Axial Heat Distribution Patents (Class 399/334)
  • Patent number: 12210303
    Abstract: A sheet conveyor includes a heating device to heat a recording medium and a recording medium sensor to detect the recording medium. The heating device includes a heater, a first temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the heater, and a second temperature sensor to detect the temperature of the heater. The heater has a first heat-distribution amount region on one side and a second heat-distribution amount region on the other side, in a conveyance orthogonal direction with respect to a reference position. The first heat-distribution amount region is greater in heat distribution amount than the second heat-distribution amount region. The first temperature sensor is disposed farther from the reference position than the second temperature sensor in the conveyance orthogonal direction. The first temperature sensor is disposed in the second heat-distribution amount region. The recording medium sensor is disposed in the first heat-distribution amount region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keitaro Shoji, Yasunori Ishigaya
  • Patent number: 12197155
    Abstract: A heating device includes a rotator that rotates and a heater that is disposed opposite an inner circumferential face of the rotator. The heater heats the rotator. A rotator holder is disposed opposite the inner circumferential face of the rotator. The rotator holder holds a lateral end of the rotator in a longitudinal direction of the rotator. The rotator holder is adhered with a lubricating substance. A heat shield is disposed between the heater and the rotator and between the heater and the rotator holder. The heat shield blocks radiant heat radiated from the heater and is separated from the rotator holder. The heat shield includes a first portion and a second portion that is disposed outboard from the first portion in the longitudinal direction of the rotator. The second portion is separated from the inner circumferential face of the rotator farther than the first portion is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Takayuki Andoh, Masahiro Samei, Kota Shiodera, Toshiyuki Kabata, Ryohhei Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 12174565
    Abstract: A heating device includes: a pair of rotators to form a nip; a heating source having a heat generation area to heat at least one rotator; temperature sensors to detect a temperature of the heating source, a member in contact with the heating source, or one rotator; and a sheet sensor to detect a sheet passing through the nip. The temperature sensors include: a first temperature sensor closer to one end than a center of the heat generation area in the longitudinal direction; and a second temperature sensor closer to the center than the first temperature sensor is. The second temperature sensor is at a position shifted from the center of the heat generation area toward the first temperature sensor. The sheet sensor is on a side opposite a side on which the first temperature sensor is disposed with reference to the center of the heat generation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuma Matsumoto, Keitaro Shoji, Yasunori Ishigaya, Yuusuke Furuichi
  • Patent number: 12164249
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a first heater, a second heater, and circuitry. The first heater heats a region on the fixing rotator to heat a recording medium having a width smaller than a predetermined width. The second heater heats a region on the fixing rotator to heat a maximum recording medium used in the fixing device. The second heater has a heat generation distribution in which a heat generation amount of each of both end portions corresponding to both end portions of the maximum recording medium in a width direction of the recording medium is larger than a heat generation amount of a center portion. The circuitry determines whether to turn on the first heater and turn off the second heater or to turn on both the first heater and the second heater based on a required power to bring the fixing rotator to a fixing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohei Matsuda, Kentaro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 12153364
    Abstract: A heating device for heating a medium on which an image can be formed includes a cylindrical belt, a first heating unit, and a second heating unit. The first and second heating units are inside the cylindrical belt and face an inner circumferential surface of the belt. A controller is configured to control the heating units to generate heat. When the medium is to be heated to reach an image fixing temperature at which the image can be fixed to the medium, the controller controls the first and second heating units to both generate heat. After the medium is heated to the image fixing temperature, the controllers control the first heating unit to generate heat, but not the second heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sasuke Endo
  • Patent number: 12155225
    Abstract: A wireless charger, which performs wireless charging in a reception coil and a transmission coil is provided. The wireless charger includes a first filter having a first coil, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first switch, and a second switch. Additionally, the wireless charger includes a second filter having a second coil, a third capacitor, a fourth capacitor, a third switch, and a fourth switch. A controller performs a first mode of turning off the second switch and the fourth switch when turning on the first switch and the third switch, and a second mode of turning on the second switch and the fourth switch when turning off the first switch and the third switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jang Soon Han
  • Patent number: 12140892
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a tubular film, a pressure roller, and a heater including a heating element. The apparatus further includes a control unit configured to calculate an accumulated electrical energy supplied to a portion of the heating element. The portion of the heating element is located in an area corresponding to a second area of the nip portion. The second area is an area of the nip portion through which the recording material conveyed to the nip portion is not passed. The control unit is configured to determine an operation of heat leveling, which is performed for leveling a heat distribution in the nip portion after the recording material had passed the nip portion, based on the calculated accumulated electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Doda
