# US 7,409,182 B2 · Brush member and transfer device and image forming apparatus using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,409,182 B2 - Document ID: US7409182B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/420,402 - Filed: 2006-05-25 - Published: 2007-01-18 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-15 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Hirokazu Ishii - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7409182B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/1685: {Structure, details of the transfer member, e.g. chemical composition} - G03G 2215/1642: Brush - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract In an image forming apparatus, a transfer brush with length of raised bristles on the surface of a metal holder equal to or smaller than 5.8 millimeters is used. Alternatively, a transfer brush with a maximum bristle inclination amount of raised bristles in a brush unit including a plurality of bristles equal to or smaller than 0.53 millimeter or a transfer brush with a maximum bristle inclination return amount of raised bristles in the brush unit equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeter is used. An amount of biting into a paper conveyor belt in the brush unit is set to a value equal to or smaller than 2.5 millimeters. A paper conveyor belt with hardness of the rear side equal to or lower than 78 Hs is used. Alternatively, a paper conveyor belt with a coefficient of static friction on the rear surface equal to or lower than 0.75 is used. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transfer device comprising: a belt device that endlessly moves a belt member of an endless shape while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members; and a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface of the belt member, the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with a front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member, wherein, a maximum bristle inclination amount of the raised bristles is equal to or smaller than 0.53 millimeters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the raised bristles on the surface of the conductive support member is equal to or smaller than 5.8 millimeters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters. ### Claim 4 A transfer device comprising: a belt device that endlessly moves a belt member of an endless shape while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members; and a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface of the belt member, the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with a front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member, wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein an amount of biting into the belt member in the brush unit of the brush member is set to a value equal to or smaller than 2.5 millimeters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein a hardness of a rear surface side of the belt member is equal to or lower than 78 Hs. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The transfer device according to claim 4, wherein a coefficient of static friction on the rear surface of the belt member is equal to or smaller than 0.75. ### Claim 8 An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image bearing member that bears a latent image on an endlessly moving surface thereof; a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on the surface; a developing unit that develops a latent image on the surface; and a transfer device that transfers a visible image obtained by development to a front surface of the endlessly moving belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface, the transfer device including: a belt device that endlessly moves the belt member while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members; and a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface, of the belt member, and the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with the front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member, wherein a maximum bristle inclination amount of the raised bristles is equal to or smaller than 0.53 millimeters. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a length of the raised bristles on the surface of the conductive support member within the transfer device is equal to or smaller than 5.8 millimeters. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The transfer device according to claim 8, wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit within the transfer device is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an amount of biting into the belt member in the brush unit of the brush member is set to a value equal to or smaller than 2.5 millimeters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a hardness of a rear surface side of the belt member is equal to or lower than 78 Hs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a coefficient of static friction on a rear surface of the belt member is equal to or smaller than 0.75. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the belt member is pressed to the latent image bearing member by the brush member to increase a contact pressure between the belt member and the latent image bearing member compared with a contact pressure at the time when the brush member is not disposed, and the contact pressure between the belt member and the latent image bearing member is set to a value equal to or lower than 0.090×gravitational acceleration G N/cm2. ### Claim 15 An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image bearing member that bears a latent image on an endlessly moving surface thereof; a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on the surface; a developing unit that develops a latent image on the surface; and a transfer device that transfers a visible image obtained by development to a front surface of the endlessly moving belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface, the transfer device including: a belt device that endlessly moves the belt member while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members; and a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface of the belt member, and the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with the front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member, wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters.