Image forming apparatus
US6067435A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 23, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/1623
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus of the type transferring a toner image from a photoconductive element to a recording medium by way of an intermediate transfer belt is disclosed. Toner images of different colors are sequentially transferred from the photoconductive element to the intermediate transfer belt one above the other, forming a full-color image. When the full-color image is to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to a paper or similar recording medium, a secondary transfer belt is brought into contact with the portion of the intermediate transfer belt contacting a secondary transfer roller. As a result, the secondary transfer belt deforms complementarily to the shape of the secondary transfer roller, forming a nip between it and the intermediate transfer belt. In this condition, the secondary transfer belt contacts the intermediate transfer belt evenly and prevents an excessive pressure from acting locally on the toner image existing on the intermediate transfer belt.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.