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:
Mar. 28, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 23, 2003
Hiroshi Sahara, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Sahara, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus has an image bearing unit for bearing a toner image, a transfer device for transferring the toner image on the image bearing unit onto a sheet, fixing unit for fixing to the sheet toner image, and first and second sheet transport guides disposed along a transport path. A sheet transport speed in the fixing unit is set lower than a sheet transport speed in the transfer device. The first and second sheet transport guides are each disposed with a tilt with respect to a horizontal or vertical direction. A gap is provided to form a spacing sufficient to permit curves of the sheet to be formed between a downstream-side end portion of the first sheet transport guide and an upstream-side end portion of the second sheet transport guide.