By Heat And Pressure Patents (Class 399/328)
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Patent number: 9423735Abstract: A fixing device may include an endless belt and a nip member in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The fixing device may further include a backup member that nips the endless belt together with the nip member. The fixing device may include a contact member disposed opposite the backup member with the nip member therebetween. The contact member may be in contact with the nip member. The contact member may include a first portion that extends across a width of a maximum image forming area and a second portion positioned outside the width of the maximum image forming area and inside a width of the nip in an axial direction of the endless belt. A heat transfer coefficient per unit dimension between the nip member and the second portion may be smaller than that between the nip member and the first portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Maruyama, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Akihiro Kobayashi
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Patent number: 9423732Abstract: An image fixing device includes an elastic roller; a back-up unit forming a fixing nip with the roller therebetween, the back-up unit including a cylindrical film, a film guide, extending inside the film, for guiding the film, and an end portion guiding member including a guiding portion for guiding an inner surface of an end portion of the film. The film guide includes plural ribs contacting the film and arranged in a generatrix direction at positions upstream of the fixing nip with respect to a feeding direction of a sheet. The ribs have free end portions retracted more toward a downstream side with respect to the feeding direction of the recording material than the guiding portion of the end portion guiding member. An inside rib has a free end portion which is retracted more toward the downstream side than free end portions of the opposite end ribs.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Karen Tsunashima, Ryo Miyata, Kazuhiro Doda, Satoshi Nishida
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Patent number: 9405248Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film; a roller contacting the film; a nip forming member contacting an inner surface of the film and cooperating with the roller to form a nip for nipping a sheet carrying an image; an opposing member opposing an inner surface of an end portion of the film along generatrix direction the film. A lubricant is provided between the film and the nip forming member. The film is longer than the roller. At least a part of the curved surface portion is provided in a region outside a contact region of the film and the roller. A portion of the curved surface portion outside the contact region is provided with a groove extending in a rotational moving direction of the film, the groove having a wall effective to remove from the film the lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shinichi Ueda
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Patent number: 9392642Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an 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: GrantFiled: December 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masanobu Tanaka, Oki Kitagawa, Shigeaki Takada, Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Hiroki Kawai
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Patent number: 9377726Abstract: A fixing device configured to heat-fix a developer image on a recording sheet, the fixing device includes: a flexible cylindrical member; a nip member configured to slidingly contact an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member; a heating member that is arranged at an inside of the cylindrical member and is configured to heat the nip member; a stay configured to support the nip member with surrounding the heating member; a backup member configured to interpose the cylindrical member between the nip member and the backup member; a cover member that is arranged at the inside of the cylindrical member and is configured to cover the stay from an opposite side to the heating member; and a first support member configured to support the cover member and form a gap between the stay and the cover member.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno, Yoshihiro Miyauchi
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Patent number: 9375943Abstract: An apparatus including a control cylinder rotatably supported for thermal conduction to a sheet. The sheet conveys ink deposited on a first side. The sheet is held against a peripheral arch of the control cylinder as it rotates with the first side of the sheet directly engaging and wrapping around the control cylinder along the peripheral arch. The apparatus also includes a thermal control element for heating and/or cooling the control cylinder. The apparatus also includes a pressure roll for spreading the ink. The pressure roll with the control cylinder forms a spreader nip, which is selectively changeable between a closed and open position. In the closed position the pressure roll is biased toward the control cylinder for applying pressure to the ink on the sheet. The pressure roll is spaced further away from the control cylinder in the open position relative to the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Jonathan B. Hunter, James Joseph Spence, Mark A. Atwood
