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:
Jun. 23, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 20, 2013
Ryohta Gotoh, Tokyo, JP;
Satoshi Hatori, Kanagawa, JP;
Naohiro Kumagai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kaoru Yoshino, Tokyo, JP;
Akira Fujimori, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideyasu Seki, Chiba, JP;
Ryohta Gotoh, Tokyo, JP;
Satoshi Hatori, Kanagawa, JP;
Naohiro Kumagai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kaoru Yoshino, Tokyo, JP;
Akira Fujimori, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideyasu Seki, Chiba, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A lubricant applicator includes a block of lubricant, a supply member contactable against the block of lubricant to scrape the block of lubricant, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether a remaining amount of lubricant is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a pivot, a pressing member disposed opposite the rotary member to rotate the rotary member by pressing a contact part of the rotary member as the block of lubricant is consumed, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the pivot of the rotary member. A length of the rotary member from the pivot to the detection part is longer than a length of the rotary member from the pivot to the contact part.