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. 29, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 13, 2008
Tetsu Morino, Kanagawa, JP;
Noboru Sawayama, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenichi Kawabata, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Tetsuro Hirota, Kanagawa, JP;
Takumi Hagiwara, Aichi, JP;
Tetsu Morino, Kanagawa, JP;
Noboru Sawayama, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenichi Kawabata, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Tetsuro Hirota, Kanagawa, JP;
Takumi Hagiwara, Aichi, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is provided with a carriage in which recording heads having nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets are mounted and is configured to form an image on a recording medium being transported. The image forming apparatus includes a pattern forming unit that forms an impact position displacement adjustment pattern formed of plural independent liquid droplets on a water repellent member; a reading unit that includes a light emitting unit for emitting light onto the adjustment pattern and a light receiving unit for receiving specular reflection light from the adjustment pattern; and an impact position correcting unit that corrects an impact position of a liquid droplet to be ejected from the recording head based on a read result by the reading unit. The reading unit is disposed on the carriage and is arranged close to the side of a guide member that guides movement of the carriage.