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. 29, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 23, 2005
Yasuhiro Oda, Kanagawa, JP;
Akihisa Maruyama, Kanagawa, JP;
Miho Ikeda, Kanagawa, JP;
Koichiro Yuasa, Kanagawa, JP;
Yasuhiro Oda, Kanagawa, JP;
Akihisa Maruyama, Kanagawa, JP;
Miho Ikeda, Kanagawa, JP;
Koichiro Yuasa, Kanagawa, JP;
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image carrier, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, a recovered-toner supply unit, and a foreign-matter collecting unit. The developing unit carries a developer containing a toner and develops an electrostatic latent image on the latent-image carrier with the toner. The transfer unit transfers the toner developed on the latent-image carrier to a recording material directly or via an intermediate transfer body. The cleaning unit removes a toner remaining on at least one of the latent-image carrier and the intermediate transfer medium after the transfer. The recovered-toner supply unit supplies a toner removed by the cleaning unit to the developing unit again. The foreign-matter collecting unit collects a foreign matter, which is mixed into the toner supplied from the recovered-toner supply unit and moved onto the latent-image carrier by the developing unit, before the transfer by the transfer unit.