Continuous Web Patents (Class 399/329)
  • Patent number: 9037061
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a back-up member contacting an inner surface of a cylindrical belt; a roller having an elastic layer and contacting an outer surface of the belt, the roller being cooperative with the back-up member to form a fixing nip between the belt and the roller. A sheet carrying a toner image is nipped and fed through the fixing nip, during which the unfixed toner image is heat-fixed thereon by the fixing nip. The back-up member includes a portion contactable with the inner surface and having such a configuration that the belt forms a first curved surface convex toward the roller in an upstream region in the fixing nip with respect to a moving direction of the belt and that the belt forms a second curved surface convex toward the back-up member in a downstream region in the fixing nip with respect to the moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miki, Kazuhisa Kemmochi, Takahiro Hosokawa, Keisuke Abe, Hikaru Osada
  • Patent number: 9037060
    Abstract: With a fixing apparatus, a shape of a folded portion on the side of a pressure roller of a sliding contact sheet is folded along a shape of the pressure roller, thereby uniformizing a longitudinal pressure distribution and preventing an uneven-gloss image due to pressure reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 9037058
    Abstract: There is provided a fixing device configured to thermally fix a developer image onto a sheet, the fixing device including: a flexible tubular member; a nip member; a backup member; a first member: a second member: a biasing member; and a transmission member. The biasing member presses the nip member toward the backup member side through the first member and the second member by biasing both end portions of the first member in a width direction of the sheet toward the backup member. The transmission member is provided between the first member and the second member. The transmission member transmits a biasing force, which is applied from the biasing member to the first member, to a center portion of the second member in the width direction of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 9037057
    Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member having an inner peripheral surface and circularly moving in a moving direction while the developing agent image is thermally fixed; a heater; a nip member being in sliding contact with the tubular member; a backup member nipping the tubular member in cooperation with the nip member; a stay covering the heater and supporting the nip member; an electric component positioned opposite to the heater with respect to the stay; and a frame supporting the electric component. The frame includes: an isolating portion interposed between the tubular member and the electric component for isolating the electric component from the tubular member; and a guide portion guiding the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member while the flexible tubular member is moving in the moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno, Yoshihiro Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 9037054
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing belt that heats a recording medium with a toner image transferred thereon to fix the toner image to the recording medium; a heater unit for heating the fixing belt; and a tension roller that suspends the fixing belt in a rotatable manner. This fixing device is constructed such that the heater unit is extended in the direction of the belt width that is perpendicular to the rotational direction of the fixing belt and includes a planar heat generator that generates heat by supplying electricity, a heat transfer member arranged in contact with both the planar heat generator and the fixing belt and a reinforcing member for fixing the heat transfer member while the heat transfer member is joined to the reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Mukai
  • Patent number: 9037059
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating body driven by a motor, a pressing member, a biasing unit, a switching unit that receives rotational power of the motor in order to either separate the pressing member and the heating rotating body or to allow the biasing unit to press the pressing member and the heating rotating body together, a power transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational power of the motor to the switching unit over a first path or a second path, the first path having a larger reduction ratio, and a transmission control unit that establishes and cuts off transmission of rotational power of the motor to the switching unit by the power transmission mechanism and that includes a path selection unit that selects the first path during separation and the second path during pressing by the switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Noboru Oomoto, Shoichi Yoshikawa, Tadayasu Sekioka, Yoshiyuki Toso, Takashi Fujiwara, Naoki Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 9037024
    Abstract: A fusing device includes a regulating member and a switching mechanism. The regulating member has a flat surface and an arc-shaped surface and regulates a nip formed by a belt and a roller. The switching mechanism switches the fusing device between a first mode and a second mode in which an unfused toner image is fused to a recording medium. The flat surface is provided along a direction in which the recording medium enters the nip. The arc-shaped surface is provided downstream of the flat surface in the recording medium entry direction, is contiguous to the flat surface, and is curved toward the roller. In the first mode, the nip is regulated by the flat surface and the arc-shaped surface. In the second mode, the nip is regulated by the flat surface of the flat and arc-shaped surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichi Kasama
  • Publication number: 20150132019
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressurization member pressed against a fixing rotator and a magnetic flux generator disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A heat generator is disposed opposite the magnetic flux generator to generate heat by a magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. A magnetic shield is movably disposed inside the heat generator to screen the magnetic flux penetrating through the heat generator. A pressure adjuster presses the pressurization member against the fixing rotator with variable pressure. An interlock interlocks the pressurization member with the magnetic shield. The pressure adjuster presses the pressurization member against the fixing rotator with increased pressure to move the magnetic shield via the interlock to a proximate position in proximity to the heat generator and with decreased pressure to move the magnetic shield via the interlock to a remote position being remote from the heat generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shota KOBASHIGAWA, Susumu MATSUSAKA, Motokazu HASEGAWA, Tsuyoshi HASHIYADA
  • Publication number: 20150132035
    Abstract: A fixing device configured to fix an image on a recording material, includes: a rotary member including an electroconductive layer; a coil which has a spiral shaped portion and is disposed in the inside of the rotary member; and a core disposed in the spiral shaped portion; with magnetic resistance of the core being, with an area from one end to the other end of the maximum passage region of the image on the recording material regarding the generatrix direction, equal to or smaller than 30% of combined magnetic resistance made up of magnetic resistance of the electroconductive layer and magnetic resistance of a region between the electroconductive layer and the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Yuki Nishizawa, Hiroshi Mano, Minoru Hayasaki, Aoji Isono, Akira Kuroda, Toshio Miyamoto, Michio Uchida, Seiji Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20150132036
    Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member having an inner peripheral surface and circularly moving in a moving direction while the developing agent image is thermally fixed; a heater; a nip member being in sliding contact with the tubular member; a backup member nipping the tubular member in cooperation with the nip member; a stay covering the heater and supporting the nip member; an electric component positioned opposite to the heater with respect to the stay; and a frame supporting the electric component. The frame includes: an isolating portion interposed between the tubular member and the electric component for isolating the electric component from the tubular member; and a guide portion guiding the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member while the flexible tubular member is moving in the moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno, Yoshihiro Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 9031485
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless flexible belt, a stationary pad, a rotary pressure member, and a lubrication mechanism. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction thereof for rotation in a rotational, circumferential direction thereof. The stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotary pressure member is disposed parallel to the belt. The rotary pressure member presses against the stationary pad via the belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The lubrication mechanism supplies lubricant between the stationary pad and the belt, and includes a first sheet of lubricant-impregnated material and a second sheet of lubricant-impregnated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takeshi Uchitani, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9031486
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure member, a heating member, a coil, a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, a shielding portion, and a switching belt. The second magnetic core is disposed to extend in a width direction in a hollow portion formed by the loop of the coil, and formed in an arc shape with a protruding portion at a side facing the heating member. The shielding portion is formed of a non-magnetic material to shield a path of a magnetic flux generated by the coil between the second magnetic core and the heating member. The switching belt includes a surface where the shielding portion is disposed to face a non-paper passing region in the heating member, suspended to be rotatable between a roller and the protruding portion, and selectively arranged in one of a shielding position and a non-shielding position by rotation of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Shogo Usui, Satoshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 9031487
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member pressed by a pressing member to form a nip part, an excitation coil generating a magnetic flux induction-heating the heating member, a magnetic core and a magnetism shielding member. The magnetic core is located opposite to the heating member across the excitation coil and provides a magnetic path passing through the excitation coil and heating member. The magnetism shielding member partially shields the magnetic path and includes a rotatable belt member allowing the magnetic flux to pass through, and a magnetism shielding layer arranged on a surface of the belt member. In the magnetism shielding layer, gap parts extending in a width direction of the belt member are arranged along a circumference direction of the belt member. When the magnetism shielding member is located to shield the magnetic path, inner wall faces of the gap part are brought into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Syogo Usui, Satoshi Ishii, Eiji Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 9031484
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a fuser including a cylindrical fixing belt, a heating unit configured to heat the fixing belt, a pressurized section, a first nip forming section, a second nip forming section, and a moving mechanism. The pressurized section is arranged in contact with the fixing belt. The first nip forming section is fixed in a position where the first nip forming section presses the fixing belt against the pressurized section. The second nip forming section is configured to be movable between a position where the second nip forming section can press the fixing belt against the pressurized section and a position where the second nip forming section is separated from the fixing belt. The moving mechanism moves the second nip forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tsueda, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Toshihiro Sone
  • Patent number: 9031442
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a fixing device; a power supply unit; a non-contact temperature sensor; and a control device. The fixing device has a heating member. The power supply unit is configured to supply electric power to the heating member. The non-contact temperature sensor is disposed in a position separate from the heating member and configured to detect temperature of the heating member. A first function and a second function respectively produce a first corrected temperature value and a second corrected temperature value smaller than the first corrected temperature value with respect to a given detected temperature. The control device is configured to: select the first function to correct the detected temperature at a start of a print control process; switch from the first function to the second function at a prescribed timing during the print control process; and control the power supply unit based on the corrected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Koyama, Yuki Fukusada
  • Publication number: 20150125192
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an excitation coil, a rotatable heater, and a support shaft. The excitation coil includes a turning end and an extended portion continuous with the turning end. The heater includes a heat generation layer and a thermosensitive magnetic body composed to switch between magnetized and demagnetized states at a Curie temperature to selectively create localized heating areas in the heat generation layer. The support shaft is made of a nonmagnetic material having a lower electrical resistivity than the thermosensitive magnetic body and supports opposed ends of the heater axially along the heater. The support shaft includes a body portion having a largest outer diameter of the support shaft and an end positioned outside the turning end of the excitation coil, and support portions having a smallest outer diameter of the support shaft and supporting the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Tetsuo TOKUDA
  • Publication number: 20150125194
    Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member defining an axis extending in an axial direction; a heater; a nip plate configured to be in sliding contact with the tubular member and having an engaging portion; a backup member configured to nip the flexible tubular member in cooperation with the nip plate; and a stay configured to support the nip plate and having an end portion in the axial direction. The stay includes: a support portion configured to support the nip plate; a plurality of hook portions provided at the end portion to support the nip plate; and a protruding portion protruding toward the backup member and configured to engage the engaging portion such that the nip plate is restricted from moving in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the backup member confronts the nip plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Noboru Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150125193
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a nip formation pad disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, and a pressure rotator pressed against the nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A support is disposed opposite the pressure rotator via the nip formation pad to support the nip formation pad against pressure from the pressure rotator. The nip formation pad conducts heat in a thickness direction thereof perpendicular to an axial direction of the fixing rotator and a recording medium conveyance direction. The nip formation pad includes a multi-conductivity layer having a thermal conductivity varying in the axial direction of the fixing rotator and a support side layer contacting the support and having a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Kenji ISHII, Hiromasa TAKAGI, Takayuki SEKI, Keitaro SHOJI
  • Publication number: 20150125191
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a heating unit that includes a circularly moving heating belt, and a pressurizing roller that presses an external face of the heating belt, the fixing device fixing a toner image on a sheet onto the sheet by nipping the sheet between the heating belt and the pressurizing roller and by heating and pressurizing the sheet transported with the toner image being held.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hideaki OHARA, Mitsuhiro MATSUMOTO, Kazuyoshi ITO, Yasuhiro UEHARA, Mikio SAIKI, Hiromi NAGAI, Nobuyoshi KOMATSU, Hiroki MURAKAMI, Junji OKADA, Kimiyuki KAWAKAMI, Tadashi SUTO
  • Patent number: 9026023
    Abstract: A fixing device 5 includes a belt drive assist mechanism 70 configured to rotationally drive a fixing belt 26. The belt drive assist mechanism 70 is in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt 26 and an outer diameter of an outer circumferential surface 71a is smaller than an inner diameter of the fixing belt 26 when the fixing belt 26 is in a circular shape. In addition, the belt drive assist mechanism 70 includes a cylindrical rotation member 71 and a pressing roller 72. The cylindrical rotation member 71 is rotationally driven by a motor 79. The pressing roller 72 is in pressure contact with the cylindrical rotation member 71 while interposing the fixing belt 26 therebetween and rotates following rotation of the fixing belt 26 rotationally driven by the cylindrical rotation member 71 or the pressure applying roller 19.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Syoko Gon, Makoto Egi
  • Patent number: 9026024
    Abstract: A fixing device includes at least one heater disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of an endless rotary body to heat the endless rotary body and a shield interposed between the endless rotary body and the at least one heater to shield the endless rotary body from heat radiated from the at least one heater. A first size recording medium passes over a first passage region of the endless rotary body and a second size recording medium passes over a second passage region of the endless rotary body. The shield includes a notch disposed opposite a lateral end of the second passage region of the endless rotary body in an axial direction thereof. The lateral end of the second passage region overlaps a non-passage region of the endless rotary body in the axial direction thereof where the first size recording medium does not pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Ogawa, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Kenji Ishii, Takeshi Uchitani, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Teppei Kawata, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9025978
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body on which a toner image is formed; a transfer unit that functions to transfer the toner image formed on the image holding body onto a recording medium; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a gap between the transfer unit and the image holding body based on the rigidity of the recording medium, the recording medium being conveyed through the gap with respect to the image holding body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20150117918
