Back to results
US 6,546,219 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for performing a charging process on an image carrying device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsMasumi Sato, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yukiko Iwasaki, Hitoshi Ishibashi, Takatsugu Fujishiro, Masami Hiramatsu, Hiroko Hirano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A charge roller that includes a metal core, an elastic member configured wrapped around the metal core, and film members is disclosed. Each of the film members is wrapped around each end of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that at least a part of each of the film members exists at every position around the ends of the elastic member in an axial direction of the metal core. Portions of the film members do not overlap each other in an radial direction of the metal core.
Claims22
A charge roller comprising:
- a metal core;
- an elastic member wrapped around the metal core and having two ends;
- and
- film members respectively wrapped around each of the two ends of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that the film members wrap entirely around the respective ends of the elastic member relative to an axial direction of the metal core, each said film member having side edges separated from each other and forming a space relative to the surface of the elastic member,
- wherein no portion of the film members overlap with another portion of the film members relative to a radial direction of the metal core.
2 more elements
A charging apparatus comprising:
- a charge roller comprising
- a metal core, an elastic member wrapped around the metal core and having two ends, and film members respectively wrapped around each of the two ends of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that the film members wrap entirely around the respective ends of the elastic member relative to an axial direction of the metal core, each said film member having side edges separated from each other and forming a space relative to the surface of the elastic member, wherein no portion of the film members overlap with another portion of the film members relative to a radial direction of the metal core;
- wherein the film members of the charge roller contact an image carrying member configured to have a voltage potential different from a voltage potential of the charge roller.
An image carrying apparatus comprising:
- (a) an image carrying member;
- and
- (b) a charging apparatus comprising
- a charge roller, including
- a metal core,
- an elastic member wrapped around the metal core and having two ends, and
- film members respectively wrapped around each of the two ends of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that the film members wrap entirely around the respective ends of the elastic member relative to an axial direction of the metal core, each said film member having side edges separated from each other and forming a space relative to the surface of the elastic member, wherein no portion of the film members overlap with another portion of the film members relative to a radial direction of the metal core;
- wherein the film members of the charge roller contact the image carrying member, and the image carrying member is configured to hold a charge and to carry an electrostatic image.
5 more elements
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a charge roller, comprising
- a metal core, an elastic member wrapped around the metal core and having two ends, and
- film members respectively wrapped around each of the two ends of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that the film members wrap entirely around the respective ends of the elastic member relative to an axial direction of the metal core, each said film member having side edges separated from each other and forming a space relative to the surface of the elastic member, wherein no portion of the film members overlap with another portion of the film members relative to a radial direction of the metal core;
- wherein the film members of the charge roller contact an image carrying member having a voltage potential different from a voltage potential of the charge roller.
1 more element
An image form apparatus, comprising:
- an image carrying member;
- a charging apparatus arranged and configured to face said image carrying member in a longitudinal direction of said image carrying member, said charging apparatus comprising:
- a charge roller, comprising:
- a metal core;
- an elastic member wrapped around said metal core, and
- film members each wrapped around a respective end of said elastic member in a circumferential direction of said metal core such that at least a part of said each of said film members exists at every position around said each end of said elastic member in an axial direction of said metal core without portions of said each of said film members overlapping each other in an radial direction of said metal core, each said film member having side edges separated from each other and forming a space relative to the surface of the elastic member, and said film members contacting said image carrying member,
- said charging apparatus applying a voltage between said charge roller and said image carrying member to provide a charge to a surface of said image carrying member;
- and
- a cleaning member arranged and configured to contact said surface of said image carrying member to clean said surface of said image carrying member, and being extended such that each of both ends thereof is extended along in said longitudinal direction of said image carrying member to a position relatively outside from an inside edge of each of a corresponding one of said film members.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.