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:
Jul. 21, 1992
Filed:
May. 31, 1991
Keiji Okamoto, Yokohama, JP;
Chuji Ishikawa, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A device incorporated in an electrophotographic image recorder for collecting toner particles, paper dust and so on which are removed from a photoconductive element by a cleaning device. The collecting device is constructed independently of the cleaning device. In a portion where the collecting device and cleaning device are connected to each other, a first and a second shutter which open and close respectively an opening formed through the cleaning device and an opening formed through the collecting device cooperate with each other. When the collecting device is connected to the cleaning device, the second shutter unblocks the associated opening before the first shutter does so. Conversely, when the collecting device is disconnected from the cleaning device, the second shutter blocks the associated opening after the first shutter has done so.