Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090317154 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - Fixing belt is brought into pressure-contact with the surface of fixing roller such that fixing belt rotates according to rotation of fixing roller, thereby forming, between fixing belt and fixing roller, fixing nip portion through which recording sheets pass. A pressing area of an opposing surface of pressing member contacting the surface of fixing roller via fixing belt is smaller in each end portion of the opposing surface in the axis direction of fixing roller than in a central portion of the opposing surface in the axis direction of fixing roller. This makes speed of conveying recording sheets faster in each edge portion in the width direction perpendicular to a recording sheet conveyance direction than in a central portion in the width direction. Thus, creases of recording sheets can be prevented while a recording sheet passes through fixing nip portion between fixing roller and fixing belt mutually brought into pressure-contact. | 12-24-2009 |
20100209151 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device has a heating roller and a pressure belt. Surface hardness of the pressure belt is higher than surface hardness of the heating roller. An overall length of the pressure belt is longer than an overall length of a rubber layer of the heating roller. Both ends of the pressure belt are positioned outside both ends of the rubber layer of the heating roller. Thereby, the heating roller is improved in service life, so that the fixing device as a whole is improved in service life. | 08-19-2010 |
20100209152 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device has a presser member, a heating roller and a pressure belt. An overall length of the presser member is longer than an overall length of a rubber layer of the heating roller. Both ends of the presser member are positioned outside both ends of the rubber layer of the heating roller. An overall length of the presser member is longer than an overall length of the pressure belt. Both ends of the presser member are positioned outside both ends of the pressure belt. Thereby, the heating roller and the pressure belt are improved in service life, so that the fixing device as a whole is improved in service life. | 08-19-2010 |
20100209153 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device has a presser member, a slide member and a pressure belt. Both ends of the presser member are positioned outside both ends of the slide member. Both ends of the slide member are positioned outside both ends of the pressure belt. Thereby, the slide member and the pressure belt are improved in service life, so that the fixing device as a whole is improved in service life. | 08-19-2010 |
20100215416 | PRESSER MEMBER, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first pad has a first nip forming surface which extends in a direction X. An angle formed between an end portion of the first nip forming surface and an XZ plane is smaller than an angle formed between a central portion of the first nip forming surface and the XZ plane, where the XZ plane is formed on a downstream side of the first nip forming surface. Thereby, a fixing device is provided which suppresses generation of wrinkles on a recording material when the fixing device fixes toner on the recording material and conveys it. | 08-26-2010 |
20100290823 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet passing through a fixing nip formed by pressing a pressing member against an inside surface of a pressure belt via a low friction sheet, so that an outside surface of the pressure belt presses against a fixing member, wherein the pressing member includes a first pressing part having an elastic front face, and (ii) a second pressing part whose front face presses against a rear face of the first pressing part, the low friction sheet extends from a portion thereof pressed by the front face against the pressure belt, to an upstream end thereof, along a lateral side of the first pressing part, the upstream end being upstream from the other end with respect to a rotation direction of the pressure belt and sandwiched between the rear face and the front face by pressure. | 11-18-2010 |
20100296849 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet passing through a fixing nip formed by pressing a pressing member against an inside surface of a pressure belt via a low friction sheet, so that an outside surface of the pressure belt presses against a fixing member, wherein the pressing member includes a first pressing part whose front-side portion is an elastic pressing part, and a second pressing part whose front face presses against a rear face of the first pressing part, the second pressing part has a side wall near an upstream portion of the first pressing part that is upstream from the front-side portion with respect to a rotation direction of the pressure belt, and an upstream end of the low friction sheet, upstream from the other end with respect to the rotation direction, is sandwiched between the side wall and the upstream portion. | 11-25-2010 |
20110222894 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt including, on an inner circumference side thereof, a resistance heating layer, extending over entire circumference of the fixing belt, operable to emit heat upon flowing of an electric current therethrough; a pressing member operable to press an outer circumference of the fixing belt to form a fixing nip therebetween so that, while the recording sheet passes through the fixing nip, the toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet; and a pair of power supply members arranged inside the fixing belt along the circumferential direction with a predetermined distance therebetween, the power supply members being in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer in an electrically conductive state along a direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction. | 09-15-2011 |
20110222932 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes: a heating rotary member having a heating layer generating heat upon current application; a pressurizing rotary member brought into pressure-contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary member to form fixing nip, through which a sheet on which unfixed toner image is formed passes for heat fixing; circular electrodes that are circumferentially formed at two respective positions sandwiching a sheet passing region therebetween, on the outer circumferential surface, and feed electrical power to the heating layer, the electrodes are each metallic and formed of at least two electrode layers including a first electrode layer layered directly on the heating layer and a second electrode layer as an outermost layer, linear expansion coefficient difference between the first layer and the heating layer is smaller than that between the second layer and the heating layer, and the second layer is more oxidation-resistant than the first layer. | 09-15-2011 |
20110293340 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image onto a recording sheet by causing the sheet to pass through a fixing nip. The fixing device includes: heat belt formed in an endless shape and provided with a resistance heat layer; first pressure member provided inside a running path of the heat belt; and second pressure member pressing the first pressure member from over the running path to form the fixing nip. At least one of the first and second pressure members is rotating body. The heat belt has a pressure-receiving area and two non-pressure areas. The pressure-receiving area receives pressures from both the first and second pressure members. The non-pressure areas have been arranged at outside of the pressure-receiving area in an axis direction of the rotating body. Two ring-like electrodes have been formed on circumferential surfaces of the non-pressure areas and are used to supply power to the resistance heat layer. | 12-01-2011 |
