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:
Jul. 18, 2006
Filed:
May. 28, 2004
Hideki Ando, Hitachinaka, JP;
Takasi Suzuki, Hitachinaka, JP;
Masato Miwa, Hitachinaka, JP;
Yoshitaka Fujinuma, Hitachinaka, JP;
Hideki Ando, Hitachinaka, JP;
Takasi Suzuki, Hitachinaka, JP;
Masato Miwa, Hitachinaka, JP;
Yoshitaka Fujinuma, Hitachinaka, JP;
Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
To ensure stable feed of transfer material when a paper back vacuuming feed mechanism is employed in the path from a transfer section to a fixing section in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus is such that the transfer section is arranged on the upper surface of the intermediate transfer unit; a transfer material feed apparatus is provided for vacuum feeding transfer material from the transfer section to the fixing apparatus; a guide tilted by a predetermined angle downward of the transfer material feed surface is provided at the outlet of the fixing apparatus of the transfer material feed apparatus; the nip portion of a fixing roller pair of the fixing apparatus is positioned downward of the extension line of the guide; and the tangent with respect to the nip portion of the fixing roller is tilted by a predetermined angle downward of the transfer material feed surface.