Oki Electric Industry has been granted a patent for an image formation apparatus. The apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer part, a transfer belt, plural rollers, and a separating member. The separating member has a guide surface arranged at an angle to guide the medium, and a separation film with protruding portions that are deformable due to the weight of the medium. The downstream edge of the second protruding portion extends linearly in the longitudinal direction of the separation film to the end region. GlobalData’s report on Oki Electric Industry gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Oki Electric Industry, Virtual banking assistant was a key innovation area identified from patents. Oki Electric Industry's grant share as of September 2023 was 23%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for an image formation apparatus with a transfer belt
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11733634B2) describes an image formation apparatus that includes an image carrier, a transfer part, a transfer belt, and a separating member. The image carrier carries a developer image, while the transfer part is arranged facing the image carrier. The transfer belt, which has a conveyance surface, passes between the image carrier and the transfer part and is responsible for conveying a medium. The separating member, made of a separation film formed of resin and supported by a support, is designed to separate the medium from the transfer belt.
The separating member includes a guide surface that guides the medium, with the entirety of the guide surface arranged on the opposite side of the image carrier with respect to a conveyance reference plane. The guide surface is angled in such a way that the distance from the guide surface to the conveyance reference plane becomes shorter as the medium proceeds in the conveyance direction. Additionally, the separating member includes a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion. The first protruding portion protrudes from the support in an upstream direction, while the second protruding portion protrudes from the support in a downstream direction. Both protruding portions are deformable due to the weight of the medium being conveyed on them.
The patent also mentions the inclusion of a fixation unit downstream of the separating member in the medium conveyance direction. This fixation unit, which includes a fixation nip, is responsible for fixing the developer image to the medium. The fixation unit has a leading surface that leads the medium into the fixation nip. The angle of the guide surface of the separating member with respect to the conveyance reference plane is smaller than the angle of the leading surface with respect to the conveyance reference plane.
The support of the separating member includes a support portion facing the conveyance reference plane and supporting the separation film, as well as an opposing portion that extends along the downstream roller.
Overall, this patent describes an image formation apparatus with a separating member that effectively separates the medium from the transfer belt. The inclusion of a fixation unit further enhances the functionality of the apparatus by fixing the developer image to the medium. The specific design and arrangement of the guide surface and protruding portions contribute to the efficient conveyance and separation of the medium.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
