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:
Sep. 01, 2015
Filed:
Feb. 25, 2014
Susumu Mikajiri, Tokyo, JP;
Susumu Mikajiri, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes image carriers for four fundamental colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, and for an auxiliary color, and three optical scanning devices. A first optical scanning device includes two light sources for the black color and another fundamental color, a first deflector, and a first housing. A second optical scanning device includes two light sources for other two fundamental colors, a second deflector, and a second housing. A third optical scanning device includes a light source for the auxiliary color, a third deflector, a third housing, and one or more reflecting mirrors. The light source for the auxiliary color is disposed closer to the third deflector with the one or more reflecting mirrors to turn an optical path therebetween while maintaining an optical path length thereof. The optical paths for the auxiliary color and for the black color have identical light utilization efficiency.