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:
Apr. 03, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2004
Atsunori Kitazawa, Nagano, JP;
Masanori Nakata, Nagano, JP;
Ken Ikuma, Nagano, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electrostatic latent image is formed on a rotary image carrier. A developing roller is separatably abutted on the image carrier to supply toner onto the image carrier to make the latent image visible as a toner image. An intermediate transfer member is adapted to temporarily hold the toner image. A first transferer presses the intermediate transfer member against the image carrier to define a primary transfer position therebetween, so that the toner image on the image carrier is transferred to the intermediate transfer member. A second transferer is separatably abutted on the intermediate transfer member to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium. An operation for forming the latent image is started after a predetermined time period elapses since a toner attached on at least one of a first region of the intermediate transfer member, on which a toner image to be transferred onto the recording medium is not transferred, and a second region on the image carrier corresponding to the first region has passed through the primary transfer position.