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:
Feb. 15, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 20, 2002
Hiroaki Matsuda, Numazu, JP;
Yasuaki Iwamoto, Numazu, JP;
Hiroshi Nakai, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroto Higuchi, Numazu, JP;
Bing Shu, Mishima, JP;
Maiko Kondo, Numazu, JP;
Fumihiro Sasaki, Fuji, JP;
Hiroaki Matsuda, Numazu, JP;
Yasuaki Iwamoto, Numazu, JP;
Hiroshi Nakai, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroto Higuchi, Numazu, JP;
Bing Shu, Mishima, JP;
Maiko Kondo, Numazu, JP;
Fumihiro Sasaki, Fuji, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a photoconductor, and a developing unit having a developing sleeve for carrying a developer and a developer regulating plate for regulating the amount of the developer carried on the sleeve, wherein the developer is composed of a carrier and a toner, wherein that portion of the toner which has a particle diameter of 2.0-4.0 μm accounts for 30-70% of a total number thereof, and wherein the developer regulating plate is grounded so that when the developing sleeve is applied with a bias voltage, an electric field is formed between the developer regulating plate and the developing sleeve, whereby toner deposits on the developing sleeve are transferred to the developer regulating plate.