, with a cell wall face in the foam layer having an opening ratio in a range of 3% or more to 50% or less, and an image-formin

Abstract: Provided is an electrifying roller which is manufactured more easily, and has a good electrical conduction property with a small amount of electrically conductive material. Provided are electrifying rollers (10, 20) comprising a shaft 1, an elastic layer 2 formed on the periphery of the shaft 1, and a surface layer 3 formed on the periphery surface of the elastic layer 2, wherein the elastic layer 2 is formed by an ultraviolet curing resin having a phosphoester group. It is preferred that the ultraviolet curing resin be made of a compound represented by the following Formula (1): (wherein R1 is represented by the following Formula (2): ?CH2?m??(2) (where m is an integer from 1 to 10), R2 is represented by any one of the following Formulae (3) to (9): R3 is represented by any one of the following Formulae (10) to (12): (where r, s and t are an integer from 10 to 150), and n is an integer from 1 to 10).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes; an image forming unit; an annular belt that moves circularly; a detection unit that detects a state of a surface of the belt; and a tension increase unit that increases a tension of the belt, at a detection position by the detection unit, when detection is performed by the detection unit, as compared with the tension of the belt before detection at the detection position is performed by the detection unit.

Abstract: A regenerated elastic rollers manufacturing process is provided. The process includes the step of removing an agglutinated stain of toner adhered to the surface of an elastic roller including a mandrel and an elastic layer. The step further includes the steps of: (1) pressing a pressing roller against the surface of the elastic roller so as to crack the agglutinated stain on the surface of the elastic roller; and (2) removing the agglutinated stain cracked in the step (1) from the surface of the elastic roller by means of an adhesive roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body.

Abstract: A photosensitive cartridge includes a housing comprising an opening; a photosensitive drum supported by the housing, an electrostatic latent image being formed on the photosensitive drum; a charger that is supported by the housing and charges the photosensitive drum; a cleaning member that is supported by the housing and catches foreign substances from the photosensitive drum; and a cover that is exposed through the opening so as to be flush with an outer surface of the housing at a periphery of the opening, and catches foreign substances from the cleaning member.

Abstract: A cleaning member includes a columnar body; and a strip-shaped body made of an elastic porous material, the strip-shaped body being helically wound around a peripheral surface of the columnar body. In a width direction of the strip-shaped body, a height of a surface of the strip-shaped body from a central axis of the columnar body is larger at a first end of an exposed part of the strip-shaped body than at a second end of the exposed part.

Abstract: The image forming device includes a main body and a cartridge that is detachably mountable on the main body. The cartridge includes the image bearing member, the first and second cleaning roller, and the state changing unit. The first cleaning roller cleans the image bearing member and the second cleaning roller cleans the first cleaning roller. The state changing unit is configured to irreversibly change an electrically disconnected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller into an electrically connected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller. The resetting unit is configured to reset the cumulative value when the current detecting unit does not detect current before the image bearing member rotates and detects current after the image bearing member rotates.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning roll (conductive roll) including a core, a coating layer formed thereon, and a shaft along the axis of the core. The coating layer contains a bismaleimide resin and a conductive agent. Also provided are a cleaning unit, a process cartridge, and an image-forming apparatus employing the conductive roll. The conductive roll may include a core and a coating layer containing a bismaleimide resin and a conductive agent formed on the external peripheral surface of the core.

Abstract: A recording device including: an intermediate transfer member; a particle supply unit that supplies ink receiving particles that receive ink onto the intermediate transfer member; an ink ejecting unit that ejects ink to the ink receiving particles that have been supplied onto the intermediate transfer member; a transfer unit that transfers the ink receiving particles that have received the ink to a recording medium from the intermediate transfer member; a cleaning unit that cleans the ink receiving particles remaining on the intermediate transfer member after the transfer of the ink receiving particles by the transfer unit; and a cleaning aid particle supply unit that supplies cleaning aid particles.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum cartridge and an image forming apparatus including the photosensitive drum cartridge are provided. The photosensitive drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a primary cleaning roller which is configured to contact a surface of the photosensitive drum to remove an attached matter on the surface of the photosensitive drum; a first gear which is configured to rotate together with the photosensitive drum; a second gear which is configured to rotate together with the primary cleaning roller; and a third gear which is configured to mesh with the first gear and the second gear, and which has a rotation axis, a position of which is fixed such that a distance from a rotation axis of the first gear is constant.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image-forming device having a developer-carrying member, an image-carrying member, a belt, and a cleaning unit. The developer-carrying member has an outer surface including a thin layer forming region for carrying a thin layer of developer. The thin layer forming region has a first width in a widthwise direction. The thin layer forming region includes an effective image forming region used for forming an image on a recording medium. The image-carrying member has a surface on which an electrostatic latent image based on the image is formed and developed into a developer image by the developer carried on the effective image forming region. The belt is configured to circulate in a moving direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction and transfer the developer image onto the recording medium. The belt has an outer surface including a cleanable region having a second width in the widthwise direction. The cleaning unit cleans the developer on the cleanable region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a foreign-matter removing roller arranged in a post-process of a transfer device. The foreign-mater removing roller includes a rotatable metal shaft and a cylindrical conductive first sponge attached to the outer circumference of the metal shaft. The foreign-matter removing roller is attached a fixed distance apart from the surface of an image carrier and electrostatically attracts foreign matters adhering to the image carrier. A cleaning member scrapes off the foreign matters attracted by the foreign-matter removing roller.

