(19)
(11) EP 1 484 649 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
02.03.2005 Bulletin 2005/09

(43) Date of publication:
08.12.2004 Bulletin 2004/50

(21) Application number: 04013113.8

(22) Date of filing: 03.06.2004
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G03G 21/00, G03G 21/18, G03G 21/10, G03G 15/16
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL HR LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 06.06.2003 JP 2003162739

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Suda, Takeo
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Kawahara, Shinichi
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Tawada, Takaaki
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Kataoka, Chohtaroh
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

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

   


(54) Image forming apparatus and process cartridge including lubricant applying device that prevents waste of lubricant


(57) An image forming apparatus includes a moving member (2,12), a cleaning device (16,50) that removes toner attached onto a surface of the moving member, and a lubricant applying device (60,160,260,360) that is provided at the outside of the cleaning device and applies a lubricant onto the surface of the moving member to decrease coefficient of friction between the surface of the moving member and a substance in contact with the surface of the moving member. The lubricant applying device includes a casing (61,161,261,361) having an opening facing the surface of the moving member and having an inner wall surface. A closed space is formed by being surrounded by the inner wall surface of the casing and the surface of the moving member, and the lubricant applying device accommodates the lubricant in the closed space and applies the lubricant to the surface of the moving member in the closed space.