Applied voltage control device, image forming apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that control an alternating current development voltage applied to move a developer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295930-B2
Application number	US-201615291320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

An applied voltage control device includes a potential difference determiner and an applied voltage controller. The potential difference determiner determines a potential difference between a maximum alternating current development voltage and a minimum alternating current development voltage, depending on a developing potential that is an absolute value of a difference between an average electric potential of an alternating current development and an electric potential of a latent image, so as to maintain a constant maximum voltage of a developing bias in the alternating current development. The applied voltage controller controls an alternating current development voltage, applied to move developer from a developer bearer to the latent image, so as to obtain the potential difference determined by the potential difference determiner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An applied voltage control device comprising:
circuitry configured to
determine a potential difference between a maximum alternating current development voltage and a minimum alternating current development voltage, depending on a developing potential that is an absolute value of a difference between an average electric potential of an alternating current development and an electric potential of a latent image, so as to maintain a constant maximum voltage of a developing bias in the alternating current development, and
control an alternating current development voltage, applied to move a developer from a developer bearer to the latent image, so as to obtain the potential difference determined, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

determine a reference of the potential difference, and
determine the potential difference depending on the developing potential, based on the reference of the potential difference determined.

2. The applied voltage control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry determines the reference of the potential difference to pull back the developer from the latent image to the developer bearer.

3. The applied voltage control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry is configured to
determine a reference of the developing potential, and
modify the developing potential from the reference of the developing potential, depending on a target amount of the developer to adhere to a recording medium, and
the circuitry determines the potential difference to be equal to the reference of the potential difference−(the reference of the developing potential−the developing potential modified by the developing potential modifier)×2.

4. The applied voltage control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to increase the potential difference in response to an increase in the developing potential.

5. The applied voltage control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to decrease the potential difference in response to a decrease in the developing potential.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising the applied voltage control device according to claim 1 .

7. A method of controlling an applied voltage, the method comprising:
determining a potential difference between a maximum alternating current development voltage and a minimum alternating current development voltage, depending on a developing potential that is an absolute value of a difference between an average electric potential of an alternating current development and an electric potential of a latent image, so as to maintain a constant maximum voltage of a developing bias in the alternating current development;
determining a reference of the potential difference; and
controlling an alternating current development voltage, applied to move a developer from a developer bearer to the latent image, so as to obtain the potential difference determined, wherein
the determining of the potential difference is determined depending on the developing potential, based on the reference of the potential difference determined.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing an applied voltage control program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method of controlling an applied voltage, the method comprising:
determining a potential difference between a maximum alternating current development voltage and a minimum alternating current development voltage, depending on a developing potential that is an absolute value of a difference between an average electric potential of an alternating current development and an electric potential of a latent image, so as to maintain a constant maximum voltage of a developing bias in the alternating current development;
determining a reference of the potential difference; and

controlling an alternating current development voltage, applied to move a developer from a developer bearer to the latent image, so as to obtain the potential difference determined, wherein
the determining of the potential difference is determined depending on the developing potential, based on the reference of the potential difference determined.

9. The applied voltage control device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to change the potential difference depending on the developing potential only for an image former associated with a spot color toner, which is different from yellow toner, cyan toner, magenta toner, and black toner.

Assignees

• Shiraishi Emiko
• Kuwabara Hiroaki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shiraishi Emiko
• Kuwabara Hiroaki

Classifications

• G03G15/065 Primary

  Arrangements for controlling the potential of the developing electrode · CPC title