Patents by Inventor Sho Watanabe

Sho Watanabe 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).

  • Patent number: 8478148
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes: a support member; an endless-belt-like fixing member which is wound on the support member; a pressure member which rotates in a fixed rotation direction while being pressed onto the fixing member; a fixing portion in which the fixing member and the pressure member abut against each other to perform fixation on a recording medium; a separation unit which is provided in a space between the support member and the fixing member on a downstream side of the fixing member in a rotation direction of the fixing member and for separating the recording medium from the fixing member; a separation portion which is provided in the separation unit to press the fixing member onto the pressure member and guide the fixing member to leave the pressure member; and an adjustment unit as defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Nakatsuhara, Sho Watanabe, Yuichi Fukuda, Chikara Ando, Toshiyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 8437672
    Abstract: A separation unit is provided on a downstream side of a contact area between a belt-like rotating body and a pressure rotating body. The separation unit includes a pressure member, a guide portion and a pressure portion. The pressure member extends along a width direction of the belt-like rotating body, and presses the belt-like rotating body to deform the belt-like rotating body into a bent shape changing a course away from a surface of the pressure rotating body. The guide portion is on the pressure rotating body side of the pressure member to guide the belt-like rotating body so that an angle portion of the bent shape bites into the pressure rotating body. The pressure portion is on the surface in the pressure rotating body side, and the surface separates sequentially from the pressure rotating body in the extending direction from a center portion to an end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho Watanabe, Junichi Ichikawa, Junpei Amano, Aya Kakishima, Masaya Nakatsuhara
  • Patent number: 8417168
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a pressure member that comes into pressure-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member and thereby forms a fixing pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member, the fixing pressure portion allowing the recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image to pass therethrough; a tension member that is arranged to face the pressure member with the fixing member interposed therebetween, and tensions the fixing member; a peeling member that is arranged at a position downstream of the fixing pressure portion in a recording medium transport direction and adjacent to the tension member, and peels the recording medium from the fixing member; and an exit guide member that guides the recording medium while keeping a temperature of the recording medium, after the recording medium passes through the fixing pressure portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Nakatsuhara, Yuichi Fukuda, Sho Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8364068
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a belt member provided to be circularly movable; a first fixing member disposed inside the belt member; a second fixing member that is disposed to be in press contact with the first fixing member across the belt member, and forms a press contact portion between the belt member and the second fixing member; a pressing member that presses the belt member against the second fixing member, the pressing member having a pressing surface that presses an inner peripheral surface of the belt member on a downstream side of the press contact portion in a moving direction of the belt member; and a suppressing unit that suppresses looseness in a portion of the belt member in the width direction thereof, the portion being located on the downstream side of the press contact portion and an upstream side of the pressing surface in the moving direction of the belt member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Ichikawa, Junpei Amano, Aya Kakishima, Masaya Nakatsuhara, Sho Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130011151
    Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer device, a facing member, and a prepressing member. The transfer member transfers a toner image, which is carried on an intermediate transfer member, to a recording medium. The facing member is disposed so as to be in pressed contact with the transfer member with the intermediate transfer member therebetween. The prepressing member is disposed so as to be in pressed contact with the transfer member with the intermediate transfer member therebetween at a position that is upstream of a contact section in which the facing member is in pressed contact with the transfer member and that is immediately behind a position at which the toner image starts to come into contact with the recording medium. A pressure applied by the prepressing member is lower than a pressure with which the facing member is in pressed contact with the transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sho WATANABE, Tomoaki YOSHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20120070204
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes: a support member; an endless-belt-like fixing member which is wound on the support member; a pressure member which rotates in a fixed rotation direction while being pressed onto the fixing member; a fixing portion in which the fixing member and the pressure member abut against each other to perform fixation on a recording medium; a separation unit which is provided in a space between the support member and the fixing member on a downstream side of the fixing member in a rotation direction of the fixing member and for separating the recording medium from the fixing member; a separation portion which is provided in the separation unit to press the fixing member onto the pressure member and guide the fixing member to leave the pressure member; and an adjustment unit as defined herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya NAKATSUHARA, Sho WATANABE, Yuichi FUKUDA, Chikara ANDO, Toshiyuki MIYATA
  • Publication number: 20120070205