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Patent number: 9372451Abstract: In a fixing device, an alternating current is caused to flow through a coil so as to causes an electrically conductive layer of a rotating member to generate heat, and an unfixed image on a recording medium is heat fixed onto the recording medium by the heat generated by the electrically conductive layer. A frequency range of the alternating current is from 20.5 kHz to 100 kHz. With respect to a generatrix direction of the rotating member, a magnetic member and a spirally shaped portion of the coil have lengths, with which the magnetic member and the spirally shaped portion extend beyond both end portions of the rotating member.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2014Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Aoji Isono, Masatoshi Itoh, Yusuke Isomi, Hiroshi Mano, Minoru Hayasaki, Yuki Nishizawa, Akira Kuroda
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Patent number: 9367030Abstract: A rotary cam apparatus including an operation member including a contact portion is provided. The rotary cam includes a cam profile contacting the contact portion to move the operation member, and an elastic member applying an elastic force to the operation member in a direction in which the contact portion contacts the cam profile. The cam profile includes a first cam line separated by a first distance from a rotating center of the rotary cam, a second cam line separated by a shorter second distance from the rotating center, a first conversion line connected to the first cam line from the second cam line, and a second conversion line connected to the second cam line from the first cam line including one or more straight connection lines separated by a distance greater than the second distance and less than the first distance from the rotating center.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Young-ju Lee
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Patent number: 9342006Abstract: Provided is a belt member used in a fixing device of an electromagnetic induction heating system. The belt member includes an endless resin base layer, heat layers, and an insulating resin layer. The heat layers are two or more layers including a non-magnetic metal stacked on the resin base layer. The insulating resin layer is an insulating layer stacked between the heating layers.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Shoko Gon
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Patent number: 9342005Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a rotating member including a conductive layer; a helical coil arranged inside the rotating member, a helical axis of the coil extending in a generatrix direction of the rotating member; and a magnetic member provided inside the coil, the magnetic member including a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member arranged in a line extending in the generatrix direction. A toner image is fixed on a recording material by heat which the conductive layer generates by electromagnetic induction. In the generatrix direction, a protruded portion is provided on an end surface of the first magnetic member and a recessed portion is provided in an end surface of the second magnetic member. The protruded portion and the recessed portion are disposed so as to oppose each other and overlap each other in the generatrix direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Satoshi Murasaki
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Patent number: 9323185Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heating member which heats a recording material on which an unfixed toner image has been formed, a pressurizing member which forms a nip portion between the heating member and the pressurizing member and applies pressure to press the recording material against the heating member in the nip portion, and a controller which applies a voltage, which has a polarity opposite to the polarity of the surface potential of the charged pressurizing member and a predetermined voltage value with which electric discharge does not occur between a hole in a surface layer of the pressurizing member and the heating member, to the heating member to remove electricity from the surface layer of the pressurizing member when the recording material is not present in the nip portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.Inventor: Takahiro Ohnishi
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Patent number: 9323191Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure rotating body, a nip member, a heating member, a rotating member and a biasing member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably around a rotating axis. The pressure rotating body is rotatably arranged at an external diameter side of the fixing belt to come into pressure contact with the fixing belt and to form a fixing nip. The nip member is arranged at an internal diameter side of the fixing belt to press the fixing belt toward a side of the pressure rotating body. The heating member comes into contact with a contacted area in an inner circumference face of the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt. The rotating member sandwiches an end part of the fixing belt with the heating member and is rotated together with the fixing belt. The biasing member presses the heating member to the contacted area.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Motoki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 9316973Abstract: A fuser assembly for an electrophotographic imaging device which transfers heat from overheated portions of the fuser assembly to portions having lesser temperatures. The fuser assembly includes a heating member; a backup roll disposed proximate to the heating member so as to form a fuser nip therewith, wherein rotation of the backup roll causes the heating member to rotate; and a first roll in contact with one of the backup roll and the heating member such that rotation of the one of the backup roll and the heating member rotates the first roll, the first roll including a heat pipe disposed therein.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Peter Alden Bayerle, Jeffery James Buchanan, Michael Clark Campbell, Benjamin Karnik Johnson, Charles Scott McDavid
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Patent number: 9310730Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heat source and a nip member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably. The pressuring member is arranged rotatably to come into pressure contact with the fixing belt so as to form a fixing nip. The heat source is arranged at the inside in a radial direction of the fixing belt to radiate a radiant heat. The nip member is arranged so as to sandwich the fixing belt between the nip member and the pressuring member. The heat source, the fixing belt and the nip member are arranged so that the radiant heat radiated from the heat source reaches directly an inner circumference face of the fixing belt and the nip member.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2015Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hironori Takahashi, Motoki Moriguchi
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Patent number: 9310734Abstract: A fixing roller that may include: a rotary shaft; an elastic layer that is provided at the circumference of the rotary shaft, and a surface layer that covers the circumference of the elastic layer and includes creases, wherein the creases are provided at both axial end portions of the surface layer, and a portion of the surface layer between the axial end portions thereof is smoother than the axial end portions.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno
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Patent number: 9298146Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable fixing member formed as an endless belt; a heat source to heat the fixing member; a nip-forming member being not rotatable and arranged inside the fixing member; and a pressure member arranged outside the fixing member and forming a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member. The nip-forming member is formed of a first heat transmission unit and a sliding sheet. The first heat transmission unit includes an abutting part abutting the fixing member with the sliding sheet therebetween, and a bent part or bent parts extending inside the fixing member at upstream or upstream and downstream of the nip in a transport direction of a recording medium. A retaining part to catch and retain the sliding sheet is provided at a tip of at least the bent part at upstream of the nip in the transport direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2015Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Arinobu Yoshiura, Hideo Nagafuji, Yuji Arai, Kohichi Utsunomiya, Shohei Saito, Qifeng Cui, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Motoyoshi Yamano, Kenji Ishii, Hiromasa Takagi, Keitaro Shoji
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Patent number: 9298140Abstract: A controller for controlling an image heating device which includes first and second rollers for heating therebetween a toner image on a sheet, a first rubbing roller for rubbing the first roller, and a second rubbing roller for rubbing the second roller, said controller including a counter configured to count a number of heated sheets; a first executing portion configured to execute rubbing by the first rubbing roller in accordance with an output of the counter; a second executing portion configured to execute rubbing by the second rubbing roller in accordance with an output of the counter; an acquiring portion execution instructions of an image glossiness improving mode operation provided by an operator; and a determination portion configured to determine which roller or rollers of the first second rollers is to be rubbed in accordance with an output of the counter, when the acquiring portion acquires the execution instructions.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Junichi Moteki, Yasuharu Chiyoda
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Patent number: 9280106Abstract: A fuser device includes a belt part rotating in a tension free state to carry a medium in a medium carrying direction, a first nip forming part arranged inside the belt part, a second nip forming part arranged outside the belt part sandwiching the belt part with the first nip forming part so that a nip area is formed therebetween, and a regulation member regulating a movement of the belt in a width direction of the belt part. The regulation member is configured with a belt regulation part and a slant part. The belt regulation part has a flat shape arranged near one of side edges of the belt part along the nip area with a predetermined gap (W6). The slant part extends from an edge of the belt regulation part.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Tatsuya Murakami
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Patent number: 9280105Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressing member that is rotatably held and provides a pressure acting in one direction; a heating member that is rotatably held, faces the pressing member, and includes a substantially cylindrical member and a heating unit, the substantially cylindrical member receiving the pressure, the heating unit being provided inside the substantially cylindrical member, the heating member fixing a toner image on a sheet with the pressure and heat; a drive source that outputs a driving force with which the heating member is rotated; and a transmission member having a space that receives an end of the substantially cylindrical member with a gap interposed therebetween, the transmission member having an inner circumferential surface that comes into contact with the end of the substantially cylindrical member in the space when the substantially cylindrical member receives the pressure, the transmission member transmitting the driving force to the heating member.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Takayuki Ryu, Yasutaka Gotoh, Koji Okabe, Yuki Kubota
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Patent number: 9268269Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating member for heating a toner image on a sheet; a fan; a duct provided with an opening for discharging air supplied by the fan, toward the heating member; a shutter for the opening; a motor for moving the shutter; a detector for detecting that the shutter is in a predetermined position; and a controller for controlling the motor; wherein when the detector does not detect the shutter after a predetermined time elapses from production of first instruction for moving the shutter toward the predetermined position, the controller produces second instruction for moving the shutter in a direction away from the predetermined position.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takeshi Sekiya
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Patent number: 9261825Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured and positioned to form a nip for heating a toner image on a sheet; a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub a surface of the first rotatable member; a moving mechanism configured to move the rubbing rotatable member relative to the first rotatable member between a rubbing position for carrying out a rubbing process for the first rotatable member and a retracted position retracted from the rubbing position; and an executing portion configured to execute the rubbing process in accordance with a number and a kind of the sheet processed by the image heating apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yasuharu Chiyoda
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Patent number: 9261837Abstract: A roller support mechanism supports a rotary shaft of a second roller disposed in parallel with a first roller. The roller support mechanism includes a support frame, a cover member, a bearing member, and an urging member. The support frame is made of sheet metal and has a support groove extending in a direction away from the first roller and receiving the rotary shaft. The cover member is made of sheet metal and is attached to the support groove to cover a pair of side edge sections facing each other across the support groove. The bearing member is made of resin and has a bearing groove that rotatably supports the rotary shaft. The bearing member is disposed in the support groove, with the cover member interposed therebetween, so as to be movable in a direction toward/away from a bottom of the support groove. The urging member urges the bearing member in a direction away from the bottom of the support groove.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Masayuki Yamada
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Patent number: 9261834Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable member having an electroconductive layer; a magnetic member which does not form a loop outside the electroconductive layer; a coil helically wound outside said magnetic member, wherein the coil forms an AC magnetic field by a flow of a current therethrough to cause the electroconductive layer to generate heat through electromagnetic induction heating; and a back-up member. When a circumferential direction resistance R of the electroconductive layer is represented by the following formula (1), a frequency f of the AC magnetic field and the circumferential direction resistance R satisfy the following formula (2): R=?×2?r/tw??(1) f/R?15 (kHz/milliohm)??(2) where with respect to the electroconductive layer, ? is a volume resistivity at a fixing temperature, t is a thickness, r is a radius, and w is a length with respect to a generatrix direction of the rotatable member.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideaki Yonekubo, Hisashi Nakahara
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Patent number: 9261828Abstract: A fixing device comprises a fixing belt heated through electromagnetic induction; a pressing roller; a plurality of temperature detection devices arranged along a width direction of the belt; and a control device consisting of a storage section and a control section and connecting with the detection devices and the heating device. The control section supplies a given output for the heating device when the belt is rotated initially, measures an initial temperature distribution of the belt on basis of a signal from the plurality of detection devices, and controls the output to the heating device on the basis of the initial distribution to control the initial distribution of the belt in a given range. The storage section stores the output control. The control section controls the output to the heating device based on the control stored in the storage section every time the belt is rotated after the initial rotation.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takayuki Nishi
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Patent number: 9250584Abstract: A fixer includes a fixing belt configured to move around a center, a heating unit configured to induction-heat the fixing belt, a pressing member that presses an outer surface of the fixing belt, a resilient member disposed opposite to the pressing member across the fixing belt, and a heat generating member that is capable of being induction-heated and disposed along the inner surface of the fixing belt between a first position and a second position that is downstream with respect to the first position in a moving direction of the fixing belt. An upstream end portion of the resilient member in the moving direction is in contact with a third position of the fixing belt, and an angle formed with respect to the center by the second and third positions is equal to or smaller than 60°.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2015Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiaki Okano, Satoshi Itaya, Yoshiki Kogiso
