To Fixing (e.g., Fuser) Patents (Class 399/400)
  • Patent number: 11758063
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a transparent member, a conveyance unit, a reading unit reading an image information through the transparent member from the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit, and a guide member provided upstream of a reading position where the reading unit reads the image information from the sheet with respect to a sheet conveyance direction. The guide member includes a sheet-like sheet member having elasticity. A leading end of a downstream side of the guide member in the sheet conveyance direction is a folded portion formed by folding back the sheet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teppei Nagata, Tomohito Nakagawa, Yukihiro Soeta
  • Patent number: 11640128
    Abstract: A sheet conveyor includes a conveyance belt configured to rotate to convey a sheet on which a liquid has been applied in a conveyance direction, and a guide configured to guide the sheet to the conveyance belt, a position of the guide being variable in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Shimojima, Kenji Nozawa, Genichiroh Kawamichi, Masato Ogawa, Kohki Asada, Kazuaki Kamihara, Hiroshi Sawase, Ryusaku Hida
  • Patent number: 11480894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that bears a toner image, a transfer unit having an endless belt, a positioning unit that positions the transfer unit, and a secondary transfer member. The secondary transfer member is in touch with the endless belt to form a secondary transfer portion. When the toner image is transferred to the endless belt from the image bearing member, the secondary transfer member transfers the toner image from the endless belt at the secondary transfer portion to a transfer material. The positioning unit includes a first abutting face to position the transfer unit in a conveyance direction and a second abutting face to position the transfer unit in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction. An attaching/detaching direction of the transfer unit is a direction intersecting with a surface of the transfer material to which the toner image is transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chikara Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 11286126
    Abstract: A sheet conveyer, including a body with a conveyer path, a first roller, a second roller, a roller holder supporting the second roller rotatably, an urging member urging the roller holder, and a guide member, is provided. The guide member is supported rotatably by the body at a position on a side opposite to the first roller across the second roller is pivotable between a closed position and an open position. The roller holder is movable between a first position, where the second roller contacts the first roller, and a second position, where the second roller is separated from the first roller and in which the roller holder contacts the guide member located at the open position. The roller holder located at the second position is restricted by the guide member from moving farther from the first position. The urging member urges the roller holder toward the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatomo Yamaguchi, Hirotaka Aoki
  • Patent number: 11117764
    Abstract: A vacuum roller system and a method of operating the vacuum roller system can include a group of vacuum rollers operable to move a sheet of media through a dryer. The vacuum rollers do not require a vacuum to be drawn between the vacuum rollers. Each vacuum roller can include a plenum operable to direct the vacuum to a top portion of the vacuum roller to drive the sheet of media from one roller to the next roller. The plenum can engage vacuum holes in a rotating vacuum roller when the vacuum holes in the vacuum roller are aligned with the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj, Michael J. Levy, Jason M. Lefevre, Paul McConville, Chu-Heng Liu, Linn C. Hoover, David A. VanKouwenberg
  • Patent number: 10988334
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first guide provided in an apparatus body, a second guide provided in an openable portion, a flag member supported by the apparatus body pivotally, a detection unit configured to detect pivoting of the flag member, and a jam release guide provided in the apparatus body. In a state where the openable portion is open, the flag member is protruded into a space that is created between the openable portion and the apparatus body by an opening operation of the openable portion. The jam release guide is disposed at a position not hampering conveyance of the sheet in a state where the openable portion is closed, and is disposed to come in contact, together with the flag member, with a jammed sheet to regulate a posture of the jammed sheet in a state where the openable portion is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Uchida
  • Patent number: 10948855
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device arranged downstream of a transfer portion and configured to fix a toner image on a sheet; a regulation member arranged upstream of the fixing device and configured to regulate the sheet; a rotary shaft configured to rotatably support the regulation member; an urging member configured to urge the regulation member so as to bring a tip end portion of the regulation member into contact with the transfer portion at a contact portion; and an openable and closable member provided on a main body to open an opening portion, wherein the tip end portion can be rotated from a side opposite to the rotary shaft to a side of the rotary shaft with respect to a straight line extending from the contact portion and contacting the fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadahisa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 10527981
