Abstract: During printing on a thick paper, a Scorotron charger disposed upstream of a developing roller in a drum rotational direction charges a photosensitive drum to about 1000 V. Then a transfer roller disposed downstream of the developing roller lowers the potential to about 80 V. The transfer bias is turned off at the end of printing at T1 and does not lower the surface potential after this. When the surface of the drum opposite the transfer roller reaches a position opposite the Scorotron charger at T2, a DC motor and a charging bias are turned off. The surface potential of the drum that passes opposite the developing roller remains at about 400 V and is higher than developing roller potential until the photosensitive drum comes to a complete stop after idling at T3. This prevents the developing agent from adhering to the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having a plural-color image print mode for successively forming images of plural colors, and a single-color image print mode for forming an image of a single color, is capable of forming, in the plural-color image print mode, a frame of single-color image, and thereafter superimposing and forming an image of the next color on the single-color image. The apparatus includes a fixing apparatus for fixing an image on a recording medium on which an image of plural colors or a single color has been formed, and a temperature controlling portion for controlling the temperature of the fixing apparatus so as to become a target temperature. The fixing apparatus has a heating member and a pressure member and transports the recording medium to a nip part constituted by the heating member and the pressure member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging unit for charging an image bearing member, an image forming unit for forming a toner image on the image bearing member that has been charged, and a cleaning unit for contacting the image bearing member to clean the surface of the image bearing member. In the apparatus, a ratio of a period wherein the image bearing member is moved without being charged to a period wherein the image bearing member is moved while being charged, is controlled to be a predetermined value or greater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is equipped with a process cartridge detachable therefrom, where the process cartridge includes an element relating to image formation. A drive time of the process cartridge driven in the image forming apparatus is counted and it is judged whether an accumulation of the drive time counted reaches a predetermined value. When it is judged that the accumulation of the drive time reaches a predetermined value, an image forming condition of the image forming apparatus is changed over at a timing when the image forming apparatus does not conduct image formation.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, in an image forming apparatus including a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet with heat at a nip between a fixing member accommodating a heat source and a pressing member not accommodating it, consecutive sheets are driven out of the fixing device at a variable interval without the number of sheets to be output within a preselected period of time being varied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a detector, a write controller, and a light controller. The detector detects, with an optical sensor, an edge of a recording medium in a direction perpendicular to a reading medium convey direction. The write controller shifts an image write position in the direction perpendicular to the recording medium convey direction on the basis of a detection result of the detector. The light controller controls a light emission amount of the optical sensor to set an output of the optical sensor to a predetermined value at a predetermined portion in an area where the detection result of the optical sensor is effective.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus employing a two-component developing system, there are provided printed-sheet number counting means; developing-device drive time integrating means for integrating time during which a developing device drives; and a toner replenishing motor drive time integrating means for integrating time during which a toner replenishing motor drives. Integrated drive time of the developing device and integrated drive time of the toner replenishing motor every fixed printed-sheet number, and the toner consuming quantity per drive time of the developing device is calculated from the extracted data. The toner charge quantity in a developer is predicted on the basis of the calculated data, and a developing bias voltage applied to the developing device is changed to thereby revise an image density.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus where the useful life of the image carrier does not become significantly short. This system has a charging unit, a charge voltage loading unit, an exposure unit, a development unit, an image transfer unit and a control unit, wherein, when the transport interval of plural recording materials is shorter than a predetermined time the AC charge voltage applied to the image carrier during the transport interval is a first AC charge voltage, and when the transport interval is longer than the predetermined time the AC charge voltage applied to the image carrier during the transport interval being a second AC charge voltage, the control unit makes the current running in the charging unit when the second AC charge voltage is applied lower than the current running in the charging unit when the first AC charge voltage is applied.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which a latent image can be formed, and a moving member having attaching/detaching sections to/from each of which one of developing units can be attached/detached. Each of the developing units has a developer container for containing developer that is capable of developing the latent image formed on the photoconductor. The developer in the developer container is stirred by moving the moving member when none of the developing units attached to each of the attaching/detaching sections is developing a latent image formed on the photoconductor, and a timing for moving the moving member to stir the developer in the developer container is variable.

