By Heat Patents (Class 399/335)
  • Patent number: 10875731
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a main body, a conveyance path, a first external cover and a second external cover. The first cover provided in the main body to cover the conveyance path includes a blocking wall facing the conveyance path; a concave portion provided below the blocking wall and recessed toward the main body with respect to a lower end of the blocking wall; a communication portion, provided between the lower end of the blocking wall and an upper end of the concave portion, that penetrates the first external cover and faces an outer space of the image forming apparatus at a position that extends from the concave portion to the blocking wall; and an air exhaust portion provided above the blocking wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadao Kamano
  • Patent number: 9345068
    Abstract: Electrical resistor heating with an electrical resistor heating circuitry which includes an AC power source of at least one phase, a plurality of heating resistors provided in a spatial arrangement, and switches to connect the AC power source with the heating resistors generating ON and OFF power states. Power scheduling is provided to adjust the power fed from the AC power source to the heating resistors at a desired partial-power level by ON/OFF switching a number of switches, wherein the power scheduling causes at least some of the switches to switch between the ON and OFF states in a staggered manner so that energization of the partial-power level of different resistors takes place, at least partially, non-simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Juan Luis López Rodriguez, Xavier Soler Pedemonte, Jesús Garcia Maza
  • Patent number: 9291960
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a first control unit which controls a voltage generation unit that converts an AC voltage to generate a DC voltage, a heat generation member, and a switch which supplies or shuts off electric power to the heat generation member. The first control unit acquires information for controlling the switch, and controls the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shotaro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 9229383
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus composes an input image and a form image and generates a composite image, determines whether the image composition processing is designated, and determines whether the maximum amount of applied toner of the form image is not less than a predetermined threshold. Then, the apparatus sets an amount of applied toner of the form image as the amount of applied toner of the composite image if the image composition processing is designated and the maximum amount of applied toner of the form image is not less than the predetermined threshold, and controls, based on a fixing temperature that is determined based on the amount of applied toner, the fixing temperature when performing fixing processing for a printing medium with a toner image that is formed based on the composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Morishita
  • Patent number: 9104147
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of this invention controls a fixing temperature when a fixing device of a printer engine fixes an image on a recording material. More specifically, the image forming apparatus sets the fixing temperature to a value lower than that in a normal mode when printing an image in a power saving mode, and decides an amount of applied toner with which the fixing device can fix the image on the recording material at the set fixing temperature. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus generates print data corresponding to the decided amount of applied toner from input image data, and prints the image on the recording material based on the generated print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Nagai
  • Patent number: 9096403
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus including: a discharge unit configured to discharge a sheet through a discharge port; a stack unit configured to stack the discharged sheet thereon; and a plurality of blowing units configured to supply air to a discharge side of the discharge unit while the sheet is discharged, wherein the blowing units are disposed, below the discharge port, aligned with a direction perpendicular to a sheet discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoru Takano, Kiichiro Goto, Takashi Fukumoto, Yasuo Niikura, Shintaro Matsumoto, Hidetoshi Kojima, Kei Sasaki, Junya Suzuki, Kazunori Konno, Yuuta Mori, Kohjiroh Haga, Yasushi Tsuruoka, Takamasa Matsumoto, Ryo Takahashi, Youhei Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 9095003
    Abstract: To provide a heater that can reduce fixing failure in a paper passing area while suppressing a temperature rise in a sheet non-passing area, and a fixing apparatus including the heater. Resistors are connected in parallel between two conductive patterns that are provided on a heater substrate along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and resistors are arranged so that the shortest current path of each of the resistors can overlap the shortest current path of an adjacent resistor in the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 9086663
    Abstract: The heater is capable of improving heat generation uniformity in a sheet feeding area while suppressing the temperature rise of a non-sheet feeding portion. Each of heat generation lines includes a plurality of heat blocks in which a plurality of heat generating resistors are electrically connected in parallel between two conductive members. The heat generation lines are arranged in a lateral direction of the substrate, and the heat blocks are arranged so that the end of the heat block in the heat generation line of a first row does not overlap with the end of the heat block in the heat generation line of a second row in a longitudinal direction of a heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi
  • Patent number: 8965262
    Abstract: When filler particles are added to a surface layer of a fixing member in order to enhance a toner releasing property, if the filler particles are randomly oriented, chemical affinity between the surface layer of the fixing member and toner is enhanced and a sufficient effect cannot be accomplished. Therefore, whisker-shaped filler particles are added to the surface layer of the fixing member, and the filler particles are oriented to approximately follow a rotation direction of the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8938195
    Abstract: A method for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes depositing a pattern of toner onto a surface of the receiver medium. A liquid-blocking barrier is provided that has a first surface and a second surface that is impermeable to a heating liquid. The surface of the receiver medium is brought into contact with the first surface of the liquid-blocking barrier. The heating liquid is brought into contact with the second surface of the liquid-blocking barrier. The heating liquid is at a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the heating liquid to the toner, thereby raising the temperature of the toner to a temperature above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 8929793
    Abstract: A recording substrate treatment apparatus, includes a heating device for directly heating a recording substrate, a condenser for condensing liquid from air from surroundings of a recording substrate, and an energy transfer system arranged for transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by the condensing of liquid by the condenser, to the heating device. Further, a method of drying a recording substrate and a method of fixing a printing substance on a recording substrate include heating a recording substrate by a heating device; condensing liquid from air from surroundings of the recording substrate; and transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by the condensing of liquid, to the heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Hubertus M. J. M. Boesten, Antonius J. J. Van Gerven, Peter J. Hollands, Albert M. Van Beek
  • Patent number: 8913940
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a solid or hollow cylindrical heating member that heats a recording medium and has recesses or projections provided at axial ends thereof, over the entire outer circumferences; ring-shaped heat insulating members to be fitted to the axial ends of the heating member, the ring-shaped heat insulating members having, in the inner circumferences thereof, projections or recesses that fit into or receive the recesses or projections provided on the heating member; and bearings that rotatably support the axial ends of the heating member via the heat insulating members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Sawamura
  • Patent number: 8913937
    Abstract: A roller for a fixing device includes a foam layer; an elastic layer containing a thermo-conductive filler and provided outside of the foam layer; a middle layer provided between the foam layer and elastic layer; wherein a content of all filler in the middle layer is smaller than a content of all filler in the elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8886107
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a mode determination unit for determining a print mode, a fixing temperature acquisition unit for acquiring fixing temperature information corresponding to the print mode determined by the mode determination unit, an image adjustment means for, after the fixing temperature information is acquired by the fixing temperature acquisition unit, accepting an instruction of an adjustment value for image data and performing image adjustment corresponding to the adjustment value for the image data, and a control unit for controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device in accordance with the fixing temperature information acquired by the fixing temperature acquisition unit before and after the image adjustment is performed by the image adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8879971
    Abstract: A heating head, a heating apparatus using the heating head, and a heating method are disclosed. The heating head includes a strip-shaped heating resistive element configured for heating media which is used to write or erase records on a thermal rewritable media, for thermal transfer or re-transfer to the media, for toner fusing, adhesion or fusion by heating, for a transformation process by heating, for over-coating and document lamination process, for adhesion of sheets, for an imprinting process, such as an uneven surface process for plastics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hideo Taniguchi
    Inventor: Hideo Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8874020
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image carrier, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier using a developing agent containing a decolorable toner and forming a developing agent image, and a transferring and conveying mechanism and a fixing and decolorizing mechanism. In a decolorizing mode, the image carrier and a transfer member are separated in the transferring and conveying mechanism to secure a conveying path to prevent a transfer material from coming into contact with the image carrier. A decolorable image is decolorized at second temperature higher than first temperature in the fixing and decolorizing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Mita, Yoshinori Sammonji
  • Patent number: 8860958
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer device, including a roller to convey a sheet by rotating in a normal direction and a holder rotatably arranged on a roller shaft, is provided. The holder includes a roller gear system arranged on the roller shaft and having a roller driving gear to drive the roller, a shutter rotatably arranged on a shutter shaft to restrict access of the sheet to the roller, a shutter gear system to connect a path between the roller gear system and the shutter, a one-way clutch to disconnect the path between the roller gear system and the shutter when the roller rotates in the normal direction, and a torque limiter to allow the roller to rotate in a reverse direction. The holder rotates about the roller shaft in the same reverse direction as the roller when the roller rotates in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Ito, Kazutoshi Kuse, Masanori Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8849170
    Abstract: A toner fixing system has a heating member rotatable around an axis. The heating member includes a liquid-blocking barrier and a backing layer that define a liquid cavity not including the axis. The liquid cavity contains a heating liquid warmed above a glass transition temperature of the toner. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path in which the receiver medium contacts or is entrained around the liquid-blocking barrier. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the warmed heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 8843047
    Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a liquid-supply system for providing a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the toner. A rotatable liquid-blocking barrier has an inner surface and an outer surface. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path in which the receiver medium is brought into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-blocking barrier in a contact zone. A liquid-delivery system impinges the warmed heating liquid onto the inner surface of the liquid-blocking barrier. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White
  • Patent number: 8805261
    Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a liquid-supply system for providing a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. A liquid-delivery system impinges the warmed heating liquid onto a surface of the receiver medium so that heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner. This raises the temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White
  • Patent number: 8750777
    Abstract: A fixing device includes an irradiation unit, disposed opposite a recording medium, that includes laser light sources arranged in a direction crossing a movement direction of the recording medium and capable of emitting laser light with variable emission intensity and that irradiates a surface of the recording medium with the laser light emitted from the laser light sources in a substantially elongated irradiation region extending at a corresponding position in the arrangement direction of the laser light sources; an irradiation-width changing unit that changes the irradiation width of the irradiation region in a longitudinal direction thereof, with all the laser light sources of the irradiation unit turned on; and an irradiation-intensity adjusting unit that adjusts the irradiation intensity in the irradiation region having the irradiation width thereof changed by the irradiation-width changing unit to a predetermined required irradiation intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsubara, Akira Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20140119790
    Abstract: A system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a reservoir containing heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than a toner glass transition temperature. A rotatable liquid-blocking barrier has an inner surface and an outer surface. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path. The transported receiver medium contacts or is entrained around the liquid-blocking member barrier so that the receiver medium is brought into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-blocking layer. The liquid-blocking barrier member and the reservoir are arranged so that an entrained portion of the receiver medium passes through the reservoir and is submerged in the warmed heating liquid, which contacts the inner surface. Heat is transferred from the warmed heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White
  • Publication number: 20140119792
    Abstract: A toner fixing system for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes a liquid-supply system for providing a heating liquid. A liquid-heating system warms the heating liquid to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the toner. A rotatable liquid-blocking barrier has an inner surface and an outer surface. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path in which the receiver medium is brought into contact with the outer surface of the liquid-blocking barrier in a contact zone. A liquid-delivery system impinges the warmed heating liquid onto the inner surface of the liquid-blocking barrier. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White
  • Publication number: 20140119791
    Abstract: A toner fixing system has a heating member rotatable around an axis. The heating member includes a liquid-blocking barrier and a backing layer that define a liquid cavity not including the axis. The liquid cavity contains a heating liquid warmed above a glass transition temperature of the toner. A media-transport system transports the receiver medium along a transport path in which the receiver medium contacts or is entrained around the liquid-blocking barrier. Heat is transferred through the liquid-blocking barrier from the warmed heating liquid to the toner, raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Alan Richard Priebe, Donald Saul Rimai, Christopher J. White, Kevin Edward Spaulding
  • Patent number: 8712305
    Abstract: In an apparatus for the electrographic printing or copying of an object wherein a toner is applied to a medium according to the object to be printed or copied and the toner is fixed to the medium by the application of heat, a hot air blower is provided which directs hot air onto the medium and whose inlet is connected to a suction line having an intake end which is arranged remote from the hot air blower in close proximity of the medium being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Mathea
  • Publication number: 20140112693
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a first colorant to be heat-fixed on the sheet; a second image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet using a second colorant that is erasable by heating; and a fixing device arranged further on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction than the first image forming unit and further on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction than the second image forming unit and capable of executing fixing processing for heat-fixing the image, which is formed on the sheet by the first image forming unit, on the sheet and executing erasing processing for heating the sheet, on which the image is formed with the second colorant, to erasing temperature to thereby erase the second colorant on the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: KEN IGUCHI, Hiroyuki TAGUCHI, Minoru YOSHIDA, Osamu TAKAGI, Takahito KABAI, Yoshiaki KANEKO
  • Patent number: 8672469
