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:
Apr. 19, 2016
Filed:
Sep. 25, 2013
Ken Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;
Keiko Matsumoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomohide Takenaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Ito, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiro Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Sakurai, Kanagawa, JP;
Ken Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;
Keiko Matsumoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomohide Takenaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Ito, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiro Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Sakurai, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a control unit. The image carrier has a surface to bear a toner image thereon. The transfer unit has a transfer member to transfer the toner image onto a recording sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction for trailing-end borderless image formation and duplex image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on the recording sheet without forming a margin at a trailing end of the recording sheet in the conveyance sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on front and back faces of the recording sheet in the duplex image formation. When a width of the toner image formed in a borderless image area of the recording sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation is smaller in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction than a threshold value, the control unit permits the duplex image formation. When the width is the threshold value or greater, the control unit prohibits the duplex image formation.