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:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1999
Osamu Takagi, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshiya Hashimoto, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroshi Murata, Yokohama, JP;
Kazuhisa Kimura, Hiratsuka, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
As an image forming apparatus of this invention, a color copying machine in which four image forming units are juxtaposed along the convey direction of a paper sheet is known. Each image forming unit has a photosensitive drum which is in rolling contact with a conveyor belt. Around the photosensitive drum, a charging device, exposure device, developing device, transfer device, cleaning device, and charge removing device are placed in turn along the rotation direction of the drum. An image unit is interposed between the photosensitive drum in the predetermined image forming unit, and the photosensitive drum in the image forming unit, which neighbors that image forming unit on its upstream side. The image unit integrally holds the developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the downstream photosensitive drum, and the cleaning device for cleaning the upstream photosensitive drum. Also, the image unit is detachably inserted between the two neighboring photosensitive drums.