Patents by Inventor Ippei Fujimoto

Ippei Fujimoto 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).

  • Belt assembly, fixing device, and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8725038
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a frame, a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a mounting attachment. The tubular belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration around the belt holder to rotate in a circumferential direction of the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt, and extends in the axial direction. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The mounting attachment is provided to a longitudinal end of the tubular belt holder to allow retention and detachable attachment of the belt holder end to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hajime Gotoh, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8682192
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a fixing member; a pressure member to press against the fixing member; and a halogen lamp to heat the fixing member, and a controller to control the halogen lamp. The controller controls an ON duty of the halogen lamp according to a control cycle, and sets the ON duty including two thresholds consisting of a first ON duty and a second ON duty that is larger than the first ON duty. The controller calculates an ON duty of the halogen lamp, judges whether the calculated ON duty is equal to or more than the first duty and less then the second duty, and changes the calculated ON duty when the calculated ON duty is equal to or more than the first duty and less then the second duty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ikebuchi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto, Masaaki Yoshikawa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8682218
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, a pressure member, and a reinforcing member. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt, and extends in an axial direction of the belt holder. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The reinforcing member is disposed inside the loop of the fuser belt to reinforce the fuser pad under pressure from the pressure member. The fuser pad includes an elongated base, multiple longitudinally spaced protrusions, a perforated, anti-friction cover, and a fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Naoki Iwaya, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Ippei Fujimoto, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Arinobu Yoshiura
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8676104
    Abstract: A fixing device, including a fixing member; a pressure member; a nip forming member; a reinforcing member; a heating member; and a flange member including a cylinder inserted in an inner circumference at an edge of the fixing member in an axial direction thereof and a flange fixed on a frame of the fixing device, wherein the cylinder of the flange member includes a notch storing the nip forming member at a part on the circumference, has an arc-shaped outer circumferential cross-section at an area corresponding to an area where the fixing member is heated by the heating member, having a predetermined radius equivalent to a radius of the fixing member, and the arc has a center located at an upstream side in a recording medium feeding direction relative to a center line of the nip forming member in the recording medium feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hajime Gotoh, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Takahiro Imada, Naoki Iwaya, Yuji Arai, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hiromasa Takagi, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Fixing device having metal pipe with rough section and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8676101
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular, stationary metal pipe, a flexible fuser belt, a rotatable pressure member, a fuser pad, and a lubricant. The metal pipe is subjected to heating. The flexible fuser belt is looped for rotation around the metal pipe to transfer heat radially outward from the heated metal pipe. The rotatable pressure member extends opposite the metal pipe with the fuser belt interposed between the metal pipe and the pressure member. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt to press against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The lubricant is of a given particle size and deposited between the metal pipe and the fuser belt. The surface of the metal pipe has a rough section which exhibits a surface roughness equal to or greater than the particle size of the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Akira Shinshi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Naoki Iwaya, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto, Kenji Ishii
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8676103
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a heater, a fuser pad, and a pressure member. The belt holder extends in an axial direction. The fuser belt is looped around the belt holder to rotate in a circumferential direction of the belt holder. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat the belt holder. The fuser pad is accommodated in the belt holder inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member presses in a load direction against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The belt holder includes, along a circumferential dimension thereof, an upstream, first circumferential portion, a downstream, second circumferential portion, and a midstream, third circumferential portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takuya Seshita, Hajime Gotoh, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8655246
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member formed into a loop and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation. A heating assembly faces a first region on an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member to heat the fixing member. The heating assembly is thermally deformed to contact and move the fixing member. A first fixing member support and a second fixing member support face a second region on the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member other than the first region. The first fixing member support and the second fixing member support contact and support the rotating fixing member moved by the thermally deformed heating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tokuda, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Naoki Iwaya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Ippei Fujimoto, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8655211
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt; a pressing rotary body disposed outside a loop formed by the fixing belt; a nip formation pad disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt and pressed against the pressing rotary body via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the pressing rotary body and the fixing belt through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes a protrusion disposed downstream from the fixing nip in a conveyance direction of the recording medium and protruding toward the pressing rotary body without contacting the pressing rotary body. The fixing device further includes a pressing rotary body mover to contact and move the pressing rotary body bidirectionally in the conveyance direction of the recording medium to move the fixing nip toward and away from the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ippei Fujimoto, Yuji Arai, Hiromasa Takagi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Naoki Iwaya, Arinobu Yoshiura, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kenji Ishii, Takahiro Imada, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takuya Seshita, Hajime Gotoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8655244
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a stationary at least partially tubular thermal member, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a rotatable pressure member. The thermal member has a tubular portion thereof extending in an axial direction and defining a closed axial cross-section. A circumference of the thermal member is subjected to heating. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the thermal member. An inner circumference of the fuser belt at least partially faces the thermal member. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends opposite the thermal member in the axial direction with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The fuser pad is pressed against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The thermal member is spaced apart from the fuser pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Hasegawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Akira Shinshi, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Takamasa Hase, Ippei Fujimoto, Takahiro Imada
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same
    Patent number: 8630572
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip forming member disposed inside a fixing member and pressed against a pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A heat generator disposed inside the fixing member heats the fixing member outside the nip portion and has variable heat distribution over a width of the fixing member. A first temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts an end portion of the heat generator in the width direction of the fixing member, opposite a surface facing the fixing member, to detect a temperature of the heat generator. A second temperature detector disposed inside the fixing member contacts a center of an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member in the width direction, to detect the temperature of the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kenichi Hasegawa, Akira Shinshi
  • Fixing unit and image forming apparatus including same
    Patent number: 8615175