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Patent number: 9250580Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member; an coil provided outside the heating member and configured to generate heat by electromagnetic induction in the heating member; a coil holder configured to hold the coil; a plurality of magnetic cores arranged opposed to the heating member along a longitudinal direction of the heating member with the coil interposed therebetween; a core holder configured to hold at least one of the magnetic cores which is movable; and a moving mechanism configured to move the core holder between a first position and a second position which is farther away from the heating member than the first position. The core holder is provided with a stopper portion configured to stop movement of the core holder from the second position to the first position by abutment to the coil holder.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenjiro Sugaya
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Patent number: 9244409Abstract: A fixing device includes: a tubular endless belt, a heater, a nip member, an elastic layer and a backup member. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space and is configured to circularly move in a moving direction. The heater is disposed in the internal space and is configured to generate radiant heat. The nip member is disposed in the internal space and spaced away from the heater. The elastic layer is fixed on the nip member and positioned between the nip member and the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The backup member and the nip member are configured to nip the tubular endless belt therebetween to provide a nip region between the backup member and the nip member.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomohiro Kondo
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Patent number: 9244388Abstract: In an example, rollers are disclosed, wherein one of the rollers has a resilient outer layer, and one of the rollers comprises a coned portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2011Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo B.V.Inventors: Shachar Berger, Zvika Cohen, Oran Levintant
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Patent number: 9229391Abstract: The roller members (40) are provided with: a bearing part (41) affixed to a device main body (5a); an elastic roller part (42) that is disposed having a gap (D) with the outside peripheral surface of the hot roller (27) and with which an end part (26a) of the anchoring belt (26) comes into contact because of the meandering of the anchoring belt (26); and a powder (43) that is disposed between the bearing part (41) and the elastic roller part (42) and restricts the rotation of the elastic roller part (42). The gap (D) is constituted smaller than the thickness (T) of the anchoring belt (26) and the end part (26a) of the anchoring belt (26) enters the gap in opposition to the elastic force of the elastic roller part (42) because of the meandering of the anchoring belt (26).Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Akihiro Kondo
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Patent number: 9217973Abstract: An apparatus includes: a coil; a heater, including an electroconductive layer of magnetism-adjusted alloy whose Curie temperature is lower than apparatus's durable temperature; a magnetic core directing a magnetic flux generated by the coil to the heater; a controller controlling electric power supply to the coil so that a temperature of the heater is a temperature sufficient to heat an image on a sheet, the Curie temperature being higher than the image heating temperature; and a blocker of non-magnetic metal having a resistivity smaller than that of the magnetism-adjusted alloy. The blocker opposes the coil with the heater therebetween. The blocker is in a first region where the coil opposes the heater, and a length L2 of the first region and a length L3 of a second region where the heater and blocker oppose each other, both regions measured in a rotational direction of the heater, satisfy L2/2?L3.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2010Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoyuki Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9207590Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image borne on a sheet-like recording medium onto the sheet-like recording medium, including: a fixing member relatively moving in a first direction with respect to the sheet-like recording medium, and having a surface in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation; a surface-information-detecting device for obtaining surface information of the fixing member; a surface-condition-changing device arranged to abut on and separate from the fixing member, and abrading the surface of the fixing member in contact with the fixing member; and a surface-condition-change controller for controlling an abutting and separating of the surface-condition-changing device with respect to the fixing member according to a detection result of the surface-information-detecting device.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Susumu Momma, Koji Masuda, Hidemasa Suzuki
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Patent number: 9195188Abstract: A fixing device is provided with a fixing belt, a fixing roller inserted inside the fixing belt, a pressure roller that is pressed against the fixing belt, a coil that generates magnetic flux for induction heating of the fixing belt, and a belt regulating plate that is disposed at a side of an end surface of the fixing roller in a predetermined direction and regulates movement of the fixing belt in the predetermined direction. The belt regulating plate has a multi-layer structure including a resin plate disposed at a fixing belt side and a nonmagnetic metal plate disposed at a side opposite to the fixing belt side.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Shoko Gon