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable pressing roller, a fixing rotator to rotate in contact with the pressing roller, a nip formation pad, and a slide sheet disposed between the nip formation pad and the fixing rotator. The slide sheet includes a base material layer made of a woven fabric of spun yarn. In the base material layer, a distance between adjacent spun yarns is equal to or less than 0.4 times a width of the spun yarn in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a direction of slide movement of the fixing rotator, and, in a cross-section of the slide sheet in a longitudinal direction of the slide sheet and a direction perpendicular to the slide movement of the fixing rotator, a thickness of the spun yarn is equal to or greater than 0.2 times a width of the spun yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Naitoh, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Daisuke Inoue, Natsuki Watanabe, Takahiro Imada
  • Patent number: 10409208
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance section, an image forming section, a fixing section, a sheet output tray, a toner container, a suitable product determining section, and a control section. The suitable product determining section determines whether the toner container loaded in an apparatus body is a suitable product. When the suitable product determining section determines that the toner container is not a suitable product, on condition of successive feeding of sheets, the control section allows, after every predetermined number of sheets have been subjected to an image forming operation, a fixing aging operation for stopping the image forming operation and rotating rotating bodies of the fixing section to be performed. When the suitable product determining section determines that the toner container is a suitable product, the control section keeps the fixing aging operation conditional on successive feeding of sheets from being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Sueaki Okamoto, Eiji Nimura, Koji Kuramashi
  • Patent number: 10345753
    Abstract: A transfer unit includes an endless belt member, belt support rollers, a frame, a meandering detecting sensor, an alignment adjusting mechanism, and a conveyance guide disposed on a downstream side of the belt member with respect to a recording-medium conveyance direction. The alignment adjusting mechanism, based on a detection result of the meandering detecting sensor, causes one end portion of a downstream-side belt support roller of the belt support rollers which is adjacent to the conveyance guide to move along the recording-medium conveyance direction. The alignment adjusting mechanism causes a first end portion of the conveyance guide disposed on a same side as the one end portion of the downstream-side belt support roller to move following movement of the one end portion of the downstream-side belt support roller, and thereby maintains a distance between the belt member and the conveyance guide constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 10025237
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport unit configured to pinch and transport a recording medium at a first transport speed, a fixing unit configured to fix an image formed on the recording medium while pinching and transporting the recording medium, which is transported by the transport unit, at a second transport speed, a driving unit configured to drive the fixing unit, a detector configured to detect a load of the driving unit, and a controller configured to perform a control to adjust a speed difference between the first transport speed and the second transport speed with respect to a subsequently transported recording medium when the load becomes larger than a reference value after a peak value of the load when the recording medium enters the fixing unit is detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Sunohara, Takahito Chiba, Hidehiko Yamaguchi, Hideki Moriya
  • Patent number: 9906666
    Abstract: There is provided a print control program causing a computer to function as the following units. A setting unit performs a setting such that sorting is performed according to an output direction set for each print attribute when the sorting is performed according to a first method of sorting output materials according to the output direction among a plurality of types of sorting methods in a printing device. A generating unit generates content of a print instruction so that the output materials are output from the printing device according to the sorting method set by the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Iwasawa, Issei Matsushita, Yutaka Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9897951
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method are provided. The image forming apparatus includes fusing rollers that fuse a developer at a printing medium, and a transporting guide that guides the printing medium being transported toward the fusing rollers. The transporting guide is movably installed to move between a first position to guide the printing medium, and a second position spaced apart from the first position. Thus, a friction between the transporting guide and the printing medium as well as the subsequent generation of static electricity may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jeong Yong Ju
  • Patent number: 9760040
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes an image carrier, an intermediate transfer unit, a secondary transfer roller, and a fixing unit. The intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, and a driving and driven rollers that rotatably stretch the intermediate transfer belt, and the intermediate transfer unit is insertable/drawable with respect to an apparatus main body. The secondary transfer roller and the intermediate transfer belt constitute a nip portion. The fixing unit is disposed above the intermediate transfer unit, and fixes a toner image on a recording medium. The intermediate transfer unit includes an entry restriction member that restricts entry of a recording medium into a space between the intermediate transfer unit and the fixing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Shota Onishi