Abstract: To avoid developing ghost and selective developing without complicating a developing apparatus and to supply surly charged toner to a developing roll while unevenness of images is not generated to obtain stable images for a long time even when continuous printing, a method for developing in a hybrid developing apparatus is provided, which is characterized in that a data amount of each image, which an image forming apparatus prints and a number of paper sheets passed are detected and that an interval of the action of recovering and exchanging a toner layer on the developing roll to the magnetic roll after printing between paper sheets is variably set in accordance with a printing coefficient determined by the data amount and the number of paper sheets passed and further, a method for developing in a color tandem-type image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of the hybrid developing apparatuses for all different colors of toner, which are disposed along the moving direction of a transfer medium of imag

Abstract: An image heating apparatus which heats an image on a recording material by holding and conveying the image-borne recording material at a nip between heating and pressure members has a sequence to set a heating temperature of the apparatus to be lower than an ordinary set temperature when, after the recording material of a width narrower than a predetermined width was passed, the recording material of a width wider than that width is passed. The set heating temperature when the wide-width recording material is passed after the narrow-width recording material was passed is controlled according to the number of the passed narrow-width recording materials and an elapsed time from the passing of the narrow-width recording material to the passing of the wide-width recording material, whereby hot off-set occurring when the large size recording material is passed after the small size recording material was passed is prevented without deteriorating fixability.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device for forming an unfixed image on a recording material transported thereto, the image forming device being capable of continuously effecting image formation on recording materials differing in the width thereof in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction thereof, a fixing device having a heat member and for fixing the unfixed image by the use of heat and pressure, and a recording material changeover device capable, when images are to be continuously formed on recording materials smaller in the width thereof in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction than a maximum width with which the recording materials can be passed, of changing over the recording materials to recording materials greater in the width thereof in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction than the recording materials on which images are being formed in the course of continuous image formation.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the position of latent image forming on a photosensitive drum is changed to thereby dynamically change the position of image forming on an intermediate transfer medium in accordance with printing conditions, thereby enabling an image to be transferred onto each sheet of a printing medium while the intermediate transfer medium is being rotated at a predetermined speed even if the image forming position is changed. The printing conditions are determined by, for example, setting for at least one of double-sided printing, offset paper discharge using a finisher, a post process related to stapling, use/nonuse of an electronic sorter, and image processing.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for reducing the creation of electrostatic memory. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to determining whether print content is to be repeated across consecutive pages, and if the print content is to be repeated, controlling a print engine of the imaging device to reduce electrostatic memory on a photoconductor member of the print engine.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus including: an image bearing member; an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member; a developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image in a development position, the developing means developing the electrostatic latent image using a developer containing a toner and an externally added agent having a charged polarity opposite to that of the toner; a cleaning blade for cleaning the image bearing member; and a bias controlling means for controlling a bias to be applied to the developing means, in which the bias controlling means sets a bias applied to the developing means at the time when an interval area passes the development position according to information related to a length of the interval area at the time when electrostatic latent images for a plurality of pages pass the development position.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus employing a two-component developing system, there are provided print-sheet number counting means; developing-device drive time integrating means for integrating time during which a developing device drives; and a toner replenishing motor drive time integrated drive time integrating means for integrating time during which a toner replenishing motor drives. Integrated drive time of the developing device and integrated drive time of the motor toner replenishing motor every fixed printed-sheet number, and the toner consuming quantity per drive time of the developing device is calculated from the extracted data. The toner charge quantity in a developer is predicted on the basis of the calculated data, and a developing bias voltage applied to the developing device is changed to thereby revised an image density.

Abstract: A toner supply unit powder pump of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is driven by an exclusive motor independently of a main motor driving major parts of the image forming apparatus. Thereby, the toner supply unit can implement responsive supply of toner unaffected by operation mode changes with a simpler construction. A toner supply system can use plural powder pumps for plural color developing stations. By considering distance and elevation of toner transport paths to respective stations, appropriate pump revolutions can be determined for respective stations, to achieve desirable toner transport amounts to respective stations in relatively short time with a simpler construction supply unit. A method precisely controls toner transport amounts by intermittently driving the powder pump with an arbitrary unit driving time. When the arbitrary unit driving time is changed to another unit driving time, the pump is driven transiently with the still another unit driving time.

Abstract: A method of controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device having a heat roller provided with a heat source and a first temperature detector provided at the vicinity of the heat roller, and having a pressure roller, which is in pressure contact with the heat roller, provided with a second temperature sensor at the vicinity of the pressure roller, having the steps of; detecting a temperature of the pressure roller by the second temperature detector; and varying a control temperature of the heat roller according to a detected temperature of the pressure roller.

Abstract: In a laser printer, when a sheet of paper, which is to be supplied in between a photosensitive drum and a transfer roller, is jammed, after the sheet of paper is removed and the jam is cleared up, a developing jam control program is executed to rotate a drum cleaning roller at a rotational speed higher than a normal rotational speed and to apply the transfer roller with a reverse bias voltage whose polarity is the same as that of the charged toner.

Abstract: The states of plural image output apparatuses are sensed. Then, an image output apparatus, which will supply image data, is selected according to a size of an image output job on the basis of image data and the states of the image output apparatuses in such a manner as to reduce an electric power consumption required for outputting images.

Abstract: A microcomputer processes count data counted by a CPU counter, and accumulates it in a RAM. The microcomputer always accesses the count data accumulated in the RAM and compares it with preset count data. Based on the comparison result, the microcomputer controls the rotation speed of a drive motor for a transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided for using mono-component nonmagnetic toner, the image forming apparatus being capable of forming images with consistent quality without being influenced by variations in toner carry quantity and chargeability. More specifically, bias voltages are applied to a toner feed roller, developing roller and blade through a toner feed bias supply, development bias supply and blade bias supply, respectively. In this regard, the blade bias voltage is increased by a predetermined magnitude after a release of sleep mode of the fixing device until a predetermined number of image recording media have been imaged. Additionally, the blade bias voltage is decreased for a period of time corresponding to the first turn of the developing roller and increased for a period of time corresponding to the second or more turns thereof. In this manner, the blade bias voltage and the toner feed bias voltage are controllably changeable with a life or an increasing number of image formations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to maintain an image density at a constant level. The apparatus has a FC mode selecting key for allowing a user to selectively designate a low FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a less-used state where the number of times of image formation is smaller than a predetermined value and a high FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a highly-used state where the number of times of image formation is not smaller than the predetermined value, and a CPU for correctively setting a target value of toner density at a value higher than a target value of toner density at the low FC mode when the apparatus is in the high FC mode.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing apparatus equipped with a developer containing portion containing a developer, a residual developer amount detecting device for detecting a residual developer amount in the developer containing portion, and a storage device capable of storing the latest residual developer amount information. An image forming apparatus includes a continuous rest time counter configured to count a continuous rest time of the image forming apparatus, and a controller which is configured to prohibit updating of the residual developer amount information to the storage device for a predetermined period after the end of the continuous rest time of the image forming apparatus when the continuous rest time counter indicates a time not shorter than a predetermined time. This structure provides an image forming apparatus and an image forming system in which no deterioration in detection accuracy occurs even if an unstable toner state occurs due to a long printing rest time.

