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:
Jan. 17, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2002
Masahiko Shakuto, Kawasaki, JP;
Yasushi Nakazato, Tokyo, JP;
Osamu Naruse, Yokohama, JP;
Naomi Sugimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Takahiko Tokumasu, Atsugi, JP;
Kenji Sugiura, Yokohama, JP;
Tohru Nakano, Kawasaki, JP;
Masahiko Shakuto, Kawasaki, JP;
Yasushi Nakazato, Tokyo, JP;
Osamu Naruse, Yokohama, JP;
Naomi Sugimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Takahiko Tokumasu, Atsugi, JP;
Kenji Sugiura, Yokohama, JP;
Tohru Nakano, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a charging device that charges a surface of the image bearer, a latent image forming device that forms a latent image on the image bearer, a developing device that develops the latent image on the image bearer with a spherical toner into a toner image, a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a transfer material, and a cleaning device that removes the spherical toner remaining on the image bearer after the toner image is transferred to the transfer material. The cleaning device including a cleaning roller that removes the spherical toner on the image bearer while rotating and contacting the image bearer and which has a greater coefficient of static friction than the surface of the image bearer. An electric field is formed between the cleaning member and the image bearer by applying a voltage to the cleaning member so that the spherical toner adhered onto the image bearer is electrostatically attracted to the cleaning member. The cleaning member may also include a brush roller having bristles planted in a specific configuration.