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes: a fixing member; a pressure member that rotates while being pressed onto the fixing member; a fixing portion that is a contact portion between the fixing member and the pressure member and performs fixation on a recording medium; and a temperature uniformizing member that abuts against the pressure member on a rotational downstream side of the pressure member with respect to the fixing portion and over an area longer than an axial length of the recording medium perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho WATANABE, Yuichi FUKUDA, Chikara ANDO, Toshiyuki MIYATA, Masaya NAKATSUHARA
  • Publication number: 20110188906
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a pressure member that forms a fixing pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member by making pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member, the fixing pressure portion being passed through by the recording medium holding an unfixed toner image; a heat supplier that supplies heat to the fixing member; and a thermal diffusion member that diffuses heat on a surface of the fixing member by contact with the fixing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho WATANABE, Yuichi FUKUDA, Masaya NAKATSUHARA, Tomoyuki ITO, Ryosuke TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110142469
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium; a pressure member that comes into pressure-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member and thereby forms a fixing pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member, the fixing pressure portion allowing the recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image to pass therethrough; a tension member that is arranged to face the pressure member with the fixing member interposed therebetween, and tensions the fixing member; a peeling member that is arranged at a position downstream of the fixing pressure portion in a recording medium transport direction and adjacent to the tension member, and peels the recording medium from the fixing member; and an exit guide member that guides the recording medium while keeping a temperature of the recording medium, after the recording medium passes through the fixing pressure portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaya NAKATSUHARA, Yuichi Fukuda, Sho Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110081173
    Abstract: A separation unit is provided on a downstream side of a contact area between a belt-like rotating body and a pressure rotating body. The separation unit includes a pressure member, a guide portion and a pressure portion. The pressure member extends along a width direction of the belt-like rotating body, and presses the belt-like rotating body to deform the belt-like rotating body into a bent shape changing a course away from a surface of the pressure rotating body. The guide portion is on the pressure rotating body side of the pressure member to guide the belt-like rotating body so that an angle portion of the bent shape bites into the pressure rotating body. The pressure portion is on the surface in the pressure rotating body side, and the surface separates sequentially from the pressure rotating body in the extending direction from a center portion to an end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho WATANABE, Junichi ICHIKAWA, Junpei AMANO, Aya KAKISHIMA, Masaya NAKATSUHARA
  • Publication number: 20110064438
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing roll that is rotatable; a belt member that is stretched over the fixing roll; a pressurizing roll that pressurizes the fixing roll via the belt member; a belt pressing member that presses an outer surface of the belt member to the pressurizing roll from inside of the belt member on a downstream side at a pressure-contact position between the fixing roll and the pressurizing roll; and a controller that decrease a time difference between a passage time per unit area of a tip region of a recording medium and a passage time per unit area of a succeeding region of the recording medium to pass a pressure-contact portion between the fixing roll and belt pressing member and the pressurizing roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi FUKUDA, Takahito CHIBA, Sho WATANABE, Masayuki KONO, Tomoyuki ITO
  • Publication number: 20110064492
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a belt member provided to be circularly movable; a first fixing member disposed inside the belt member; a second fixing member that is disposed to be in press contact with the first fixing member across the belt member, and forms a press contact portion between the belt member and the second fixing member; a pressing member that presses the belt member against the second fixing member, the pressing member having a pressing surface that presses an inner peripheral surface of the belt member on a downstream side of the press contact portion in a moving direction of the belt member; and a suppressing unit that suppresses looseness in a portion of the belt member in the width direction thereof, the portion being located on the downstream side of the press contact portion and an upstream side of the pressing surface in the moving direction of the belt member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi ICHIKAWA, Junpei Amano, Aya Kakishima, Masaya Nakatsuhara, Sho Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7881651
    Abstract: A lubricant applying device, includes: an image carrier; a lubricant; a lubricant applying member that contacts the image carrier and the lubricant, and maintains a portion of the lubricant on an outer periphery of the lubricant applying member due to rotating so as to apply the lubricant to the image carrier; and a solid material that is adjacently provided with the lubricant on an upstream side in a rotation direction of the lubricant applying member, wherein the solid material has a higher level of hardness than the lubricant and is worn out due to contact with the lubricant applying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sho Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20100202812
    Abstract: A lubricant applying device, includes: an image carrier; a lubricant; a lubricant applying member that contacts the image carrier and the lubricant, and maintains a portion of the lubricant on an outer periphery of the lubricant applying member due to rotating so as to apply the lubricant to the image carrier; and a solid material that is adjacently provided with the lubricant on an upstream side in a rotation direction of the lubricant applying member, wherein the solid material has a higher level of hardness than the lubricant and is worn out due to contact with the lubricant applying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sho Watanabe