    Abstract: A fixing unit removably installable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless fixing member; a metal member disposed in proximity to an inner surface of the fixing member; a nip formation member supported by the metal member to slidably contact the fixing member or oppose the fixing member via a slide sheet; a heater to heat the metal member to heat the fixing member; a rotary pressing member to rotate the fixing member, disposed opposite the nip formation member via the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member; a rotation detector to detect a rotational state of the fixing member. Heating rotation of the fixing member is continuously performed until a predetermined rotational state of the fixing member is obtained, to spread lubricant substantially uniformly at least between the fixing member and the metal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Imada, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Akira Shinshi, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenichi Hasegawa, Naoki Iwaya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takamasa Hase, Ippei Fujimoto, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • Heat conduction unit, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 8600276
    Abstract: A heat conduction unit includes a flexible endless belt, a heat conductor disposed in proximity to an inner circumferential face of the endless belt and having a cross-section substantially identical to a cross-section of the endless belt, a heat source that heats the heat conductor to heat the endless belt, a pressing roller disposed opposite the heat conductor to rotate the endless belt in accordance with rotation of the pressing roller, a nip formation member disposed opposite the pressing roller and within a loop formed by the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressing roller, and a pushing member disposed within the loop to support the nip formation member. The heat conductor has at least two different cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to a long direction of the heat conductor at different positions in the long direction of the heat conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Kenichi Hasegawa, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya, Takamasa Hase, Takahiro Imada, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Shuntaroh Tamaki
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8600277
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable flexible fuser belt, a contact member, a pressure member, and a heater. The belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped around the belt holder extending in the axial direction. The contact member has a central axis thereof extending in the axial direction, accommodated in the belt holder. The pressure member has a central axis thereof extending in the axial direction, disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the contact member and the pressure member. The pressure member presses against the contact member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat a circumferential portion of the fuser belt. The belt holder includes a generally semi-cylindrical section to face the heated circumferential portion of the fuser belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Image forming apparatus incorporating a fixing device and contact member to reduce fixing member deformation
    Patent number: 8594549
    Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressing member rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. A flexible fixing member is disposed opposite the pressing member to rotate in accordance with rotation of the pressing member. A nip formation member is provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the fixing member and the pressing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A contact member pressingly contacts an outer circumferential surface of the rotating fixing member at both ends of the fixing member in an axial direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Shimokawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Akira Shinshi, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Kenichi Hasegawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Takahiro Imada, Ippei Fujimoto, Takamasa Hase, Yutaka Ikebuchi
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8588638
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a pressing member provided outside a loop formed by a fixing member to press the fixing member against a nip formation member provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. A heat generator support is provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member to support a heat generator that generates heat to be transmitted to the fixing member. A temperature detector is provided downstream from the heat generator and upstream from the nip formation member in a direction of rotation of the fixing member to detect a temperature of the fixing member. A controller is connected to the temperature detector and the heat generator to control heat generation of the heat generator based on the temperature of the fixing member detected by the temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Iwaya, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Ippei Fujimoto, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8588668
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member formed into a loop and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation, a pressing member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member, a heater support assembly provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member, and a laminated heater supported by the heater support assembly and provided inside the loop formed by the fixing member. The laminated heater includes an elastic sheet contacting an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member with pressure generated by elasticity of bending of the elastic sheet to heat the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Fixing device having a reflector and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8588670
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a metal thermal conductor provided inside a loop formed by a fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body; a heater provided inside the metal thermal conductor to heat the metal thermal conductor; a pad support provided inside the metal thermal conductor; and a reflector provided between the heater and the pad support to reflect heat emitted by the heater thereto toward an inner circumferential surface of the metal thermal conductor. The reflector includes a center reflection portion provided at a center of the reflector in a longitudinal direction thereof and a plurality of end reflection portions provided at respective lateral ends of the reflector. A plurality of reflector moving assemblies is connected to the plurality of end reflection portions of the reflector, respectively, to tilt the plurality of end reflection portions toward the center reflection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Shimokawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takamasa Hase, Takahiro Imada, Akira Shinshi, Kenichi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8583019
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member; a pressing member; a contact member provided inside a loop formed by the fixing member and pressed against the pressing member via the fixing member to form a nip between the pressing member and the fixing member, a laminated heater facing an inner circumferential face of the fixing member to heat the fixing member, connected to an external power source, and including a heat generation sheet that includes a heat-resistant resin in which conductive particles to receive electricity from the external power source and generate heat are unevenly dispersed throughout the heat-resistant resin to have a dispersal gradient of increasing particle dispersion density from an inner face toward an outer face of the heat generation sheet; and a heater support to support the laminated heater along the inner circumferential face of the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takamasa Hase, Tetsuo Tokuda, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenichi Hasegawa, Ippei Fujimoto, Akira Shinshi
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8583020
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable flexible fuser belt, a contact member, a pressure member, and a heater. The tubular belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration around the belt holder. The tubular belt holder retains the fuser belt in shape as the belt rotates in a circumferential direction. The contact member and pressure member extend in the axial direction. The pressure member presses against the contact member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The heater is disposed to heat a predetermined circumferential portion of the fuser belt. The belt holder includes a first circumferential section and a second circumferential section. The first circumferential section faces the heated portion. The second circumferential section faces upstream from the heated portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
    Patent number: 8571457
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a stationary at least partially tubular thermal member, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a rotatable pressure member. The thermal member has a tubular portion thereof extending in an axial direction and defining a closed axial cross-section. A circumference of the thermal member is subjected to heating. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the thermal member. An inner circumference of the fuser belt at least partially faces the thermal member. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends opposite the thermal member in the axial direction with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The fuser pad is pressed against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The thermal member is spaced apart from the fuser pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Hasegawa, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Akira Shinshi, Kenji Ishii, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Naoki Iwaya, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Takamasa Hase, Ippei Fujimoto, Takahiro Imada