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for drying print media. The system comprises a dryer comprising an enclosure and a roller. The roller is proximate to an opening into the enclosure. A perimeter of the roller covers a portion of the opening, and an uncovered portion of the opening comprises a gap for a web of print media. The gap has a size defined on one side by the perimeter of the roller and on another side by a surface of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Casey E. Walker, Scott Johnson, Stuart J. Boland, William Edward Manchester, David M Price
  • Publication number: 20140003848
    Abstract: To provide a heater that can reduce fixing failure in a paper passing area while suppressing a temperature rise in a sheet non-passing area, and a fixing apparatus including the heater. Resistors are connected in parallel between two conductive patterns that are provided on a heater substrate along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and resistors are arranged so that the shortest current path of each of the resistors can overlap the shortest current path of an adjacent resistor in the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8615179
    Abstract: While a recording sheet is passing through a fixing nip formed between a heating roller 41 having a heating layer and a pressing roller 42 pressed against the roller 41, a coil 43 is exited by high-frequency power from a power source and causes the layer to generate heat. An unfixed image on the recording sheet is fixed by the heat. The power source detects a zero cross timing of a rectified alternating current, detects an instantaneous value at a point a predetermined period after the zero cross timing, calculates an effective power of the alternating current based on the instantaneous value, and controls the output power to be a desired value determined based on the effective power and the surface temperature of the roller 41. Thus power input to the power source can be quickly detected and power output to the coil can be quickly and stably controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Seiichi Kirikubo, Akihiro Hayashi, Yutaka Yamamoto, Naoto Sugaya
  • Patent number: 8606165
    Abstract: A system for heated gas fusing of toner on non-porous substrates is provided. The system uses (1) an extended fusing zone held at lower temperatures than needed for a roll nip or radiant fuser, and (2) a very low melt toner which can be fused at greatly reduced temperatures compared to conventional toners. In one form, the system is realized through (a) the use of heated gas as the low temperature extended zone fusing technology, and (b) the use of ultra-low melt (ULM) toner—which requires significantly reduced temperature compared to conventional toner. On non-porous packaging substrates the use of heated gas can limit the substrate temperature to 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory J. Kovacs, Ashish Pattekar, David Biegelsen, Lars E. Swartz, Guerino G. Sacripante, T. Brian McAneney, Edward G. Zwartz
  • Patent number: 8600277
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular belt holder, a rotatable flexible fuser belt, a contact member, a pressure member, and a heater. The belt holder extends in an axial direction thereof. The fuser belt is looped around the belt holder extending in the axial direction. The contact member has a central axis thereof extending in the axial direction, accommodated in the belt holder. The pressure member has a central axis thereof extending in the axial direction, disposed opposite the belt holder with the fuser belt interposed between the contact member and the pressure member. The pressure member presses against the contact member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt holder to heat a circumferential portion of the fuser belt. The belt holder includes a generally semi-cylindrical section to face the heated circumferential portion of the fuser belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yoshikawa, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenji Ishii, Naoki Iwaya, Takahiro Imada, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takamasa Hase, Takuya Seshita, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Ippei Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8600280
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotating fixing body fixes a toner image on a recording medium by heating, the rotating fixing body having a cylindrical metal core formed of a magnetic shunt alloy and having a thickness less than a magnetic-field permeation depth at a temperature higher than or equal to a Curie temperature of the metal core, a coil provided along an outer surface of the rotating fixing body so as to generate magnetic flux that subjects the rotating fixing body to induction heating, and an electrically conductive arch-shaped saddle ring member disposed at a position opposing the coil with the metal core being disposed therebetween and in an orientation such that magnetic flux leakage associated with loss of ferromagnetism of the metal core penetrates the ring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuzuru Nanjo
  • Publication number: 20130302072
    Abstract: A heating head, a heating apparatus using the heating head, and a heating method are disclosed. The heating head is comprised of a strip-shaped heating resistive element configured for heating media which is used to write or erase records on a thermal rewritable media, for thermal transfer or re-transfer to the media, for toner fusing, adhesion or fusion by heating, for a transformation process by heating, for over-coating and document lamination process, for adhesion of sheets, for an imprinting process, such as an uneven surface process for plastics. To the side on which the heating resistive element is not placed which is faced out to be exposed, a spacer is placed to cover the side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Hideo Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20130287416