  • Patent number: 12105450
    Abstract: A heating device includes: a heater including plural heating portions that generate different amounts of heat in a width direction that crosses a transport direction in which a heating object is transported; and plural temperature equalization members that are disposed on the heater and extend in the width direction with an interval provided therebetween in the transport direction, the plural temperature equalization members equalizing a temperature of the heater in the width direction. One of the plural temperature equalization members has a length greater than or equal to a width of a maximum passing region of the heater through which the heating object passes when the heating object has a maximum width. A remaining one of the plural temperature equalization members has a length less than the length of the one of the plural temperature equalization members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyata, Toru Inoue, Kazuyoshi Itoh, Kiyoshi Koyanagi, Keitaro Mori, Sou Morizaki, Motoharu Nakao, Toko Hara
  • Patent number: 12055880
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a film-shaped cylinder, a heater unit, and a guide portion. The heater unit is disposed inside the cylinder and includes a heating element. The guide portion can contact an inner surface of the cylinder. A standard size sheet having a maximum width among standard size sheets that are conveyed together with rotation of the cylinder while being in contact with an outer surface of the cylinder is set as a maximum standard size sheet. A position corresponding to a center portion of the maximum standard size sheet is set as a first position. A position corresponding to an end portion of the maximum standard size sheet is set as a second position. In the guide portion, a contact length with the cylinder at the second position is shorter than a contact length with the cylinder at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sasuke Endo
  • Patent number: 12038703
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes a tubular film, a pressure roller, a heater including a first heating element and a second heating element, a detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, a switcher configured to switch which of the first heating element and the second heating element is supplied power from a power supply, and a controller configured to control the switcher. The controller is configured to execute a first control of determining a first electric energy and a second electric energy based on the temperature of the heater detected by the detector and a target temperature of the heater, and a second control of causing the switcher to switch between a state in which power is supplied to the first heating element by the first electric energy and a state in which power is supplied to the second heating element by the second electric energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Wakatsu, Kazuhiro Doda
  • Patent number: 12025933
    Abstract: A heating device has a first rotating member that is heated by a heat source, and a second rotating member that forms a nip portion with the first rotating member, such that a recording material is heated up at the nip portion. The heating device further has: a first cover disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the first rotating member, so as to surround the first rotating member, and a second cover, disposed between the first cover and the first rotating member, and having a protruding portion that protrudes towards the first rotating member. In a longitudinal direction of the first rotating member, a length of the first rotating member is a first length, and a length of the protruding portion is a second length that is smaller than the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensuke Umeda, Shinsuke Kobayashi, Ai Suzuki, Kazuhiro Funatani
  • Patent number: 11982963
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a heating device including a belt that contacts the sheet and a plurality of heating elements for heating the belt, a pressure roller configured to press the sheet against the belt, a voltage detection circuit configured to measure a voltage applied to the heating elements, and a controller configured to determine whether at least one of the heating elements is abnormal according to a voltage drop value that is based on voltages measured by the voltage detection unit before and after the plurality of heating elements is energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryota Saeki
  • Patent number: 11782366
    Abstract: A heater of the present invention includes jointed heat generating resistors having a positive temperature characteristic of resistance and provided between a first conductive element and a second conductive element on a substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heating blocks provided in the longitudinal direction, each of which is a set of the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the heat generating resistor, and power supplied to at least one of the plurality of heating blocks can be controlled independent of other heating blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 11740576
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a tubular film, a pressure roller, and a heater including a heating element. The apparatus further includes a control unit configured to calculate an accumulated electrical energy supplied to a portion of the heating element. The portion of the heating element is located in an area corresponding to a second area of the nip portion. The second area is an area of the nip portion through which the recording material conveyed to the nip portion is not passed. The control unit is configured to determine an operation of heat leveling, which is performed for leveling a heat distribution in the nip portion after the recording material had passed the nip portion, based on the calculated accumulated electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Doda
  • Patent number: 11709446
    Abstract: A fixing unit includes a tubular film, a pressure roller, a heater including a first heating element and a second heating element, a detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, a switcher configured to switch which of the first heating element and the second heating element is supplied power from a power supply, and a controller configured to control the switcher. The controller is configured to execute a first control of determining a first electric energy and a second electric energy based on the temperature of the heater detected by the detector and a target temperature of the heater, and a second control of causing the switcher to switch between a state in which power is supplied to the first heating element by the first electric energy and a state in which power is supplied to the second heating element by the second electric energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Wakatsu, Kazuhiro Doda
  • Patent number: 11662678
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator over which a recording medium bearing an image is conveyed. A first heater heats the fixing rotator and generates heat evenly in a maximum conveyance span where the recording medium having a maximum width in a width direction of the recording medium is conveyed. The maximum width is available for the fixing rotator. A second heater heats the fixing rotator and generates heat in the maximum conveyance span. The second heater includes a first portion that generates heat in a first heat generation amount and a second portion that generates heat in a second heat generation amount that is greater than the first heat generation amount of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryohei Matsuda, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Satoshi Kuno, Kentaro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11442384
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a wiring structure includes a substrate, a first conductor, second conductors, a first trace, second traces, heat-generating elements, and a first protruding conductor. The second conductors are spaced apart from the first conductor in a second direction crossing a first direction and are mutually juxtaposed with spacing in the first direction. The heat-generating elements are mutually juxtaposed in the first direction and connected to the respective second conductors and the first conductor. The first protruding conductor protrudes from either of the first conductor and one of the second conductors and is connected to a first one of the heat-generating elements. The first protruding conductor is at least partly located, in the first direction, between a center of the first one of the heat-Generating elements and a center of a second one of the heat-generating elements adjacent to the first one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shanying Pan, Takayuki Masunaga
  • Patent number: 11422491
    Abstract: A heater of the present invention includes jointed heat generating resistors having a positive temperature characteristic of resistance and provided between a first conductive element and a second conductive element on a substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heating blocks provided in the longitudinal direction, each of which is a set of the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the heat generating resistor, and power supplied to at least one of the plurality of heating blocks can be controlled independent of other heating blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimura
  • Patent number: 11402777
    Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus may include a fusing component and a heater disposed in the fusing component. The heater may include a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a first heating element having a first length attached to the first surface of the substrate, and a second heating element having a second length attached to the second surface of the substrate, the second length differing from the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Bartley Mark Hirst, Mark J. Wibbels
  • Patent number: 11327424
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotary body; a pressure body; a frame supporting the rotary body; and a pressure varying mechanism for providing a nip pressure to a nip region formed between the rotary body and the pressure body. The pressure varying mechanism includes a first spring and a second spring for urging one of the rotary body and the pressure body. The first spring applies a first urging force, and the second spring applies a second urging force acting in an opposite direction from the first urging force. The pressure varying mechanism can vary the nip pressure between a first nip pressure and a second nip pressure smaller than the first nip pressure. The nip pressure becomes the first nip pressure while only the first urging force is applied, and becomes the second nip pressure while both of the first urging force and the second urging force are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroshi Handa, Tokifumi Tanaka, Shuhei Fukue, Tomonori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11243486
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat source for radiating heat onto an intermediate printing material transfer element of a printing apparatus. The heat source can include a plurality of heat generating segments disposed along an axis, the plurality of heat generating segments including a first heat generating segment, a second heat generating segment and a third heat generating segment. The second heat generating segment is disposed between the first heat generating segment and the third heat generating segment. The second heat generating segment has a length shorter than a length of the first heat generating segment and shorter than a length of the third heat generating segment. Also disclosed is a printing system that includes the disclosed heat source. Also disclosed is a method of selecting a heat radiating pattern of a heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Oren Wilde, Yury Levchakov
  • Patent number: 11221575
