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:
Oct. 11, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 03, 2009
Keiji Okamoto, Yokohama, JP;
Keiji Okamoto, Yokohama, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A lubricant supplying unit, which can be incorporated in a process unit for use in an image forming apparatus, includes a rotary lubricant supplying member to contact a surface of an image carrier to rotate with the image carrier, a lubricant having an opposed face disposed opposite the rotary lubricant supplying member and side faces, a lubricant holder to hold the lubricant, and a pressing member to press the lubricant toward the lubricant supplying member either directly or via an intermediate transfer member. The rotary lubricant supplying member rotating to scrape the lubricant to supply the scraped lubricant to the image carrier. The lubricant holder supporting at least the entire side face of the lubricant intersecting the opposed face of the lubricant in a cross-section of the lubricant and the lubricant holder in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotary lubricant supplying member.