Printing Or Reproduction Device Patents (Class 219/216)
  • Patent number: 10042296
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member that heats a recording medium having an image while transporting the recording medium by rotating; a measuring member that measures a temperature of the heating member and includes a body member, and a cantilever member whose base end is fixed to the body member and whose free end is in contact with the heating member; and a supporting member that supports the measuring member and includes a contact portion, the contact portion being in contact with a base portion of the cantilever member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akio Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10036986
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt being endless and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation. The fixing belt includes an inner circumferential face applied with a fluorine compound. A nip formation pad is not rotatable. The inner circumferential face of the fixing belt slides over the nip formation pad. A pressure rotator presses against the nip formation pad via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator. At least one heater heats the fixing belt. The heater includes a glass tube filled with an inert gas containing, as a main ingredient, a substance having a first molecular weight greater than a second molecular weight of argon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shimada, Takashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 10031449
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image on a recording material. A controller executes a first heater control so that a temperature detected by a second temperature detecting element is maintained at a target temperature of the heater. The controller executes a second heater control for controlling the heater so that a temperature detected by a first temperature detecting element is maintained at a target temperature. When the first heater control is executed, the controller corrects the target temperature of the heater in accordance with the temperature detected by the first temperature detecting element, and when the second heater control is executed, a feeding speed of a recording material in a nip is less than that when the first heater control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hashiguchi, Yusuke Hirota
  • Patent number: 10031452
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device for preventing an increase in torque when a fixing belt starts to be driven. The fixing device may include a fixing belt that is rotatable; a pressure roller configured to pressure-contact an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt and to form a fixing nip portion between the pressure roller and the fixing belt. A contact member is located inside the fixing belt and includes a contact portion that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The contact portion includes a surface having a plate shape that faces the pressure roller and a plurality of protrusions that protrude from the surface toward the pressure roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Suzuki, Takayuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 10025247
    Abstract: A fixing device includes fixing rotator, a heater to heat the fixing rotator, a pressure rotator disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, a pressure pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, a support to support the pressure pad, and a thermal conduction aid to conduct heat in an axial direction of the fixing rotator. The pressure pad presses against the pressure rotator via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The pressure pad includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. The thermal conduction aid covers the nip-side face of the pressure pad. The nip-side face of the pressure pad includes at least one mouth therein defining a non-contact area in which the pressure pad does not contact the thermal conduction aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Sawada, Ippei Fujimoto, Kenji Ishii, Takashi Seto, Takayuki Seki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ryohei Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10025239
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus a controller starts a heater to heat up in response to a print command In a first case where temperature of the fixing device at a timing of reception of the print command is lower than a first threshold value, the controller starts rotating a first motor, and subsequently starts rotating a second motor before the conveying device conveys the sheet according to the received print command. The first threshold value is lower than the target temperature. In a second case where the temperature of the fixing device at the timing of reception of the print command is higher the first threshold value, the controller starts rotating the second motor, and subsequently starts rotating the first motor before the conveying device conveys the sheet according to the received print command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sadaharu Kato
  • Patent number: 10018948
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, a back-up member in contact with an inner surface of the film, a roller configured to form a fixing nip portion with the back-up member via the film, and a metal bearing configured to rotatably hold a shaft of the roller. The fixing device further includes an insulating portion provided between an end surface of the film and the bearing, thereby suppressing occurrence of leakage between the bearing and the end surface of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Ohta
  • Patent number: 10012937
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt that is endless and rotatable in a rotation direction and a nip former stretching the fixing belt. A pressure rotator presses against the nip former via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A presser is disposed downstream from an exit of the fixing nip in a recording medium conveyance direction. The presser brings the fixing belt into contact with the pressure rotator. A gap retainer contacts the nip former and is coupled to the presser to retain isolation of the presser from the nip former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuutaroh Yuasa, Keisuke Kubota, Masami Okamoto, Seiji Saitoh, Fumihiro Hirose, Kensuke Yamaji, Jun Ogino, Yuuta Kanda
