Printing Or Reproduction Device Patents (Class 219/216)
  • Patent number: 8577270
    Abstract: A fusing device includes a rotary fusing part; a heating unit heating the rotary fusing part; a rotary pressure part pressed against the rotary fusing part; nozzles jetting compressed air to paper being conveyed through a nip between the rotary fusing part and the rotary pressure part; and separating parts guiding the paper separated from the rotary fusing part. The nozzles and the separating parts are disposed downstream of the nip in a paper conveying direction so as not to contact the rotary fusing part and the rotary pressure part and are arranged alternately along the length direction of the nip that is orthogonal to the paper conveying direction. The separating parts protrude beyond the tips of the nozzles toward the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Hirose, Takeshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8554123
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating member that generates heat by induction heating; an induction coil that generates magnetic flux for induction heating; and a magnetic member core section forming a magnetic path and including a first core section, a second core section, a magnetic flux shielding member, and third core sections. The magnetic flux shielding member is disposed at a side of an end portion of the first core section opposite to the second core section and separated from the end portion, and disposed at a position that is separated from the outer surface of the heating rotating member by a separation distance. The third core sections are disposed at a side of the magnetic flux shielding member facing the end portion of the first core section. At least one of the third core sections is movable to a first position and to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Moriguchi Motoki
  • Patent number: 8552342
    Abstract: To provide a heater that can reduce fixing failure in a paper passing area while suppressing a temperature rise in a sheet non-passing area, and a fixing apparatus including the heater. Resistors are connected in parallel between two conductive patterns that are provided on a heater substrate along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and resistors are arranged so that the shortest current path of each of the resistors can overlap the shortest current path of an adjacent resistor in the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8530800
    Abstract: A heater control device includes a temperature detector that detects a temperature of a heated object heated by a heater; an alternating-current power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the heater; a turn-on ratio decision unit that determines a turn-on ratio of the heater based on the temperature and a target temperature; a turn-on pattern decision unit that determines a partial turn-on pattern, as the turn-on pattern of the heater, which is a pattern of a turn-on ratio higher than the determined turn-on ratio in terms of a control-period, and to which a partial turn-on instead of a full turn-on is allocated on a half-wavelength basis of the alternating current voltage within the control period based on the turn-on ratio of the heater; and a turn-on controller that controls turn-on of the heater based on the determined turn-on pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Adachi, Eiji Nemoto, Takuma Kasai, Kiriko Chosokabe, Norikazu Okada
  • Patent number: 8526836
    Abstract: First, a first temperature difference and a second temperature difference are calculated. The first temperature difference is a difference between (a) a first detected temperature that is a current temperature of the fixing member and (b) a difference of a control target temperature for the fixing member. The second temperature difference is a difference between (a) the first detected temperature and (b) a past temperature of the fixing member which past temperature was detected a predetermined time earlier than the current time. Then, by reading out, from a table prepared in advance, an amount of power to be supplied to a heating member which amount corresponds to a combination of the first temperature difference and the second temperature difference, the amount of power to be supplied to the heating member is determined. In accordance with this amount of power determined, an actual amount of power supplied to the heating member is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsunori Mitsuoka, Toshiaki Kagawa
  • Patent number: 8521065
    Abstract: A fuser includes: a rotational member configured to rotate; a press member configured to press the rotational member; an induction-current generator configured to generate induction current in the rotational member; and a separator configured to separate a leading end of a recording medium that passes through a nip from the rotational member, when a distal end is in a separating position, and move to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Shuji Yokoyama, Hiroshi Nakayama, Hiroaki Yamauchi, Satoshi Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 8503918
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a belt unit, a coil unit, a rotatable driving member, and positioning and urging mechanisms. The belt unit includes an endless belt to heat a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion. The coil unit opposes an outer surface of the belt and generates a magnetic flux for heating the belt. The driving member rotates the belt and forms the nip portion with the belt. The positioning mechanism positions the coil unit with respect to the belt unit and includes two positioning portions on each side of the coil unit with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof. The urging mechanism urges the coil unit toward the belt unit. The coil unit is supported by the belt unit at three of the four positioning portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Koshida
  • Patent number: 8503898
    Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing member to press against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween, through which the recording medium passes, and a nip pressure applying mechanism that movably supports the pressing member. The nip pressure applying mechanism presses the pressing member against the fixing member at a predetermined nip pressure during a fixing operation, and draws the pressing member away from the fixing member for a predetermined distance before the fixing operation. The predetermined distance is set depending on a condition for the fixing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masami Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8498547
    Abstract: A fixing device of belt fixing type is provided. A fixing device includes a connector to be connected to wires provided therein. The connector includes integrally primary-side wiring connector terminals to be connected to primary-side wires each leading to a heat generating resistor, and secondary-side wiring connector terminals to be connected to secondary-side wires including wires each leading to a heat generating element-side thermistor, the secondary-side wires flowing current smaller than the primary-side wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsunori Mitsuoka, Akihiko Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Kageyama
  • Patent number: 8498560
    Abstract: A fixing device and an image forming apparatus using this, in which even if permanent warping is produced on a roller member that forms a fixing nip portion, no collision sound is produced due to the collision of gears, the fixing device including: two roller members that form a nip portion in which a recording medium is pressed by pressure means and transported; and a drive gear that engages with a shaft portion of one of the two roller members and transmits driving force to that roller member. A key is formed in the drive gear and a key groove having a gap opened therein is formed in the shaft portion, and when a rotation velocity of the roller member increases, transmission of driving force from the drive gear to the shaft portion is suspended and the drive gear slides on the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohta Sakaya, Shigeo Nanno, Tamotsu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8498563
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member that has a conductive layer capable of being heated by electromagnetic induction and fixes an image to the recording material; a magnetic-field generator that generates an alternating magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer of the fixing member; a heating member that is at least partly separated from the fixing member and is heated; and a deformable member that is deformed when receiving heat and moves the heating member toward the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motofumi Baba, Hideaki Ohhara, Masayoshi Nakao, Yasunori Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8494388
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a heating section; a coil that is opposed to the heating section, for heating the heating section; a core that has a circumferential surface covered with a magnetic shielding plate having different lengths in an axis direction in a plurality of steps according to a position in a circumferential direction; a rotary section for causing the core to rotate; a plurality of temperature sensing elements for sensing temperatures of the heating section; and a control section for controlling a heating width by controlling the rotary section to control a rotation angle of the core, setting the heating width corresponding to a size of a paper sheet at a start of a print job, and setting the heating width wider than at the start of the print job midway through the print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Junya Yoda
  • Patent number: 8487219
    Abstract: Ink drying apparatus and method for controlling ink drying apparatus are described herein. An example ink drying apparatus includes first and second heating elements positioned adjacent a drying area in a printer, and a controller to determine a temperature of the heating area and to selectively operate, based on the temperature determination, the first heating element in a burst mode and the second heating element in an on/off mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Xavier Soler Pedemonte, José Maria Montserrat Caldero, Francisco Javier Pérez Gellida, David Toussaint, Gianni Cessel, Andrew Maxwell Frost
  • Patent number: 8489009
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt-shaped fixing member, a rotary pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member, a stationary member, a friction reducer, and a activation device. The endless belt-shaped fixing member formed in a loop moves in a predetermined direction and fixes a toner image on a recording medium by heating and fusing the toner image. The stationary member is provided inside the loop and pressed against the rotary pressing member through the fixing member to form a nip between the rotary pressing member and the fixing member through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes. The friction reducer disposed between the fixing member and the stationary member reduces friction generated therebetween. The activation device provided inside the loop of the fixing member moves the friction reducer to change a portion of the friction reducer that comes between the fixing member and the stationary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Takayuki Seki
  • Patent number: 8478180
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a belt including a heat generating layer for generating heat by energization and including a power receiving portion which has electroconductivity and is electrically connected to the heat generating layer; a stationary back-up member, provided inside the belt, for sliding on an inner peripheral surface of the belt; a pressing member for pressing the belt against the back-up member to form a nip in which a recording material is to be nip-conveyed between the belt and itself; and an electroconductive portion, provided on the back-up member, for supplying electric power to the power receiving portion by being electrically connected to the power receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kota Arimoto, Ryo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8478177
