← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0488147A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming apparatus having transfer drum cleaner

Assignee: Kyocera Mita Industrial Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1991-11-26
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-11-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus (100) comprises a transfer drum (11) for holding paper (P), and can be switched between a monocolor mode in which an image is transferred to the paper (P) held only once and a multicolor mode in which an image having a plurality of colors is transferred thereto such that the colors are fused with each other a plurality of times. A paper feeding path (14), a separating claw (1) for separating from the transfer drum (11) the paper to which the image is transferred, and a cleaner (2) for cleaning the surface of the transfer drum (11) are disposed in that order along the direction of rotation of the transfer drum (11) around the transfer drum (11). When the image forming apparatus (100) is in the monocolor mode, the cleaner (2) is always abutted on the surface of the transfer drum (11), so that the surface of the transfer drum is always cleaned. Accordingly, the cleaner (2) need not be frequently abutted on the surface of the transfer drum (11) or separated from the surface of the transfer drum (11) in the monocolor mode, thereby to make it easy to control the cleaner (2) in the monocolor mode.

Inventors

  • 👤 Atsushi Kano
  • 👤 Hiroshi Kono
  • 👤 Toshiyuki Osaka
  • 👤 Toshinobu Katafuchi
  • 👤 Shuji Yamada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 08:47
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/163; G03G15/1635; G03G15/165; G03G15/1655; G03G15/166; G03G15/01; G03G15/0105; G03G15/0131; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/01; G03G2215/0151; G03G2215/0154; G03G2215/0167; G03G2215/0174; G03G2215/018; G03G2215/16; G03G2215/1647; G03G2215/1657

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 255 words
An image forming apparatus (100) having holding means (11) for holding a transfer material (P) in transferring an image formed to the transfer material (P), the holding means (11) comprising a transfer material holding surface moved in an endless manner in a predetermined direction (Y), and being switchable between a monocolor mode in which an image having one color is transferred to the transfer material (P) held on the holding surface only once and a multicolor mode in which an image having a plurality of colors is transferred to the transfer material (P) with the colors being fused with each other a plurality of times, comprising: transfer material feeding means (14) for feeding the transfer material (P) to the holding surface (11), separating means (1) for separating from the holding surface (11) the transfer material (P) to which the image is transferred, and cleaning means (2) for cleaning the holding surface (11) which are disposed in that order along the direction (Y) of movement of the transfer material holding surface (11): cleaning switching means (2a) for switching the cleaning means (2) between an operable state where it is abutted on the holding surface (11) and a non-operable state where it is separated from the holding surface (11); operation mode determining means (23) for determining whether the operation mode is a monocolor mode or a multicolor mode; and cleaner control means (23) for bringing the cleaning switching means (2a) into the operable state in response to a monocolor mode determination output of the determining means (23).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 255 words
An image forming apparatus (100) having holding means (11) for holding a transfer material (P) in transferring an image formed to the transfer material (P), the holding means (11) comprising a transfer material holding surface moved in an endless manner in a predetermined direction (Y), and being switchable between a monocolor mode in which an image having one color is transferred to the transfer material (P) held on the holding surface only once and a multicolor mode in which an image having a plurality of colors is transferred to the transfer material (P) with the colors being fused with each other a plurality of times, comprising: transfer material feeding means (14) for feeding the transfer material (P) to the holding surface (11), separating means (1) for separating from the holding surface (11) the transfer material (P) to which the image is transferred, and cleaning means (2) for cleaning the holding surface (11) which are disposed in that order along the direction (Y) of movement of the transfer material holding surface (11): cleaning switching means (2a) for switching the cleaning means (2) between an operable state where it is abutted on the holding surface (11) and a non-operable state where it is separated from the holding surface (11); operation mode determining means (23) for determining whether the operation mode is a monocolor mode or a multicolor mode; and cleaner control means (23) for bringing the cleaning switching means (2a) into the operable state in response to a monocolor mode determination output of the determining means (23).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 84 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises: separation switching means (1 a) for switching the separating means (1) between an operable state where it is in close proximity to or abutted on the holding surface (11) and a non-operable state where it is separated from the holding surface (11), and separation control means (23) for always bringing the separation switching means (1 a) into an operable state in response to the monocolor mode determination output of the determining means (23).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 90 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the separation switching means (1 a) and the cleaning switching means (2a) are formed of common switching means, and the cleaning means (2) is abutted on the holding surface (11) at the same time that the separating means (1) is in close proximity to or abutted on the holding surface (11), and the cleaning means (2) is separated from the holding surface (11) at the same time that the separating means (1) is separated from the holding surface (11).

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag