US Patent Issued to CANON on July 8 for "Charging device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus" (Japanese Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 9 -- United States Patent no. 12,353,144, issued on July 8, was assigned to CANON K.K. (Tokyo).

"Charging device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus" was invented by Hiroki Sasame (Tokyo), Naoki Fuei (Kanagawa, Japan) and Tomoo Akizuki (Kanagawa, Japan).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A charging device has: a charging member that charges an image bearing member; and a cleaning member that is pressed against the charging member, and that is rubbed against a surface of the charging member by rotating the charging member. The cleaning member includes at least a first layer that contains roughening particles and that comes into contact with the charging member. The...