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:
Jun. 10, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 17, 2006
Toshio Koike, Kanagawa, JP;
Eisaku Murakami, Tokyo, JP;
Masato Yanagida, Tokyo, JP;
Takeshi Shintani, Kanagawa, JP;
Naohiro Kumagai, Kanagawa, JP;
Atsushi Sampe, Kanagawa, JP;
Masami Tomita, Shizuoka, JP;
Hiroyuki Nagashima, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Uchitani, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshio Koike, Kanagawa, JP;
Eisaku Murakami, Tokyo, JP;
Masato Yanagida, Tokyo, JP;
Takeshi Shintani, Kanagawa, JP;
Naohiro Kumagai, Kanagawa, JP;
Atsushi Sampe, Kanagawa, JP;
Masami Tomita, Shizuoka, JP;
Hiroyuki Nagashima, Kanagawa, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Uchitani, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An imaging apparatus that is capable of realizing good cleaning characteristics and transfer characteristics, and obtaining a high quality image using toner having a high average roundness is provided. The imaging apparatus includes an image carrier, a charge unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit. The transfer unit may directly transfer a toner image onto a recording medium that is carried by a transfer belt, or transfer the toner image onto the transfer belt first to then transfer the toner image onto the recording medium from the transfer belt. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade and a brush roller. The toner used in the imaging apparatus has an average roundness Ψ within a range of 0.93˜0.99, and a friction coefficient μs of the image carrier satisfies a condition, friction coefficient μs≦3.6−3.3×average roundness Ψ.