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:
May. 20, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2010
Kenji Sugiura, Yokohama, JP;
Osamu Naruse, Yokohama, JP;
Naomi Sugimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Hisashi Kikuchi, Kawasaki, JP;
Yoshiki Hozumi, Sagamihara, JP;
Kenji Sugiura, Yokohama, JP;
Osamu Naruse, Yokohama, JP;
Naomi Sugimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Hisashi Kikuchi, Kawasaki, JP;
Yoshiki Hozumi, Sagamihara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A belt device incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, multiple belt tension rollers disposed in contact with an inner surface of the endless belt, a rotary cleaning member to contact a belt wound area of the endless belt facing an opposing roller to form a cleaning nip between the rotary cleaning member and the endless belt and rotate the rotary cleaning member in a direction opposite the belt moving direction within the cleaning nip, and a voltage applier. The cleaning nip is formed by offsetting a center of the cleaning nip upstream from a center of the belt wound area of the endless belt in the belt moving direction and by at least contacting the rotary cleaning member in a range from the belt wound area to a tensioned belt area located upstream from the belt wound area in the belt moving direction.