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. 08, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1998
Kenji Karashima, Kawasaki, JP;
Kohichi Yamazaki, Yokohama, JP;
Kentaro Matsumoto, Ichikawa, JP;
Kazuhiko Yuuki, Yokohama, JP;
Manabu Mochizuki, Yokohama, JP;
Noriyuki Usui, Kawasaki, JP;
Asami Mae, Yokohama, JP;
Masakuni Konja, Sohka, JP;
Ricoh Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus and method in which a transfer device is provided in a position separated from an image carrier. A transfer sheet is conveyed along and contacting a part of a circumferential surface of the image carrier facing the transfer device when transferring a toner image from the image carrier to the transfer sheet. A conveying guide is included to guide and covey the transfer sheet separated from the image carrier to a fixing unit. The conveying guide includes a guiding member to direct the conveying direction of the transfer sheet upward when the leading edge of the transfer sheet contacts the guiding member and to convey the transfer sheet at a part of the conveying guide or the guiding member in a position higher than the position of the leading edge of the transfer sheet contacting the conveying guide or the guiding member, so that the contact area between the transfer sheet and the image carrier increases, and so that the transfer sheet separates from the image carrier without a discharging of a charge on the transfer sheet.