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:
Nov. 25, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2002
Shin Kayahara, Urayasu, JP;
Hideo Yu, Tama, JP;
Mitsuru Takahashi, Kawasaki, JP;
Takeshi Shintani, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, an intermediate transfer member, a charger, a transfer mechanism, a discharger, a direct current (d.c.) voltage source, and a d.c. voltage controller. The intermediate transfer member faces and contacts the image carrying member carrying a toner image, and receives the toner image therefrom during a first transfer. The charger charges the intermediate transfer member to cause an electric field around where the image carrying member and the intermediate transfer member contact each other, the electric field initiating the first transfer. The transfer mechanism transfers the toner image from the intermediate transfer member to a transfer sheet. The discharger discharges charge remaining on the intermediate transfer member. The d.c. voltage source applies a d.c. voltage to the discharger to cause the discharging. The d.c. voltage controller controls the d.c. voltage in accordance with a volume resistivity of the intermediate transfer member.