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. 28, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
Atsuyuki Katoh, Tenri, JP;
Masaru Tsuji, Nara, JP;
Kenji Sugimura, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Yoshiya Kinoshita, Nara, JP;
Hiroshi Tachiki, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus which applies a voltage from a power source, to a transfer roller for performing a first transfer for transferring a toner image on a photoreceptor to an intermediate transfer medium, and a second transfer for transferring overlapped color toner image on the intermediate transfer medium to a recording sheet. A transfer voltage based on sheet thickness is detected by a sheet type detecting section and applied to the transfer roller in each transfer stage. When the sheet type detecting section detects that the recording sheet is longer than a periphery of a fixing belt, a heater lamp is turned on between a time when the recording sheet is brought into contact with the fixing roller, and a time when the fixing roller completes one rotation. As a result, it is possible to reduce ozone generated in the image forming apparatus and to make the apparatus compact. Further, with the image forming apparatus, desirable transfer characteristics in accordance with a sheet type are obtained, thus realizing uniform fixing of an unfixed toner image onto the recording sheet.