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:
Apr. 29, 2009
Yuusuke Furuichi, Ikeda, JP;
Nobuhiko Kita, Suita, JP;
Sei Onuma, Ikeda, JP;
Ryoh Idehara, Kawanishi, JP;
Kazuyoshi Kondo, Toyonaka, JP;
Genta Hagiwara, Ikeda, JP;
Kaoru Tada, Toyonaka, JP;
Yuusuke Furuichi, Ikeda, JP;
Nobuhiko Kita, Suita, JP;
Sei Onuma, Ikeda, JP;
Ryoh Idehara, Kawanishi, JP;
Kazuyoshi Kondo, Toyonaka, JP;
Genta Hagiwara, Ikeda, JP;
Kaoru Tada, Toyonaka, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier, a latent image forming unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, at least one developing device disposed to contact the latent image carrier to develop the latent image with developer stored therein, a cooling mechanism including at least one cooling device disposed close to the developing device to cool the developing device, a developer amount detector electrically connected to the developing device to detect an amount of the developer remaining in the developing device, and a cooling mechanism controller connected to the cooling mechanism to change a cooling power of the cooling mechanism according to a detection result generated by the developer amount detector. The developing device includes a rotary member whose shaft is rotationally supported by at least one bearing and is not to be supplied with new developer while any developer remains therein.