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:
Nov. 13, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 16, 2011
Shinichiro Naruse, Kanagawa, JP;
Ichiro Komuro, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Soichi Saiga, Tokyo, JP;
Ryusuke Mase, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichiro Naruse, Kanagawa, JP;
Ichiro Komuro, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Soichi Saiga, Tokyo, JP;
Ryusuke Mase, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a first carriage movable in a main scanning direction, a second carriage separatably dockable with the first carriage, a first positioning unit to position the second carriage relative to the first carriage in a sub-scanning direction, a second positioning unit to position the second carriage relative to the first carriage in a rotary direction, and a third positioning unit to position the second carriage relative to the first carriage in the main scanning direction. The first positioning unit includes a reference shaft and notched positioning members to engage the reference shaft. The second positioning unit contacts one of the first and second carriages in the rotary direction upon docking of the first and second carriages. The third positioning unit includes a positioning member, parallel grooved members in the sub-scanning direction, and parallel shafts extending in the sub-scanning direction to engage the grooved members.