  • Patent number: 9753416
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A guide is disposed upstream from the fixing nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to guide the recording medium to the fixing nip. The guide includes a projection extending in the recording medium conveyance direction, a contact face to come into contact with the recording medium, and a roughened face disposed on at least a part of the contact face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9740151
    Abstract: A print control apparatus includes an analyzing unit, an obtaining unit, and a controller. The analyzing unit analyzes a total number of pages of received print data. The obtaining unit obtains number-of-printable-pages information, which is information on a number of pages printable on a bundle of continuous form paper set in a printer that performs printing on continuous form paper. When reference to the number-of-printable-pages information obtained by the obtaining unit and the total number of pages analyzed by the analyzing unit indicates that a print result based on the print data is to be printed on multiple bundles of continuous form paper, the controller controls the printer to print, on at least last two pages of the currently set bundle of continuous form paper, information indicating an order of output of the bundle of continuous form paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Takayama, Satoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 9665054
    Abstract: A magnetic sheet transport apparatus according to an embodiment includes a transport path on which a magnetic sheet having a magnetic flux is transported. A magnetic member is disposed on the transport path. A separation unit is disposed on the magnetic member. The separation unit causes the magnetic sheet to be separated from the magnetic member so that the magnetic sheet being transported on the transport path is not pushed onto the magnetic member by the magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazufumi Ishida
  • Patent number: 9557688
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion transferring a toner image to a sheet, and a sheet guide portion guiding the sheet to the transfer portion. The sheet guide portion includes a resin member and a conductive member. The conductive member is provided to be in contact with the sheet to which the toner image is being transferred by the transfer portion and on a surface of the resin member so as to be grounded through the resin member, and has a volume resistivity which is lower than that of the resin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Tajiri
  • Patent number: 9541894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes a main body (10), a recording medium accommodating section (20), a paper feed section (30), an upstream conveyance section (60), an image forming section (40), a downstream conveyance section (70), a reverse conveyance section (P2), a covering member (80), and a movable guide section (90). The downstream conveyance section (70) includes an ejection section (50) and a reversing section (73). The covering member (80) moves between a closed position where the upstream conveyance section (60) is composed and an open position where the upstream conveyance section (60) is exposed. The movable guide section (90) moves between a first position where the downstream conveyance section (70) is composed and a second position where the downstream conveyance section is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Ono
  • Patent number: 9477184
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising sheet cassettes accommodating different kinds of sheets, respectively; an image forming station for forming images on the sheets fed from the accommodating portions in response to image formation instructions; a heater for heating the images on the sheets; an acquiring portion for acquiring information corresponding to kinds of the sheets; a controller configured to control a target temperature when the heater heats the image on the sheet, on the basis of the information; a selector for selecting one of modes including a first mode in which the target temperatures are set for the kinds of the sheets, respectively and a second mode in which the target temperatures are set commonly to the kinds of the sheets, wherein the controller sets the target temperature of the heater in a stand-by state, at a common temperature, when the selector selects the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiro Nishino
  • Patent number: 9436134
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring member and a guiding part. The transferring member is configured to form a transferring nip with an image carrier and to transfer a toner image from the image carrier to a sheet at the transferring nip. The guiding part has an upper guiding member and a lower guiding member which are disposed oppositely to both faces of the sheet in a vertical direction along a sheet conveying path toward the transferring nip. The lower guiding member has a movable lower guiding plate and a plurality of elastic members. The movable lower guiding plate is made of a thin elastic material. The plurality of elastic members are disposed along a sheet width direction crossing the sheet conveying direction and supports the movable lower guiding plate to be displaceable in a direction apart from the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Sueaki Okamoto, Sadanori Nakae
  • Patent number: 9360820
