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. 05, 2003
Filed:
May. 16, 2001
Hiroshi Akema, Shibata-gun, JP;
Haruki Morikawa, Shibata-gun, JP;
Masamune Koyanagi, Shibata-gun, JP;
Noboru Onodera, Shibata-gun, JP;
Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd., Shibata-gun, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including an image carrier for forming a toner image thereon. A conveyor conveys a synthetic resin sheet. An image transferring device transfers the toner image from the image carrier to the synthetic resin sheet being conveyed by the conveyor. A fixing device is located downstream of the image carrier in a direction of sheet conveyance for fixing the toner image transferred to the synthetic resin sheet. The fixing device includes a heat roller capable of contacting the synthetic resin sheet. The heat roller is freely rotatable and caused to rotate by the synthetic resin sheet being conveyed by the conveyor when the sheet contacts the heat roller.