    Abstract: In a drive transmission device, a transmission member moves in a rotational axis direction of an input member, and is able to move to a position for engaging with an output member and a position for not engaging with the output member. When the input member is rotating in a first direction, the transmission member engages with the output member so that the output member rotates, and when the input member rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the transmission member does not engage with the output member. A gap filled with a viscous material is disposed between the output member and the transmission member, and a hole communicating with the gap is formed in the output member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Takafumi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150117881
    Abstract: A fixing device according to the invention comprises a first belt in an endless form, a first heat source for heating the first belt, a first reflection member reflecting heat from the first heat source toward the first belt, and a first temperature detecting member for detecting temperature of the first reflection member by contacting the first reflection member, wherein the first reflection member is disposed between the first heat source and the first temperature detecting member. The fixing device is able to accurately detect the temperature of the member heated by the heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Tatsuya MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 9020409
    Abstract: A belt unit includes an endless belt member, a first roller provided on an inner circumferential surface side of the belt member, and a stretching member provided on the inner circumferential surface side of the belt member. The stretching member is configured to stretch the belt member. A circumferential length of the belt member at a center portion in a widthwise direction of the belt member is shorter than a circumferential length of the belt member at an end portion in the widthwise direction of the belt member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Teruaki Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9020408
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno, Yoshihiro Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 9020407
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a belt member for heating in a nip an image formed on a recording material, an urging portion, contacting an inner surface of the belt member, for forming the nip, a guide portion, contacting the inner surface of the belt member at an end portion, for guiding rotation of the belt member, and a belt unit, including at least the belt member, the urging member and the guide portion, integrally detachably mountable to the image heating apparatus. The belt member is detachably mountable to the belt unit. The apparatus also includes a frame for supporting the belt unit, and a limiting portion, provided on the frame, for limiting the belt member by abutment to an edge of the belt member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9020410
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for heating therein a toner image on a sheet; an endless belt for contacting an outer surface of the first rotatable member and heat the first rotatable member; first and second rollers provided inside the endless belt and to rotatably support the endless belt; first and second bearings for rotatably supporting the first and second rollers; an elastic member contactable to the first bearing and to the second bearing and for urging the first roller and the second roller in directions away from each other; and a preventing member for preventing the elastic member from moving in directions of expansion and contraction thereof when the elastic member is out of contact with the first bearing and the second bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9020384
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt including a heat generating layer configured to generate heat by electric energy and a conductive layer configured to be electrically connected to the heat generating layer; a rotatable driving member configured to drive the belt and form a nip with the belt; an electric contact portion provided to be in contact with the conductive layer and configured to supply the electric energy to be conductive layer; an electric insulation portion contactable to the electric contact portion with rotation of the belt; a detecting portion configured to detect whether an electric conduction state between the electric contact portion and the conductive layer is in a predetermined state or not when the belt is rotated; and a control portion configured to control a peripheral speed of the rotatable driving member using an output of the detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Dai Kanai
  • Publication number: 20150110532
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressuring member, a heat source, a heat conducting member, a reflecting member and a contacting/separating mechanism. The fixing member is arranged rotatably. The pressuring member is arranged at an external diameter side of the fixing member to come into pressure contact with the fixing member so as to form a fixing nip, and arranged rotatably. The heat source is arranged at an internal diameter side of the fixing member to emit radiant heat. The heat conducting member comes into contact with an inner circumference face of the fixing member to absorb the radiant heat emitted from the heat source and to conduct it to the fixing member. The reflecting member reflects the radiant heat emitted from the heat source toward the heat conducting member. The contacting/separating mechanism makes the heat conducting member and reflecting member come into contact with/separate from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu TAKEUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150110531
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator pressed against a nip formation pad via the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes an increased thermal conduction portion having an increased thermal conductivity and a decreased thermal conduction portion having a decreased thermal conductivity and being inboard from the increased thermal conduction portion in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The increased thermal conduction portion is disposed opposite a non-conveyance span of the fixing rotator where the recording medium is not conveyed and includes an inboard edge inboard from a lateral edge of the recording medium toward a center of the recording medium in the axial direction of the fixing rotator by a predetermined first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Hiromasa TAKAGI, Kenji ISHII, Takayuki SEKI, Keitaro Shoji
