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:
Oct. 22, 2005
Takayuki Ogawa, Hoi-gun, JP;
Koji Soda, Toyokawa, JP;
Noboru Oomoto, Hoi-gun, JP;
Yoshitaka Otani, Toyokawa, JP;
Takayuki Ogawa, Hoi-gun, JP;
Koji Soda, Toyokawa, JP;
Noboru Oomoto, Hoi-gun, JP;
Yoshitaka Otani, Toyokawa, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit for forming a toner image on the image carrier by supplying a toner contained in a developer reservoir to a latent image formed on the image carrier by means of a developer carrier; a transfer unit for transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a transfer medium; a recovery unit for recovering the toner remaining on the image carrier after image transfer; a return unit for transporting the recover toner recovered by the recovery unit so as to return the recover toner into the developer reservoir of the development unit; and a separator/feeder for separating the toner contained in the developer reservoir from the recover toner thereby exclusively feeding the toner contained in the developer reservoir to the latent image formed on the image carrier by means of the developer carrier.