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. 30, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 06, 2007
Masahiko Satoh, Tokyo, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiyuki Kimura, Tokyo, JP;
Eisaku Murakami, Tokyo, JP;
Hideki Zemba, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Uchitani, Kanagawa, JP;
Shin Kayahara, Kanagawa, JP;
Shunichi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Eiji Shimojo, Tokyo, JP;
Masahiko Satoh, Tokyo, JP;
Masanori Kawasumi, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiyuki Kimura, Tokyo, JP;
Eisaku Murakami, Tokyo, JP;
Hideki Zemba, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Uchitani, Kanagawa, JP;
Shin Kayahara, Kanagawa, JP;
Shunichi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Eiji Shimojo, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A charging member, which can be provided in a process cartridge and/or in an image forming apparatus, includes a conductive supporting member, an electrical resistance control layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the conductive supporting member, and a nonconductive gap retaining member configured to retain a gap between the conductive supporting member and an image carrying member closely disposed to each other to have a constant distance. At least a portion of the nonconductive gap retaining member is mounted on the electrical resistance control layer at both ends of the conductive supporting member, and a circumference of the nonconductive gap retaining member projects from the electrical resistance control layer. An amount of projection of the gap retaining member from the electrical resistance control layer decreases as the gap retaining member tapers in a direction toward a center of an image formation region.