  • Patent number: 10012931
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a fixing device including a heater and a temperature sensor, and a controller configured to execute: first heater control processing including: first processing of driving the heater with a predetermined energization ratio for a first time period independently of the detected temperature of the temperature sensor; second processing of stopping the driving of the heater for a second time period independently of the detected temperature of the temperature sensor; the second processing being executed when the first processing has ended, comparison processing of comparing a detected temperature of the temperature sensor with a reference temperature, which is executed when the second processing has ended; and first determination processing of determining whether to execute the first processing again based on the result of the comparison processing which has been executed when the second processing had ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Yada
  • Patent number: 10007215
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing unit which heats a recording medium to fix a color material adhered to the recording medium; a first heater which heats the fixing unit; a second heater with rated power smaller than the rated power of the first heater which heats the fixing unit; and a controller which performs preliminary control of energizing the second heater when heating of the fixing unit by the first heater is started and energizing control of stepping up power consumption of the first heater and stepping down the power consumption of the second heater such that a change amount when a sum of the power consumption of the first heater and the power consumption of the second heater changes becomes a value to make a flicker value indicating a degree of a flicker not larger than a predetermined standard value after executing the preliminary control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Kenji Tamaki
  • Patent number: 10001733
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt, and a belt guide configured to guide movement of the belt. The belt guide includes a base part and a first protrusion protruding from a surface of the base part toward a surface of the belt. The first protrusion has a distal end surface and a side surface, the surface of the belt being configured to contact the distal end surface, the distal end surface having a distal surface roughness, the side surface connecting the distal end surface and the surface of the base part. At least one of the side surface and the surface of the base part includes a rough region having a surface roughness higher than the distal surface roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mingguang Zhang, Takuji Matsuno, Kei Ishida, Kotaro Fujishiro
  • Patent number: 10001732
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the fuser assembly of an electrophotographic imaging device, including determining a resistance of the fuser heater at a predetermined temperature that is less than a fusing temperature for performing a fusing operation; calculating a set point heater resistance based on the determined heater resistance, the set point heater resistance being a resistance of the fuser heater at a predetermined set point temperature; reading a line voltage to the electrophotographic imaging device at a first time; calculating heater power based on the line voltage reading and the calculated set point heater resistance; and controlling a speed of a fusing operation based on the calculated heater power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Inventors: Jichang Cao, Christopher E. Rhoads, John P. Richey, David Anthony Schneider, Daniel Steinberg
  • Patent number: 9989901
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, and a heater including a substrate, a first heat generating resistor, and a second heat generating resistor. A controller controls supply of electric power to the heater using one of PID control and PD control on the basis of a deviation between a target temperature and a detected temperature detected by a temperature detecting member, such that the temperature of the heater is maintained at the target temperature. A proportional gain of the PID control or the PD control when the first heat generating resistor is supplied with the electric power and the second heat generating resistor is not supplied with the electric power is less than a proportional gain of the PID control or the PD control when the first heat generating resistor is not supplied with the electric power and the second heat generating resistor is supplied with the electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 9989905
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad which is disposed opposite an endless belt and forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and a pressure rotator. A contact heater is disposed at least at one lateral end of the nip formation pad in a longitudinal direction thereof and heats at least one lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts a belt-side face of each of the nip formation pad and the contact heater and conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. A cover is disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in a longitudinal direction thereof. The cover covers the belt-side face of the contact heater. The contact heater includes a power supply portion disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in the longitudinal direction thereof and covered by the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Seki, Takashi Seto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Ippei Fujimoto, Kazunari Sawada
  • Patent number: 9989896
    Abstract: In general, a fixing device according to an embodiment includes an endless belt, a pressure element, a heating member, an adjustment mechanism, and a controller. The pressure element conveys a sheet while interposing the sheet under pressure between the same and the endless belt. The heating member is provided on the inner side of the endless belt and has a heat generating element for heating the endless belt. The adjustment mechanism moves at least one of the heating member and the pressure element in such a direction as to bring the one closer to or away from the other, to adjust the nip width which is the length of an interposing and pressurizing region in a sheet conveyance direction, the interposing and pressurizing region being formed by the heating member and the pressure element to interpose the endless belt under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Osamu Takagi, Chie Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 9975351
    Abstract: In one example, a method for controlling temperature of a print dryer. High power is applied to a heater of the print dryer. A series of temperatures of the print dryer are periodically measured and stored until a target temperature for the print dryer is exceeded. Low power is applied to the heater after the target temperature is exceeded. A rate of temperature change at a time when the target temperature was exceeded is calculated from the stored temperatures. Using the rate, an initial heater duty cycle defining an initial heater power determined. PID control of the heater power is performed, beginning with the initial heater duty cycle, to maintain the print dryer temperature at the target temperature within a predefined accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy Jacob Luedeman, Robert Matthew Yraceburu, Daniel James Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9977380
    Abstract: A heater for a fixing device heats an object to be heated, the object traveling in a first direction. The heater includes a substrate facing the object and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a heating body extending on the substrate in the second direction; a first conductor and a second conductor disposed on the substrate to supply power to the heating body; a plurality of first electrodes each connected to the first conductor and configured to supply power to the heating body; and a plurality of second electrodes having a polarity different from that of the first electrodes, each connected to the second conductor, and configured to supply power to the heating body. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured to intersect the heating body, alternately arranged in the second direction, and inclined with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Wauke, Eihin Setsu, Hirotoshi Terao
  • Patent number: 9964903
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a magnetic flux generation unit, an auxiliary heating body formed of material that generates heat from the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generation unit, a rotatable fixing belt having opposing first and second ends in a direction of its rotational axis and a material that generates heat from the magnetic flux, a magnetic flux shield in contact with the auxiliary heating body and having first and second openings that expose the auxiliary body, the first and second openings being symmetrical with respect to a center point along the rotational axis between the first and second ends, a temperature sensor in contact with the auxiliary heating body through one of the first and second openings of the magnetic flux shield shielding member, and a driver that controls power supplied to the magnetic flux generation unit in accordance with signals from the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Okano, Noboru Furuyama, Yuki Kawashima
  • Patent number: 9964905
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and at least one heater, disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, to heat the fixing rotator. The at least one heater includes a heat generator to generate heat. A lateral end heater is disposed at least at one lateral end of a nip formation pad in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad. The lateral end heater heats at least one lateral end of the fixing rotator in an axial direction of the fixing rotator. The lateral end heater includes a base, a resistor, mounted on the base, to generate heat, and an electrode coupled to the resistor to supply power to the resistor. The electrode is disposed outboard from the heat generator of the at least one heater in the axial direction of the fixing rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Seki, Kenji Ishii, Kazuhito Kishi, Takashi Seto, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto, Misaki Shimizu, Kazunari Sawada
  • Patent number: 9950885
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion forming an image on an envelope having a flap, and a guide portion composing a sheet conveyance path through which the envelope is conveyed and having a plurality of ribs projecting from a base plane thereof to the sheet conveyance path. Each of the plurality of ribs is disposed aslant such that a downstream end thereof in a sheet conveying direction is located at a widthwise side end more than an upstream end thereof and includes an inclined surface inclined with respect to a base plane on a side surface upstream in the sheet conveying direction of the ribs. The inclined surface is formed such that 0°<?a?45° holds, where ?a denotes an inclination angle of the inclined surface with respect to the base plane in the sheet conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 9952547
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process unit to form a developer image on a sheet, a fuser to convey the sheet and fix the developer image on the sheet by the process unit, a first roller to convey the sheet exiting the fuser to be ejected outside a body of the image forming apparatus, and a driving unit to drive the first roller, is provided. The driving unit drives the first roller at a circumferential velocity higher than a sheet-conveying velocity to convey the sheet by the fuser. The driving unit increases the circumferential velocity of the first roller to be higher as the sheet-conveying velocity to convey the sheet by the fuser is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Oyama
  • Patent number: 9952541
    Abstract: A fusing device and an image forming apparatus are provided. The fusing device includes a fusing belt provided to be rotatable, a pressing member disposed to face the fusing belt, wherein the pressing member and the fusing belt form a fusing nip, a heat source disposed inside the fusing belt, wherein the heat source is disposed at a side of the fusing nip, a guide member including a heat source seat, on which the heat source is mounted, and configured to guide rotation of the fusing belt, and a pressing support member provided at one side of the heat source seat and configured to press the heat source toward the other side opposite the one side of the heat source seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sun Hyung Lee, Sang Uk Jeon, Dong Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 9946203
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a fixing device comprises a first rotating body; a second rotating body configured to face the first rotating body and be stretched over a plurality of rotating bodies; and a first mechanism configured to enable at least one among a plurality of the rotating bodies to move to change a nip width between the first rotating body and the second rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 9933731
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating unit that heats a recording material, a contact member that is positioned upstream or downstream from the heating unit in a transport direction of the recording material and is in contact with the recording material, the contact member being configured in such a manner that a portion of the contact member that is in contact with the recording material moves with the recording material, a temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the contact member, and a control unit that controls, based on a detection result obtained by the temperature detection unit, an output of the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouichi Kimura, Toshinori Sasaki, Mizuki Sugino, Mitsutoshi Hongo
  • Patent number: 9933734
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a tubular film and a heater in contact with an inner surface of the film. The heater includes a long thin substrate, a first heat generation resistor extending in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, a second heat generation resistor extending in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a conductor electrically connecting the first heat generation resistor and the second heat generation resistor to each other. At least part of the conductor is disposed in an area, in the longitudinal direction, in which the first heat generation resistor is disposed. In a range of 25° C. to 900° C., the conductor has a resistance lower than a total resistance of the first heat generation resistor and the second heat generation resistor. The conductor has a temperature coefficient of resistance larger than a temperature coefficient of resistance of the first heat generation resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Oi
  • Patent number: 9933730
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a first radiant heater including a first heat generator to heat the endless belt, and a second radiant heater including a second heat generator, disposed outboard from the first heat generator in an axial direction of the endless belt, to heat the endless belt. A nip formation pad includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A contact heater heats at least one lateral end of the endless belt in the axial direction of the endless belt. The contact heater includes a nip-side face disposed opposite the endless belt. A thermal conduction aid covers the nip-side face of the nip formation pad and the nip-side face of the contact heater and conducts heat applied to the endless belt in the axial direction of the endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Kazuhito Kishi, Takashi Seto, Takayuki Seki, Ippei Fujimoto, Kazunari Sawada
  • Patent number: 9927745
    Abstract: An image heating device includes a heater having a substrate, a first heat generating block which is formed on the substrate and generates heat by supplied power, and a second heat generating block which is arranged at a position different from a position at which the first heat generating block is arranged in a longitudinal direction of the substrate. The device also includes a temperature detecting element and a controller to which a signal from the temperature detecting element is input. The controller controls a ratio of power supplied to the first heat generating block to power supplied to the second heat generating block to thereby switch heat generation distribution of the heater, and the temperature detecting element is arranged so as to extend across both of the first heat generating block and the second heat generating block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shotaro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 9925817
    Abstract: An erasing apparatus of embodiments has a color erasing device, the color erasing device has: a first heating member; a second heating member provided at a position facing the first heating member so as to form a nip portion therebetween through which the sheet is passed; a halogen lamp configured to heat the second heating member from outside thereof; and a reflector provided at a position opposite to the second heating member with the halogen lamp interposed therebetween and having a reflective surface configured to reflect heat received from the halogen lamp toward the second heating member, the reflector forming a guiding section configured to be in sliding contact with the sheet being conveyed so as to guide the sheet to the nip portion, the guiding section being heated by the halogen lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Kikuo Mizutani, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Hiroyuki Taki, Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9921531
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heater disposed inside the endless belt and being elongated in a longitudinal direction, the heater having a first end portion in the longitudinal direction and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in the longitudinal direction, a resin frame having a recess portion opening toward an inner side of the endless belt, and a metal frame inserted into the recess portion of the resin frame. The metal frame has a first wall having a through-hole, and a second wall extending in a direction from the first end portion of the heater toward a second end portion of the heater, the second wall being disposed between the resin frame and the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Ishida
  • Patent number: 9915899
    Abstract: The fixing device includes a charge elimination member, a retaining member, a contact sheet metal, and a first contact member. The charge elimination member performs charge elimination from a recording medium by making contact with the recording medium that has passed through a fixing-and-nipping part. The retaining member has the charge elimination member fixed thereto. The contact sheet metal is held at a specified potential. The first contact member electrically connects the charge elimination member and the contact sheet metal to each other. The retaining member has a hollow cylindrical-shaped positioning boss, and the fixing housing has an insertion hole into which the positioning boss is to be inserted. The first contact member is placed inside the positioning boss and has one end protruded from the positioning boss. The contact sheet metal is placed so as to face the positioning boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9904222
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for fixing an image formed on a recording material; and a guide member for guiding the recording material. The guide member is provided at an entrance to the fixing portion and at an end portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording material The guide member is moved when the guide member is pushed by the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomooku Koyama, Ken Murooka, Wataru Uchida, Jun Agata, Yohei Suzuki, Daisuke Takamura
  • Patent number: 9904245
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus 100 includes a photosensitive drum 21 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by being scanned with a light beam emitted from a light source 29 through a transparent member 26, a developing roller 23 that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 21 to form an image on the photosensitive drum 21, a transfer roller 24 that transfers the image developed and formed by the developing roller 23 to a sheet S, a fixing portion 30 that heat-fixes the image transferred on the sheet S by the transfer roller 24 to the sheet S, and a condensation member 28 provided in an airflow path A from the fixing portion 30 to the transparent member 26, and condenses and collects vapor in the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventor: Shintaro Kawai
  • Patent number: 9904224
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet, a fuser configured to heat the sheet passed through the process unit thereby fixing the toner image onto the sheet, a re-conveyor configured to convey the sheet passed through the fuser to the process unit, and a controller configured to perform particular duplex printing including controlling, when a temperature of the fuser is a first temperature, the re-conveyor to convey the sheet passed through the fuser to the process unit in a first period of time, and controlling, when the temperature of the fuser is a second temperature higher than the first temperature, the re-conveyor to convey the sheet passed through the fuser to the process unit in a second period of time longer than the first period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Tomohiro Kondo, Yoshihiro Oyama, Tatsuaki Mori
  • Patent number: 9881829
    Abstract: An adhesive composition for temporarily attaching a substrate to a support plate which supports the substrate, including a thermoplastic resin and a release agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshioka, Koki Tamura, Hirofumi Imai, Atsushi Kubo, Yasumasa Iwata, Shingo Ishida
  • Patent number: 9868305
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet printing apparatus including a first transport roller disposed on a transport path transporting a long print medium, a second transport roller disposed on the transport path downstream of the first transport roller, a print medium holder disposed downstream of the second transport roller, and a recording unit discharging ink droplets to a printing area of the print medium, and performing recording operation, the print medium being transported on the transport path. The first transport roller has a first winding angle upon contact to the print medium. The second transport roller has a second winding angle upon contact to the print medium. The first winding angle is larger than the second winding angle. The first winding angle is equal to or more than 75 degrees. The sum of the first and second winding angles is equal to or more than 80 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Yamamoto, Shinsuke Yamashita, Osamu Morizono
  • Patent number: 9864314
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a developer replenishing device, a fixing device, a press-contact adjustment mechanism, first and second driving transmission mechanisms, and a driving switching mechanism. The image forming unit forms a developer image on a recording medium. The developer replenishing device and the fixing device are detachable. The developer replenishing device replenishes a developer. The fixing device includes first and second rotation members. The second rotation member faces the first rotation member. The fixing device fixes the developer image to the recording medium. The press-contact adjustment mechanism adjusts a press-contact state between the first and second rotation members. The first driving transmission mechanism transmits a driving force to the press-contact adjustment mechanism. The second driving transmission mechanism transmits a driving force to the developer replenishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ninomiya, Takuji Matsumoto, Jun Sawamura, Takayuki Ukawa
  • Patent number: 9857433
    Abstract: A load testing apparatus includes: a resistor unit that has a resistor group including relays and resistors and is connected to a power source to be tested to perform a load test; a selection switch that is used to select whether to supply power from the power source to be tested to the resistor group; an electrical signal detection unit that detects at least one of a voltage applied to the resistor unit and a current flowing through the resistor unit; and a control unit. The relay operates in response to an on/off state of the selection switch to control power supply from the power source to be tested to the resistor group including the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TATSUMI RYOKI CO., LTD
    Inventor: Toyoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 9851661
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: an optical system that includes a lens serving as a light guiding path and concentrates laser light for image fixing at an interface between the lens and a recording material; a holding part that holds the lens of the optical system; an operating part that rotates together with the holding part; and a suppressing unit that suppresses propagation of energy of the laser light from the holding part to the operating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakamoto, Masao Ito, Yoshiya Imoto
  • Patent number: 9851663
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a primary heater disposed opposite a fixing rotator to heat a circumferential span of the fixing rotator other than a fixing nip formed between the fixing rotator and a pressure rotator and a secondary heater disposed outboard from the primary heater in an axial direction of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator at the fixing nip. The primary heater and the secondary heater heat a bi-heating span of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof. The secondary heater heats a mono-heating span of the fixing rotator in the axial direction thereof and generates a decreased amount of heat to be conducted to the bi-heating span of the fixing rotator. The decreased amount of heat is smaller than an increased amount of heat to be conducted to the mono-heating span of the fixing rotator that is heated by the secondary heater only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohta Kobashigawa, Kenji Ishii, Kazuhito Kishi, Takayuki Seki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takashi Seto, Hiromasa Takagi, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Seo, Takamasa Hase, Kazunari Sawada, Yasuhiko Ogino
  • Patent number: 9851664
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical heat roller, a heating element, a pressure roller, and an auxiliary roller. The heating element is provided inside the heat roller and configured to apply heat to the heat roller. The pressure roller is configured to be pressed against the heat roller to form, with the heat roller, a nip area where a recording paper sheet is to be nipped. The auxiliary roller is provided inside the heat roller and configured to be pressed toward the pressure roller with a peripheral wall of the heat roller in between. An outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary roller pressed against an inner peripheral surface of the heat roller is formed into an inverted crown shape so that an outside diameter of the auxiliary roller gradually decreases from both axial ends of the auxiliary roller toward an axial center thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Kanematsu, Eriko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9850398
    Abstract: The present invention provides a powder-free polymeric coating comprising a latex polymer, a metal oxide and a cross-linking agent, the latex polymer comprising a diene and an acrylic acid; and a powder-free glove comprising the powderless coating polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Nicholas Wang
  • Patent number: 9841712
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt member that moves in a circulating manner, a pressure member that is disposed to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the belt member, and pressurizes a recording material on which an image is formed, and a heating member. The heating member includes a curved portion that is curved along an inner circumferential surface of the belt member and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface, a bent portion that is bent from an upstream side end portion of the curved portion in a moving direction of the belt member and is separated from the inner circumferential surface, and a heat generation portion that is provided in the curved portion and heats the belt member. A generated heat amount in the curved portion on the upstream side is larger than that in the curved portion on a downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jumpei Amano
  • Patent number: 9835994
    Abstract: A roller support device includes a roller including a cylindrical portion having a through hole, a support member attached to a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the roller adjacent to the through hole to support the roller so that the roller is rotatable, and a restricting member including a bent hook and a contact portion. The restricting member restrains the support member from moving in a first direction of a rotation axis of the roller by contacting the support member at the contact portion. The bent hook is bent so as to extend to an inside of the cylindrical portion through the through hole and oppose a portion of the inner peripheral surface surrounding the through hole. The contact portion is disposed so as to extend in a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral surface of the roller and being capable of contacting the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Ogino, Shogo Kamiya
  • Patent number: 9836002
