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:
May. 01, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 08, 2003
Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiyonori Tsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoshi Narumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ryuta Takeichi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuhiko Umemura, Shizuoka, JP;
Hiroshi Hosokawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiyonori Tsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoshi Narumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ryuta Takeichi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuhiko Umemura, Shizuoka, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an apparatus body, an image carrier for carrying a latent image on its surface, and a developing device for developing the latent image to thereby produce a corresponding toner image. A removable member is removably mounted to the apparatus body and positioned in the apparatus body such that a distance between the removable member and a surrounding member around it varies when the removable member is being mounted to or dismounted from the apparatus body. A frame surrounds at least one of the removable member and surrounding member. A contact member contacts, when the removable member is being mounted to or dismounted from the apparatus body, the frame to thereby determine a distance between the removable member and the surrounding member.