Abstract: A control method is provided for sheet-feeding in an image forming apparatus in which a sheet is fed to an image forming section of the image forming apparatus having a finisher which receives the sheet on which the image is formed and finishes the sheet. The control method includes the steps of: conducting a continuous image forming process that makes plural sets of sheets each on which the image has been formed; and controlling a starting of a sheet-feeder which feeds a first sheet of a set of sheets to the image forming section, according to a logical product of a condition on the continuous image forming process in the image forming apparatus and a condition of an operating process in the finisher.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge detachably mountable with respect to the main body of the apparatus. The process cartridge is provided with an image bearing member, a charger for charging the image bearing member, a power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the charger, and a controller for variably controlling the alternating current supplied from the power supply to the charger in conformity with information about the use situation of the process cartridge. The process cartridge can also include an image bearing member, a charger for charging the image bearing member, the charger permitting an alternating current voltage to be applied thereto by a power supply, and a memory for storing therein information about the use situation of the process cartridge, and information of a plurality of preset control values for an alternating current supplied from the power supply to the charger to be variably controlled in conformity with the information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing supplemental counts or “clicks” to account for recovery conditions in a document processing system. Furthermore, these recovery condition “clicks” will be further modified depending upon the type of recovery condition encountered. The application of recovery counts thus modified when combined with the system cycle count and suitably summed will provide superior measure of the wear for a replaceable element as well as improved indication for the determination of the end of life of a replaceable element in that system. In this manner, the more timely service or substitution for that replaceable element in the system can be provided, thereby allowing costs and service down-time to be minimized.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image heating apparatus for heating an image on a recording material that has a heating member, a first heat generating element mounted on the heating member, a second heat generating element mounted on the heating member, a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the heating member, the temperature detecting element being disposed in an area where the recording material of a predetermined minimum size does not pass, and power supply control device for controlling electric power supply to the first and second heat generating elements in conformity with both of the detected temperature by the temperature detecting element and the number of continuously passing recording materials.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, a storing device for storing a parameter regarding an accumulation operation amount of the image forming apparatus, and a changing device for changing an image forming condition of the image forming device in accordance with the parameter.

Abstract: The image density control method in the image forming apparatus including the charging unit for charging the photoconductor, the exposure unit for exposing the photoconductor and forming an electrostatic latent image, and the developing unit for visualizing the electrostatic latent image with toner comprises a step of forming a predetermined reference image by the developing unit, a step of detecting the toner density of the reference image, a step of setting a target density value or the reference image formed on the photoconductor according to the number of images to be formed, and a step of controlling so as to change at least one of the charging potential to be given to the photoconductor from the charging unit, the exposure amount at the time of exposure from the exposure unit to the photoconductor, and the development bias voltage given to the developing unit on the basis of the comparison result of the value detected at the detection step with the target density value set at the setting step.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus for forming an image by electrically charging a photosensitive material, forming an electrostatic image through the exposure to light and developing the electrostatic image, wherein the main charged potential, Vo, of the photosensitive material, the potential, Vr, of the exposed portion of the photosensitive material and the developing bias potential DB are so set as to satisfy the following formulas, V1≦|DB−Vr|≦V2  (1) V3≦|Vo−DB|≦300  (2). V1, V2 and V3 are parameters calculated from a developing characteristics curve obtained by plotting the image densities to a potential difference between the developing bias potential and the surface potential, 0 V, of the photosensitive material when the image is formed by changing the developing bias potential with the exposure amount being zero in a state where the potential on the surface of the photosensitive material is maintained at zero.

Abstract: The CPU counts the number of printings made with use of a photosensitive member so as to monitor the usage of the photosensitive member. When executing printing, the CPU determines a modulating rate, which is based on the reducing rate and some correction of the rate in accordance with the usage of the photosensitive member, with reference to a table. The CPU sets the determined modulating rate to the pulse modulating section. The pulse modulating section executes pulse modulation at the set modulating rate, and thus generates video data used for the printing operation of the print processing section.