    Abstract: A recording medium peeling device includes: a circularly moving section that has a moving surface circulating along a circulation course; and a pressing section that presses a recording medium passing through a pressing position in the circulation course, against the moving surface at the pressing position. The recording medium peeling device further includes: a peeling member that is disposed downstream from the pressing position in the circularly moving, is apart from the moving surface, is provided along the moving surface, extends in a direction crossing a direction of the circularly moving, and peels the recording medium after passing through the pressing position from the moving surface; and a protruding member that is disposed downstream from the peeling member in a direction in which the recording medium after being peeled by the peeling member proceeds, protrudes from the peeling member side to the recording medium side, and slopes downstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsumi Kurita, Shogo Kamiya, Yasunori Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8471178
    Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes a heater having first and second and heat-generation segments each having a plurality of spaced-apart heat generating parts therein in the longitudinal direction respectively. The heat generating parts each have first and second electro-conductive patterns provided along the longitudinal direction on a substrate and overlapping in the longitudinal direction, and a heat generating resistor which electrically connects the respective overlapping regions of the first electro-conductive pattern and the second electro-conductive pattern with each other and generates heat by supplied electric power. It simultaneously prevents the temperature in a non-sheet feeding portion from rising and secures fixing properties in the gap between the adjacent heat generating parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Taniguchi, Hiroto Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8472855
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular, stationary metal pipe, a heater, a flexible fuser belt, a rotatable pressure member, a fuser pad, and a tubular pipe cover. The heater is disposed adjacent to the metal pipe to heat a circumference thereof. The metal pipe has multiple through-holes provided at least at a circumferential perforated section thereof. The flexible fuser belt is looped for rotation around the metal pipe to transfer heat radially outward from the heated circumference of the 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, accommodated within the metal pipe, held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt, presses against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The tubular pipe cover is fitted around the metal pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Shinshi, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenichi Hasegawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Ippei Fujimoto, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Takahiro Imada, Takamasa Hase, Toshihiko Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 8467694
    Abstract: In a method of generating a fuser signal for a printer, a gating signal is generated using delta-sigma modulation such that an absolute value of a deficit does not exceed a threshold. The deficit corresponds to a difference between (i) a number of positive half-cycles of an alternating current (AC) signal at which the gating signal is high and (ii) a number of negative half-cycles of the AC signal at which the gating signal is high. The gating signal is used to gate the AC signal to a fuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew B. Leslie, Richard D. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8463170
    Abstract: A fixing device of an image forming apparatus includes a magnetic core forming a magnetic path composed of a first path for induction-heating a specified area of a heating member and a second path for induction-heating only a smaller area as a reduction of the specified area and the magnetic field being composed of a common magnetic field region where both the first and the second paths pass and an uncommon magnetic field region where only the first path passes; and a magnetism adjusting member arranged at least over the uncommon magnetic field region and permitting the passage of magnetic fluxes propagating toward the heating member from the magnetic core in the uncommon magnetic field region when the magnetic path is switched to the first path while suppressing the passage of the magnetic fluxes in the uncommon magnetic field region when the magnetic path is switched to the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Yuzuru Nanjo
  • Patent number: 8461496
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a take-off roller, the take-off roller adapted to unwind a wound electrode plate having a coating portion and a non-coating portion, a guide roller adapted to feed the electrode plate, an induction heater above the guide roller, the induction heater being spaced a predetermined distance from the guide roller and the electrode plate, and a winding roller, the winding roller adapted to wind the electrode plate fed from the guide roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dongho Jeong, Tatsuya Hashimoto, Wonhui Lee
  • Patent number: 8457514
