US 7,321,741 B2
Image forming apparatus featuring a transparent image forming station to achieve uniform gloss
Tomoyuki Sakamaki, Toride (Japan); and Hiroyuki Kidaka, Abiko (Japan)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Dec. 07, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/295,505.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-360032 (JP), filed on Dec. 13, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0127134 A1, Jun. 15, 2006
Int. Cl. G03G 15/01 (2006.01); G03G 15/24 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 399—150  [399/223] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a plurality of image forming stations, each including an image carrier for carrying an electrostatic image and a developing device for developing the electrostatic image with toner; and
a transferring device for transferring toner images formed by the plurality of image forming stations to a transferring medium,
wherein the plurality of image forming stations include a transparent image forming station using transparent toner and color image forming stations,
wherein the transparent image forming station includes a cleaning device that is in contact with the image carrier and picks up residual toner on the image carrier, and
wherein the developing devices of the color image forming stations develop electrostatic images on the corresponding image carriers and simultaneously pick up residual toners on their respective image carriers.