Abstract: The invention provides and image forming apparatus adapted to form images on the opposite surfaces of a sheet of copying paper. More specifically, an image forming apparatus according to the invention is adapted for forming images on the opposite surfaces of a sheet of copying paper and includes a control device for controlling the location of the image formed on one of the opposite surfaces of the sheet of copying paper in correspondence to the location of the image formed on the other surface of the sheet of copying paper in order to minimize the mis-registration of the images formed on the opposite surfaces of the sheet of copying paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a unit detachably mountable on the image forming apparatus, the unit having a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member, a developing bias setter for setting a developing bias so that an image developed by the developing device maintains a predetermined density, and a life determiner for determining a life of the unit in accordance with a developing bias set by the developing bias setter and a reference bias. The reference bias is set in accordance with data relating to a used amount of the unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material includes an electrophotosensitive member. A developing devices develops a latent image formed on the electrophotosensitive member by using a developing agent contained in a container. A memory stores information with respect to an amount of consumption of the developing agent. A computing device computes a number of printable recording materials in accordance with the information, with respect to the amount of consumption of the developing agent, stored in the memory and a consumption rate information of the developing agent. An information output device outputs information of the number of printable recording material computed by the computing device.

Abstract: Method of producing multi-dimensional print media, comprising the following steps: Providing a substantially flat sheet of print media. Providing an image for printing on a first side of the sheet; the image including an active area that eventually separates from the rest of the sheet; the active area being bounded by a periphery. Performing one or both of cutting and microperfing a substantial portion of the periphery that adjoins an adjacent portion of the sheet. Scoring the first side of the sheet in the active area to provide at least one fold line for facilitating folding of the sheet into a multi-dimensional shape using only the at least one fold line for folding. Printing the image on the first side of the sheet with a printing device. The foregoing performing step is carried out in such manner as to keep the sheet sufficiently intact while passing through a printing device so as to prevent malfunction of the printing device. Die-pressed print media is also provided for use in the method.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit for forming an image on either a free-size sheet of an arbitrary size other than a regular size or a regular-size sheet, a controlling unit for controlling, when the image forming unit forms the image on the regular-size sheet, a controlling target unit according to a size of the regular-size sheet, an inputting unit for inputting a size of the free-size sheet, and a converting unit for converting the size inputted by the inputting unit, to suit the converted size to the controlling performed by the controlling unit to the regular-size sheet, wherein the controlling unit performs the different controlling for each group of the sheet sizes, and the converting unit performs the converting to suit the size of the free-size sheet to the group.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a photosensitive drum, a developing drum, and an agitator. When a charge of toner has dropped below a predetermined charging amount before a subsequent image forming operation starts, a pre-driving operation is performed so that the developing drum and the agitator are rotated before a sheet feed operation starts. Therefore, sufficient charge can be applied to the toner before a developing operation starts, thereby providing a high-quality image. Also, because the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are separated from each other during the pre-driving operation, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are prevented from being worn down.

Abstract: A user is notified of an auto power off operation or an auto power save operation before the operation is executed. Therefore, an unexpected power off operation or unexpected switching into a power save mode can be avoided, and no extra labor or time is imposed on the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a maintenance interval for a media-handling mechanism is provided. The determination of the maintenance interval includes the number of media sheets transported by the media-handling mechanism along with additional media information, such as the media size or the media type for each media sheet transported.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is capable of restriction or elimination of the occurrence of a density fluctuation, such as a lateral stripe, and thereby can enhance the image quality. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive body, exposure device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body, at least two developers for developing the electrostatic image in mutually distinct colors for respectively forming toner images of mutually distinct colors, a transfer device for transferring the toner images of mutually distinct colors on a printing medium in an overlapping manner, and a fixing device for fixing the toner images transferred onto the printing medium. When one of the developers is maintained inoperative, that developer is forcedly operated for a reset operation thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which has an image bearing member for bearing a latent image, charging device for charging the image bearing member by bringing ears of electrically conductive particles into contact with the image bearing member, developing device for visualizing the latent image formed on the image bearing member as a toner image by using a developer containing toner and carrier after the image bearing member has been charged by the charging device, a permeability of the carriers being different from a permeability of the electrically conductive particles, density control device for controlling density of the developer within the developing device, the density control device detecting a permeability of the developer, comparing a detected signal value based on the detected result with a reference value, and controlling the density of the developer on the basis of the comparison result, and reference value correcting device for correcting the reference value, the ref