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Patent number: 9176442Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip potion, a heat generation device configured to cause the belt to generate heat, a nip forming member configured to form the nip portion between the nip forming member and the belt, and a pressing roller configured to press an inner surface of the belt toward the nip forming member, the pressing roller including an elastic porous layer containing a plurality of filler particles, wherein a thermal conductivity of the elastic porous layer in an axial direction of the pressing roller is in a range of 6 times to 900 times a thermal conductivity of the elastic porous layer in a radial direction of the pressing roller.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshinori Nakayama, Hiroto Sugimoto, Masayuki Tamaki, Koichi Kakubari, Katsuhisa Matsunaka, Yutaka Arai, Jun Miura, Takeshi Suzuki, Naoki Akiyama, Shigeaki Takada, Yasuhiro Miyahara
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Patent number: 9164442Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt member, a secured member disposed to contact the belt member, a heating unit that heats the belt member, and a rotary pressurizing roller including an elastic layer that is elastically deformed when the belt member is pressed against a pressing surface of the secured member to form a fixing part. The pressurizing roller is curved such that a center portion is smaller in outside diameter than end portions along the axial direction. The pressing surface is curved such that a center portion projects toward the pressurizing roller more than end portions along the longitudinal direction. On the pressing surface, an amount of projection of the center portion with respect to the end portions along the longitudinal direction is set to be larger on an output side than on an input side of the fixing part along a moving direction of the belt member.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuto Okabayashi, Satoshi Nakamura, Junpei Amano, Norimasa Fujiwara, Koichi Kimura, Shogo Kamiya, Toshinori Sasaki, Takahito Chiba, Masataka Konishi
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Patent number: 9141054Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a fixing member that fixes toner to a recording material, a pressurizing member that forms a nip portion through which the recording material passes between the fixing member and the pressurizing member, a contacting and separating mechanism that contacts and separates the pressurizing member with and from the fixing member, and a pressure adjusting mechanism that is provided capable of advancing to and retreating from a region that moves along with contacting and separating of the pressurizing member with and from the fixing member by the contacting and separating mechanism while moving along a straight line direction, and adjusts a pressure in the nip portion by contacting the contacting and separating mechanism in the region.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2014Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun Sawamura, Hideki Sato, Yasuhiro Kato, Kensuke Ainai, Shigeyuki Maruhashi
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Patent number: 9128429Abstract: An image forming device is provided that includes a fuser section having a carbon nanotube fuser roll; a pressure roll that interacts with the fuser roll to create a nip; an external heat roll that contacts the fuser roll and transfers heat to the fuser roll; and a cleaning system for cleaning contamination deposits from the external heat roll. The cleaning system has a scraper blade configured to contact a surface of the external heat roll such that the deposits are scraped from the surface of the external heat roll; a catch tray positioned relative to the scraper blade such that the deposits scraped from the surface of the external heat roll by the scraper blade are collected by the catch tray; and a deposit transportation auger located in the catch tray, the auger being configured to transport the deposits from the catch tray to a collection box.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Robert W. Phelps, Erwin Ruiz, Paul M. Fromm, Steven M. Russel
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Patent number: 9128426Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ippei Fujimoto, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenichi Hasegawa
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Patent number: 9128448Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit, an apparatus main body, a nip pressure changing member, a driving source, and a clutch mechanism. The fixing unit includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a fixing nip forming mechanism. The fixing nip forming mechanism forms a fixing nip between the first rotating member and second rotating member. To the apparatus main body, the fixing unit is detachably installed. The nip pressure changing member presses the fixing nip forming mechanism and to change a pressure of the fixing nip by rotating around a rotation axis. The driving source rotates the nip pressure changing member. The clutch mechanism permits a transmission of a rotation from the driving source to the nip pressure changing member and restricts a transmission of a rotation from the nip pressure changing member to the driving source.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Masaaki Maruta
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Patent number: 9128427Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable heating member for heating a toner image formed on a recording material by using a toner containing a parting agent; an exciting coil for causing the rotatable heating member to generate heat by electromagnetic induction heating; a magnetic flux suppressing member for suppressing a part of magnetic flux acting from the exciting coil onto the rotatable heating member; a moving mechanism for moving the magnetic flux suppressing member depending on a width size of the recording material; a motor for operating the moving mechanism; and an executing portion capable of selectively executing an operation in a first mode in which a first current is supplied to the motor and an operation in a second mode in which a second current larger than the first current is supplied to the motor.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahiro Nawa, Keisuke Mogi
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Patent number: 9122213Abstract: A fuser includes an endless heat generating part including a conductive layer, an induced current generating part to heat the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction, and a magnetic shunt metal member that is located at a side opposite to the induced current generating part across the heat generating part, forms a first gap between the magnetic shunt metal member and the heat generating part in a first paper passing region of the heat generating part, and forms a second gap, which is different from the first gap in size, between the magnetic shunt metal member and the heat generating part in a second paper passing region different from the first paper passing region.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2014Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazuhiko Kikuchi
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Patent number: 9122214Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a fixing member that fixes a toner image onto a recording material, a pressurizing member that forms a pressurizing portion, in cooperation with the fixing member, through which the recording material holding a non-fixed toner image passes, a heating member that includes a heat generating portion having a predetermined pattern shape and being energized to generate heat, and heats the fixing member, a supporting member that supports the heating member along an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and a thermal diffusion member that faces the supporting member with interposing the heating member, and diffuses heat from the heating member and conducts the heat to the fixing member.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2014Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Mitsuhiro Matsumoto, Hideaki Ohara, Nobuyoshi Komatsu, Yasuhiro Uehara, Kazuyoshi Ito, Mikio Saiki, Hiromi Nagai
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Fixing device having a fuser pad of varying thickness and image forming apparatus incorporating same
Patent number: 9116494Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable, flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a pressure member. The rotatable, flexible fuser belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration. The fuser pad extends in an axial, longitudinal direction thereof inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends in the axial direction opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member presses against the fuser pad through the fuser belt in a load direction to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The fuser pad includes an upstream section, a midstream section, and a downstream section having differing thicknesses is a load direction arranged in series from upstream to downstream in the conveyance direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Tetsuo Tokuda -
Patent number: 9110416Abstract: An image heating device for heating a toner image while nip-conveying a recording material, in a nip, on which the toner image is carried, includes a heating member; and a pressing roller, including an elastic layer, for forming the nip in contact with the heating member. The elastic layer of the pressing roller includes a thermosetting silicon rubber containing a thermal conductive filler. The thermosetting silicon rubber includes pore portions formed with resin microballoons and a pore connecting portion for connecting the pore portions. The elastic layer has a thermal conductivity of 0.15 W/mK to 0.5 W/mK.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2011Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Uchiyama, Hisashi Nakahara, Yutaka Sato
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Patent number: 9110417Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a roller, a first unit configured to heat the roller, the first unit including a first tubular film, a heating portion forming member to form a heating portion with the roller, and a first guide member dotted with first protruding portions contacting the inner surface of the first tubular film, and a second unit configured to form a nip portion with the roller, the second unit including a second tubular film, a nip portion forming member to form the nip portion with the roller, and a second guide member dotted with second protruding portions contacting the inner surface of the second tubular film, wherein there is a non-overlapping area between the first protruding portions and the second protruding portions in a generatrix direction of the roller.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takanori Mitani, Satoshi Nishida, Hideo Nanataki, Shogo Kan, Takeshi Shinji