    Abstract: A cylindrical heating element comprising a cylindrical member, a metallic pattern provided on at least one of outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member, which is capable of generating heat by being electrified, and a resistive pattern for detecting temperature provided on at least one of the outer and inner circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical member. A fixing device which passes a recording medium on which an unfixed toner image is held through a nip formed by a rotating member for heating and a rotating member for pressurizing which is pressed against the rotating member for heating to fix the toner image on the recording medium with heating under pressure, the rotating member for heating comprising the cylindrical heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Mizumo
  • Patent number: 8428498
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, a contact member, and a heater. The fixing member is provided in a width direction of a recording medium and to heat and fuse a toner image on the recording medium. The pressure member is to press against the fixing member. The contact member is provided inside the fixing member and to contact the pressure member through the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressure member and the fixing member. The heater includes a heating element and is to heat the contact member. The heating element of the heater is a mold member of a relatively thin plate extending in a width direction of the fixing member and includes a flat surface that faces the contact member. An image forming apparatus for forming an image includes the fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Fujiwara, Kazunori Bannai
  • Patent number: 8422930
    Abstract: Apparatus for heating toner on a receiver having an ignition energy, having an energy source for providing input energy; and a membrane disposed adjacent to the receiver. The membrane receives the input energy from the energy source; stores a portion of the input energy; and radiates emitted energy that is absorbed by the toner, the receiver, or a combination thereof, wherein the absorption causes the temperature of the toner to rise above a desired temperature. The stored portion of the input energy is less than the ignition energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James H. Hurst, Andrew Ciaschi, Donald S. Rimai, Carl I. Bouwens
  • Patent number: 8417137
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotary fixing member, a counter member to contact the rotary fixing member, a first heater to heat the rotary fixing member, a driving unit to rotate the rotary fixing member, a temperature detector to detect a temperature of the rotary fixing member, and a contact-and-separation unit to switch between contact and separation states of the rotary fixing member relative to the counter member. In a temperature-raising operation, the driving unit causes the rotary fixing member to rotate when the temperature detector detects that the temperature of the rotary fixing member has reached a first setting temperature. The contact-and-separation unit causes the rotary fixing member in rotation and the counter member to contact each other when the temperature detector detects that the temperature of the rotary fixing member has reached a second setting temperature that is higher than the first setting temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
    Inventors: Yutaka Naitoh, Toshio Ogiso, Tamotsu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8417151
    Abstract: A component replacement support tool for a fusing unit with a roller that contains a lamp cartridge includes a roller insertion/removal guide shaft and a lamp protection member detachably housed in the roller insertion/removal guide shaft. The fusing unit includes a replacement opening via which the roller or the lamp cartridge can be removed from or inserted into the fusing unit along an axis of the roller for replacement. The roller insertion/removal guide shaft is inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller and fixed so as to guide the roller when the roller is removed from or inserted into the fusing unit via the replacement opening. The lamp protection member is inserted between the roller and the lamp cartridge when the lamp cartridge is pulled out of or inserted into the roller along the axis of the roller via the replacement opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuki Kikushima, Genichiro Kawamichi
  • Patent number: 8415589
    Abstract: A heating resistance element component has a supporting substrate, an insulating film laminated on the supporting substrate, heating resistors arranged at intervals on the insulating film, a common wire connected to one end of each of the heating resistors, and individual wires each connected to another end of the each of the of heating resistors. A surface of the supporting substrate is formed with a first concave portion and a second concave portion. The first concave portion is arranged in a region opposed to heating portions of the heating resistors. The second concave portion is arranged at an interval in a vicinity of the first concave portion so that heat generated by the heating portions of the plurality of heating resistors is prevented from flowing into the supporting substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Morooka, Norimitsu Sanbongi, Yoshinori Sato, Noriyoshi Shoji, Keitaro Koroishi
  • Patent number: 8408270
    Abstract: Apparatuses useful in printing, fixing devices and methods of stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful in printing includes a first member including a first surface; at least one heating element for heating the first surface of the first member; a second member including a second surface forming a nip with the first surface, the nip including an inlet end at which a substrate enters the nip and an outlet end at which the substrate exits from the nip; and an air knife disposed downstream from the outlet end of the nip and extending along an axial direction of the first member, the air knife including a first end, a second end opposite to the first end and a plurality of axially-spaced nozzles disposed between the first end and second end; and at least one gas inlet through which gas is supplied to the air knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Augusto E. Barton, Elias Panides, James Padula
  • Patent number: 8397361
    Abstract: Preferably, a motorcycle valve spring removal tool includes a motorcycle engine operatively mounted and secured to a frame of a motorcycle, and a valve spring compression tool secured to the motorcycle engine for use in removing a valve spring of the motorcycle engine while the cylinder head remains torqued to the cylinder, and the motorcycle engine remains mounted and secured within the motorcycle frame. In a preferred embodiment, the valve spring compression tool includes a base plate supporting a stud reception member that provides a threaded stud attachment aperture, in which a corresponding threaded stud is secured. Also included in the preferred embodiment is a compression plate interacting with the threaded stud and a force transfer component, preferably a threaded nut, also interacting with the stud to impart a compression force on the valve spring to achieve a predetermined level of compression of the valve spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: David K. Irving
  • Patent number: 8401414
    Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressing member rotates in a predetermined direction of rotation. A flexible endless fixing member rotates 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 first heat generator faces an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member. A second heat generator faces the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member at a position other than the nip to heat the fixing member, and is disposed adjacent to the first heat generator along the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takamasa Hase, Tetsuo Tokuda, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenichi Hasegawa, Ippei Fujimoto, Akira Shinshi
  • Patent number: 8395095
    Abstract: An electrothermal transfer device includes a substrate, a plurality of electrothermal components and a heating circuit. The electrothermal components are disposed on a surface of the substrate and arranged in a pattern. The heating circuit is electrically connected to the electrothermal components. In an electrothermal transfer method, at first, a transfer substrate is disposed on a workpiece substrate. Then, the electrothermal transfer device is disposed on the transfer substrate so that the electrothermal components contact with the transfer substrate. Thereafter, the heating circuit is used to heat the electrothermal transfer components so that the transfer substrate is heated to be transferred to the workpiece substrate. The electrothermal transfer device and the electrothermal transfer method can reduce cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: E Ink Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Chun Yeh, Yao-Chou Tsai, Henry Wang, Sung-Hui Huang
  • Patent number: 8395090
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing member for fixing an unfixed toner image on a sheet at a nip, a nip forming member for forming the nip cooperatively with the fixing member, a first heater for heating an external surface of the fixing member by contacting the external surface of the fixing member at a first position, and a second heater provided at a position upstream of the nip and downstream of the first position in a rotational direction of the fixing member, and for heating an external surface of the fixing member by contacting the external surface of the fixing member at a second position. The first heater has a thermal capacity larger than the second heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuharu Chiyoda
  • Patent number: 8391761
    Abstract: A fixing device of belt fixing type is provided. A heat generating member that is a heat generating source for heating a fixing belt has a heat generating layer composed of a resistance heat generating element that generates heat due to being energized. The resistance heat generating element includes a paper passing region heating section and a detecting section provided on an end portion in an axial direction of the heat generating member and electrically connected in parallel with the paper passing region heating section. Furthermore, in a vicinity of the detecting section, an overheat preventing element that suppresses energization to the resistance heat generating element when temperature of the detecting section reaches a predetermined value, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsunori Mitsuoka, Akihiko Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Kageyama
  • Patent number: 8378263
    Abstract: A fusing system and a method of operating the fusing system, including a first heating zone to heat marking material and a substrate using a non-condensing heat source to less than a target temperature; and a second heating zone to heat the marking material and the substrate to about the target temperature to fuse the marking material to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: David K. Biegelsen, Lars Erik Swartz, Armin R. Volkel, Ashish V. Pattekar
  • Patent number: 8373101
    Abstract: There are provided a first excitation coil that is wound so as to have an axis in the same direction as that of a shaft of a heating roller and that is connected to a first power source, and a second excitation coil that is wound so as to have an axis in a direction substantially orthogonal to the shaft of the heating roller and that is connected to a second power source. The second excitation coil has parallel portions that extend in parallel to an axial direction of the first excitation coil and two folded sections provided at respective ends of the parallel portions. The two folded sections are provided along a circumference of the first excitation coil in such a way that circular arcs of the respective folded sections become opposite in direction to each other. Thus, the maximum available power is increased. When rapid warm-up is required, heating is caused by a coil connected to the auxiliary power source, to thus shorten a warm-up time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumi Seguchi, Yasuhiro Torigoe, Shinichirou Date
