(19)
(11) EP 0 568 829 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
10.05.1995 Bulletin 1995/19

(43) Date of publication A2:
10.11.1993 Bulletin 1993/45

(21) Application number: 93105767.3

(22) Date of filing: 07.04.1993
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: G03G 15/16, G03G 15/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE ES FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 09.04.1992 JP 88916/92
10.04.1992 JP 90701/92
25.01.1993 JP 10159/93

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd
Ohta-ku Tokyo 143 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • HARASAWA, Yuko
    Kanagawa-ken (JP)
  • MATSUDA, Itaru
    Kanagawa-ken (JP)
  • TAKANO, Satoshi
    Tokyo (JP)
  • YU, Hideo
    Tokyo (JP)
  • KAWAISHI, Yasunori
    Chiba-ken (JP)
  • KAMIYAMA, Hideki
    Kanagawa-ken (JP)
  • MOTOHASHI, Toshiaki
    Tokyo (JP)
  • TAKAHASHI, Mitsuru
    Ota-ku Tokyo (JP)
  • BISAIJI, Takashi
    Yokohama-shi Kanagawa-ken (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Stuntzstrasse 16
81677 München
81677 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Image forming apparatus


    (57) An image forming apparatus capable of surely transferring an image to produce an attractive image and, in addition, surely separating a transfer medium from a photoconductive element with no regard to the environment. A transfer belt (3) is passed over a drive roller (4) and driven rollers (5-7). The rollers 6 and 7 are connected to ground. The roller 5 plays the role of a bias roller or bias electrode while the roller 4 remains in an electrically floating state. The belt (3) contacts the photoconductive drum (1) over a predetermined nip width. Optionally the belt (3) acts as an intermediate transfer medium.






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