Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Kikuchi

Kazuhiko Kikuchi 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: 20170060059
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a nip pad, a press roller, a driving portion, and a heat generation source. The fixing belt has an endless shape. The nip pad is located on an inner circumferential side of the fixing belt. The nip pad presses the fixing belt. The press roller presses the fixing belt along with the nip pad. The driving portion moves the press roller toward the nip pad. The heat generation source causes the fixing belt to generate heat. A control section controls an image forming section and the fixing device. The nip pad includes a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes toward an outer circumference of the fixing belt and a downstream side of the nip. The control section changes a movement amount of a protrusion to the press roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9523949
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a nip pad, a press roller, a driving portion, and a heat generation source. The fixing belt has an endless shape. The nip pad is located on an inner circumferential side of the fixing belt. The nip pad presses the fixing belt. The press roller presses the fixing belt along with the nip pad. The driving portion moves the press roller toward the nip pad. The heat generation source causes the fixing belt to generate heat. A control section controls an image forming section and the fixing device. The nip pad includes a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes toward an outer circumference of the fixing belt and a downstream side of the nip. The control section changes a movement amount of a protrusion to the press roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20160357134
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a nip pad, a press roller, a driving portion, and a heat generation source. The fixing belt has an endless shape. The nip pad is located on an inner circumferential side of the fixing belt. The nip pad presses the fixing belt. The press roller presses the fixing belt along with the nip pad. The driving portion moves the press roller toward the nip pad. The heat generation source causes the fixing belt to generate heat. A control section controls an image forming section and the fixing device. The nip pad includes a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes toward an outer circumference of the fixing belt and a downstream side of the nip. The control section changes a movement amount of a protrusion to the press roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9501004
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt to fix an unfixed image on a sheet, an induction current generator configured to generate in the fixing belt an induction current that causes heating thereof, a shutdown unit disposed near a surface of the fixing belt and configured to cause shutdown of the fixing apparatus when a temperature of the shutdown unit reaches a first predetermined temperature, a temperature detecting unit disposed near the surface of the fixing belt and configured to detect a temperature at a location of the temperature detecting unit, and a control unit configured to turn off the induction current generator when the detected temperature reaches a second predetermined temperature that is smaller than the first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9389558
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section configured to generate an induction current in the conductive layer, a temperature-sensitive magnetic body present in a position opposed to the induction-current generating section via the heat generating section, and a magnetic plate present in a position opposed to the heat generating section via the temperature-sensitive magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20160116871
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a fixing device comprises an induction current generation section, a fixing belt, an auxiliary heating section, a concave portion and lubricant. The induction current generation section generates induction current. The fixing belt is formed into an endless belt having a heating layer which generates heat through the induction current. The auxiliary heating section is contacted with the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt to assist in the heating of the heating layer based on the induction current. The concave portion is formed in the auxiliary heating section to face the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. The lubricant is injected into the concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Kunugi
  • Publication number: 20150316880
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section configured to generate an induction current in the conductive layer, a temperature-sensitive magnetic body present in a position opposed to the induction-current generating section via the heat generating section, and a magnetic plate present in a position opposed to the heat generating section via the temperature-sensitive magnetic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9158247
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Toshihiro Sone, Shuji Yokoyama, Tadashi Noguchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Shigeru Fujiwara, Shoko Shimmura, Kazutoshi Takahashi, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9152107
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the current invention encompass a fixing device that includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, a magnetic-flux generating section configured to generate a magnetic flux and generate an induction current in the conduction layer, a first magnetic-flux regulating section having a first magnetic flux concentration force and configured to regulate the magnetic flux of the magnetic flux generating section, a second magnetic-flux regulating section arranged adjacent to the first magnetic-flux regulating section, having a second magnetic flux concentration force larger than the first magnetic flux concentration force, and configured to regulate the magnetic flux of the magnetic-flux generating section, and an auxiliary heat generating section including a magnetic body arranged in a position opposed to the magnetic-flux generating section via the heat generating section, the position being a region extending across the first magnetic-flux regulating sectio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9122213
    Abstract: A fuser includes an endless heat generating part including a conductive layer, an induced current generating part to heat the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction, and a magnetic shunt metal member that is located at a side opposite to the induced current generating part across the heat generating part, forms a first gap between the magnetic shunt metal member and the heat generating part in a first paper passing region of the heat generating part, and forms a second gap, which is different from the first gap in size, between the magnetic shunt metal member and the heat generating part in a second paper passing region different from the first paper passing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9110414
    Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass a fixing device that includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section configured to generate an induction current in the conductive layer, a temperature-sensitive magnetic body present in a position opposed to the induction-current generating section via the heat generating section, and a magnetic plate present in a position opposed to the heat generating section via the temperature-sensitive magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20150168888
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt to fix an unfixed image on a sheet, an induction current generator configured to generate in the fixing belt an induction current that causes heating thereof, a shutdown unit disposed near a surface of the fixing belt and configured to cause shutdown of the fixing apparatus when a temperature of the shutdown unit reaches a first predetermined temperature, a temperature detecting unit disposed near the surface of the fixing belt and configured to detect a temperature at a location of the temperature detecting unit, and a control unit configured to turn off the induction current generator when the detected temperature reaches a second predetermined temperature that is smaller than the first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventor: Kazuhiko KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150110529
    Abstract: A fuser comprises an endless heating device having a heat transport device and a heat generation layer closely contacted with the heat transport device, an induction current generation device configured to heat the heating device through electromagnetic induction and a pressurization device forming a nip with the heating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sone, Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8953996
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a first roller; a second roller that forms a nip between the second roller and the first roller and presses a sheet passing through the nip against the first roller; a heater that heats at least one of the first roller and the second roller, a heating range of the heater being greater than a maximum printing width of a predetermined maximum sheet width, and a heat-uniformizing member that distributes heat of the heater along a longitudinal direction thereof, an effective length of the heat-uniformizing member in the longitudinal direction being the same as, or greater than, the predetermined maximum sheet width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Maruyama, Takaho Watanabe, Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20140341600
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Kazuhiko KIKUCHI, Masahiro DOI, Toshihiro SONE, Shuji YOKOYAMA, Tadashi NOGUCHI, Satoshi KINOUCHI, Ryota SAEKI, Shigeru FUJIWARA, Shoko SHIMMURA, Kazutoshi TAKAHASHI, Takafumi AMANO
  • Publication number: 20140314457
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, a magnetic-flux generating section configured to generate a magnetic flux and generate an induction current in the conduction layer, a first magnetic-flux regulating section having a first magnetic flux concentration force and configured to regulate the magnetic flux of the magnetic flux generating section, a second magnetic-flux regulating section arranged adjacent to the first magnetic-flux regulating section, having a second magnetic flux concentration force larger than the first magnetic flux concentration force, and configured to regulate the magnetic flux of the magnetic-flux generating section, and an auxiliary heat generating section including a magnetic body arranged in a position opposed to the magnetic-flux generating section via the heat generating section, the position being a region extending across the first magnetic-flux regulating section and the second magnetic-flux regulati
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20140314456
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section configured to generate an induction current in the conductive layer, a temperature-sensitive magnetic body present in a position opposed to the induction-current generating section via the heat generating section, and a magnetic plate present in a position opposed to the heat generating section via the temperature-sensitive magnetic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8855539
    Abstract: A fuser includes: a heat generating section including a heat generating layer and configured to rotationally travel; an induction-current generating section provided around the exterior of the heat generating section and including an exciting coil and an external ferrite core that covers the outer circumference of the exciting coil; an opposing section set in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the heat generating section; and an internal ferrite core arranged inside of the heat generating section in a position opposed to the exciting coil, a first center angle connecting both edges of the internal ferrite core and a rotation center of the heat generating section being larger than a second center angle connecting both edges of the external ferrite core and the rotation center of the heat generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Mita, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Shuji Yokoyama, Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 8855540
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiro Doi, Toshihiro Sone, Shuji Yokoyama, Tadashi Noguchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Shigeru Fujiwara, Shoko Shimmura, Kazutoshi Takahashi, Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 8855542
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a fuser including a cylindrical fixing belt, a heating member, an auxiliary heat generating member, a plurality of heat pipes, a pressurizing pad, and a pressurizing roller. The heating member heats the fixing belt. The auxiliary heat generating member auxiliary heats the fixing belt. The plural heat pipes are sparsely arranged in the center in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member and more densely arranged at the ends in the longitudinal direction of the auxiliary heat generating member than in the center. The pressurizing pad is arranged on the inside of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller is arranged in contact with the outer circumference of the fixing belt. The pressurizing roller presses the fixing belt against the pressurizing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sone, Tadashi Noguchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Masahiro Doi, Shuji Yokoyama