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:
Apr. 12, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 05, 2003
Applicants:
Yukihiro Ito, Higashiosaka, JP;
Satoru Yonemoto, Sakai, JP;
Hideki Kitagawa, Kadoma, JP;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Kyocera Mita Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G015/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An image forming apparatus has a unit in which at least an expendable component is incorporated. The unit is reusable by periodically replacing the expendable component. An indicator for indicating a record on use of the unit is attached to a given position on the unit. The record on use can be associated, for example, with one or more of the number of times of re-using the unit, a period lapsed from start of use of the unit, and the total number of times of using the unit with respect to image formation.