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. 18, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 14, 1997
Nobuhiko Umezawa, Yokohama, JP;
Harumitsu Mashiko, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning device using a webbing is capable of surely removing stains firmly adhered to a desired surface to be cleaned. Even when the degree and the kind of contamination on the above surface is irregular due to the varying operating condition of the apparatus, the cleaning device is operable in a desirable manner. The cleaning device includes a webbing pressed against the surface to be cleaned and a pressing member having a plurality of projections with edge portions at the ends of the projections and wherein at least two of the projections are in the cleaning range at any one time. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning device is provided in an image forming apparatus and cleans a conveyor belt for conveying a recording medium to which a toner image is to be transferred. Additionally, a controller in the image forming apparatus operates the cleaning device on the basis of the degree of contamination sensed by a sensor, to clean the surface a greater number of times at initial power up or controls the cleaning device to exert a greater force during recovery after an operational error.