US6163669A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-05-28
•
Granted: 2000-12-19
•
Expires: 2019-05-28
Abstract
Abstract An image forming apparatus including a cylindrical image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image while rotating, and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting the image carrier at a nip while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier has a friction coefficient of from about 0.1 to about 0.4. The image carrier may be an endless belt.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuhiro Aoki
- 👤 Takashi Hodoshima
- 👤 Junichi Matsumoto
- 👤 Hiroyuki Matsushiro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:28
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/75
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a cylindrical image carrier configured to bear an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip thereof while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a cylindrical image carrier configured to bear an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip thereof while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cylindrical image carrier and the cylindrical developer carrier has a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to about 65°.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the image carrier and the developer carrier includes a substrate material having a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to about 65°.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image carrier and the developer carrier contact each other at a pressure of from about 3 g·f/mm to about 16 g·f/mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a nip width at the nip is not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio d p /d d is less than about 6, where d p is an outside diameter of the image carrier, and d d is an outside diameter of the developer carrier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not less than about 1.0, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not greater than about 1.35, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the developer carrier to be contacted with the surface of the image carrier has a greater friction coefficient than the surface of the image carrier, and wherein the static friction coefficient of the surface of the developer carrier with respect to paper is not greater than about 0.6.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the surface of the developer carrier has a ten-point mean roughness Rz of from about 1 μm to about 6 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to bear an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip while rotating, wherein the image carrier comprises an endless belt and the surface of the image carrier to be contacted with the developer carrier has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier configured to bear an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip while rotating, wherein the image carrier comprises an endless belt and the surface of the image carrier to be contacted with the developer carrier has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the developer carrier contacts the image carrier at a contact pressure of not greater than about 2 g·f/mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the nip has a length of not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a product of d and D" is less than about 100, where d (mm) is a diameter of the developer carrier, and D" (mm) is a depth of deformation of the image carrier formed at the nip.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
An image forming system comprising: cylindrical image carrier means for bearing an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and cylindrical developer carrier means for bearing a developer and for supplying the developer to the image carrier means by contacting a surface of the image carrier means at a nip thereof while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier means has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
75 words
An image forming system comprising: cylindrical image carrier means for bearing an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and cylindrical developer carrier means for bearing a developer and for supplying the developer to the image carrier means by contacting a surface of the image carrier means at a nip thereof while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier means has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the cylindrical image carrier means and the cylindrical developer carrier means has a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to about 65°.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the cylindrical image carrier means and the cylindrical developer carrier means includes a substrate material having a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to about 65°.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein the image carrier means and the developer carrier means contact each other at a pressure of from about 3 g·f/mm to about 16 g·f/mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein a nip width at the nip is not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein a ratio d p /d d is less than about 6, where d p is an outside diameter of the image carrier means, and d d is an outside diameter of the developer carrier means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not less than about 1.0, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier means, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not greater than about 1.35, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier means, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
64 words
The image forming system according to claim 15, wherein a surface of the developer carrier means to tee contacted with the surface of the image carrier means has a greater friction coefficient then the surface of the image carrier means, and wherein the static friction coefficient of the surface of the developer carrier with respect to paper means is not greater than about 0.6.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image forming system according to claim 23, wherein the surface of the developer carrier means has a ten-point mean roughness Rz of from about 1 μm to about 6 μm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
90 words
An image forming system comprising: image carrier means for bearing an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and cylindrical developer carrier means for bearing a developer and for supplying the developer to the image carrier means by contacting a surface of the image carrier means at a nip while rotating, wherein the image carrier means comprises en endless belt and the surface of the image carrier means to be contacted with the developer carrier means has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
90 words
An image forming system comprising: image carrier means for bearing an electrostatic latent image while rotating; and cylindrical developer carrier means for bearing a developer and for supplying the developer to the image carrier means by contacting a surface of the image carrier means at a nip while rotating, wherein the image carrier means comprises en endless belt and the surface of the image carrier means to be contacted with the developer carrier means has a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
The image forming system according to claim 25, wherein the developer carrier means contacts the image carrier means at a contact pressure of not greater than about 2 g·f/mm.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image forming system according to claim 25, wherein the nip has a length of not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
The image forming system according to claim 25, wherein a product of d and D" is less than about 100, where d(mm) is a diameter of the developer carrier means, and D"(mm) is a depth of deformation of the image carrier means formed at the nip.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image on a rotatable cylindrical image carrier having a surface with a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of about 0.1 to about 0.4; and supplying developer formed on a cylindrical developer carrier to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip thereof while rotating.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image on a rotatable cylindrical image carrier having a surface with a static friction coefficient with respect to paper of about 0.1 to about 0.4; and supplying developer formed on a cylindrical developer carrier to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip thereof while rotating.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the cylindrical image carrier and the cylindrical developer carrier has a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to 65°.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the cylindrical image carrier and the cylindrical developer carrier includes a substrate material having a JIS-A hardness of from about 10° to about 65°.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein the image carrier and the developer carrier contact each other at a pressure of from about 3 g·f/mm to about 16 g·f/mm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein a nip width at the nip is not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein a ratio d p /d d is less than about 6, where d p is an outside diameter of the image carrier, and d d is an outside diameter of the developer carrier.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not less than about 1.0, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein a ratio Vd/Vp is not greater than about 1.35, where Vp is a rotating peripheral speed of the image carrier, and Vd is a rotating peripheral speed of the developer carrier.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method according to claim 29, wherein a surface of the developer carrier to be contacted with the surface of the image carrier has a greater static friction coefficient with respect to paper than the surface of the image carrier, and wherein the static friction coefficient of the surface of the developer carrier is not greater than about 0.6.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 37, wherein the surface of the developer carrier has a ten-point mean roughness Rz of from about 1 μm to about 6 μm.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image on a rotatable cylindrical image carrier comprising an endless belt having a surface static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4; and supplying developer formed on a cylindrical developer carrier to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip while rotating.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of forming an image, comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image on a rotatable cylindrical image carrier comprising an endless belt having a surface static friction coefficient with respect to paper of from about 0.1 to about 0.4; and supplying developer formed on a cylindrical developer carrier to the image carrier by contacting a surface of the image carrier at a nip while rotating.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 39, wherein the developer carrier contacts the image carrier at a contact pressure of not greater than about 2 g·f/mm.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 39, wherein the nip has a length of not greater than about 2 mm.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 39, wherein a product of d and D" is less than about 100, where d(mm) is a diameter of the developer carrier, and D"(mm) is a depth of deformation of the image carrier formed at the nip.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-19 | 2004-06-19 | 2004-12-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-19 | 2008-06-19 | 2008-12-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-19 | 2012-06-19 | 2012-12-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |