Cylindrical Or Roller-type Support For Material To Be Heated Patents (Class 219/469)
  • Patent number: 11459112
    Abstract: A method including providing power to an aircraft probe anti-ice system, monitoring an actual power demand of the aircraft probe anti-ice system, monitoring an air data parameter and atmospheric conditions surrounding an aircraft and calculating an expected power demand of the aircraft probe anti-ice system based on the air data parameters and the atmospheric conditions, comparing the actual power demand of the aircraft probe anti-ice system to the expected power demand, and performing a corrective action if the actual power demand and the expected power demand are different by more than an acceptable amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent R. LoPresto, Weston D. C. Heuer
  • Patent number: 11262680
    Abstract: The fixing device having a long durability life includes a first member, a heater, and a second member, the heater including a base material, an intermediate layer on the base material, and a surface layer on the intermediate layer, which includes a diamond-like carbon film, the base material containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, and silicon nitride, and the intermediate layer has a ratio of [(Si)+(C)]/A of 0.8 or more, and a ratio of (Si)/(C) of more than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotaka Fukushima, Junzo Kobayashi, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11154951
    Abstract: The invention belongs to the field of additive manufacturing of amorphous alloy, and discloses a laser 3D printing forming system of amorphous alloy foil and a forming method thereof. The unnecessary material of the amorphous alloy foil is cut by a first laser and then the remaining portion is selectively scanned and heated by a second laser so that the amorphous alloy is heated to be in a superplastic state in the supercooled liquid region. Then, the amorphous alloy foil is rolled by a preheated roller in combination with the ultrasonic vibration to achieve interatomic bonding between layers of the amorphous alloy foil, and the amorphous alloy foil is then rapidly cooled, so that an amorphous alloy part with a large size, a complicated shape and a porous structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HUAZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Pan Gong, Fangwei Li, Xinyun Wang, Jianhua Mo, Lei Deng, Junsong Jin
  • Patent number: 11106165
    Abstract: A heating device includes a heating unit that heats a member to be heated, which is transported, as a result of a contact portion of the heating unit being in contact with the member to be heated, a heat pipe that is disposed on a portion of the heating unit different from the contact portion in such a manner as to extend in a widthwise direction crossing a transport direction of the member to be heated and that includes a crimped portion formed at a first end of the heat pipe, and a power-supply connection unit that is disposed on a second end side of the heat pipe and that is connected to a wiring line through which power is supplied to the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Itoh, Toshiyuki Miyata, Toko Hara, Kiyoshi Koyanagi, Sou Morizaki, Motoharu Nakao, Toru Inoue
  • Patent number: 11061349
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a heating device to be used in a fixing device to fix a toner image to a medium has a heat pipe, a heater, and a heat conductive layer. The heater has a heating portion, and heats the medium via the heat pipe. The heat conductive layer is provided between the heating portion and the heat pipe, and conducts heat from the heating portion to the heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Imamiya, Chie Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 10562224
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a heat-resistant glue roll structure with discharge through holes, which comprises a shaft sleeved with a high-temperature resistance insulation layer on the surface thereof. Multiple discharge through holes are formed on the high-temperature resistance insulation layer and communicate the outer and inner surface of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer. A heat-resistant soft glue outer layer is also sleeved on the surface of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer. Since the high-temperature resistant insulation layer is provided with the discharge through holes in the present invention, air bubbles generated both between the high-temperature resistant insulation layer and the heat-resistant soft glue outer layer and between the high-temperature resistant insulation layer and the shaft would be squeezed to move towards the discharge through holes and discharged therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: RAYSON ELECTRICAL MFG. LTD.
    Inventor: Yongjun Chen
  • Patent number: 10481533
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a temperature measurement sensor, a movement mechanism, a movement time calculation section, a movement position calculation section, and a temperature control section. The movement mechanism moves the temperature measurement sensor to scan non-heated regions and a heated region along a width direction of the fixing member. The movement time calculation section obtains an arrival time on the basis of a temperature change measured by the temperature measurement sensor due to movement of the temperature measurement sensor. The movement position calculation section calculates the movement position on the basis of a ratio of a second movement time to a first movement time. The temperature control section performs temperature control on the fixing member on the basis of the movement position calculated by the movement position calculation section, and the temperature measured by the temperature measurement sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norio Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 10197959
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller, an endless belt, and a heat generating member disposed in a space inside the endless belt, extending in a width direction of the endless belt, and pressing the endless belt against the roller. A sheet is passed through a nip formed between the roller and a portion of the endless belt pressed by the heat generating member, such that an image on the sheet is fixed thereto. The heat generating member includes a first heat generating portion, and a pair of second heat generating portions, the first generating portion being between the pair of second heat generating portions in the width direction, and the first heat generating portion is independently operable with respect to the pair of second heat generating portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Osamu Takagi
  • Patent number: 10156204
    Abstract: An improvement to a free-piston Stirling machine having a cylinder mounted within a housing. The cylinder has a flange for mounting the cylinder within the housing to a transition plate with a central opening for receiving the cylinder. An elastic rim bounds and surrounds the opening and extends in an axial direction from the plate to a crest of the rim. The crest of the rim is in contact against a first axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The interior side of the rim is outwardly spaced from the exterior side of the cylinder. A compliant clamp is attached to the transition plate and is positioned on the opposite, axially facing side of the cylinder flange. The compliant clamp has an elastic spring extending against the cylinder flange which applies a force urging the cylinder flange in an axial direction against the crest of the elastic rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Sunpower, Inc.
    Inventors: E. Todd Cale, John Stanley
  • Patent number: 10025246
    Abstract: A silicone rubber-fluororesin laminate comprising a substrate, and a vulcanized silicone rubber layer and a fluororesin layer that are sequentially formed on the substrate; wherein the fluororesin layer is formed after an epoxy resin-containing silane based primer layer and a fluororesin based primer layer are sequentially formed on the vulcanized silicone rubber layer, and the epoxy resin-containing silane based primer layer contains 30 to 80 wt % of an epoxy resin and 70 to 20 wt % of a silane coupling agent. The silicone rubber-fluororesin laminate does not cause a reduction not only in the initial adhesion, but also in the adhesion between the vulcanized silicone rubber and the fluororesin even in a heated environment, such as a hot state or long-term heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Yoshitake, Toshihiro Higashira, Katsumi Abe
  • Patent number: 9372454
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating member, a bearing and a heat insulating member. The rotating member fixes a toner image onto a recording medium. The bearing rotatably supports the rotating member. The heat insulating member is interposed between the rotating member and the bearing and rotated around a rotation axis. A notch part is arranged in a portion in a circumferential direction of the heat insulating member so as to continue from an end part at an inside to an end part at an outside in a direction of the rotation axis. At least one groove part is formed in a contact portion with the rotating member or the bearing in a circumference face of the heat insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Ryo Matsuyama, Tomohiko Yamakawa, Masaru Takagi, Masami Fuchi, Masahiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 9153147
    Abstract: A rolling information display system includes a heated roller grill having at least a first coated, heated roller positioned adjacent a second coated, heated roller, said at least first and second coated, heated rollers rotating together; and a tube comprising a plastic material resistant to temperatures at which the heater roller grill operates, the tube being open on both ends and further comprising rolling surfaces at opposing ends of the tube for rolling in contact with heated rolling surfaces of the heated roller grill and one or more recessed surfaces for bearing information about products provided on the heated roller grill. Information is printed in the one or more recessed surfaces, or is applied directly to or molded directly into the recessed surfaces. The rolling surface at opposing ends of the tube are integral with the tube. The products provided on the heated roller grill are food items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventor: Paula Sanders Fenton
  • Patent number: 9128435
    Abstract: A fixing film is formed by stacking a heating layer, an electrical conducting layer, and an insulation layer interposed between the heating layer and the electrical conducting layer. A current supplied from a secondary coil flows through stacked layers formed by the secondary coil, the heating layer, an electrical conducting member, and the electrical conducting layer. The electrical conducting member and electrical conducting layer function as a current return path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fukasaka, Hisae Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8959790
    Abstract: A device for positioning a drain pipe (6) of a draining system in a drying cylinder (1), the jacket (2) of which has inner circumferential grooves (3) for condensate which is formed as a result of heat transfer, said draining system comprising an outlet means and a plurality of drain pipes which are connected to the outlet means, wherein the draining system removes the condensate from the grooves via the drain pipes and the outlet means, wherein the device has a pipe positioner (14) which is disposed in an end portion (12) of the drain pipe located closest to the outlet means, said pipe positioner comprising a mounting device (15) for mounting the drain pipe onto the outlet means, and a lockable connection (16) that connects the drain pipe to the mounting device (15). According to the invention, the lockable connection is a joint connection, which defines a fulcrum for pivoting of the drainpipe in a plane to enable positioning of the drain pipe relative to the bottom surface of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Valmet AB
    Inventor: Johnny Anerud
  • Patent number: 8809752
    Abstract: A boosting circuit includes a switch element, a first coil, a second coil, and a capacitor. The switch element generates a first alternating current voltage having a first frequency from a direct current voltage. The first coil generates a magnetic field around the first coil with a flow of the first alternating current voltage having the first frequency in the first coil. The first coil also induces an eddy current in the object with the magnetic field to inductively heat the object. The second coil is cumulatively connected to the first coil. The capacitor is connected to the first coil and the second coil in a parallel manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomofumi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8779335
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first rotatable member and second rotatable member; a heater provided in the second rotatable member; a moving mechanism for integrally moving the second rotatable member and the heater between a contact position in which the second rotatable member is contacted to the first rotatable member and a separation position in which the second rotatable member is separated from the first rotatable member; and an electrical connecting piece for electrically connecting an electric energy supplying portion of the heater and an electric wire under pressure application. A direction of the electrical connecting piece is set so that a smaller angle formed between a longitudinal direction of the electrical connecting piece in cross section of the electric wire and a movement direction of the electrical connecting piece during an operation by the moving mechanism is 45 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shutaro Saito
  • Publication number: 20140190953
    Abstract: A heated roller for heating a paper web or fabric web with a cylindrical roller shell, a front side and a rear side permits a homogenous temperature on its surface if the cylindrical roller shell surrounds an inner roller shell thereby forming a ring like or at least one ring segment like hollow space between the cylindrical roller shell and the inner roller shell and if at least one heat source is inserted in the hollow space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIE (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH
    Inventor: Ki CHAN
  • Patent number: 8774691
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism for forming a toner image on a recording medium, and a fixing device for fixing the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing device including a fixing film, a pressure member, a contact member, a heating device, a holding member, and at least one of a low friction member and a thermal conductivity improving member provided between the fixing film and the contact member. The fixing film heated by the heating device via the contact member comes into contact with the recording medium. The pressure member comes into pressure contact with the fixing film. The contact member comes into pressure contact with the pressure member via the fixing film to form, between the fixing film and the pressure member, a nip portion through which the recording medium is passed. The holding member holds the contact member and the heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shintaroh Yamada, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Kazunori Bannai, Manabu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8705245
    Abstract: A sensor device has a ceramic carrier substrate. At least two conductor tracks are arranged on the carrier substrate. The sensor device has at least one ceramic component that is in the form of a chip and is connected to the conductor tracks in an electrically conductive manner. The at least one ceramic component is mechanically connected to the conductor tracks by means of a screen printing paste which has been burnt in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Gerald Kloiber, Heinz Strallhofer, Norbert Freiberger
  • Patent number: 8674269
    Abstract: A safe product transfer apparatus that heats refrigerated food products and then hold those heated food products in a hold drawer until they can be transferred to a heater merchandizer, preferably a roller grill as needed. The apparatus features a control assembly. A pre-heat indicator indicates when the preheat temperature has been reached so that the food products can be loaded into an operable drawer. The apparatus can heat a refrigerated product from 34° F. to greater than or equal to 140° F. in 35 minutes or less. The apparatus has a safe product transfer apparatus that has a heating cavity ranging from 250° F. to 425° F. The apparatus provides a safe product transfer apparatus that can hold the products stored therein at a safe holding temperature (ranging from greater or equal to 140° F. to not more than 205° F.), that is, not hot enough to continue heating or degrading the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Standex International Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Humphrey, Anthony Kukla, Diosdado Pangan
  • Publication number: 20130306619
    Abstract: A sheet heating device, having a first heating surface and a second heating surface, the first and the second heating surfaces being arranged so that the first and the second heating surfaces are facing each other; and two guiding elements arranged between the first and the second heating surfaces; wherein at least one end of the first and/or the second heating surface is in apex form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: TEIJIN ARAMID B.V.
    Inventor: Henk Van De Hee
  • Publication number: 20130206745
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a image heating roller in a nip; a nip forming member; a heating roller rubbing roller; a moving mechanism for moving the rubbing roller between a spaced position and a rubbing position; and a controller for executing operations in first and second modes. In the first mode, the heating roller is rotated with the rubbing roller in the spaced position and the heating roller in contact with the nip forming member with a target temperature of the heating roller higher than that of the nip forming member. In the second mode, the rubbing roller is contacted with the heating roller rubbing the surface of the heating roller. The temperature difference in the first mode between the target temperature of the heating roller and that of the nip forming member is larger than the temperature difference when the toner image is heated by the nip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Publication number: 20130032587
    Abstract: Methods and devices are described for securely destroying used ribbon from a document personalization machine in order to render any information retained on the used ribbon as unreadable. In one embodiment, the method includes tapering the used ribbon into a used ribbon strand by feeding the used ribbon through a tapering mechanism. The method also includes heating the used ribbon strand to fuse the used ribbon strand into a used ribbon string thereby rendering any data retained on the used ribbon unreadable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: DATACARD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Flitsch, Richard C. Nubson, Milo B. Squires, Jeanette E. Jordan
  • Patent number: 8360279
    Abstract: An automatic home appliance that performs the preparation, mixing, and heating of infant formula bottles provides a reservoir on top that holds an amount of powdered formula. Connection to a household water supply provides a flow of water to an internal water heating reservoir. A central front opening is provided in which the infant bottle is placed. A digital display and a plurality of programming buttons are arranged upon a front panel to allow the user to select operating parameters. Once programmed, internal electronic controls perform dispensing and mixing of the necessary ingredients in the proper ratio and dispensing of mixed formula into the proper sized bottle. The mixture is also kept warm at the proper temperature by a hot plate. An indicator light then illuminates to communicate to a user that the bottle is ready to be removed and the mixture consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventor: Matthew L. Giles
  • Publication number: 20120273478
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first rotatable member and second rotatable member; a heater provided in the second rotatable member; a moving mechanism for integrally moving the second rotatable member and the heater between a contact position in which the second rotatable member is contacted to the first rotatable member and a separation position in which the second rotatable member is separated from the first rotatable member; and an electrical connecting piece for electrically connecting an electric energy supplying portion of the heater and an electric wire under pressure application. A direction of the electrical connecting piece is set so that a smaller angle formed between a longitudinal direction of the electrical connecting piece in cross section of the electric wire and a movement direction of the electrical connecting piece during an operation by the moving mechanism is 45 degrees or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shutaro Saito
  • Publication number: 20120118172
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes: an input part for inputting manipulations for cooking; a cooking grill formed with a controller for outputting a control signal according to the input from the input part and a grill section for contacting food; and a panel heater in the shape of a panel formed in the cooking grill to be controlled by the controller for supplying heat to the grill section, wherein the heat of the panel heater is transmitted concentratedly to the grill section of the cooking grill and the grill section is heated concentratedly so as to cook the food, thereby minimizing the loss of heat and making grill marks appear more clearly on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Young Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 8168924
    Abstract: The invention provides an overheat protection control component for a liquid heating vessel which includes a control body (1); a single-integrated dual-actuation thermally sensitive bimetallic actuator (2) is provided on the upper face of the control body (1), wherein the single-integrated dual-actuation thermally sensitive bimetallic actuator (2) is two integrated and relatively independent actuating units which are formed on a piece of bimetallic strip, and the outer kick limb (3) of either said actuating unit will produce an actuating movement downwards when an overheat state occurs; two groups of switch contacts (6) are also provided on the control body (1), wherein either group of switch contacts (6) cooperate with the outer kick limb (3) of a corresponding actuating unit, and the outer kick limb (3), when producing a downward actuating movement, will open a corresponding group of switch contacts (6) and cut off the power supply of the heater for the liquid heating vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Zhejiang Jiatai Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qiang Yang, Hesheng Zheng, Yu Yan
  • Patent number: 8143558
    Abstract: Apparatuses useful for printing and methods for controlling the temperature of media in apparatuses useful for printing are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a heated first roll including a first outer surface; a heated second roll including a second outer surface; a third roll including a third outer surface; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the third outer surface; a belt supported on the first roll and the second roll and disposed between the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the belt including an inner surface and an outer surface; a nip between the third outer surface and the outer surface of the belt at which the belt heats media which include a surface, marking material on the surface and an interface between the surface and marking material; and a positioning device coupled to the second roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Kladias, Gerald A. Domoto, Augusto E. Barton, Anthony S. Condello
  • Patent number: 8137492
    Abstract: An apparatus for laminating tape on an electrode for a rechargeable battery includes a supplying section for supplying an electrode having a current collector with surfaces on which active materials are coated at constant distances from each other. The electrode is wound a plurality of times on the supplying section. The apparatus also includes a first buffering section for carrying the electrode from the supplying section at a constant rate and a laminating section for receiving the electrode from the first buffering section and stopping movement of the electrode for a predetermined time. The laminating section laminates tape on end portions of the active materials after stopping the movement. A feeding section conveys the electrode from the laminating section at a desired pitch. A second buffering section carries the electrode from the feeding section at a predetermined rate and a winding section receives the electrode from the second buffering section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ick Oh, Taejun Yoo
  • Patent number: 8115143
    Abstract: A drying apparatus includes a thermal roll for contacting and heating aluminum web in a continuous sheet form. The thermal roll includes a roll surface, having a static friction coefficient ? defined by contact with the web. The static friction coefficient ? satisfies a condition of: t+V?G wherein ? G = ? ? · ? A ? ? 1 = ? ? · t · sin ? ( ? / 2 ) where t is tension applied to the web; G is roll retaining force with which the roll surface frictionally retains the web; V is thermal expansion force generated by thermal expansion of the web retained on the roll surface; ?A1 is pressing force caused by the tension to the web and applied to the roll surface by the web; ? is a wrap angle at which the web contacts the roll surface. Thus, distortion of the web can be prevented even with a great difference in the temperature from the thermal roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hayashi, Toru Onogawa
  • Publication number: 20110281185
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack module includes a base, a cover dome removably positioned on the base, and a plurality of fuel cell stacks removably positioned on the base below the cover dome. A modular fuel cell system includes a plurality of the fuel cell stack modules, where each fuel cell stack module may be electrically disconnected, removed from the fuel cell system, repaired or serviced without stopping an operation of the other fuel cell stack modules in the fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Swaminathan Venkataraman, William David Lyle, Arne Watson Ballantine
  • Patent number: 8047838
    Abstract: The invention concerns a roller (R), used in continuous product heating furnaces for handling and conveying steel products and in particular slabs. The associated apparatus includes a cooled central shaft (1), cooled by a liquid. On the shaft are mounted a plurality of discs (2), for supporting the products (3) to be transported, arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal geometrical axis of the roller (R), spaced apart along the axis of the roller (R) and separated by an insulating sleeve (4). The insulating sleeve (4) is maintained at each longitudinal end by at least one cold component (5) secured to the shaft (1) and cooled by the shaft, with axial play (Ja) between the sleeve (4) and the shaft (1) such that possible sagging of the shaft (1) may occur in use without causing substantial mechanical stress on the insulating sleeve (4) and the heat transferred from the sleeve (4) to the shaft (1), and from the discs (2) to the sleeve (4) is limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Stein Heurtey
    Inventors: René-Vincent Chever, Daniel Simonetti
  • Patent number: 8035060
    Abstract: The invention provides for an inkjet printhead having a plurality of micro-electromechanical vapor bubble generators. Each bubble generator includes a nozzle in fluid communication with an ink chamber, and a heater positioned in thermal contact with ink in the chamber. Each generator also includes drive circuitry configured to provide a modulated pulse to the heater to generate a vapor bubble in the ink in said chamber, the pulse comprising a pre-heat series of a predetermined number of pulses separated by a predetermined period, followed by a trigger pulse of a period twice that of said predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Angus John North, Samuel James Myers, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20110095016
    Abstract: A safe product transfer apparatus that heats refrigerated food products and then hold those heated food products in a hold drawer until they can be transferred to a heater merchandizer, preferably a roller grill as needed. The apparatus features a control assembly. The assembly has a pre-selectable preheat temperature control to provide a preheat temperature when the “on” switch of said control is activated. A pre-heat indicator indicates when the preheat temperature has been reached so that the food products can be loaded into an operable drawer. A pre-selectable heat temperature control provides a heat temperature wherein the heat temperature corresponds to the safe serving temperature. A timer indicator counts down to zero from a pre-set time once the heat temperature control has been activated such that the food products are assured of having reached the pre-selectable heat temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Roger Schwierking, Diosdado Pangan
  • Patent number: 7764915
    Abstract: An elastic roll is used in a fixing device of an image forming apparatus. The elastic roll includes an elastic layer and a covering layer disposed on an outside of the elastic layer. The covering layer is made of a heat-resistant resin or a metal, which has higher rigidity than a material of the elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Uehara, Junpei Amano, Chikara Ando, Ryuji Katsuno, Jun Kimura
  • Publication number: 20100170885
    Abstract: Food heating devices and methods of removing one or more rollers from food heating devices are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a food heating device configured in accordance with the present disclosure includes a base structure, a food rotating system, a food heating system, and a plurality of rollers. One end of a roller can be left unsupported, either by separating a sidewall of the base structure or by separating an insert from the sidewall. In turn, an opposite end of the roller can be disconnected from the food rotating system, and the roller can be displaced axially with respect to the food heating system, which remains fixed relative to base structure. Accordingly, the roller(s) can be removed, cleaned separately, and subsequently reinstalled or replaced with respect to the base structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: C. Cretors & Company
    Inventor: Charles D. Cretors
  • Patent number: 7671300
    Abstract: A heater element is provided adapted to heat a belt in a fuser assembly. The heater element comprises laterally spaced-apart features extending beyond a center section provided between the features. The features and center section are adapted to face an inner surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Edward Lucas, Jason Romain, Jerry Wayne Smith, Casey Thomas Wilson
  • Patent number: 7647016
    Abstract: A fixing device, includes: a heating member that rotates in a state heated by a heating unit; a driven member that is rotated by the heating member, and that conveys a sheet in cooperation with the heating member; a biasing unit that biases the heating member and the driven member in a contacting direction; a contact area forming member that forms a contact area of the heating member and the driven member by making the heating member and the driven member come in contact with each other; a support member that supports at least one of the heating member and the driven member so as to be freely moved in a direction approaching and separated with respect to the other member; and a fulcrum that is arranged in a downstream side of the contact area in a sheet conveying direction, and that movably supports the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikio Saiki
  • Patent number: 7582344
    Abstract: A heat roller having a cylindrical sheet-like heating element having a resistance member embedded in an insulating member. The sheet-like heating element is arranged between an inner tube and an outer tube. The outer tube is formed so as to be longer than the inner tube for reducing non-uniformity in heat of the heat roller. Further, a thermal expansion coefficient of a material of the outer tube is greater than that of a material of the inner tube. Moreover, a triple-tube heat roller is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Mori, Koichi Sanpei, Masatoshi Kimura, Masao Konishi
  • Patent number: 7536124
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a plurality of heater element groups each having a plurality of heater elements. The heater elements are arranged along a direction intersecting an advancing direction of a recording material, and generate heat upon energization to heat a toner image on the recording material. A detecting mechanism is provided for detecting an abnormal state of the heater groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20090114638
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for effectuating temperature control in roller grill assembly. Some embodiments provide a roller grill assembly which provides enhanced measurement by utilizing temperature probes located in convective air streams generated in the roller tube. Certain embodiments also provide an improved method for maintaining of a food product temperature by utilizing an intermediate holding mode. Finally, certain embodiments provide improved current control by limiting the number of heating circuits of a food heater that may be simultaneously enabled such that the current draw does not exceed a maximum current draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: American Wyott Corporation
    Inventors: Roger A. Schwierking, Diosdado G. Pangan, Kenneth P. Gross
  • Patent number: 7511249
    Abstract: Provided is a printing device comprising a hot roller having an inside surface and an outside surface. A heating element is present within the hot roller. The inside surface has a first region, wherein the first region is coated with a first type of material. The inside surface has a second region, wherein the second region is coated with the first type of material, and wherein second region is of a different dimension than the first region. The inside surface has a third region, wherein the third region is coated with a second type of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Infoprint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventors: Carlton E. Begeal, Christopher Raymond Henderson, Laurie Yoshiko Takemori, John Uhlenbrock, Jason Cole Jackson
  • Patent number: 7504605
    Abstract: The heating apparatus of a surface-heating type, includes a rotary member, an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member, and a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip, in which temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member is controlled, and a heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein is heated using heat of the rotary member. Accordingly, after insertion of the heating material in the nip starts, control temperature of the heating member is increased before the rotary member rotates by one revolution, thereby preventing an uneven heating phenomenon of the heating material in the first revolution and the second revolution or later, and preventing uneven gloss due to the uneven heating phenomenon in the fixing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Nanataki, Taku Fukita, Yozo Hotta
  • Patent number: 7491911
    Abstract: A MEMS vapour bubble generator that uses a heater in thermal contact with a liquid to generate a bubble. The heater is energized by an electrical pulse that is shaped to have a relatively low power, sub-nucleating portion and a high power portion that nucleates the bubble. The thermal energy transferred to the liquid by the sub-nucleating portion speeds up the nucleation of the bubble across the surface of the heater during the nucleating portion. This produces larger, more stable bubble having a regular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Angus John North, Samuel James Myers, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7468497
    Abstract: A heatable container suitable for material such as bitumen. The container includes a vessel for holding a flowable material having side wall zones, end wall zones and a base wall zone. The container also includes a heating system for transferring heat to at least the base wall zone as well as a zone disposed along a central longitudinal axis of the vessel. The heating system may also included at least two internal heating ducts for conveying a heat transfer medium, wherein the ducts are disposed substantially parallel relative to the central longitudinal axis of the vessel, and are vertically and horizontally spaced apart relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Cont-Asphalt Ltd.
    Inventor: Jacques Grisoni
  • Patent number: 7459658
    Abstract: An internal heating system for an image transfer drum is disclosed that can include a box having a plurality of sides, an open side facing the drum and a heater element. The box can have small gaps between it and the internal drum surface to maximize thermal efficiency of the internal heating system. The heater element can include first and second support structures that are disposed on a central support structure, the first support structure having an end connector at one side away from the second support structure. The heater system can also include at least two circuits, two channels and a relay switch, with the relay switch operating to switch the circuits into a series or parallel electrical configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew W. Hays, Barry Daniel Reeves, William Bruce Weaver, Scott Phillips
  • Publication number: 20080290083
    Abstract: A warming device is provided. Such device includes a housing member having at least a first generally hollow interior chamber for housing predetermined items within. The housing member is manufactured from a first predetermined material and has a first predetermined size and a first predetermined shape. A heating mechanism is operably disposed at a first predetermined location at least one of on and within the housing member for heating at least one of the interior chamber and such predetermined items housed within the interior chamber. An access mechanism is operably disposed on the housing member at a second predetermined location thereon for enabling a user to access the interior chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Peter F. DeRuvo, Sharon S. DeRuvo
  • Patent number: 7446281
    Abstract: A fusing device (23) has heat reflectors (238) and (239) positioned in consideration of the fact that convective heat loss from respective outer surfaces of the heat reflectors (238) and (239) depends on orientation of the outer surfaces. More specifically, each of the heat reflectors (238) and (239) are positioned so as to have a convective heat transfer coefficient ? of up to 0.9. The convective heat transfer coefficient ? is given by the following expression: ?=(Su+0.77Sh+0.54Sd)/(Su+Sh+Sd), were Su is a projected area of an outer surface of each of the heat reflectors on an upper horizontal plane, Sh is a projected area of the same on a vertical plane, and Sd is a projected area of the same on a lower horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Hiroshi Kida, Takashi Yamanaka, Tetsunori Mitsuoka
  • Patent number: 7427727
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus are disclosed. The fixing apparatus includes two or more heaters with temperature detecting function that generate heat with electric current and detect temperature; a heating unit that includes the heater with the temperature detecting function; a film, a surface of which slides on the heating unit; a thermal fixing unit that is heated by the heating unit through the film for fusing a toner image that is yet-to-be fixed on a recording paper at a predetermined fixing temperature; a pressurization roller for pressing the recording paper to the thermal fixing unit; and a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the heater to be a predetermined temperature based on the temperature of the heater detected by the heater with the temperature detecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Koide, Hitoshi Hattori, Motokazu Yasui, Takashi Fujita, Hirokazu Ikenoue
  • Patent number: 7420141
    Abstract: A thermal processing roller includes a heat transfer medium flowing path therein and heats a member to be processed abutting against a surface of the roller or absorbs heat therefrom by heat transfer fluid flowing through the heat transfer medium flowing path, wherein a sealed chamber extending in a longitudinal direction of the roller and in which heat transfer medium of vapor-liquid two phases is sealed is formed within a thick portion of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Tokuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Kitano, Toru Tonomura, Kozo Okamoto, Shigeyuki Hirota, Masanobu Heguri, Toshiki Hanafusa