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:
Jul. 12, 2016
Filed:
Jun. 22, 2015
Norikazu Okada, Kanagawa, JP;
Takaaki Shirai, Tokyo, JP;
Takuma Kasai, Kanagawa, JP;
Keita Maejima, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomoyuki Yamashita, Tokyo, JP;
Ryohta Kubokawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoru Tao, Kanagawa, JP;
Homare Ehara, Kanagawa, JP;
Norikazu Okada, Kanagawa, JP;
Takaaki Shirai, Tokyo, JP;
Takuma Kasai, Kanagawa, JP;
Keita Maejima, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomoyuki Yamashita, Tokyo, JP;
Ryohta Kubokawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoru Tao, Kanagawa, JP;
Homare Ehara, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a heat generator configured to generate heat in the image forming apparatus; a converter including a capacitor to convert AC power supplied from an external power supply into DC power for a load unit; a thermoelectric transducer configured to convert the generated heat into DC power for the load unit; a detector configured to detect a voltage of the AC power; and a controller configured to cause the converter to continue supplying the DC power to the load unit when a first elapsed time elapsed since the detected voltage drops below a rated voltage is shorter than a first time period shorter than an upper limit of a period of time over which the capacitor is dischargeable, and cause the thermoelectric transducer to supply the DC power to the load unit when the first elapsed time exceeds the first time period.