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a heater that includes a first heating element, a second heating element having a length smaller than the first heating element length, and a third heating element having a length smaller than the second heating element length. The image forming apparatus further includes a first temperature detection unit, a control unit, second temperature detection units, first and second sheet-width detection units, and a determination unit. The control unit controls a heater temperature based on the first temperature detection unit detection result. The determination unit determines a width of the recording material based on a detection result of the first sheet-width detection units, a detection result of the second sheet-width detection units, and a detection result of the second temperature detection units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuguhiro Yoshida, Kohei Wakatsu, Kazuhiro Doda, Yutaka Sato, Ken Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10962917
    Abstract: An image heating device has a paper-passing heating region in which a recording material passes through at least a part of a heating region and a non-paper-passing heating region in which the recording material does not pass through the heating region, and changes a heating amount applied to a fixing member in the non-paper-passing heating region in accordance with a longitudinal distance between a boundary position between the paper-passing heating region and the non-paper-passing heating region in the longitudinal direction and the boundary position side end portion of the recording material in the paper-passing heating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hideaki Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 10928758
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a fixing apparatus including a heater that includes at least two heat generation members, the fixing unit configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed on a sheet by an image forming unit, a heat generation member switching device configured to switch a power supply path so that electric power can be supplied to one of the heat generation members, a CPU configured to control switching the power supply path by the heat generation member switching device based on a number of shorter width sheets in a longitudinal direction continuously printed in a case where a plurality of mixed sheets including longer width sheets and the shorter width sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Takano
  • Patent number: 10809651
    Abstract: A heating device includes an endless belt that rotates in a rotation direction and a pressure rotator that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator. A heater sandwiches a lubricant together with the endless belt. The heater includes a heat generator that defines a conveyance span in a longitudinal direction of the heater, where a heating target having a predetermined width in the longitudinal direction of the heater is conveyed through the nip, and a non-conveyance span in the longitudinal direction of the heater, where the heating target is not conveyed. A non-conveyance span temperature detector is disposed opposite the endless belt in the non-conveyance span of the heat generator. The non-conveyance span temperature detector detects a temperature of the endless belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuusuke Furuichi
  • Patent number: 10788776
    Abstract: In an image heating apparatus, a region of a recording material, on which an image can be formed, is divided into a boundary region and a non-boundary region so as to correspond to a plurality of heating elements. The boundary region includes a boundary between one heating element out of the plurality of heating elements and an adjacent heating element thereof, and overlap with the one heating element and the adjacent heating element overlap in a predetermined range in the orthogonal direction. The non-boundary region overlaps with the one heating element in a range other than the boundary region. A control target temperature of a heating region that is heated by the one heating element is set to a higher temperature of a first temperature based on information corresponding to the boundary region, and a second temperature based on information corresponding to the non-boundary region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 10627755
    Abstract: A fuser device according to an embodiment includes a substrate, a first conductor, second conductors, a first wire, second wires, heating elements, and a roller. The first conductor extends in a first direction. The second conductors are apart from the first conductor in a second direction that is along a surface of the substrate and intersects the first direction, and are aligned with spacing in the first direction. At least one of the second conductors is provided with an opening. The first wire on the surface connected to the first conductor. The second wires on the surface are apart from the first wire and connected to the second conductors. The heating elements are apart from the second wires, apart from one another, and connected to the second conductors and the first conductor. The heating elements each generate heat by an applied current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shanying Pan, Takayuki Masunaga
  • Patent number: 10599077
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus has a heater to heat an image formed on a recording material. The heater has a plurality of heat generating elements. A control portion controls electrical power supplied to the plurality of heat generating elements. The control portion respectively sets a heating amount with respect to a region in which an image is formed and a heating amount with respect to a region in which an image is not formed in a single sheet of the recording material. The control portion is further configured to at least set the heating amount with respect to the region in which the image is not formed when the recording material is heavy paper to become less than the heating amount with respect to the region in which the image is not formed when the recording material is plain paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10372080
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a nip, in which an image is fixed on a recording material, and an air blowing unit configured to feed air. A first blow portion is provided, through which the air fed by the air blowing unit flows toward a first area, which is an end portion of the fixing device, in a longitudinal direction of the fixing device, so as to cool the first area by the air via an opening of the first blow portion. A blocking member changes a width of the opening of the first blow portion, and a second blow portion is provided, branched from the first blow portion so as to cross the first blow portion, through which the air blocked by the blocking member flows toward a second area, which is a region in which the recording material passes through the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Adaniya, Satoshi Murasaki, Hiroyuki Yamano
