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:
Mar. 15, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 08, 2015
Kentaroh Nodera, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiromichi Ninomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiko Shakuto, Kanagawa, JP;
Takuma Iwasaki, Tokyo, JP;
Hajime Teraji, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Sawada, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaroh Nodera, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiromichi Ninomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiko Shakuto, Kanagawa, JP;
Takuma Iwasaki, Tokyo, JP;
Hajime Teraji, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Sawada, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearer on which a latent image is formed and developed into a toner image; a transfer member that is arranged so as to come in contact with or face the image bearer to form a transfer position; a cleaning unit that removes and collects untransferred toner; a guide member that guides conveyance of the recording medium; a neutralizing light source that irradiates a position downstream of the transfer position and upstream of the cleaning unit in a running direction of the image bearer with neutralizing light which is incident on and reflected by the recording medium sent out from the transfer position and/or the guide member; and a shielding member that blocks light such that the image bearer is not irradiated directly with a part or whole of neutralizing light emitted from the neutralizing light source.