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. 22, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 09, 1996
Satoshi Takano, Tokyo, JP;
Itaru Matsuda, Yokohama, JP;
Yuko Hayama, Kawasaki, JP;
Hirokazu Ishii, Tokyo, JP;
Akio Kutsuwada, Kawasaki, JP;
Haruji Mizuishi, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Itoh, Zama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a lubricant is fed to an image carrier on which a toner image is to be formed. An endless rotatable transfer member conveys a recording medium to which the toner image is to be transferred from the image carrier. The transfer member is capable of contacting the surface of the image carrier to which the lubricant has been applied. As a result, an adequate amount of lubricant is evenly applied to the transfer member to reduce the coefficient of friction of the surface of the transfer member, thereby enhancing the cleanability of the transfer member.