The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 11, 2026
Filed:
Feb. 06, 2025
Taisuke Ishikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Shoji Asanuma, Kanagawa, JP;
Tatsuya Suzuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a body, image forming units, stations, air supply ports, and an air supply duct. The apparatus includes a full-specification inner cover and a specified-specification inner cover installed in the body when image formation is performed in a full specification state and a specified specification state, respectively. The full-specification inner cover allows air supply from all of the ports to all of the stations and allows attachment and detachment of the image forming units to and from the stations. The specified-specification inner cover allows air supply from an air supply port corresponding to a station to be used to the station, prevents air supply to an unused station via an air supply port other than the air supply port corresponding to the station to be used, and allows attachment and detachment of only the image forming unit to and from the station to be used.