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a first colorant to be heat-fixed on the sheet; a second image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet using a second colorant that is erasable by heating; and a fixing device arranged further on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction than the first image forming unit and further on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction than the second image forming unit and capable of executing fixing processing for heat-fixing the image, which is formed on the sheet by the first image forming unit, on the sheet and executing erasing processing for heating the sheet, on which the image is formed with the second colorant, to erasing temperature to thereby erase the second colorant on the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: KEN IGUCHI, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Minoru Yoshida, Osamu Takagi, Takahito Kabai, Yoshiaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8548368
    Abstract: In a method for fusing a recording material on a medium, a fusing element is radiated close to and upstream from a fuse nip. Thus, the heat that is provided has very little time to penetrate the fusing element and thus remains at a surface of the fusing element. Therefore, the fusing element does not need to be heated thoroughly, which would require a substantial amount of time. Consequently, in the method, heat may be provided on demand and an energy efficient fuse method is thus provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Oce Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Peter J. Hollands, Fredericus P. H. Theunissen
  • Patent number: 8463168
    Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ippei Fujimoto, Akira Shinshi, Naoki Iwaya, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Shuntaroh Tamaki, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Yutaka Ikebuchi, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Kenichi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130142551
    Abstract: A fixing device fixes a toner image on a recording medium by heating the recording medium, with a heating area and a non-heating area selected in accordance with a magnetic flux and a repulsive magnetic flux. The fixing device includes a heat generating layer, an exciting coil, and a demagnetizing member. The heat generating layer generates heat. The exciting coil generates the magnetic flux, and thereby inductively heats the heat generating layer. The demagnetizing member faces the heat generating layer in the non-heating area. The demagnetizing member generates the repulsive magnetic flux against the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil, and thereby demagnetizes the magnetic flux and suppresses the heating. Further, the demagnetizing member has a demagnetization effect different between at least a portion of the non-heating area adjacent to the heating area and the remaining portion of the non-heating area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Motoyoshi YAMANO, Jun Okamoto, Tetsuo Tokuda, Takashi Sakamaki, Satoshi Ueno, Naoto Suzuki, Fumihiro Hirose
  • Publication number: 20130084113
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus characterized by comprises: mode determination means for determining a print mode; fixing temperature acquisition means for acquiring fixing temperature information corresponding to the print mode determined by the mode determination means; image adjustment means for, after the fixing temperature information is acquired by the fixing temperature acquisition means, accepting an instruction of an adjustment value for image data and performing image adjustment corresponding to the adjustment value for the image data; and control means for controlling a fixing temperature of a fixing device in accordance with the fixing temperature information acquired by the fixing temperature acquisition means before and after the image adjustment is performed by the image adjustment means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8412085
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a fixing device includes a laser beam irradiation unit and a conveying unit. The laser beam irradiation unit includes a plurality of laser beam sources and emits a plurality of laser beams to a surface of a recording medium. The conveying unit conveys the recording medium and/or the laser beam irradiation unit so that irradiated regions irradiated with the laser beams are moved in a given direction. When the plurality of laser beams is emitted to a toner image to fix the toner image, the plurality of laser beams satisfies conditions (A) and (B). The condition (A) is that the plurality of laser beams has substantially the same beam power and substantially the same width. The condition (B) is that the plurality of laser beams is independently emitted to the toner image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kodera, Naoyuki Egusa, Makoto Furuki, Miho Watanabe, Takashi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8406669
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a fixing device includes a first laser unit and a second laser unit. The first laser unit outputs a first laser beam to irradiate a visible image formed of image forming material on a recording medium with the first laser beam. The second laser unit outputs a second laser beam to irradiate the visible image with the second laser beam after being irradiated with the first laser beam. The first laser beam and the second laser beam is configured to satisfy relations: W1<W2 and t1>t2, W1 is an optical output per unit area of the first laser beam, W2 is an optical output per unit area of the second laser beam, t1 is an irradiation time per unit area of the first laser beam, and t2 is an irradiation time per unit area of the second laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Egusa, Makoto Furuki, Tetsuro Kodera, Miho Watanabe, Takashi Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20130039684
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which prevents evaporation of moisture applied to a sheet by virtue of an aqueous solution containing a deliquescent material, and maintains a state in which curling or wavelike distortions are reduced. The structure of the image forming apparatus is characterized by including an image forming parts that forms toner images on paper sheets, and a fixing device which thermally fixes a toner image onto a sheet, and an aqueous solution applying portion which applies an aqueous solution to the sheet, the aqueous solution applying portion applies the aqueous solution containing a deliquescent material which prevents moisture evaporation to a sheet having a toner image thermally fixed thereonto by a fixing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunari Hatazaki