  • Patent number: 8369762
    Abstract: A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium; a pressure member forming a heating pressure portion with the heating member, through which the recording medium passes; a tensioning member facing the pressure member across the heating member, and providing a tension to the heating member; a peeling member placed downstream of the heating pressure portion and adjacent to the tensioning member, and peeling off the recording medium from the heating member; and an inside heating unit heating the heating member and controlling meandering of the heating member, the inside heating unit including: a secured center shaft; an outer circumferential portion rotating about the center shaft; a heater placed inside the outer circumferential portion to heat thereof from inside; and a heat reflecting member secured to the center shaft and placed at each end portion of the outer circumferential portion, and that reflects heat from the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuto Okabayashi, Kouichi Kimura, Mizuki Sugino
  • Patent number: 8359975
    Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus and process for forming a printing form from a photosensitive element having an exterior surface and a composition layer capable of being partially liquefied. The apparatus includes a displaceable heater for heating the composition layer, means for removing at least a portion of the composition layer from the element, and means for displacing the displaceable heater to a predetermined distance from the exterior surface. Positioning the displaceable heater at the predetermined distance assures reproducible removal of the liquefied composition from the various types of photosensitive elements that can be thermally treated in the apparatus, resulting in the printing forms having improved relief surface uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert A. McMillen, Dietmar Dudek, Ib Vestergaard
  • Patent number: 8364066
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus 12 in one embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing roller 31, a pressure roller 32, a pressing apparatus 100 for pressing the pressure roller 32 toward the fixing roller 31, a pressure cancellation apparatus 200 that cancels pressure applied by the pressing apparatus 100 to the pressure roller 32 against the fixing roller 31, an external heating apparatus 300 that presses the fixing roller 31 from the outside on an opposite side to the pressure roller 32, and a regulation member 400 that regulates the amount of pressure the external heating apparatus 300 applies to the fixing roller 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nakamura, Kousuke Namisaki, Takashi Yamanaka, Kimihide Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8355662
    Abstract: A heat generating sleeve (19) having a high ability to control an amount of heat generation of itself and sufficient strength comprises a heat controlling layer (30) consisting of annealed permalloy, and a main heating layer (31) consisting of unannealed metal plated on a surface of the heat controlling layer (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Noboru Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 8355661
    Abstract: A fusing device includes; a heating member having a resistive heating layer constituting an outermost portion of the heating member, a nip forming member facing the heating member to form a fusing nip therewith, and a plurality of current supplying electrodes which contact an outer circumference of the resistive heating layer to supply electrical current to the resistive heating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-earn Kim, In-taek Han, Ha-jin Kim, Sang-soo Jee, Sang-eui Lee
  • Patent number: 8355660
    Abstract: A fixing device is provided with a heating member, a pressing member, a coil, a fixed core, a movable core and a shielding member provided on the movable core and a position switching unit moving the shielding member between a shielding position where a ring part shields magnetism and a retracted position where the ring part does not shield magnetism. A first area requiring magnetic shielding and a second area not requiring magnetic shielding are selectively set in the heating member. The shielding member includes a first annular portion provided at a position corresponding to a boundary part between the first and second areas, and the first annular portion has a shape closed in a circumferential direction and is electrically insulated at a circumferential part when viewed in an axial direction of the movable core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Yuzuru Nanjo
  • Patent number: 8351836
    Abstract: A heat generating roller which generates a heat when magnetic flux is applied from outside, which has high ability to control an amount of heat generation of itself and which has sufficient strength, including a main heating layer made of a material having a low electric resistivity, a heat controlling layer made of magnetic metal including at least nickel, a heat insulation layer having a low heat conductivity, and a stiff metal core, in order as above from outside, wherein the heat controlling layer is annealed, and the heat controlling layer and the heat insulation layer are bonded to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Noboru Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 8351837
