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:
Nov. 24, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2014
Ryota Yamashina, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Seo, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Seto, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Ryota Yamashina, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Seo, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Seto, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance passage unit, a fixing device, an optical sensor, a fixing condition adjuster, and a regulator. A recording medium passes through the conveyance passage unit. The fixing device fixes a toner image onto the recording medium. The optical sensor includes a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device to detect smoothness of the recording medium according to strength of light received. The fixing condition adjuster adjusts fixing conditions according to the smoothness detected. The regulator is disposed in the conveyance passage unit to regulate conveyance of the recording medium, such that at least a part of the recording medium passes through an irradiated area including an intersection that is determined by an emission angle of a first optical axis of light emitted by the light-emitting device and a reflection angle of a second optical axis of light received by the light-receiving device.