| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 399327000 | Cleaning of fixing member | 77 |
| 20080226363 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus is provided with a fixing roller that fixes a toner image that has been transferred onto a paper, a cleaning member that cleans a circumferential surface of the fixing roller using a metal roller that is idly rotated by contacting the circumferential surface of the fixing roller, a drive control means that, at a predetermined timing, sets a rotation velocity of the fixing roller to high-speed rotation that is faster by a predetermined velocity than a rotation velocity during print processing, a load torque detection means that detects a load torque of a drive source of the fixing roller, and a determination means that determines an extent of smearing of the cleaning member based on a load torque detected by the load torque detection means during high-speed rotation by the drive control means. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090003898 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device including a cleaning member that moves in a predetermined direction and is in contact with a cleaning target that moves in a predetermined direction and which is directly or indirectly heated by a heater, to remove toner particles on a surface of the cleaning target. A contact surface of the cleaning member with the cleaning target includes a plurality of regions of different toner-releasing ability. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090010687 | FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE FIXING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a charger; a light irradiator; a developing device; a transfer device; an image bearing member's cleaner; and a fixing device, wherein the fixing device includes a fixing member configured to fix a toner image upon application of heat and pressure thereto; a pressing member configured to press the recording material toward the fixing member; and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the fixing member and/or the pressing member, wherein the cleaning member has an outermost layer including a reactive material which increases viscoelasticity of a binder resin of the toner by reacting with the binder resin. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090123200 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RELEASE AGENT APPLICATION AND CLEANING OF A FUSER SURFACE USING A RELEASE AGENT IMPREGNATED WEB - An apparatus and method to condition the fuser surface of a fusing or transfusing apparatus for a toner based printing system is described. The apparatus and method integrate the functions of cleaning paper debris and residual toner from the fuser (or transfuse) surface on one hand and the application of a release agent such as silicone oil on the other hand using a single release agent impregnated web. The inventive device includes a release agent application roller and a cleaning roller where the outer surfaces and are selected in preferred embodiments for their respective wetting properties with respect to the release agent used. The fuser surface conditioning device increases the useful life for a fusing or transfusing roll or belt even when low amounts of release agent are applied to the fusing surface such that the amount of release agent that is transferred to the print media is in the range of 0.5 to 5 mg/A4 sheet. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090148203 | FUSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - To provide a fusing unit including a fusing roller for fixing an unfixed toner image to a sheet and a fusing roller cleaning unit including a web sheet delivering roller for supplying a web sheet and a winding roller for taking up the web sheet for cleaning the fusing roller, the fusing roller cleaning unit includes a web detecting terminal for detecting the presence of the web sheet and a tension roller for guiding the web sheet, on the upstream side of a pressure roller with respect to the web sheet's direction of conveyance and first and second guide rollers, the second guide roller being disposed upstream of the web detecting terminal. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090274498 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR STABLY APPLYING OIL FOR FIXING - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, and an oil applier. In the oil applier, an oil application member applies oil supplied from an oil supply mechanism to one of the fixing member and the pressing member. In the oil supply mechanism, an oil storage member is provided above and adjacent to one of an oil supply member and the oil application member to supply oil overflowing the oil storage member, when oil is put into the oil storage member through an oil inlet, to one of the oil supply member and the oil application member. The oil supply member provided adjacent to the oil storage member supplies oil sent from the oil storage member to the oil application member. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090285608 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FUSER WEB MATERIAL ADVANCEMENT IN AN IMAGE PRODUCTION UNIT - A method and apparatus that automatically advances fuser web material in an image production unit is disclosed. The method may include receiving a signal to advance fuser web material, retrieving stored fuser web material position information, automatically advancing the fuser web material a predetermined amount to expose unused fuser web material, and storing updated fuser web material position information. