# US 8,543,042 B2 · Image forming apparatus and image forming method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,042 B2 - Document ID: US8543042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/722,850 - Filed: 2010-03-12 - Published: 2010-09-30 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-25 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Shinichi Tanaka; Satoshi Chiba; Koichi Kamijo - Inventors: Shinichi Tanaka; Satoshi Chiba; Koichi Kamijo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543042B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/657: {Feeding path after the transfer point and up to the fixing point, e.g. guides and feeding means for handling copy material carrying an unfused toner image} - G03G 15/1605: {using at least one intermediate support (G03G15/1625 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/6511: {Feeding devices for picking up or separation of copy sheets} - G03G 15/6558: {Feeding path after the copy sheet preparation and up to the transfer point, e.g. registering; Deskewing; Correct timing of sheet feeding to the transfer point} - G03G 2215/1614: Transfer roll - G03G 2215/1619: Transfer drum - G03G 2215/1623: Transfer belt - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus including a transfer belt on which an image is transferred, a belt suspension roller that suspends the transfer belt, a transfer roller that is arranged to face the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt in between and includes a shaft portion and a concave portion formed in a shaft direction, and a support member that is arranged on the shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion in the rotation direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer belt on which an image is transferred; a belt suspension roller that stores the transfer belt; a transfer roller that is arranged so as to face the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt disposed in between, the transfer roller including a shaft portion and a concave portion formed in a shaft direction; and a support member that is arranged on the shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion of the transfer roller as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion from the one side in the rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second circumferential portion has a first curvature and the third circumference portion has a second curvature different from the first curvature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a transfer material holding section that holds a transfer material, the transfer material holding section being arranged on the side of the third circumferential portion of the concave portion of the transfer roller, wherein a first curvature is set to be larger than a second curvature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a virtual contact plane of the first circumferential portion and a virtual contact plane of the second circumferential portion share a common area at a boundary portion between the first circumference portion and the second circumference portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a virtual contact plane of the first circumferential portion and a virtual contact plane of the third circumferential portion share a common area at a boundary portion between the first circumferential portion and the third circumferential portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second support member that comes into contact with the support member at a shaft end portion of the belt suspension roller, wherein the first circumferential portion of the support member and the second support member come into contact with each other. ### Claim 7 An image forming method comprising: carrying an image on a transfer belt suspended by a belt suspension roller; transferring the image to a transfer material by passing the transfer material through a transfer nipping area formed by causing a transfer roller having a concave portion formed in a shaft direction to come into contact with the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt in between; and after transferring the image to the transfer material, causing a support member that is arranged on a shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion of the transfer roller as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion from the one side in the rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller to come into contact with a second support member arranged at a shaft end portion of the belt suspension roller. ### Claim 8 An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer belt on which an image is transferred; a belt suspension roller that stores the transfer belt; a transfer roller that is arranged so as to face the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt disposed in between, the transfer roller including a shaft portion and a concave portion formed in a shaft direction; a support member that is arranged on the shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion of the transfer roller as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion from the one side in the rotation direction of the transfer roller as seen from the shaft direction of the transfer roller; and a transfer material holding section that holds a transfer material, the transfer material holding section being arranged on the side of the third circumferential portion of the concave portion of the transfer roller, wherein the second circumferential portion has a first curvature and the third circumferential portion has a second curvature different from the first curvature, and wherein the first curvature is set to be larger than the second curvature.