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:
Jul. 07, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2006
Masato Ogasawara, Katsushika-ku, JP;
Kazufumi Ishida, Sunto-Gun, JP;
Masato Ogasawara, Katsushika-ku, JP;
Kazufumi Ishida, Sunto-Gun, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes an image carrier and a cleaning device for cleaning a developer left on a surface of the image carrier. Further, the cleaning device includes: a casing having a rotational shaft; a pressurizing member for applying a force about the rotational shaft to the casing; a cleaning member fixed to the casing for cleaning the developer left on the surface of the image carrier by pressing against the surface by the force about the rotational shaft; a transporting mechanism for transporting the developer in the casing to a position outside of the casing; and a drive mechanism for providing a driving force to the transporting means, and a direction of the driving force is a direction from an application point of the driving force substantially toward a rotational support of the rotational shaft or a direction opposite thereto.