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. 19, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 01, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
399308 ; 399302 ;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, an intermediate transfer element to transfer a developed image, an electrode to apply a bias having preselected polarity to the intermediate transfer element and form an electric field. The intermediate transfer element has an adhering force acting on toner of the developed image that is greater than or equal to an adhering force acting between the toner and the image carrier, and when a frictional charging polarity of the toner which rubs against the intermediate transfer element is the same polarity as the bias applied to the intermediate transfer element from the electrode.