  • Publication number: 20150110530
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a fixing belt that is formed in an endless shape, is driven to rotate, and includes an outer circumferential surface pressed to a recording sheet holding a toner image, and a thin plate shaped heating member that contacts with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt to generate heat and heats the fixing belt, wherein the heating member is supported to be fixed at one end portion in a circumferential direction of the fixing belt, contacts with the fixing belt along the circumferential direction, is elastically deformed so that a shape of the heating member is restrained by the fixing belt, and is pressed to the circumferential surface of the fixing belt by an elastic repulsive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro UEHARA, Mitsuhiro MATSUMOTO, Kazuyoshi ITO, Mikio SAIKI, Hideaki OHARA
  • Publication number: 20150110533
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a driving member and a slide contact member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably. The pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip and is arranged rotatably. The driving member is arranged so as to sandwich the fixing belt with the pressuring member and rotates the fixing belt. The slide contact member is arranged so as to sandwich the fixing belt with the pressuring member and comes into slide contact with the fixing belt. The fixing belt is engaged around the driving member and slide contact member with a state having looseness at least partially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Yoshiharu KANEMATSU
  • Patent number: 9014610
    Abstract: A fusion device for fusing a developer image on a medium includes a first belt member that has an endless shape, a first roller and a second roller arranged on an upstream side of the first roller in a medium carrying direction, and a pressure application part arranged on the other side of the medium carrying surface to face the first roller and the second roller. A roller radius (r2) of the second roller is smaller than a roller radius (r1) of the first roller, and the first belt member is configured to carry the medium in the medium carrying direction in a non-stretched state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Murakami
  • Patent number: 9014611
    Abstract: A fixing device fixes an unfixed image onto a recording medium by heating the recording medium conveyed to a fixing nip. The fixing device includes a rotator, a belt rotatable by contacting the rotator, and a fixing nip-forming member provided inside a loop of the fixing belt to together form the fixing nip with the rotator via the fixing belt. A sliding pad is placed between the fixing nip-forming member and the fixing belt to retain lubricant and render the fixing belt to smoothly slide thereon. The sliding pad includes a first fibrous layer contacting the fixing belt and a second fibrous layer closer to the fixing nip-forming member than the first fibrous layer. The second fibrous layer has less fiber density than the first fibrous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Hiromasa Takagi, Arinobu Yoshiura
  • Patent number: 9014608
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating a recording material, on which a toner image is carried, while conveying the recording material in a nip includes: a fixing roller including a metal core, a heat insulating layer formed on a surface of the core metal, and a high heat transfer layer which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the heat insulating layer and has a higher thermal conductivity than the heat insulating layer; a heating member for heating the fixing roller from an outside; and a back-up member for forming the nip together with the fixing roller. When the fixing roller and the back-up member opposing the fixing roller are supplied with the same heat quantity, the temperature rise rate in a neighborhood of the surface of the back-up member supplied with the heat quantity is higher than that of the fixing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Okayasu, Satoshi Nishida
  • Patent number: 9014609
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a flexible tubular member defining an internal space and extending in an axial direction; a first fixing member disposed within the internal space; and a second fixing member configured to nip the flexible tubular member in cooperation with the first fixing member. The flexible tubular member includes a metal base tube having an outer peripheral surface configured of a first area and a second area other than the first area in the axial direction. The first area has a 10-point average roughness of larger than 3 ?m, and the second area has a 10-point average roughness of equal to or smaller than 3 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno, Seiji Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 9012025
    Abstract: The present teachings disclose a fuser member comprising a substrate, a functional layer disposed on the substrate and an outer layer disposed on the functional layer. The outer layer comprises a cross-linked perfluorinated polyether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Brynn M. Dooley, Yu Qi, Carolyn P. Moorlag, Qi Zhang, Nan-Xing Hu
  • Publication number: 20150104230
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium includes a fixing belt, a nip forming member, an opposing rotary member, a heater, and a temperature detector. The fixing belt is formed into a loop to move endlessly and fix the unfixed image on the recording medium. The nip forming member is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt. The opposing rotary member contacts the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip portion therebetween while rotating. The heater heats the fixing belt at a place other than the nip portion. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the surface of the fixing belt. The temperature detector detects the temperature near a place of the fixing belt that easily deforms as the fixing belt is heated by the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi UCHITANI, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Takahiro Imada, Hiromasa Takagi, Kazuya Saito, Naoki Iwaya, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kensuke Yamaji, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga
  • Publication number: 20150104227
