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. 17, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2011
Kenji Izumiya, Hachioji, JP;
Atsushi Takahashi, Akishima, JP;
Hiroshi Oyama, Hino, JP;
Yumiko Higashi, Hachioji, JP;
Katsuyuki Ikuta, Hino, JP;
Kenji Izumiya, Hachioji, JP;
Atsushi Takahashi, Akishima, JP;
Hiroshi Oyama, Hino, JP;
Yumiko Higashi, Hachioji, JP;
Katsuyuki Ikuta, Hino, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to reduce the frequency of image defect occurrences to a level as lower as possible by detecting abnormalities generated with age on the photoreceptor member and/or in the cleaning section, so as to suppress an amount of spoiled paper sheets and material. The image forming apparatus includes: a light source that is disposed at a position located between a cleaning section and a charging section, to emit an inspection light, which is to be irradiated onto a photoreceptor member over a main-scanning direction thereof; a tight-contact type image sensor that has a line image sensor to receive the inspection light reflected from a surface of the photoreceptor member; and a control section to determine a status of a surface of the photoreceptor member, based on a result of analyzing the inspection light receive by the line image sensor.