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:
Dec. 18, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 12, 2010
Applicant:
Kazumasa Tonami, Osaka, JP;
Inventor:
Kazumasa Tonami, Osaka, JP;
Assignee:
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J 2/415 (2006.01); A62B 7/08 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An ion generator for generating positive ions and negative ions is externally attached above a main body of an image forming apparatus. A ratio between positive ions and negative ions which are generated by the ion generator is switched between two ratios in accordance with whether the image forming apparatus is in an operating state or a standby state so that more negative ions are emitted during the operating state. This makes it possible to suppress an effect of an exhaust gas which contains chemical emissions such as an odor and a VOC and which is discharged from the image forming apparatus and to purify an indoor air.