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and an opposed rotator contacting an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt. A nip formation pad, disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt, presses against the opposed rotator via the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the opposed rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed. A belt holder contacts and rotatably supports a lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A ring is interposed between the belt holder and a lateral edge face of the endless belt. A restraint disposed opposite the ring contacts the ring to restrict movement of the ring in a radial direction of the endless belt within a trajectory of the lateral end of the rotating endless belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Toshihiko SHIMOKAWA, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Shuutaroh Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20150104228
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Motoki MORIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150104229
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a sheet includes an endless belt; a roller contactable with the endless belt to form a nip for nipping and feeding the sheet; a heater provided inside the endless belt; a guiding member, provided inside the endless belt, for guiding rotation of the endless belt; a reinforcing member, provided between the endless belt and the heater in a radial direction of the heater, for reinforcing the guiding member, the reinforcing member being provided with an opening to permit radiant light from the heater to reach the endless belt; a protecting member, provided between the heater and the reinforcing member in the radial direction so as to oppose the endless belt through the opening, thus preventing contact between the endless belt and the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sahara
  • Patent number: 9008560
    Abstract: A slide member for a fixing device includes a fluororesin layer having a slide surface dotted with recesses. The recesses in the slide surface are arranged in an array having parallel hexagons as unit cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigemi Otsu
  • Patent number: 9008559
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt and an opposed rotary body contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt. A nip formation pad contacting a first part of an inner circumferential surface of the belt presses against the opposed rotary body via the belt to form a fixing nip between the belt and the opposed rotary body through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A heat conductor disposed opposite a second part of the inner circumferential surface of the belt not contacted by the nip formation pad is interposed between a heater and the belt to conduct heat from the heater to the belt. A reflector disposed inside the loop formed by the belt reflects light from the heater toward the heat conductor. The reflector and the heat conductor surround the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Adachi, Shigeo Nanno, Tomohiko Fujii, Yutaka Naitoh, Minoru Toyoda, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9008548
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a metal plate, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The metal plate has a main part comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion positioned therebetween and having rigidity higher than that of the first end portion and the second end portion. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface configured to be in sliding contact with the metal plate. The main part is aligned with the rotating body in a direction from the metal plate to the rotating body. The stay is disposed opposite to the nip region with respect to the metal plate. The stay and the main part of the metal plate are deformable upon application of the load to the stay such that the main part provides a convex shape protruding toward the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Patent number: 9008561
    Abstract: A fixing device may include an endless fixing belt, a facing member facing an outer surface of the fixing belt, a nip member configured to contact an inner surface of the fixing belt to form a nip portion where the fixing belt and the facing member are in contact with each other, and a heat source device configured to heat the nip portion inside the fixing belt. The nip member includes a heat transfer member which is provided at a position corresponding to a portion of the nip portion when seen from a side view, and a heat insulating member which is a portion of the nip member except for the heat transfer member, and is made of a material having thermal conductivity lower than that of the heat transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Maeda
  • Publication number: 20150098737
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro MATSUMOTO, Hideaki OHARA, Nobuyoshi KOMATSU, Yasuhiro UEHARA, Kazuyoshi ITO, Mikio SAIKI, Hiromi NAGAI
  • Publication number: 20150098735
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun SAWAMURA, Hideki SATO, Yasuhiro KATO, Kensuke AINAI, Shigeyuki MARUHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150098736
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a heating rotating body that heats a toner image formed on a recording medium, a pressurizing rotating body including an endless belt that is placed in such a manner that an outer circumferential surface thereof faces the heating rotating body, a first pressurizing member that is placed on a side of an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and forms a fixing nip portion between the endless belt and the heating rotating body, and a second pressurizing member that guides the recording medium so that the recording medium comes into contact with the heating rotating body on an upstream side of the fixing nip portion in a transportation direction of the recording medium, and a releasing unit that releases pressure contact of the pressurizing rotating body that is in pressure contact with heating rotating body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroko FURUKATA, Shigeru WATANABE, Yasutaka GOTO
  • Publication number: 20150098738
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A heater is disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator to heat the fixing rotator. A reflector is disposed opposite the heater to reflect light radiated from the heater onto the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator. A support mounts the reflector. A heater holder is mounted on the support to hold the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Yuji ARAI, Yoshio Hattori, Kazuya Saito, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Shuntaro Tamaki