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090297234 | PRESSURE ROLLER INTERFRAME OIL CLEANING DEVICE AND METHOD - A fuser assembly for an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus including a fuser roller, a pressure roller, and a pressure roller cleaner for cleaning the pressure roller. The pressure roller cleaner has an absorbent portion and a drive mechanism for moving the pressure roller cleaner relative to the pressure roller such that the pressure roller cleaner is selectively located proximate the pressure roller to absorb oil. A controller selectively activates the drive mechanism to move the pressure roller cleaner. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090304420 | CHEMICALLY-TREATED CLEANING WEB - A fuser debris inhibiting system and apparatus using an impregnated cleaning web. This web is impregnated with materials of: succinic acid, DPTA, HEDTA, NTA, DMSA or their salts. The web can contact the fuser member directly or can contact external heat rolls which in turn contact the fuser roll. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090311015 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a fixing device including a fixing roller, a pressure roller and an external heating section, a scraper is arranged to contact a circumferential surface of an external heating belt and scrape toner and the like on the circumferential surface to thereby clean the circumferential surface. In addition, a material that has higher adherence to toner than on a circumferential surface of the fixing roller is used for the external hating belt to thereby peel the toner and the like on the circumferential surface of the fixing roller and clean the circumferential surface of the fixing roller. Further, as a vibration applying section adapted to apply vibration to the scraper, a first contact/separation section adapted to contact/separate the external heating section with/from the fixing roller is provided. Vibration is applied to the scraper by the first contact/separation to peel the toner and the like off the scraper. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20100008704 | CLEANING APPARATUS USING WEB SHEET - A cleaning apparatus using a web sheet includes: a send-out roller that is wound with the web sheet; a take-up roller that is connected to an end of the web sheet; and a rotation-regulating and canceling portion that regulates rotation of the send-out roller and cancels the regulation according to tension of the web sheet between the send-out roller and the take-up roller; wherein the web sheet is sent out from the send-out roller and taken up by the take-up roller, the web sheet is brought into contact with another roller during the sending out and taking up operation, and extraneous matters that have adhered to the other roller are removed. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100061778 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a fixing apparatus employing an external heating method in which a scratch on a belt member and slippage of the belt member are prevented. The fixing apparatus includes: a fixing roller; a pressure member pressed against the fixing roller; an endless belt which is rotatably supported and contacts the fixing roller surface for heating the fixing roller; and heating means for heating the endless belt. By passing a recording material through a nip between the fixing roller and the pressure member, the fixing apparatus fixes an unfixed toner image on the recording material on which the unfixed toner image is transferred. The fixing apparatus further includes a cleaning member for removing dirt adhered to a surface of the endless belt by contacting the surface of the endless belt in a region where the endless belt is not supported. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100092219 | FUSER APPARATUS HAVING FUSER CLEANER WEB AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Disclosed are methods of controlling a speed of a fuser cleaner web in a fuser apparatus, and the corresponding fuser apparatus. The method utilizes a fuser cleaner web for cleaning a fuser roll and being disposed between the fuser roll and a web nip roll, the fuser cleaner web being unwound from a web supply roll and wound onto a take up roll, the take up roll being driven by a motor. The method determines an angular displacement of the motor from a start of the fuser cleaner web being unwound from the web supply roll, and controls a speed of the motor to maintain a substantially constant fuser cleaner web speed, wherein the speed of the motor is controlled based on the determined angular displacement of the motor and a changing diameter of the take up roll, the changing diameter of the take up roll including a diameter of the fuser cleaner web as it is wound onto the take up roll. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100111578 | APPARATUS FOR CLEANING FUSER ROLL - In a printer for forming toner images on a photoreceptor, the printer including a heated fuser roll with an elastomer-coated surface, an external heating roll, in contact with the heated fuser roll, the external heating roll includes a braking mechanism for generating frictional contact with the heated fuser roll thereby improving fuser cleaning | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100166469 | System and Drive Arrangement for Using Fuser Temperature Cycling to Change Rotational Position of a Fuser Roller Wiper - A system and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper includes a frame, a hot roll, a fuser roller, and a drive arrangement. The frame of the fuser unit has side panels spaced apart from one another and positioned alongside a media path through the fuser unit. The hot roll on the fuser unit is rotatably mounted to the side panels of the frame and extends between the side panels across the media path. The fuser roller wiper is rotatably mounted between the side panels of the frame and performs a wiping action on the hot roll to remove foreign matter therefrom and supply of lubricant thereto. The drive arrangement is coupled to the fuser roller wiper and is operable in response to decrease in temperature of the fuser unit to rotate the fuser roller wiper. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100183345 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING SAME - A fixing device of the present invention includes: an external heating belt which is to contact with a surface of a fixing roller so as to heat up the fixing roller; and a cleaning member (a scraper and/or cleaning pad) which is to contact with the external heating belt. The cleaning pad which is impregnated with silicone oil is to contact with a surface of the external heating belt, thereby applying the silicone oil (release agent) to the surface of the external heating belt. This makes it possible to prevent generation of an offset. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100183346 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING SAME - No covering layer is provided onto that abutting surface of an external heating belt which has contact with a cleaning member. Accordingly, a belt substrate is exposed and has contact with the cleaning member. This suppresses the occurrence of offset in a fixing device including (i) the external heating belt for having contact with the surface of the fixing roller so as to heat a fixing roller, and (ii) the cleaning member having contact with the external heating belt. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100232849 | IMAGE FIXING APPARATUS - The image fixing apparatus forms a cleaning nip portion by pressing a web roll-up portion on a fixing rotation member with a feeding roller, a used portion for cleaning of the web is fed from a cleaning nip portion formation area, and during non-cleaning, a roller is at a waiting position at which the roller is further from the fixing rotation member than a position during cleaning so as to separate the web roll-up portion from the fixing rotation member. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce degradation of a cleaning ability due to a toner component held by the used portion of the cleaning web. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100260523 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus for forming an unfixed toner image on a sheet includes a fixing unit including a fixing roller, a back-up member for cooperating with the fixing roller to form a nip therebetween, and a rotatable heating member contactable to a surface of the fixing roller to heat the fixing roller; wherein the sheet is outputted from the apparatus after the unfixed toner image is fixed on the sheet, wherein the apparatus is operable in a cleaning mode for cleaning the fixing unit, wherein when the cleaning mode is selected, a predetermined unfixed toner image is formed on the sheet, and the sheet is fed to the fixing unit, and the toner is transferred from the sheet onto the fixing roller in the fixing nip, and then the toner transferred onto the fixing roller is brought into contact to the heating member, and thereafter, the toner on the fixing roller is transferred onto the sheet in the fixing nip. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100310288 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming station for forming an unfixed toner image on a recording material; a fixing station for fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material, the fixing station including a rotatable member for forming a fixing nip for nipping and feeding the recording material, and a cleaner, movable toward and away from the rotatable member, for cleaning the rotatable member, wherein the apparatus is operable in a blankless image formation mode for forming the toner image without blank at least at one of a leading end and a trailing end of the recording material, and wherein the cleaner is contacted to the rotatable member at timing at which a portion of the rotatable member to which a blankless range at the leading end or the trailing end of the recording material contact reaches a position where the portion opposes the cleaner, and wherein the cleaner spaces from the rotatable member in a period in which a portion of the rotatable member to which a range other than the blankless range contact passes the position where the portion opposes the cleaner. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110008081 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed cleaning device for removing adhering matter from a surface of a member subject to cleaning includes a belt-shaped film member arranged in a stretched configuration capable of being wound or endlessly move in a direction opposite to a surface movement direction of the member subject to cleaning while being in contact with the surface of the member subject to cleaning, and a cleaning blade configured to abut on the surface of the member subject to cleaning via the belt-shaped film member at a position where the belt-shaped film member is brought into contact with the member subject to cleaning. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110135352 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating a toner image on a recording material in a heating nip; a pressing rotatable member for forming the heating nip in contact with the heating rotatable member; a first external heating member, contacted to an outer peripheral surface of the heating rotatable member having passed through the heating nip, for heating the outer peripheral surface, wherein the first external heating member includes a parting layer at a surface where the first external heating member is contacted to the outer peripheral surface; and a second external heating member for heating the outer peripheral surface heated by the first external heating member, wherein the second external heating member includes a parting layer containing an electroconductive agent at a surface where the second external heating member is contacted to the outer peripheral surface. A contact angle of the parting layer of the first external heating member with respect to water is larger than that of the parting layer of the second external heating member, and a surface resistance of the second external heating member is lower than that of the first external heating member. