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:
Dec. 07, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 12, 1998
Kei Yasutomi, Yokohama, JP;
Hidetoshi Yano, Yokohama, JP;
Masako Yoshii, Kawasaki, JP;
Nobuto Yokokawa, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member and a contact-charging member which contacts a surface of the image bearing member. The contact-charging member can charge the image bearing member by applying a predetermined voltage to the contact-charging member so that a potential of the contact-charging member is changed to a required potential for transferring a residual toner that is stuck on a surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member onto the image bearing member while the image bearing member stops rotating. A method for removing residual toner sticking onto a contact-charging member that contacts a surface of the image bearing member changes a potential of the contact charging member to a required cleaning potential for transferring the residual toner sticking to a surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member onto the contact-charging member while the image bearing member stops rotating. The residual toner is then transferred from the surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member onto the image bearing member, and the residual toner sticking to the surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member is then removed.