(19)
(11) EP 2 088 474 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
23.09.2009 Bulletin 2009/39

(43) Date of publication A2:
12.08.2009 Bulletin 2009/33

(21) Application number: 09151328.3

(22) Date of filing: 26.01.2009
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G03G 15/01(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA RS

(30) Priority: 06.02.2008 JP 2008026587
13.03.2008 JP 2008064799

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Ohta-ku Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventor:
  • Yoshida, Ken
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Patentanwälte Stuntzstrasse 16
81677 München
81677 München (DE)

   


(54) Image forming apparatus and image forming method


(57) An image forming apparatus includes image bearing members (20), transfer members (12), and pressing units (18). The image bearing members (20) include a black image bearing member (20K) for forming black image and other image bearing members (20Y,20M,20C) for forming other color images. The toner image from the image bearing members is transferred with the transfer member. The pressing units (18) press the transfer member (12) to the image bearing members (20) with a given pressure. The toner has a sunken rate of additives of 40% or more. The sunken rate of additives X% = { (A-B) / A } × 100. "A (m2/g)" is a BET specific surface of toner matrix before sinking additives in toner, and "B (m2/g)" is a BET specific surface of the toner after sinking additives in toner. The pressing unit (18K) for the black image bearing member (20K) presses the transfer member (12K) with a pressure set smaller compared to other pressing units (18) for the other image bearing members (20).







Search report