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:
Apr. 09, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 09, 2010
Ichiro Komuro, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichiro Naruse, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Ryusuke Mase, Kanagawa, JP;
Soichi Saiga, Tokyo, JP;
Ichiro Komuro, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinichiro Naruse, Kanagawa, JP;
Mamoru Yorimoto, Tokyo, JP;
Ryusuke Mase, Kanagawa, JP;
Soichi Saiga, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus including a first carriage having a first recording head and a first lifting/lowering unit, a second carriage having a second recording head and a second lifting/lowering unit, a drive source, a drive coupling unit provided to the drive source, a first coupling unit, a second coupling unit, a docking/separation unit that docks and separates the first and second carriages, and an accommodation/coupling unit. A first end of the second coupling unit is coupled to the drive coupling unit, and the accommodation/coupling unit couples the first coupling unit to a second end of the second coupling unit and accommodates the first coupling unit within the first carriage to uncouple the first coupling unit from the second end of the second coupling unit. Accommodation and coupling of the first coupling unit are performed in conjunction with docking and separation of the first and second carriages.