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:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1999
Takundo Isobe, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinji Kato, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a rotary developing unit or revolver. The apparatus body includes a connection unit having a single optical transmission/receipt section. The revolver includes a connection unit having four optical transmission/receipt sections arranged at the intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction of the revolver. All the transmission/receipt sections are spaced from the axis of the revolver by the same distance. When the revolver is brought to a stop at a preselected developing position, one of the four transmission/receipt sections of the revolver faces the transmission/receipt section of the apparatus body without fail. The connection units include a current transformer for feeding power from the apparatus body to the developing unit. The connection units face each other at parallel surfaces thereof.