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. 08, 2016
Filed:
Jan. 11, 2013
Shinya Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Hirokazu Ishii, Tokyo, JP;
Hiromi Ogiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Yasunobu Shimizu, Kanagawa, JP;
Keigo Nakamura, Kanagawa, JP;
Shinya Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Hirokazu Ishii, Tokyo, JP;
Hiromi Ogiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Yasunobu Shimizu, Kanagawa, JP;
Keigo Nakamura, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image using a toner; an intermediate transfer body onto which toner image is transferred; a secondary transfer member that comes in contact with a surface of the intermediate transfer body; a power supply that outputs a voltage for transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording member; and a protective agent supply unit that applies a protective agent including zinc stearate and boron nitride onto a surface of the image carrier. The voltage is alternatively switched in a transfer direction and an opposite direction. The voltage in the transfer direction enables transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer body to the recording member, and the voltage in the opposite direction has polarity opposite to polarity of the voltage in the transfer direction.