Abstract: A cleaning element is arranged on the backside of the toner layer metering blade, i.e., the side opposite to the surface in contact with the developer support, in order to prevent the cleaning element from damaging the blade surface and the abutment surface of the metering blade against the developer support. This cleaning element is frictionally moved across the backside of the toner layer metering blade to remove stuck toner from the toner layer metering blade or prevent occurrence of buildups.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a plurality of image forming units for forming an input image on a recording medium, a fixing unit for fusing the image formed on the recording medium to the recording medium, a fixing temperature detecting unit for detecting the temperature of the fixing unit, a registration pattern detecting unit for detecting a registration pattern formed by a plurality of image forming units, a calculator for determining a registration correction value for correcting the input image based on output from the registration pattern detecting unit, and an update requesting unit for requesting an update of the registration correction value. The update requesting unit requests an update of the registration correction value based on the temperature detected temperature of the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material from the image bearing member; a charger for electrically charging the image bearing member, the charger being contactable to residual toner remaining on the image bearing member after transfer of the toner image by the transfer device; a voltage applicator for applying DC and AC voltages to the charger; an image forming device for forming an electrostatic image on the image bearing member charged by the charger; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image by toner; an integrator for integrating degree of usage of the apparatus; and a controller for controlling the AC voltage applied to the charger in accordance with the integrated degree of usage provided by the integrator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an image forming device for forming an image on the image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member to which the image is transferred from the image bearing member, the image on the intermediate transfer member being transferred to a transfer material at a transfer position, a detecting sensor for detecting the kind of the transfer material, a conveying device for conveying the transfer material to the transfer position, the time from after the image starts to be formed on the image bearing member by the image forming device until the image on the image bearing member formed by the image forming device is transferred to the intermediate transfer member and arrives at the transfer position being longer than the time from after the kind of the transfer material is detected by the detecting sensor until the transfer material arrives at the transfer position by the conveying device, and a changeover device for selectively changing over a first mod

Abstract: A variety of motors employed in the main body of an image forming apparatus are controlled in accordance with operating times which are other than those of the motors of the main body and which are exemplified by the operating time of the finisher coupled to the image forming apparatus. Owing to this control, the operating speed of the printing processing need not be lowered, and unnecessary idle operations of the motors are prevented. Accordingly, consumables, such as a photosensitive drum driven by the main motor, do not deteriorate in a short period of time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on both of a first side and a second side which are the right side and the back side of recording material, which comprises an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a transfer member for forming a transfer part between the transfer member and the image carrier to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the recording material, a transfer voltage applying section for applying transfer voltage to the transfer member, a fixing member for heating the recording material, on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer member, passed therethrough to fix the toner image on the recording material, a reversing path for reversing the two sides of the recording material passed through the fixing member and returning the reversed recording material to the transfer part again, a timer section for measuring elapsed time since the recording material, on the first side of which a toner image is transferred, passes through the fixing me

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a transfer rotary member for transferring a toner image from the image bearing member onto a transfer material. An applying device applies a constant current to the transfer rotary member. A detector detects a voltage generated in the transfer rotary member when the applying device applies the constant current to the transfer rotary member. A controller controls a voltage applied to the transfer rotary member during a transfer operation. The detector detects the voltages during intervals between consecutive transfer materials, and the controller controls the voltage on the basis of the voltages detected during different intervals.

Abstract: A cleaning element is arranged on the backside of the toner layer metering blade, i.e., the side opposite to the surface in contact with the developer support, in order to prevent the cleaning element from damaging the blade surface and the abutment surface of the metering blade against the developer support. This cleaning element is frictionally moved across the backside of the toner layer metering blade to remove stuck toner from the toner layer metering blade or prevent occurrence of buildups.