  • Patent number: 10209649
    Abstract: A fuser apparatus includes fuser and pressure rolls rotatably mounted parallel to and in contact with each other to form a nip through which print media with a toner image thereon is passed to fuse the image to the print media. A heating lamp is positioned to heat the fuser roll. A mechanism is used that alters the interior of a fuser housing to harvest the excess heat emitted by the heating lamp and to reflect the excess heat back to the fuser roll at different patterns/angles dependent on the mode of the fusing and the size of print substrate being marked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Simon John Gray
  • Patent number: 10191422
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a heater, comprising an insulator substrate, a first member, a plurality of electrodes, and a second member. The first member is configured to generate heat on an upper surface of the insulator substrate across a first direction. The first member has a first end opposite a second end. The plurality of electrodes are formed on both the first end and the second end of the first member, respectively, and each electrode is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second member is configured to store heat. The second member comprises a latent heat material having latent heat in a target temperature zone. Furthermore, the latent heat material is fixed to a side surface or a bottom surface of the insulator substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Takagi
  • Patent number: 9727014
    Abstract: A fuser includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll that forms a nip between the rolls through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The fuser roll includes a heater element having a single resistive trace, a common trace tapped to a first side of the resistive trace continuous across the resistive trace, and first and second conductive traces tapped to ends of the resistive trace at a second side of the resistive trace opposite the first side. The first and second conductive traces are physically separated and conductively segmented by a conductive gap between the conductive traces. The resistive trace includes a separation gap extending through the resistive trace continuously from the second side of the resistive trace at the conductive gap towards the first side of the resistive trace to prevent current flow between the segmented conductive traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Tab A. Tress, Brian J. Gillis, Allen J. Thompson, Michael A. Fayette
  • Patent number: 9639042
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad to press against a fixing rotator. A primary heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator in a primary heating span spanning in an axial direction of the fixing rotator to heat the primary heating span of the fixing rotator from which heat is conducted to the nip formation pad with a primary conduction. A secondary heater is disposed opposite the fixing rotator in a secondary heating span that is outboard from the primary heating span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The secondary heater is interposed between a first nip formation portion and a second nip formation portion of the nip formation pad to heat the secondary heating span of the fixing rotator through the nip formation pad from which heat is conducted to the fixing rotator with a secondary conduction greater than the primary conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishii, Susumu Matsusaka, Yasuhiko Ogino, Shohta Kobashigawa, Kazuhito Kishi, Takashi Seto, Ippei Fujimoto, Kazunari Sawada, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Hiromasa Takagi, Takamasa Hase
  • Patent number: 9596718
    Abstract: A heater usable with an image heating apparatus includes contacts including at least one first contact provided on a substrate and connectable with a first terminal, and second contacts provided on the substrate and connectable with a second terminal; electrodes arranged in a longitudinal direction of the substrate with predetermined gaps; electroconductive lines connecting the electrodes with respective ones of the contacts such that the electrode connected with the first contact and the electrode connected with the second contacts are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; and heat generating portions, provided between adjacent electrodes, respectively, for generating heat by electric power supply between adjacent electrodes, wherein all of the first contacts are provided in one end portion of the substrate with respect to the longitudinal direction, and all of the second contacts are provided in the other end portion with respect to the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshinori Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9507301
    Abstract: A fuser assembly which includes a heating member; a backup roll disposed proximate to the heating member; a heat transfer device selectively contacting the backup roll for transferring heat from the backup roll; and a positioning mechanism moving the heat transfer device between a first position in which the heat transfer device is engaged with the backup roll and a second position in which the heat transfer device is spaced apart from the backup roll. The positioning mechanism pivots the heat transfer device about a pivot axis when moving the heat transfer device and includes a pair of bell cranks to which the heat transfer device is coupled, a first coupling member coupled to one of the bell cranks and a second coupling member coupled to the first coupling member. Translation of the second coupling member causes the first coupling member to pivot which rotates the pair of bell cranks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Alden Bayerle, Jeffery James Buchanan, Michael Clark Campbell, Benjamin Karnik Johnson, Charles Scott McDavid
  • Patent number: 9354569
    Abstract: A fuser assembly for an 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 for forming a fuser nip; a heat transfer device in contact with the backup roll such that rotation of the backup roll rotates the heat transfer device for transferring heat from one location to another location on the backup roll; and a positioning mechanism for moving the heat transfer device between a first position in which the heat transfer device is engaged with and contacts the backup roll, and a second position in which the heat transfer device is disengaged and spaced apart from the backup roll, the positioning mechanism pivots the heat transfer device about a pivot axis when moving between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Alden Bayerle, Jeffery James Buchanan, Michael Clark Campbell, Benjamin Karnik Johnson, Charles Scott McDavid
  • Patent number: 9037027
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing member; a moving section that moves the fixing member in a sheet width direction; a temperature detection section disposed at a position corresponding to an end portion of the fixing member, the temperature detection section moving together with the fixing member to detect a temperature of the end portion; and a control section that performs a first movement control and a second movement control on the basis of a result of a detection by the temperature detection section, the first movement control being intended to move the fixing member in the sheet width direction in a reciprocating manner with a predetermined cycle, the second movement control being intended to move the fixing member in the sheet width direction so that the temperature of the fixing member falls within a predetermined temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Taizou Oonishi, Makoto Fujii, Miho Yamano, Kazunori Nishinoue, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9026025
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator heated by a heater and a pressing rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween. A heating span adjuster, interposed between the heater and the fixing rotator, is movable in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotator. The heating span adjuster moves to a retracted position where the heating span adjuster allows the heater to heat the fixing rotator in an increased axial heating span of the fixing rotator after the heater starts heating the fixing rotator until the fixing rotator and the pressing rotator start conveying a recording medium through the fixing nip. The heating span adjuster at the retracted position is outboard from a circumferential, direct heating span of the fixing rotator where the heater heats the fixing rotator directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuuichi Mimbu, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Takayuki Seki, Takeshi Yamamoto, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Takuya Seshita, Shuntaro Tamaki, Hajime Gotoh, Takahiro Imada, Kazuya Saito, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji, Akira Suzuki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yuji Arai
  • 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: 8995860
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image fixing apparatus including a fan for cooling one end region of the image fixing apparatus and a fan for cooling another end region thereof. When a temperature of the one end region reaches a cooling starting temperature, a fan corresponding to the one end portion is driven at a first rotation speed, and another fan is driven at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed even if the temperature of the other end region is lower than the cooling starting temperature so as to protect the fans from thermal damages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keigo Akiya
  • Patent number: 8983325
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotating member configured to heat a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion, a second rotating member configured to form the nip portion cooperatively with the first rotating member, a heat conduction member configured to conduct a heat of the second rotating member in a width direction of the second rotating member in an operating position in which the heat conduction member is in contact with the second rotating member, and a fan configured to blow an air toward a predetermined region of the heat conduction member which is in the operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Suguru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8977179
    Abstract: A fuser assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a rotatable fusing member forming a fusing nip with a backup member. A heating lamp is positioned to heat the fusing member. A first reflector is positioned around a circumferential portion of the fusing member and positioned to direct light from the heating lamp onto the fusing member. The first reflector covers a first section of an axial length of the fusing member and does not cover a second section of the axial length of the fusing member. A second reflector is movable between a first position covering at least a portion of the second section of the axial length of the fusing member and a second position uncovering at least a portion of the second section of the axial length of the fusing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Scott McDavid, Benjamin Karnik Johnson, Paul John Menzel
  • Patent number: 8971782
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an induction heater constructed of an exciting coil, a first pair of degaussing coils, and a second pair of degaussing coils. A controller turns off the exciting coil while the controller turns on one of the first pair of degaussing coils and the second pair of degaussing coils and at the same time turns off the other one of the first pair of degaussing coils and the second pair of degaussing coils, and then turns on the exciting coil for an extra time period corresponding to reserved power not supplied to the exciting coil while the exciting coil is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Saito, Masanao Ehara, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Satoshi Ueno, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
  • Patent number: 8958735