    Abstract: Printing apparatuses include, among other components, a media path transporting sheets of print media in a process direction. A transfer station is located at a first location of the media path, and a fusing station is located at a second location of the media path (the second location is closer to the end of the media path (in the process direction) relative to the first location). Also, a single blower is located adjacent the fusing station, and two outlets receive air from the single blower. A first outlet (of the two outlets) provides air to the transfer station to reduce the temperature of the transfer station, and a second outlet (of the two outlets) is located between the transfer station and the fusing station and directs the sheets of print media toward one side of the media path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Pearce, Christopher Francois David Watts, Simon Neil Jowett
  • Patent number: 9256171
    Abstract: A fusing device and an image forming apparatus including the fusing device are provided, the fusing device having a structure that ensures a stable transport of a printing medium by preventing a printing medium from deviating from a transport path between a transfer nip and a fusing nip. The fusing device includes a heating member, a pressing member to contact the heating member to form a fusing nip, and a guide member to guide a printing medium to the fusing nip. An end of the guide member is shaped such that a height of the end decreases as the end extends from a center thereof to opposite sides thereof, and disposed closer to the heating member than to the pressing member, with respect to an imaginary line extending from the fusing nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Cheol Moon, Dae Won Kang
  • Patent number: 9164478
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a transfer-receiving member conveyed from a first side to a second side, and a fixing device disposed on a side of the image forming unit closer to the second side, and configured to fix the image formed on the transfer-receiving member. A conveying path formation member is configured to form a conveying path along which the transfer-receiving member is conveyed from the image forming unit to the fixing device. The conveying path formation member includes a first member having first through holes in the up-down direction, and a second member having second through holes in the up-down direction, wherein the second member faces the first member such that the second through holes do not overlap the first through holes when projected in the up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuo Hirose
  • Patent number: 9141065
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an electrophotographic image forming unit which forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit which thermally fixes the image; an insulating chute disposed between the image forming unit and the fixing unit, including: a guide face and a back face, and configured to guide the image-formed recording medium to the fixing unit; and a planar metal member disposed on the back face and expanding to a first end edge portion as an edge portion of one of end portions of the chute nearer to the fixing unit. The metal member includes a second end edge portion that is an edge portion of one of end portions of the metal member nearer to the fixing unit. The second end edge portion has an acute angle in cross section as viewed in a widthwise direction of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotaka Mori
  • Patent number: 9098045
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller configured to form a nip portion; and a sheet guide that is configured to guide a recording sheet. The sheet guide comprises: a conductor configured to face the recording sheet, and insulating ribs that are arranged corresponding to a printing area of the recording sheet in a width direction and are configured to protrude from the conductor to guide the recording sheet. The conductor comprises: a central portion, and a pair of end portions and are configured to protrude towards the recording sheet from a virtual plane extending from the central portion in the width direction. Protrusion amounts of the end portions with respect to the central portion are smaller than a protrusion amount of each rib from the central portion of the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Ozaki, Hideaki Deguchi, Keita Hironaka
  • Patent number: 9037025
    Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a transparent cylindrical body that is formed in a cylindrical shape to be rotatable, an opposing member that is arranged to oppose the transparent cylindrical body and forms a contact region in a portion between the transparent cylindrical body and the opposing member, a laser beam radiation device that is provided in an external portion of the transparent cylindrical body and radiates the laser beams, a light converging member that is provided in an internal portion of the transparent cylindrical body and is disposed to be in contact with portions of the transparent cylindrical body, and a liquid filling body that fills an air interface layer between a portion of the transparent cylindrical body and the light converging member, with a transparent liquid enabling the laser beams to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Kodera
  • Patent number: 9008567
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member that transfers a toner image to a surface of a recording medium, a transport member that transports the recording medium, with the surface of the recording medium on which the toner image has been transferred by the transfer member facing down, a fixing member that fixes the toner image onto the recording medium while nipping and transporting the recording medium, and a guide member that contacts a back side of the recording medium to guide the recording medium toward the fixing member, the guide member having a clearance part, the clearance part being formed in a portion that guides an outer side portion of a width direction of the recording medium, the clearance part being so shaped as to be clear of the back side of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Satoh, Hirokatsu Sugawara
  • Patent number: 8971789