20110299900 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device thermally fixes an unfixed image on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has: a heat-generating endless belt; a first pressure member inside a running path of the endless belt; a second pressure member pressing the endless belt against the first pressure member from outside the running path to form the fixing nip, and a pair of power feeders. The endless belt includes: a circumferential resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a first electrode and a second electrode flanking a sheet passing area of the circumferential surface of the endless belt. Each electrode is composed of a pair of electrode layers, one on the inner and another on the outer circumferential surface of the resistive heat layer. Each power feeder is in contact with both the electrode layers of a different electrode. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299901 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has: a heat-generating endless belt having, on a circumferential surface thereof, a sheet passing area through which the recording sheet passes; a first pressure member disposed inside a running path of the endless belt; and a second pressure member disposed to press the endless belt against the first pressure member from outside the running path to form the fixing nip. The endless belt includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers that receive electric current. The electrode layers flank the sheet passing area. The resistive heat layer is in contact with the electrode layers at a different one of end faces opposing each other in a width direction of the resistive heat layer. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299902 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip. The fixing device has a heat-generating endless belt that includes: a resistive heat layer that generates heat upon receiving electric current; and a pair of electrode layers each disposed along a different one of widthwise edges of the heat-generating endless belt. The resistive heat layer has (i) reduced thickness portions each along a widthwise edge thereof and (ii) a middle portion between the reduced thickness portions. Each reduced thickness portion is thinner than the middle portion and connected to the middle portion with a wall surface upright in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the heat-generating endless belt to define a stair shape. Each electrode layer is disposed on the resistive heat layer to be in contact with a corresponding one of the wall surfaces. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299903 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Disclosed is a fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image onto the recording sheet, the fixing device comprising: a fixing belt; and a meander regulation member provided adjacent to an edge of the fixing belt in a width direction thereof, and operable to prevent meandering of the fixing belt, wherein the fixing belt includes: a resistive heat layer that is tubular and generates heat when an electric current is applied thereto; and first and second electrodes that are provided circumferentially on an outer circumferential surface of the resistive heat layer, and that receive and apply the electric current to the resistive heat layer, and the first electrode is provided closer to the meander regulation member than to the second electrode, and is at a distance from the edge of the fixing belt in the width direction thereof. | 12-08-2011 |
20120155912 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image formed on a sheet by passing the sheet through a fixing nip, the fixing device comprising: a pair of ring-shaped electrodes each disposed along a different one of edges of endless belt and flanking a sheet-passing region on an external circumferential surface of the belt; and a pair of power feeders each being in contact with a different one of the ring-shaped electrodes at a contact area and feeding power to a resistive heat layer included in the belt, at least one of the power feeders being located at a position upstream from the fixing nip in a rotation direction of the belt and allowing a portion of the belt between the fixing nip and the contact area to be in close contact with the first roller while the belt is being rotated. | 06-21-2012 |
20130101302 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device thermally fixes an unfixed toner image onto a recording sheet and includes: a rotatable heating element that is endless and includes a resistive heating layer that generates heat upon application of voltage; a power source for placing voltage across the resistive heating layer; an ammeter for measuring the electric current flowing through the resistive heating layer, and a controller for determining whether the resistive heating layer has a scratch by monitoring an amount of change between a value of electric current that flows through the resistive heating in absence of a scratch and a value of electric current actually measured by the ammeter. The resistive heating layer exhibits resistivity anisotropy satisfying R104-25-2013 | |
20130108287 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 05-02-2013 |
20130236199 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet, comprising: a heating rotor including a cylindrical resistance heating layer, and fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet by thermal fusion bonding using heat generated by the resistance heating layer supplied with power; a power supply unit supplying power to the resistance heating layer; an elongated heat sensitive resistor extending along an entire length of an axis of the resistance heating layer, located to face a portion of a circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer, and exhibiting a change in resistance according to a temperature of the portion of the resistance heating layer; and an abnormal heat determination unit determining whether the temperature of the portion has reached an abnormal temperature by detecting the change in resistance of the heat sensitive resistor, the abnormal temperature possibly causing damage to the resistance heating layer. | 09-12-2013 |
20140360252 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PATTERN SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF LOCATING COMPONENT - There is provided a method of manufacturing a pattern substrate in which a pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate. The manufacturing method includes a step of preparing the substrate and a step of arranging a liquid-repellent or lyophilic material on the surface of the substrate so as to form the pattern on the surface of the substrate in which the surface of the substrate has a liquid-repellent region and a lyophilic region, the pattern is formed by one of the liquid-repellent region and the lyophilic region and the pattern is used to locate a component by the surface tension of a liquid member. | 12-11-2014 |