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. 17, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 12, 2001
Hiroshi Sasame, Shizuoka, JP;
Hiroaki Ogata, Shizuoka, JP;
Yasunari Watanabe, Shizuoka, JP;
Shinya Yamamoto, Shizuoka, JP;
Motoki Adachi, Shizuoka, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus adapted to form images by employing a plurality of image bearing members, when a monocolor mode is selected, no toner image is formed on photosensitive drums of the colors other than the photosensitive drum on which a black toner image is formed. However, the photosensitive drums of the remaining colors continue to run while maintaining a speed difference in a four-full-color mode in relation to an intermediary transfer belt. As a result, some photosensitive drums reach their service life even if the toners contained in developing devices have not yet run out or even if images have not yet been formed on a predetermined number of transfer materials. To solve the problem, the peripheral speed of each of the photosensitive drums in the black monocolor mode for producing monochrome images is set to be faster than that in the full-color mode so as to make the peripheral speed virtually equal to the moving speed of the intermediary transfer belt.