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:
Sep. 01, 2026
Filed:
Oct. 08, 2024
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Saya Minoshima, Gifu, JP;
Tomonori Watanabe, Ichinomiya, JP;
Ayaka Ohira, Nagoya, JP;
Tetsuya Morita, Anjo, JP;
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer roller, a fuser, a chute, and a reciprocating mechanism. The transfer roller is configured to transfer toner to a sheet. The fuser is configured to fix toner on the sheet. The chute is located upstream of the fuser in a sheet conveying direction. The chute is configured to convey the sheet on a sheet conveying surface. The chute is movable between a first position and a second position. The reciprocating mechanism is configured to reciprocate by drive force and to move the chute by pressing the chute in a direction from a sheet-conveying-surface side toward an opposite side. The sheet-conveying-surface side is a side of the chute at which the sheet conveying surface is located. The opposite side is a side of the chute opposite the sheet-conveying-surface side.