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Patent number: 9104148Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable heating member configured to heat a toner image on a sheet; a belt unit including an endless belt configured to heat the rotatable heating member by contacting an outer surface of the rotatable heating member, and a supporting mechanism configured to rotatably supporting the endless belt; a detector configured to detect that the endless belt is out of a predetermined zone in a widthwise direction of the endless belt; and a tilting mechanism configured to tilt the belt unit in a direction of causing the endless belt to return into the predetermined zone based on an output of the detector.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takuya Hasegawa
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Patent number: 9104145Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member that heats a toner image on a recording medium and includes a rotatable belt member, a heat source, a pressing member, a sliding sheet, and a pressure-applying member. The pressing member presses the belt member against the pressure-applying member. A surface of the pressing member that opposes the belt member includes a flat portion or a recessed portion having a radius of curvature of approximately 100 mm or more. The sliding sheet is disposed between the belt member and the pressing member and includes a sliding layer containing cross-linked polytetrafluoroethylene, the content of which in resin contained in the layer is approximately 25 mass % or more and approximately 75 mass % or less. The pressure-applying member presses the recording medium against the belt member and rotates to transport the recording medium while nipping it between itself and the belt member.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuto Okabayashi, Kenji Omori, Toshiyuki Miyata
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Patent number: 9098036Abstract: A fixing device includes a primary winding, a fixing portion, a secondary winding, and a magnetic core body. The primary winding is configured to receive a supply of AC current from an AC power source. The fixing portion includes a heat source that generates heat when an electric current is supplied to the heat source, the fixing portion being configured to execute a fixing process onto a sheet with a toner image formed on the sheet, at a predetermined fixing temperature by using the heat from the heat source. The secondary winding is electrically connected to the heat source. The primary winding and the secondary winding are wound around the magnetic core body. The magnetic core body is made of a predetermined material whose permeability is lowered when a temperature thereof becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined fixing temperature upon receiving the heat from the heat source.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2015Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Kei Tanaka
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Patent number: 9099768Abstract: An antenna device includes: a feeding rod unit connected to a feeding unit, in which a radio signal is applied to be sent and received to the feeding unit; an end rod unit, disposed at the end of the antenna device, and spaced apart from the feeding rod unit; at least one intermediate rod unit, interposed between the feeding rod unit and the end rod unit; a first helical unit, interposed between the feeding rod unit and the at least one intermediate rod unit; and a second helical unit, interposed between the intermediate rod unit and the end rod unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2012Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Seung-gil Jeon, Joong-hee Lee, Tae-sik Yang, Jae-young Chung, Jung-hwan Choi
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Patent number: 9091976Abstract: Provided is a fixing apparatus that can satisfy a quick start property while preventing degradation of paper non-passing sections of a fixing belt due to heat. In continuous image formation on a plurality of small-sized papers, if a temperature of the fixing belt at the reception of an execution command of a job is lower than a predetermined temperature, a heat equalizing roller is abutted to a pressure roller when an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt is feared along with progress of the job to thereby guarantee the quick start property. On the other hand, if the temperature of the fixing belt is higher than the predetermined temperature, the heat equalizing roller is abutted to the pressure roller from the beginning to suppress an increase in the temperature of the paper non-passing sections of the fixing belt.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoya Kikkawa
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Patent number: 9081341Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a heating member configured to heat a toner image formed on a sheet by using a toner containing a wax; an exciting coil; a magnetic flux suppressing member configured to suppress a part of magnetic flux actable from the exciting coil onto the heating member; a screw shaft configured to hold the magnetic flux suppressing member and configured to slide the magnetic flux suppressing member along a longitudinal direction of the heating member; and a controller configured to control a rotational movement operation of the screw shaft so that the magnetic flux suppressing member is moved to a position depending on a width of the sheet. The controller is, during non-image heating, capable of executing an operation in a mode in which the screw shaft is rotationally moved so that the magnetic flux suppressing member is reciprocated at least once in a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2013Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenjirou Sugaya