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:
Sep. 04, 2012
Filed:
May. 23, 2008
Yuji Matsuda, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroki Ohkubo, Kanagawa, JP;
Yusuke Ozaki, Tokyo, JP;
Eiji Nemoto, Tokyo, JP;
Yuji Matsuda, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroki Ohkubo, Kanagawa, JP;
Yusuke Ozaki, Tokyo, JP;
Eiji Nemoto, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A thermoelectric conversion element converts thermal energy of a user into electric power. A holding unit holds the electric power converted by the thermoelectric conversion element, and outputs the electric power. A switching unit switches between a first mode in which electric power is supplied to all units of an image forming apparatus and a second mode in which electric power is supplied to a part of units of the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is in the second mode, the switching unit switches from the second mode to the first mode upon receiving the electric power output from the holding unit.