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. 26, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 25, 2001
Katsuhiro Aoki, Ohta-ku, JP;
Tsumori Satoh, Ohta-ku, JP;
Misao Tanzawa, Ohta-ku, JP;
Yuuji Sawai, Ohta-ku, JP;
Mitsuru Takahashi, Ohta-ku, JP;
Hajime Oyama, Ohta-ku, JP;
Sadayuki Iwai, Ohta-ku, JP;
Tohru Nakano, Ohta-ku, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Monocolor image forming unit includes a developing device and an image carrier cleaning device arranged around an image carrier. A plurality of such the monocolor image forming unit is arrayed laterally along the rotary transport direction of an intermediate transfer member of the belt type to configure a tandem image forming device. In the tandem image forming device, a synthesized toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer member and transferred to a recording medium to form a multicolor image thereon. Among the plurality of monocolor image forming unit contained in the tandem image forming device, at least two monocolor image forming unit each include a toner recycling device for conveying toner collected at the image carrier cleaning device to the developing device.