Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12116227-B2
Application number	US-202217964048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2022
Priority date	Oct 15, 2021
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a holding body configured to hold a formed image; a conveyance unit configured to convey a recording medium with a leading end of the recording medium gripped by a gripping portion; and a transfer body including a recessed portion that accommodates the gripping portion and is provided along a direction substantially orthogonal to a rotational direction, configured to sandwich the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit between the transfer body and the holding body to transfer an image on the holding body to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit, and including a slope surface provided at a leading end of a portion of an outer circumference not including a portion where the recessed portion is provided, the leading end being on a front end side in the rotational direction, a distance from the slope surface to a rotational center becoming larger toward a downstream side in the rotational direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a holding body comprising a belt configured to hold a formed image;
a conveyance unit comprising a gripping portion including a gripper configured to convey a recording medium with a leading end of the recording medium gripped by the gripping portion; and
a transfer body including a recessed portion that accommodates the gripping portion and is provided along a direction substantially orthogonal to a rotational direction, configured to sandwich the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit between the transfer body and the holding body to transfer an image on the holding body to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit, and including a slope surface provided at a leading end of a portion of an outer circumference not including a portion where the recessed portion is provided, the leading end being on a front end side in the rotational direction, a distance from the slope surface to a rotational center becoming larger toward upstream side in the rotational direction,
wherein a second angle is smaller than a first angle, the first angle being an angle between the gripping surface with which the gripping portion grips the recording medium and a plane orthogonally intersecting, at a leading end of the gripping portion, a line extending from the leading end of the gripping portion toward the rotational center of the transfer body, the second angle being an angle between the slope surface and a plane orthogonally intersecting, at a leading end of the slope surface, a line extending from the leading end of the slope surface toward the rotational center of the transfer body.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in a state in which the gripping portion is accommodated in the recessed portion, the slope surface is positioned closer to the rotational center of the transfer body than a plane including a gripping surface with which the gripping portion grips the recording medium.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between a leading end, which is on a front end side in the rotational direction, of a surface of the transfer body and a distal end of a region of the gripping portion that grips the recording medium is equal to or more than 3 mm.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the transfer body includes a body part having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape and including the recessed portion that accommodates the gripping portion and is provided along the direction substantially orthogonal to the rotational direction, and a sheet member wrapped around the body part, and
the slope surface is provided on a leading end, which is on a front end side in the rotational direction, of the sheet member, a thickness of the sheet member becoming larger toward the upstream side in the rotational direction to form the slope surface sloping with respect to a plane orthogonal to a direction toward the rotational center of the transfer body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
an applying unit that applies a conveyance load to the recording medium that is conveyed to a transfer position at which an image on the holding body is transferred to the recording medium.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the applying unit is a sliding member that is disposed adjacent to but without contacting a surface of the transfer body and slides against the recording medium that is conveyed.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the applying unit is a rotating member that is disposed adjacent to but without contacting a surface of the transfer body and rotates while making contact with the recording medium that is conveyed.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp

Inventors

• Wada Tomohiro
• Yoshioka Tomoaki
• Shigezaki Satoshi
• Miyamoto Yoko
• Baba Toshiaki
• Kobayashi Haruka
• Hagiwara Kazuyoshi
• Kishi Kazuki

Classifications

• B41F21/08

  Combinations of endless conveyors and grippers · CPC title

• B65H5/085

  by combinations of endless conveyors and grippers (suction belts B65H5/224) · CPC title

• B65H29/042

  Intermediate conveyors, e.g. transferring devices · CPC title

• B65H29/041

  and introducing into a pile (slowing-down from grippers B65H29/683) · CPC title

• B65H29/04

  the grippers being carried by endless chains or bands · CPC title