  • Patent number: 8369719
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of preventing a damage to a fusing belt or hazardous conditions due to the overheating of the fusing belt and a fusing device thereof are disclosed. The image forming apparatus has a fusing device including a fusing belt, a heat source disposed in the fusing belt, a support member to support the fusing belt, the support member having an opening through which heat emitted from the heat source passes to at least a portion of the fusing belt, and a first temperature sensor positioned to measure temperature of the fusing belt at the portion directly heated by radiant heat transmitted through the opening. A control unit of the image forming apparatus controls the heat source based on the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Jin Seol, Tae Gyu Kim, Chang Hoon Jung, Jae Hyeok Jang, Seung Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 8306468
    Abstract: A laser fixing apparatus includes: a laser light generator that generates laser light to be projected onto a recording medium. A first condenser reflects and condenses the light generated by reflection of the laser light at an irradiation position of the recording medium, such that the reflected and condensed light is re-projected at the irradiation position and/or near the irradiation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsubara, Makoto Furuki, Naoyuki Egusa, Tetsuro Kodera, Miho Watanabe, Shinji Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20120269560
    Abstract: A roller for a fixing device includes a foam layer; an elastic layer containing a thermo-conductive filler and provided outside of the foam layer; a middle layer provided between the foam layer and elastic layer; wherein a content of all filler in the middle layer is smaller than a content of all filler in the elastic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20120269561
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a non-transparent image forming device for forming a non-transparent toner image on a sheet; a transparent image forming device for forming a transparent toner image on a sheet; a partial heating device for heating an area, designated by a user, of the sheet having a toner image; and a control device for controlling the transparent image forming device such that the transparent toner is overlaid on an area where an amount, per unit area, of the non-transparent toner image formed in the area designated by the user is 0 or less than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Haruhiko Omata
  • Patent number: 8295754
    Abstract: A toner-fixer apparatus 1 used in an electronic photograph printer includes: an apparatus main unit extending along a web fed in the electronic photograph printer; a hot-air-blower section having air ejection ports for blowing hot air onto the web; and an air-exhaust section for suctioning air into air exhaust ports having openings on the apparatus main unit opposed to the web. In this configuration, the toner-fixer apparatus obtains capabilities in terms of fixing toner used in a multi-color image, thermal efficiency, environmental load, and space saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Junichi Setoyama, Nobuyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20120230743
    Abstract: A fixing device comprises a fixing member having a heat generation layer, an excitation coil disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to cause the fixing member to induce electromagnetic heat, and a magnetic core to form a continuous magnetic path guiding a magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil to the fixing member. A holder is provided to accommodate and hold the excitation coil and the magnetic core. A first core included in the magnetic core and is arranged opposite the outer circumferential surface of the fixing member not via the excitation coil along a line extended from an axis of the fixing member in a radius direction. An end face of the first core arranged opposite the outer circumferential surface of the fixing member is substantially perpendicular to the line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Susumu MATSUSAKA, Motokazu Hasegawa, Yukari Isoe, Tsuyoshi Hashiyada
  • Publication number: 20120230744
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a switching circuit configured to switch on/off current-feeding from an AC power source to the heater, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, and a current-feed controller configured to execute a first current-feed mode of changing a current-feed ratio of current-feeding time to unit time by controlling switching of the switching circuit so that the temperature detected by the temperature detector falls within a target range. The current-feed controller executes a second current-feed mode of fixing the current-feed ratio to almost 100% or almost 0% during execution of the first current-feed mode in place of the first current-feed mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi MARUYAMA, Katsumi INUKAI
  • Publication number: 20120213564
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit arranged in an apparatus main body and adapted to perform a fixing process to fix an image to a recording sheet by heat, first conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet via an image forming unit and the fixing unit, second conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet having the fixing process performed thereon to an upstream side of the image forming unit in the case of performing the image forming process on both sides of the recording sheet, a first cover openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body, a second cover for covering the second conveyance path, the second cover being openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body and openable and closable when the first cover is in an open state, and fans provided on the second cover for supplying air streams to the second conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20120207525
    Abstract: A resistance heating composition including carbon nanotubes, an ionic liquid, and a binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-ouk KIM, Ha-Jin KIM, In-taek HAN, Yoon-chul SON, Sang-soo JEE, Dong-earn KIM, Sang-eui LEE, Kun-mo CHU