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:
Oct. 17, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 17, 2003
Hirohmi Harada, Kawasaki, JP;
Takeshi Saitou, Hachiohji, JP;
Hirohmi Harada, Kawasaki, JP;
Takeshi Saitou, Hachiohji, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image bearing member unit includes an image bearing member on which a toner image is formed, and a support member supporting the image bearing member such that the image bearing member protrudes through an opening formed in the support member. The image bearing member unit is drawn out of and put into a main body of an image forming apparatus. The image bearing member unit further includes a shutter for covering and uncovering the image bearing member protruding through the opening formed in the support member. The shutter is assembled with the support member to move in directions, substantially perpendicular to directions in which the image bearing member unit is drawn out of and put into the main body of the image forming apparatus, to be located, when the image bearing member unit has been drawn out of the main body of the image forming apparatus, in a closed position wherein the shutter covers the image bearing member protruding through the opening formed in the support member, and to be located, when the image bearing member unit has been set in a predetermined position inside of the main body of the image forming apparatus, in an opened position wherein the shutter does not cover the image bearing member protruding through the opening formed in the support member.