    Abstract: An image heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material, comprising a base layer; a heat generation layer, provided on the base layer, for generating heat by being supplied with electric power; an electrode layer, provided outside of the heat generation layer with respect to a widthwise direction and having an electric resistance which is smaller than that of the heat generation layer, for supplying the electric power to heat generation layer; an elastic layer provided on the electrode layer and having a length longer than that of the electrode layer measured in the widthwise direction; and a parting layer provided on the elastic layer and having a length which is substantially equal to the length of the electrode layer measured in the widthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kota Arimoto
  • Patent number: 8953966
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member including a heating unit, and a pressure member, the heating unit includes a sub-heater having a heat generating portion in a region smaller than a minimum paper width, a main heater having a heat generating portion at outside of the sub-heater, a first temperature detector to detect a temperature of the fixing member at the heat generating portion of the main heater, and a second temperature detector to detect the temperature at the heat generating portion of the sub-heater. The main heater and the sub-heater can be switched selectively, and the initial duty ratio at the start of PID temperature control by the sub-heater is determined in accordance with a difference between temperatures detected by the respective temperature detectors at the start of PID temperature control and a target temperature so that the temperature is not overshooting and dropped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Hase, Tadashi Ogawa, Takeshi Uchitani, Teppei Kawata, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
  • Patent number: 8953960
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotation body heating and fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium; a pressing rotation body pressing the recording medium to the fixing rotation body; a first temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the fixing rotation body; and plural second temperature detection units detecting a temperature of the pressing rotation body. Further the fixing device selects a predetermined second temperature detection unit from the plural second temperature detection units depending on an operation mode of the fixing device, and the fixing device detects the temperature of the pressing rotation body by using the predetermined second temperature detection unit selected by the fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ueno, Masanao Ehara, Tadashi Ogawa, Teppei Kawata, Takamasa Hase, Kazuya Saito, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20150037052
    Abstract: In an image heating apparatus including heat generating members arranged along a longitudinal direction of a belt, when an image heating operation is performed on a recording material having a width which is smaller than a maximum width of the recording material usable in the image heating apparatus, the heat generating member positioned within an area corresponding to a non passing portion of the recording material is actuated together with the heat generating member positioned within an area corresponding to a non passing portion of the recording material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroki Muramatsu, Toshinori Nakayama, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeaki Takada, Hiroto Ito
  • Patent number: 8948624
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing roller, a single heating member that heats the fixing roller, a pressure roller, a first temperature detecting element that detects the temperature of the contact region, of the fixing roller, that comes into contact with the recording paper transported, and a second temperature detecting element that detects the temperature of the noncontact region of the fixing roller. The fixing device carries out energization control of the heating member based on the temperature detected by the first temperature detecting element and stops energization control of the heating member when the temperature detected by the second temperature detecting element reaches a prescribed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kan Mukai, Yoshiharu Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8923719
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device comprising: a fixing rotating body; a magnetizing coil; a pressing member forming a fixing nip through which a recording sheet passes; a demagnetizing coil unit set including a pile of demagnetizing coil units each including demagnetizing coils of different sizes, and canceling out part of magnetic flux generated by the magnetizing coil in a non-sheet-passing region; a sheet information acquisition unit acquiring sheet information including information relating to a width of the recording sheet; and an operation control unit controlling each demagnetizing coil according to the width, wherein in each demagnetizing coil unit, the demagnetizing coils are arranged such that a smaller demagnetizing coil is surrounded by a larger demagnetizing coil and the demagnetizing coils are in a same plane extending along a surface of the magnetizing coil, and a combination of sizes of the demagnetizing coils differs among the demagnetizing coil units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yosuke Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20140376980
    Abstract: A fuser assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a rotatable fusing member forming a fusing nip with a backup member. A heating lamp is positioned to heat the fusing member. A first reflector is positioned around a circumferential portion of the fusing member and positioned to direct light from the heating lamp onto the fusing member. The first reflector covers a first section of an axial length of the fusing member and does not cover a second section of the axial length of the fusing member. A second reflector is movable between a first position covering at least a portion of the second section of the axial length of the fusing member and a second position uncovering at least a portion of the second section of the axial length of the fusing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Charles Scott McDavid, Benjamin Karnik Johnson, Paul John Menzel