Abstract: There is provided a pre-cleaning brush roller being a pre-cleaning member which is disposed on an upstream of a normally-charged-toner cleaning brush roller and an oppositely-charged-toner cleaning brush roller in a surface moving direction of an intermediate transfer belt, is applied with a voltage having a polarity opposite to a normal charge polarity of toner, and electrostatically removes the toner having the normal charge polarity.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes photosensitive members which are aligned along a conveying direction of a transfer medium and on each of which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; developing units which supply a plurality of colors of developing agent to the photosensitive members, respectively; and cleaning rollers which slidably contact the photosensitive members to collect at least one of paper powder and developing agent adhering to surfaces of the photosensitive members, respectively. A most upstream cleaning roller which slidably contacts a most upstream photosensitive member in the conveying direction is provided with a paper powder absorption shaft which attracts and absorbs paper powder from the cleaning roller. A most downstream cleaning roller which slidably contacts a most downstream photosensitive member in the conveying direction is not provided with the paper powder absorption shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a cassette configured to accommodate printing sheets, a casing of the image forming apparatus, a belt member which circularly moves inside the casing, a cleaning device configured to remove particles adhering on the belt member, and a collection box in which the particles removed by the cleaning unit is collected. The casing has a cassette accommodating section for accommodating the cassette, a box accommodating section defined inside the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section and an opening formed on the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section. The cassette is removably installable into the cassette accommodating section through the opening, and the collection box is detached from or inserted in the box accommodating section through the opening.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus is provided with a cleaning roller that is positioned so as to be in contact with a photosensitive drum, and with a toner layer thickness regulating member that regulates the thickness of a toner layer adhering to the surface of this cleaning roller. The toner layer thickness regulating member is formed by a toner layer thickness regulating roller that rotates in contact with the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A cleaning device for a photosensitive drum includes a cleaning roller, a cleaning blade, and a layer control member. The layer control member may include an upstream scraper having a surface that surface contacts the cleaning roller in a substantially same direction as a rotation direction of the cleaning roller. In addition, the layer control member may include a downstream scraper having an edge that contacts the cleaning roller. The downstream scraper may be positioned downstream of the contact position between the cleaning roller and the upstream scraper in the rotation direction of the cleaning roller. In some embodiments, the downstream scraper edge may line contact the cleaning roller in a direction opposing the rotation direction of the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A cleaning roll for a xerographic cleaning station is disclosed. The roll may comprise a compliant foam layer covered with a fabric overcoating. The cleaning station may also contain a detoning roll which contacts the cleaning roll to attract residual toner for disposal out of the station. There may be an electrical connection in the station to a biasing structure which will bias both the fabric overcoating and the detoning roll. The conductive fabric may have an average roughness (RA) not exceeding about 8 ?m to 10 ?m and the fabric comprises yarns of similar size to provide thereby a smooth and uniform surface texture.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning device capable of maintaining a sufficient cleaning effect by preventing creep deformation of a cleaning member. The cleaning device of the present invention for cleaning a transfer body in an image forming apparatus includes a first cleaning member whose top end is brought into pressure contact with the transfer body, and a second cleaning member which is placed downstream from the first cleaning member with respect to a moving direction of the transfer body and whose top end is brought into pressure contact with the transfer body, wherein the second cleaning member is provided rotatably with respect to the first cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrier for carrying toner. A charger charges the surface of the image carrier and an exposure part then forms an electrostatic latent image thereon. A developer uses toner to develop the electrostatic latent image and a transfer part transfers a toner image from the image carrier to a recording medium. A cleaning roller has a circumferential surface that contacts with the surface of the image carrier and removes deposits therefrom by using toner that the circumferential surface carries. A carrier driver drives the image carrier and a power detector detects power consumption of the carrier driver. A roller controller determines, based on the detected power consumption whether a removal capacity of the cleaning roller to remove the deposits needs to be increased, and then controls rotation of the cleaning roller in response to a result of the determination.

Abstract: A cleaning device, comprises: a plurality of brush rolls being contact with a surface of the image carrier that a toner is attached; and a biasing unit applying bias voltages having different polarities from each other to at least two of the brush rolls, the plurality of brush rolls including a first brush roll and a second brush roll, a bias having a polarity opposite to a normal polarity of the toner being applied to the first brush roll, a bias having the same polarity as the normal polarity of the toner being applied to the second brush roll, a surface circulating speed of the first brush roll being set to be higher than the surface circulating speed of the second brush roll.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning member which can be produced at low cost and which maintains excellent cleaning performance for a long period of time. The cleaning member has a lower layer formed through winding a double-faced tape formed of a sponge member having an adhesive layer on each side thereof around the surface of a core member, and an upper layer provided on the outer surface of the lower layer. The upper layer is formed of at least one fiber layer made of woven fabric or knitted fabric.

Abstract: To improve the user maintainability and cost performance with respect to replacing replaceable components in an image forming apparatus using a tandem type intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: A photosensitive unit includes: a photosensitive member that carries a developer image on a surface thereof; a primary roller, which contacts the surface of the photosensitive member, and which captures a foreign substance on the surface of the photosensitive member; a pair of primary bearing members that rotatably support axial end portions of the primary roller; a pair of pressing members that press the pair of primary bearing members toward the photosensitive member; and a pair of guide members that guide the pair of primary bearing members in a pressing direction in which the pair of pressing members press the pair of primary bearing members.

Abstract: An image forming unit includes an image bearing body on which a latent image is formed, a charging member that charges the image bearing body, a developer bearing body that develops the latent image on the image bearing body using a developer so as to form a developer image, a transfer portion that transfers the developer image to a medium, a cleaning member that removes an adhering matter adhering to part of the image bearing body after the part of the image bearing body passes the transfer portion, a collection roller provided so as to form a contact portion between the collection roller and the image bearing body and is located between the cleaning member and the charging member, and a collection roller power source that applies a voltage to the collection roller. The voltage has the same polarity as a polarity of the developer.

Abstract: An image-forming device has a developer-carrying member, an image-carrying member, a belt, and a cleaning unit. The developer-carrying member has an outer surface including a layer forming region for carrying a thin layer of developer. The layer forming region has a first width in a widthwise direction. The layer forming region includes an effective image forming region used for forming an image on a recording medium. The belt is configured to circulate in a moving direction orthogonal to the widthwise direction and transfer the developer image onto the recording medium. The cleaning unit cleans the developer on a cleanable region, which has a second width which is greater than the first width. The cleanable region is placed with respect to the thin layer forming region so that each widthwise end of the second width is positioned outside of each widthwise end of the first width in the widthwise direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a cleaning device including a cleaning blade in contact with an image carrier with contact pressure for removing the toner remaining on the image carrier; a toner guide roller which is located upstream of the cleaning blade in the rotating direction of the image carrier and which rotates in contact with the image carrier; a toner ejection regulating member in contact with the toner guide roller to eject the remaining toner appropriately; and a space formed by the enclosure of the image carrier, cleaning blade, toner guide roller and toner ejection regulating member for the purpose of storing the remaining toner; and this image forming apparatus further includes a control device that controls the cleaning device so as to change the peripheral speed ratio of the toner guide roller with respect to the image carrier, in response to change in the system speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image having a predetermined polarity on the image carrier, an intermediate transfer body facing the image carrier, a primary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium, and a contacting member in contact with the image carrier and configured to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred by the primary transfer member onto the intermediate transfer body and to pass the removed residual toner to the intermediate transfer body. A bias voltage with the same polarity as the predetermined polarity of the toner image is applied to the contacting member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of preventing excessive charging in the toner within the cleaning device for effectively preventing generation of the black spots derived from the leak current. In the image forming apparatus comprising a cleaning device having a cleaning blade for scraping out the toner on a latent image carrier body surface and the image forming method using the same, the toner contains a titanium oxide as an additive agent, and with the premise that the fluorescence X ray intensity of the titanium oxide added to the toner before use is X1, and the fluorescence X ray intensity of the titanium oxide added to the toner within the cleaning device is X2, X1 and X2 satisfy the following relationship formula (1): X2/X1?1.2??(1).