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a long paper sheet conveyed along a conveyance path extending from a paper feeding side to a paper discharging side includes: an image forming unit configured to transfer a toner image onto the long paper sheet; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image onto the long paper sheet; a paper existence determining unit configured to determine whether the long paper sheet exists along the conveyance path; a temperature determining unit configured to determine whether a fixing temperature of the fixing unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature when the paper existence determining unit determines that the long paper sheet exists along the conveyance path; and a state setting unit configured to disable a fixing operation of the fixing unit when the temperature determining unit determines that the fixing temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Masahiro Matsuo
  • Patent number: 9829839
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus heats a toner image formed on a recording material, and includes: a heater including a substrate and a heat generating resistor thereon for generating heat for heating the toner image, by electric power supply; an electric power shut-off member operable in response to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater to shut off the electric power supply; and a heat conduction member having a thermal conductivity, in a direction of a thickness of the substrate, higher than that of the substrate. The contact area between the heat conduction member and the substrate is larger than the contact area between the heat conduction member and the electric power shut-off member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsutoshi Ando, Takashi Narahara, Toru Imaizumi, Yasuhito Minamishima
  • Patent number: 9829840
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad that presses against a pressure rotator via an endless belt to form a fixing nip between the belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A fixing heater is disposed opposite at least a center span of a conveyance span of the belt in an axial direction thereof where the recording medium is conveyed to heat the belt. A first lateral end heater and a second lateral end heater are mounted on the nip formation pad and disposed opposite a first lateral end span and a second lateral end span of an inner circumferential surface of the belt in the axial direction thereof, respectively, to heat the belt. The second lateral end heater is electrically connected in series to the first lateral end heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Seto, Kenji Ishii, Susumu Matsusaka, Yasuhiko Ogino, Shohta Kobashigawa, Kazuhito Kishi, Ippei Fujimoto, Kazunari Sawada, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Takamasa Hase, Hiroshi Seo
  • Patent number: 9817344
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a temperature detecting part, a first frame supporting the heating body, a second frame supporting the pressuring body and a moving mechanism. The temperature detecting part has a detecting element detecting an infrared ray radiated from the heating body and detects temperature of the heating body by the detecting element. The first frame includes a heat interrupting member covering the heating body between the heating body and the temperature detecting part. The moving mechanism moves the first frame in an approaching direction or a separating direction from the second frame to establish the heating body and the pressuring body in a pressurization state or a depressurization state. The heat interrupting member includes an aperture elongated in a movement direction of the first frame to pass the infrared ray radiated from the heating body to the detecting element through the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takefumi Yotsutsuji, Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Takashi Eiki, Kotatsu Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 9817363
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a detachable fixing device that is capable of printing with high quality without printing wastefully. A storage unit stores identification information about a fixing device in association with an attribute of a sheet that is printable with the fixing device concerned. A control unit executes printing when the storage unit does not store an attribute of a sheet corresponding to a fixing device that is currently attached to the image forming apparatus. The control unit determines whether to execute printing according to an attribute of a sheet used in printing and an attribute of a sheet stored in the storage unit when the storage unit stores the attribute of the sheet corresponding to the fixing device that is currently attached to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotomo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9817348
    Abstract: The roller for use in a fixing device, includes a metal core, a first elastic layer formed on an outer side of the metal core, the first elastic layer having voids, and a second elastic layer formed on an outer side of the first elastic layer, the second elastic layer having a microhardness higher than a microhardness of the first elastic layer, in which an outer diameter of an end portion of the roller is larger than an outer diameter of a middle portion of the roller in a longitudinal direction of the roller, and in which the microhardness of the second elastic layer is 25 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naofumi Murata, Tomoo Akizuki, Shoichiro Ikegami
  • Patent number: 9820337
    Abstract: The heating method of honeycomb structure includes a heating step of supplying a power to a honeycomb structure body of a honeycomb structure including the tubular honeycomb structure body having porous partition walls to define and form a plurality of cells and a circumferential wall positioned at an outermost circumference, and heating by electricity conduction, and a catalyst loaded onto the partition walls of the honeycomb structure body, to heat the honeycomb structure body up to a target temperature, and in the heating step, there is provided, at least once, a supply power decrease section where the supply of the power to the honeycomb structure body is stopped or the power to be supplied to the honeycomb structure body is decreased before the lowest temperature in a heating region of the honeycomb structure body reaches the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakuma, Katsumi Saiki