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixing member that can apply sufficient power to press toner particles on a raised portion of a paper surface while also maintaining good conformability to a depressed portion of the paper surface that is an advantage of a surface layer including a soft rubber layer. The fixing member has a surface layer to come into contact with toner, the surface layer has a sea-island structure in which the fluororubber constitutes a sea phase and a silicone compound having a crosslinked structure constitutes an island phase, and in a stress-strain curve of the surface layer, the tangential elastic modulus, the slope of the curve, increases as the strain increases, in the strain range of 0.25 to 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Kitano, Katsuya Abe
  • Patent number: 8340543
    Abstract: A temperature control method for use in a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip defined between a fixing member and a pressure member includes temperature detection, heater control, and duty control execution. The temperature detection detects a temperature of the fixing member with a temperature detector. The heater control controls operation of a heater of the fixing device by changing a duty thereof according to the detected temperature. The duty control execution executes a heater duty control to change a heater duty for a current control cycle discontinuously from that for a previous control cycle when the current control cycle precedes entry of the recording sheet into the fixing nip by a given period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Ogiso, Shin Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8338762
    Abstract: A power control method for high-frequency dielectric heating is provided. The method includes detecting input current and input voltage from an AC power supply. Input current waveform information and input voltage waveform information are acquired. It is determined whether the magnetron is being oscillated. If so, the input voltage waveform information is added to the input current waveform information until oscillation of the magnetron is detected, and the addition result is converted into the drive signal of a switching transistor of an inverter circuit. If not, the input current waveform, without addition of the input voltage waveform, is converted into the drive signal of the switching transistor of the inverter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Suenaga, Kenji Yasui, Shinichi Sakai, Nobuo Shirokawa, Hideaki Moriya, Manabu Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 8331841
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image at a nip portion formed of two rotary members which rotate while facing each other, wherein occurrence of uneven print gloss is prevented. The image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image at a nip portion formed of two rotary members which rotate while facing each other, wherein one of the two rotary members is a belt which rotates while being stretched around of a plurality of rollers, a roller arranged at the exit of the nip portion out of the plurality of rollers has a crown shape, and a slack absorbing member for absorbing a slack of both ends of the belt caused by the crown-shaped roller is in contact with the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masami Maruko, Tetsuko Kurosu, Satoshi Hamaya
  • Patent number: 8331842
    Abstract: Apparatus for selectively providing a surface finish to a receiver having an image side, comprising three rotatable members forming two nips. A finishing belt is entrained around, and movable with, one of the rotatable members, and passes through one of the nips. The receiver engages one of the nips according to what surface finish is desired. One of the rotatable members is selectively rotated to draw the receiver through the engaged nip, and a heater heats the rotatable member of the engaged nip facing the image side to impart the desired surface finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Bobo, Muhammed Aslam
  • Patent number: 8320810
    Abstract: A fuser has a protuberance extruding lengthwise from the surface of a heater opposite the interior surface of an endless belt and is positioned in transverse relationship to the interior surface of the endless belt. A pressure roller defines a nip with the endless belt wherein the nip has an entrance side and an exit side and wherein the position of the protuberance adjacent to the nip creates pressure upon the endless belt. The print media sheet is driven through the nip in reaction to the pressure applied by the pressure roller to the belt. The position of the protuberance and the pressure created upon the endless belt directs the lubricant from the endless belt surface to the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Daniel Creteau, Jerry Wayne Smith
  • Patent number: 8314372
    Abstract: A heating roller performs electromagnetic induction heating, and includes a first exciting coil that heats the heating roller, a first degaussing coil that decreases magnetic fields of the first exciting coil, and a first axial direction core that guides magnetic fluxes, to make up a magnetic circuit between the first axial direction core and the heating roller. The width of a heat zone is controlled in agreement with a sheet feeding area. Thus, the capability to control a temperature increase in a non-sheet-feeding area of the heating roller is enhanced. Power can be saved during continual feeding of small recording sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Yoshihara, Yasuhiro Torigoe, Fumihiro Tateno, Youichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8308284
    Abstract: A recording apparatus which transports a recording material onto a recording support unit, ejects ink from a recording head to perform recording on the recording material, includes: a hot air generating unit which is provided at a holding member of the recording head on one side of the recording head; and an exhaust unit which is provided at the holding member on the other side of the recording head. Here, the recording apparatus is configured to form a first air stream in which hot air blown out from the hot air generating unit passes between the recording head and the recording support unit so as to reach the exhaust unit when the exhaust unit is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidemasa Kanada