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:
Mar. 07, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1992
Yasushi Umeda, Chofu, JP;
Tetsuo Tomiyama, Chiba, JP;
Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Tokyo, JP;
Yuichi Koike, Tokorozawa, JP;
Yoshiki Shimomura, Yawata, JP;
Kazuto Hori, Sakai, JP;
Sadao Tanigawa, Ikoma, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus has a functional redundancy system by which an inherent function normally performed by a certain portion is performed as a potential function by another portion, when such certain portion no longer can be perform its inherent function. In a first operative sequence, portions in the image forming apparatus perform their respective inherent functions. However, where a function of a certain portion in the apparatus is lost, for example, where a fault occurs and a particular element has failed, operation of other portions in the apparatus are controlled according to a second sequence. In the second sequence, the inherent function of the portion which has failed is replaced by the potential function of another portion in the apparatus.