Belt unit, transfer unit and image forming apparatus
AssigneeOki Data Corporation
InventorMichiaki Ito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt unit includes an endless belt that transports a recording medium thereon. The endless belt has a Young's modulus in the range of 3.5≦Y≦7.0. The endless belt is disposed about a plurality of rollers, and runs about the rollers. The endless belt has a thickness such that 0.0025≦Y×T3≦0.007 where Y is the Young's modulus and T is the thickness. A cleaning member removes deposits from the surface of the endless belt. The belt unit may also operate as a transfer unit and include a cleaning member disposed about a plurality of rollers. The cleaning member removes deposits from the surface of the endless belt. An image forming apparatus may include the belt unit or transfer unit.
Claims15
A belt unit, comprising:
- an endless belt having a Young's modulus in the range of 3.5≦Y≦7.0, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals;
- a plurality of rollers about which said endless belt is disposed and runs;
- and
- a cleaning member that removes deposits from a surface of said endless belt;
- wherein said endless belt has a thickness such that 0.0025≦Y×T3≦0.007, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals and T is the thickness in millimeters.
A transfer unit, comprising:
- an endless belt having a Young's modulus in the range of 3.5≦Y≦7.0, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals;
- at least two rollers about which said endless belt is disposed and runs;
- a transfer member positioned between said at least two rollers;
- and
- a cleaning member that removes deposits from a surface of said endless belt;
- wherein said endless belt has a thickness such that 0.0025≦Y×T3≦0.007, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals and T is the thickness in millimeters.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- an endless belt having a Young's modulus in the range of 3.5≦Y≦7.0, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals;
- at least two rollers about which said endless belt is disposed and runs;
- and
- a cleaning member that removes deposits from a surface of said endless belt;
- wherein said endless belt has a thickness such that 0.0025≦Y×T3≦0.007, where Y is the Young's modulus in gigapascals and T is the thickness in millimeters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.