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:
May. 17, 2011
Filed:
May. 04, 2007
Seiji Hoshino, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiyuki Andoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Seiji Hoshino, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Hashimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshiyuki Andoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Tatsuhiko Oikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries an image and rotates, a transfer member that rotates in contact with the image carrier and transfers an image formed on the image carrier to a recording medium, a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium to a contact position where the image carrier and the transfer member come into contact with each other, and a gap forming unit that forms a gap between the image carrier and the transfer member at the contact position. The gap forming unit forms the gap immediately before the recording medium enters the contact position.