Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12181809-B2
Application number	US-202318208890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2023
Priority date	Jul 7, 2022
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a body, an intermediate transfer assembly, a secondary transfer assembly, and a drive motor. The intermediate transfer assembly is held by the body and includes an intermediate transferor. The secondary transfer assembly is held by the intermediate transfer assembly and includes a secondary transfer assembly and a cam. The secondary transferor assembly includes a secondary transferor rotatably held by the secondary transfer assembly. The secondary transferor presses the intermediate transferor. The cam contacts the secondary transferor assembly and adjusts a contact pressure of the secondary transferor against the intermediate transferor. The drive motor is held by the body and rotates the cam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a body;
an intermediate transfer assembly held by the body, the intermediate transfer assembly including an intermediate transferor;
a secondary transfer assembly held by the intermediate transfer assembly, the secondary transfer assembly including:
a secondary transferor assembly including a secondary transferor rotatably held by the secondary transfer assembly, the secondary transferor to press the intermediate transferor; and
a cam contacting the secondary transferor assembly, the cam to adjust a contact pressure of the secondary transferor against the intermediate transferor; and
a drive motor held by the body and to rotate the cam;
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the drive motor to the cam; and
a conveyor held by the body and to convey a sheet in a conveyance direction,
wherein the secondary transfer assembly is detachably attachable to the intermediate transfer assembly, and
the conveyor is to:
hold the secondary transfer assembly detached from the intermediate transfer assembly;
be pullable from the body in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction; and
hold the drive motor and at least a part of the transmission.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission includes:
a drive pulley driven and rotated by the drive motor;
a driven pulley attached to the cam and to rotate the cam; and
a timing belt wound around the drive pulley and the driven pulley.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
two cams including the cam, the two cams disposed at both ends of the secondary transfer assembly in an axial direction of a rotation axis of the two cams; and
two drive motors including the drive motor, the two drive motors to drive and rotate the two cams, respectively.

4. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a body;
an intermediate transfer assembly held by the body, the intermediate transfer assembly including an intermediate transferor;
a secondary transfer assembly held by the intermediate transfer assembly, the secondary transfer assembly including:
a secondary transferor assembly including a secondary transferor rotatably held by the secondary transfer assembly, the secondary transferor to press the intermediate transferor; and
a cam contacting the secondary transferor assembly, the cam to adjust a contact pressure of the secondary transferor against the intermediate transferor; and
a drive motor held by the body and to rotate the cam;
a sensor to detect a rotation amount of the cam; and
circuitry to control the drive motor based on the rotation amount detected by the sensor.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the drive motor is a stepping motor.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the secondary transferor assembly includes:
multiple rollers including:
a secondary transfer roller; and
one roller rotatable around a rotation center of the secondary transferor assembly,
the secondary transferor includes a secondary transfer belt stretched around the multiple rollers,
the intermediate transferor includes an intermediate transfer belt, and
the intermediate transfer assembly includes a secondary transfer backup roller configured to press the secondary transfer roller via the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer belt.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a transmission to transmit a driving force of the drive motor to the cam.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission includes:
a drive pulley driven and rotated by the drive motor;
a driven pulley attached to the cam and to rotate the cam; and
a timing belt wound around the drive pulley and the driven pulley.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a conveyor held by the body and to convey a sheet in a conveyance direction,
wherein the secondary transfer assembly is detachably attachable to the intermediate transfer assembly, and
the conveyor is to:
hold the secondary transfer assembly detached from the intermediate transfer assembly;
be pullable from the body in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction; and

hold the drive motor and at least a part of the transmission.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
two cams including the cam, the two cams disposed at both ends of the secondary transfer assembly in an axial direction of a rotation axis of the two cams; and
two drive motors including the drive motor, the two drive motors to drive and rotate the two cams, respectively.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the secondary transferor assembly includes:
multiple rollers including:
a secondary transfer roller; and
one roller rotatable around a rotation center of the secondary transferor assembly,
the secondary transferor includes a secondary transfer belt stretched around the multiple rollers,
the intermediate transferor includes an intermediate transfer belt, and
the intermediate transfer assembly includes a secondary transfer backup roller to press the secondary transfer roller via the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer belt.

Assignees

• Konishi Takahiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Konishi Takahiro

Classifications

• G03G15/167

  at least one of the recording member or the transfer member being rotatable during the transfer · CPC title

• G03G2215/00409

  Transfer device · CPC title

• G03G2215/1619

  Transfer drum · CPC title

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• G03G15/1655

  comprising a rotatable holding member to which the second base is attached or attracted, e.g. screen transfer holding drum · CPC title