    Abstract: A development device includes a development part configured to develop a developer image on a surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier based on an image signal, a transfer part configured to transfer the developer image to a medium; and a guide part configured to regulate a contact of the medium, on which the developer image has been transferred and been exited, to a housing of the development part, and to guide the medium to a carrying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Shinjiro Hara
  • Patent number: 8965267
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet; a printing unit configured to drive a developing device accommodating developer therein, supply the developer from the developing device to a photosensitive member having an electrostatic latent image formed thereon to thus form a developer image, and transfer the developer image onto the sheet, in accordance with the conveyance of the sheet by the conveyance unit; a first acquisition unit configured to acquire a remaining life span of the developing device based on a driving amount of the developing device; and an adjusting unit configured to adjust a distance between the sheets being conveyed by the conveyance unit based on the remaining life span of the developing device acquired by the first acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fei Cheng
  • Patent number: 8965230
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fuser member, a rotatable pressure member, a heater, and a controller. The rotatable fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotatable pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The pressure member presses against the fuser member to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which multiple recording media, each spaced apart from each other by an interval distance in a conveyance direction, are sequentially conveyed at a conveyance speed. The heater is disposed adjacent to the fuser member to heat the fuser member. The controller is operatively connected to the heater to control power supply to the heater through a series of on-off switching control cycles, each including an on-time during which the heater power supply is on, and an off-time during which the heater power supply is off, in synchronization with conveyance of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryota Yamashina, Hiroshi Seo, Ippei Fujimoto, Takumi Waida
  • Patent number: 8934831
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a developing unit and a fusing unit are arranged to horizontally face the developing unit. A printing path between the developing unit and the fusing unit includes a guide unit having a downward slope to guide a printing medium immediately having passed through the transfer nip and an upward slope to guide the printing medium approaching the fusing nip. The fusing nip is located lower than the transfer nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Ha Choi
  • Patent number: 8923737
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a light irradiation portion that irradiates a recording medium transported to a predefined position with light, a power supply member that is disposed at a position which is irradiated with light with a first intensity of light emitted from the light irradiation portion in a state in which the recording medium is disposed at the predefined position and which is irradiated with light with a second intensity larger than the first intensity of light in a state in which the recording medium is not disposed at the predefined position, and that changes a physical property thereof so as to reduce the supply of power when the power supply member is continuously irradiated with the light with the second intensity for a predefined time or more, and a power supply portion that supplies power to the light irradiation portion via the power supply member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20140376950
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to carry a toner image. A transfer unit is configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto a recording sheet. A fixing unit is configured to fix the toner image transferred at the transfer unit onto the recording sheet. Through a conveyance path, the recording sheet is conveyed from the transfer unit to the fixing unit. A conveyance guide member is disposed in the conveyance path on an image formation surface side of the recording sheet. A fan is configured to send air from the transfer unit to the conveyance path toward a gap defined between the conveyance guide member and the transfer unit so as to form a flow of air in the conveyance path from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the recording sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi HARA, Hidetoshi NOGUCHI, Satoru SHIBUYA, Takahiro KURODA
  • Patent number: 8908243
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to from a measurement image on a recording paper by a color material, a fixing unit configured to fix the measurement image onto the recording paper by heating, a measurement unit configured to measure the measurement image fixed onto the recording paper downstream of the fixing unit in a conveyance direction of the recording paper, and a control unit configured to perform control such that a period of time from when the recording paper passes through the fixing unit until the measurement unit measures color of the measurement image is longer than a period of time from when the recording paper passes through the fixing unit until the measurement unit measures density of the measurement image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichi Takemura
  • Patent number: 8897683
    Abstract: Fixing systems, printing apparatuses and methods for fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing systems includes a pre-heating device for pre-heating a substrate and marking material disposed on a surface of the substrate; a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device, the fixing device including fixing members which oppose each other and form a fixing nip; and a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the fixing members; wherein the fixing members apply pressure and thermal energy to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the fixing nip to fix the toner to the substrate; and a conditioning device positioned (a) upstream from the pre-heating device, (b) between the pre-heating device and the fixing device, or (c) downstream from the fixing device. The conditioning device includes conditioning members which oppose each other and form a conditioning nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Shu Chang, Dale R. Mashtare, Richard W. Seyfried, John F. Knapp, Grace T. Brewington, Anthony S. Condello
  • Patent number: 8886104
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing drum having a heating heater internally equipped therein, the fixing drum positioned spaced part and downstream from a sheet delivery site at a downstream-most side of printing units and is adapted to rotate at a peripheral speed identical to a speed of travel of the sheet of paper. A first sprocket is positioned adjoining the sheet delivery site at the downstream-most side of the printing units, and a second sprocket is positioned coaxially with the fixing drum and being adapted to rotate integrally with the fixing drum. A conveyer chain having a gripper is wound around and engaging with the first and second sprockets to wind and convey a sheet of paper on a peripheral surface of the fixing drum upon gripping in turn with the gripper the sheet of paper traveling from the sheet delivery site at the downstream-most side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Junichi Setoyama, Kenji Takahashi, Masaru Kusanagi
  • Patent number: 8874021
    Abstract: A mechanism for guiding a recording medium into a nip formed between a first rotary member subjected to heating, and a second rotary member pressed against the first rotary member includes a guide member and a biasing member. The guide member is disposed upstream from the nip to guide the recording medium therealong. The biasing member is connected to the guide member to mechanically bias the guide member. The guide member is subjected to a constant biasing force from the biasing member and to a pressure force from the recording medium. The pressure force is opposite the biasing force and variable with a stiffness of the recording medium being guided. The guide member is movable to different operational positions depending on the biasing and pressure forces acting thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohta Sakaya, Yasuhide Ohkubo, Tamotsu Ikeda, Yoshiharu Takahashi, Chikara Hiraoka, Toshio Ogiso
  • Patent number: 8862046
    Abstract: A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ichiki, Yasuki Tanaka, Motoyuki Yagi
  • Patent number: 8855544
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which a recording paper to which a toner has been transferred is guided by a guide member and transported to a nip region between two rotatable members that are pressed against each other, and the toner on the recording paper is fixed at the nip region. In this image forming apparatus, a conductive or semiconductive region and an insulating region that are to be brought into contact with the recording paper are sequentially arranged in a recording paper transport direction on a guide face of the guide member, the conductive or semiconductive region is grounded, and the insulating region includes an end portion of the guide member oriented in the recording paper transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kousuke Namisaki, Kohichi Yamauchi, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8849174
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image to a visible image by use of toner, a fuser unit configured to fuse toner on a printing medium, a fuser driving unit configured to drive the fuser unit, and a waste toner storage unit configured to receive and store waste toner, which is generated from the developing unit, wherein the waste toner storage unit operates by receiving power from the fuser driving unit such that a separate driving unit for the waste toner storage unit is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoo Hung Jeong
  • Patent number: 8849179
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer an image to a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix, to the recording material, the image transferred to the recording material, a first curvature detection unit located between the transfer unit and the fixing unit and configured to adjust an amount of curvature of the recording material to a first amount of curvature, and a second curvature detection unit located between the transfer unit and the fixing unit and configured to adjust the amount of curvature of the recording material to a second amount of curvature, wherein the second curvature detection unit is located in a position different from the first curvature detection unit in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sahara
  • Patent number: 8843053
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: an image carrying unit on which a toner image is carried; a transfer unit that transfers a toner image carried by the image carrying unit onto a sheet at a transferring position; a sheet conveyor unit that conveys the sheet having the toner image transferred thereto by the transfer unit; a suction device that sucks the sheet to the sheet conveyor unit; and a controller that stops or reduces a sucking operation of the suction device where the toner image carried by the image carrying unit passes the transferring position without being transferred onto the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuhei Takei
  • Patent number: 8838012
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a stretched rotatable belt member; a transfer device for forming a transfer portion where a toner image is transferred from the image bearing member onto a recording material carried and conveyed on the belt member; a separation roller capable of separating the recording material from the belt member; a push-up device capable of pushing up a belt surface locally with respect to a widthwise direction of the belt member to separate the recording material from the belt member; and an execution portion for executing, when an abnormality occurs during an image forming operation, an operation in a stop mode in which the belt member is, after the image forming operation is stopped, rotated in a push-up state of the push-up device and then the rotation of the belt member is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuusuke Torimaru
  • Patent number: 8837998
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing nip and a guide member to guide a recording medium transported through a recording media transport pathway to the fixing nip, disposed upstream from the fixing nip in a direction in which the recording medium is transported and facing an unfixed-image side of the recording media. The guide member includes a guide face, the guide face including a first guide face and a second guide face located where at least a trailing-edge of the recording medium approaches the guide member as the recording medium is transported through the recording media transport pathway and which is inclined with respect to the first guide face away from the recording media transport pathway, and a first spur rotatably provided on the guide member and projecting into the recording media transport pathway from a connection portion between the first guide face and the second guide face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kohta Sakaya
  • Patent number: 8814290
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a support member, a recording head, a surface modifying apparatus, a conveyor unit, and a control unit. The surface modifying apparatus executes surface modification processing to modify a surface of the recording medium at a processing position disposed on an upstream side of the support member. The conveyor unit intermittently passes the recording medium through the processing position at a prescribed passage velocity by feeding the recording medium from the upstream side of the conveyance path to the processing position. The control unit is capable of providing a processing execution signal to the surface modifying apparatus, and provides the processing execution signal to the surface modifying apparatus for a prescribed time within a wait time from when passage of the recording medium through the processing position stops until the recording medium starts passing through the processing position at the prescribed passage velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Akihiro Toya, Hiroyuki Santo, Hideyuki Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 8818212
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus having a suction conveying portion, including a belt member arranged between a transfer portion and a fixing unit, for conveying sheet while suctioning at a conveying face of the belt member, a moving portion which moves the upstream side of a conveying face or downward, and a position controller which controls operation of the moving portion to move the upstream side of the conveying face to a position being close to the transfer portion from a receiving position after sheet fed from the transfer portion is received by the suction conveying portion which is located at the receiving position being apart from the transfer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Iwakawa
  • Patent number: 8818223
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a heat source, a fixing rotating body, a pressurizing rotating body, a feeding section for feeding a medium, a temperature adjusting section for controlling an amount of heat generated by the heat source, and a control section. The control section switches between a first mode in which the fixing rotating body and the pressurizing rotating body rotate at a first circumferential speed and the medium is fed to the image forming section at a first distance interval, and a second mode in which the fixing rotating body and the pressurizing rotating body rotate at a second circumferential speed higher than the first circumferential speed and the medium is fed to the image forming section at a second distance interval longer than the first distance interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryohei Matsuo, Toshiya Aoki
  • Publication number: 20140234001
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer portion for transferring an image onto a sheet at a transfer nip; a fixing portion for fixing the image on the sheet at a fixing nip; a sheet feeding guide, provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion, having a sheet guide surface; a sheet detecting portion provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion; and a controller for controlling a sheet feeding speed of at least one of the transfer portion and the fixing portion depending on an output of the sheet detecting portion so that a feeding attitude of the sheet sandwiched at both of the transfer nip and the fixing nip is maintained in a predetermined feeding attitude. The sheet guide surface of the sheet feeding guide has a most recessed region in a region between the transfer portion and the sheet detecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Fuse, Wataru Uchida, Jun Agata, Daisuke Takamura, Masatoshi Yoshida, Tomooku Koyama, Taisuke Minagawa
  • Patent number: 8805269
    Abstract: A sensor includes: a light emitting part that emits light; a light receiving part that receives reflected light, which is emitted from the light emitting part, is reflected, and returns; and plural arranged fiber bodies that are disposed on a front side of at least one of the light emitting part and the light receiving part and operate as a filter limiting an emission angle or a light receiving angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Aoyagi