Patents by Inventor Eiichiro Tokuhiro

Eiichiro Tokuhiro has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170269519
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a pair of fixing members disposed to face each other in a fixing area, a movable member movably supporting at least one of the fixing members between first and second positions, a driving device including a contact member and a drive source to move the movable member between the first and second positions, and a controller that controls the driving device, and if a temperature of the one of the fixing members is equal to or higher than a preset temperature when the driving device moves the movable member from the second position to the first position, changes the control to make driving force constantly exceed a rotational load of the driving device in accordance with advancement of a time of increase in the rotational load as compared with when the temperature of the one of the fixing members is lower than the preset temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki YAMAZAKI, Yasutaka NAITO, Eiichiro TOKUHIRO, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA
  • Patent number: 9291965
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a magnetic field generator; a heating belt that heats toner on a transported sheet holding an unfixed toner image; a pressure roller that rotates while being pushed against an outer surface of the heating belt and that presses the sheet; a temperature-sensitive magnetic member that is disposed at an inner surface of the heating belt so as to oppose the magnetic field generator; a backing member that is disposed at the inner surface of the heating belt so as to oppose the pressure roller; and a supporting member that is disposed at an inner side of the heating belt, supports both end portions of the heating belt in a width direction, supports a back surface of the backing member, and supports the temperature-sensitive magnetic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Naito, Eiichiro Tokuhiro
  • Publication number: 20150023703
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a magnetic field generator; a heating belt that heats toner on a transported sheet holding an unfixed toner image; a pressure roller that rotates while being pushed against an outer surface of the heating belt and that presses the sheet; a temperature-sensitive magnetic member that is disposed at an inner surface of the heating belt so as to oppose the magnetic field generator; a backing member that is disposed at the inner surface of the heating belt so as to oppose the pressure roller; and a supporting member that is disposed at an inner side of the heating belt, supports both end portions of the heating belt in a width direction, supports a back surface of the backing member, and supports the temperature-sensitive magnetic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka NAITO, Eiichiro TOKUHIRO
  • Patent number: 8892017
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a magnetic-field generating unit that generates a magnetic field; a substantially cylindrical fixing rotational body that faces the magnetic-field generating unit, generates heat by electromagnetic induction of the magnetic field, and melts and fixes a developer image to a recording medium; a temperature-sensitive contact part that contacts an inner side of the fixing rotational body, and faces the magnetic-field generating unit, its permeability decreasing if its temperature becomes a permeability-change start temperature or higher; and a temperature-sensitive non-contact part arranged at the inner side of the fixing rotational body to face the magnetic-field generating unit in a range different from the contact part, and spaced from the fixing rotational body. An angle defined by the contact part and the center of the fixing rotational body is 60° or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Tokuhiro, Kiyoshi Iwai
  • Publication number: 20130164055
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a magnetic-field generating unit that generates a magnetic field; a substantially cylindrical fixing rotational body that faces the magnetic-field generating unit, generates heat by electromagnetic induction of the magnetic field, and melts and fixes a developer image to a recording medium; a temperature-sensitive contact part that contacts an inner side of the fixing rotational body, and faces the magnetic-field generating unit, its permeability decreasing if its temperature becomes a permeability-change start temperature or higher; and a temperature-sensitive non-contact part arranged at the inner side of the fixing rotational body to face the magnetic-field generating unit in a range different from the contact part, and spaced from the fixing rotational body. An angle defined by the contact part and the center of the fixing rotational body is 60° or larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiichiro TOKUHIRO, Kiyoshi IWAI
  • Patent number: 8295752
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member including a conductive layer capable of self-heating by electromagnetic induction; a drive unit rotationally driving the fixing member; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer; a fixation pressing member movable so as to come into pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member and to separate from the outer circumferential surface; and a temperature measurement unit that includes a temperature detector and a support portion, that measures temperature of the fixing member with the temperature detector which is pressed by the support portion to be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and that holds a contact state between the temperature detector and the inner circumferential surface in every state where the fixing member is displaced in accordance with movement of the fixation pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuhei Tomita, Eiichiro Tokuhiro, Shigehiko Haseba, Takayuki Uchiyama, Motofumi Baba, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Yasutaka Naito
  • Patent number: 8270887
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member that includes a conductive layer capable of heating by electromagnetic induction; a magnetic field generating member that generates an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member; plural magnetic path forming members that form a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member; a support member that supports the magnetic field generating member; an elastic support member that is arranged between the magnetic field generating member and the plural magnetic path forming members so as to be in contact with the plural magnetic path forming members; and a pressing member that presses the plural magnetic path forming members toward the magnetic field generating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchiyama, Motoi Noya, Masakatsu Eda, Kiyoshi Iwai, Shuji Yoshikawa, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Makoto Omata, Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Kazuyoshi Itoh, Motofumi Baba, Shigehiko Haseba, Eiichiro Tokuhiro
  • Publication number: 20100215414
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member that includes a conductive layer capable of heating by electromagnetic induction; a magnetic field generating member that generates an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member; plural magnetic path forming members that form a magnetic path of the alternate-current magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating member; a support member that supports the magnetic field generating member; an elastic support member that is arranged between the magnetic field generating member and the plural magnetic path forming members so as to be in contact with the plural magnetic path forming members; and a pressing member that presses the plural magnetic path forming members toward the magnetic field generating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchiyama, Motoi NOYA, Masakatsu EDA, Kiyoshi IWAI, Shuji YOSHIKAWA, Nobuyoshi KOMATSU, Makoto OMATA, Tsuyoshi SUNOHARA, Kazuyoshi ITOH, Motofumi BABA, Shigehiko HASEBA, Eiichiro TOKUHIRO
  • Publication number: 20100215390
    Abstract: The fixing device includes: a fixing member including a conductive layer capable of self-heating by electromagnetic induction; a drive unit rotationally driving the fixing member; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer; a fixation pressing member movable so as to come into pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member and to separate from the outer circumferential surface; and a temperature measurement unit that includes a temperature detector and a support portion, that measures temperature of the fixing member with the temperature detector which is pressed by the support portion to be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and that holds a contact state between the temperature detector and the inner circumferential surface in every state where the fixing member is displaced in accordance with movement of the fixation pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Yuhei TOMITA, Eiichiro Tokuhiro, Shigehiko Haseba, Takayuki Uchiyama, Motofumi Baba, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Yasutaka Naito
  • Patent number: 7505726
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing roller, an endless belt and a pressure member. The endless belt rotates along with the fixing roller. The endless belt is disposed at a position facing the fixing roller. The pressure member is disposed inside the endless belt. The pressure member pressurizes the fixing roller via the endless belt. The pressure member includes a contact member and an adjustment member. The contact member directly contacts with the endless belt. The adjustment member adjusts distribution of pressure given to the contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Tokuhiro, Kimihiro Wakabayashi, Kenji Kanai, Makoto Fuchigami
  • Publication number: 20070048044
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing roller, an endless belt and a pressure member. The endless belt rotates along with the fixing roller. The endless belt is disposed at a position facing the fixing roller. The pressure member is disposed inside the endless belt. The pressure member pressurizes the fixing roller via the endless belt. The pressure member includes a contact member and an adjustment member. The contact member directly contacts with the endless belt. The adjustment member adjusts distribution of pressure given to the contact member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Eiichiro Tokuhiro, Kimihiro Wakabayashi, Kenji Kanai, Makoto Fuchigami