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. 15, 2012
Filed:
Jan. 02, 2008
Hideaki Hayashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Kuniya Matsuura, Toyohashi, JP;
Junji Kanda, Toyota, JP;
Yasuaki Tomoda, Toyohashi, JP;
Hideaki Hayashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Kuniya Matsuura, Toyohashi, JP;
Junji Kanda, Toyota, JP;
Yasuaki Tomoda, Toyohashi, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus has an electrostatic latent image bearing members, developing devices each including developer and capable of developing corresponding electrostatic latent images on the electrostatic latent image bearing members into visualized developer images, a transfer device capable of transferring the developer images to a sheet, first collecting devices each capable of collecting untransferred developer from the electrostatic latent image bearing members, developer supply devices each capable of supplying the developer to the corresponding developing devices, accommodating sections each combined with the corresponding developer supply devices and capable of accommodating the untransferred developer, a collecting and distributing device capable of collecting the untransferred developer collected by the first collecting devices and distributing the collected untransferred developer to the accommodating sections, and a housing capable of retaining the developer supply devices so that each of the developer supply devices is releasable together with the corresponding accommodating section from the housing.