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:
Dec. 30, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2006
Makoto Shishido, Osaka, JP;
Shiho Okawa, Osaka, JP;
Makoto Shishido, Osaka, JP;
Shiho Okawa, Osaka, JP;
Kyocera Mita Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which can, by uniformly leveling the particles which are non-uniformly adhered to the surface of the photoconductor by using a leveling means having a predetermined shape, and can maintain the excellent image characteristics for a long period even when a contact charging method is adopted as a charging means and an image forming method which uses the image forming apparatus. In an image forming apparatus which sequentially arranges a charging means, a developing means, a transferring means and a charge eliminating means around an electrophotographic photoconductor, the charging means is constituted of a contact-type charging means, and a leveling means which levels particles on a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor is arranged between the transferring means and the charge eliminating means.