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. 09, 2005
Filed:
May. 30, 2003
Haruji Mizuishi, Ohta-ku, JP;
Haruji Mizuishi, Ohta-ku, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, a developer carrier that carries a two-component developer containing toner and magnetic particles, and an electric field forming device that forms a developing electric field to develop the electrostatic latent image with the toner in a developing region where the developer carrier faces the latent image carrier. A magnetic brush is formed by magnetically adsorbing the two-component developer onto the surface of the developer carrier to develop the latent image with the toner in the magnetic brush. A developing gap between the developer carrier and the latent image carrier in the developing region is set so as not to press the toner in the magnetic brush against the surface of the developer carrier that faces a non-image portion of the latent image carrier and set so as not to fix the toner onto the developer carrier.