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110182632 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion forming a toner image on a recording material, and a fixing portion heating and fixing the toner image formed on the recording material to the recording material, wherein the apparatus has a cleaning mode in which the fixing portion is cleaned, and when the cleaning mode is set, the image forming portion forms a predetermined toner image on the recording material, and the fixing portion then heats and fixes the predetermined toner image to the recording material to form a cleaning sheet which is heated and conveyed to clean the fixing portion. By the virtue of the present invention, it achieves high cleaning performance in which the fixing portion is cleaned by the cleaning sheet. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110211877 | FUSER OIL APPLICATOR AND CLEANER IN A SINGLE WEB CARTRIDGE SYSTEM IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH FUSER ROLL - According to aspects of the embodiments there is provided a cassette cleaning web having an agent metering tube that can apply oil via a drip pipe to a web as it enters a nip within the fusing surface. Dispensing the oil as it enters the nip increases the transportation and the holding capacity of the web. The cassette cleaning web can reduce the oil-on-copy to less than 3 mg/copy and more specifically to less than 1 mg/copy which would allow for adequate post finishing applications while still using amino functionalized fuser oil in the fuser subsystem. The cassette cleaning web reduces the contamination of the oil-sump because used web materials are wound up and oil or contaminate materials like wax, toner are retained in the spent web cartridge. This invention enables reduced oil-on-copy, eliminates the bulky and expensive release agent management system, and also provides a direct cleaning to the surface of the fuser roll. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110222924 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a foam fixer generator unit generating a foam fixer containing a softener softening toner by dissolving or swelling part of resin of the toner, an application roller carrying and transferring the foam fixer onto a recording sheet, a pressure roller applying pressure to a toner image on the recording sheet via the foam fixer on the application roller to fix the toner image on the recording sheet, a cleaning device removing residual components remaining on the application roller, a recording sheet detector unit detecting presence or absence of the recording sheet, a remover unit being in contact with and separated from the application roller to remove the foam fixer on the application roller, and a control unit controlling the contact-separation operation of the remover unit based on a detected result of a front end and/or a rear end of the recording sheet. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110229221 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The fixing apparatus is provided with a cleaning pad that is pressed against at least one of roller members composed of a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller and an external heating roller to clean a surface of the roller member, and the cleaning pad is composed of a pad member that cleans the surface of the roller member, and a support member that press the pad member against the surface of the roller member to support. The support member has a plurality of opening portions formed along a thrust direction of the roller member, and has a larger opening area per unit length of the support member at a center part of the support member than that at both edge parts thereof. For example, an interval of holes or slits is narrower at the center part of the support member than that at the both edge parts thereof. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110236082 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that extends along the first rotating member, sandwiches a recording medium with a toner image formed thereon between the first and second rotating members, rotates together with the first rotating member, and heats the recording medium to fix the toner image on the recording medium; a heating device whose circumferential surface circularly moves while contacting an external circumferential surface of the second rotating member, and the heating device heats the second rotating member; a temperature detecting device disposed to face the external circumferential surface of the second rotating member without contacting the external circumferential surface to detect a temperature thereof; and a cleaning device cleaning the circumferential surface of the heating device and disposed between the heating device and the temperature detecting device along the surface of the second rotating member. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236083 | FIXING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image formed on a recording material includes a rotatable member; a cleaning unit for cleaning the rotatable member, the cleaning unit including a cleaning fabric for cleaning the rotatable member, a feeding roller on which the cleaning fabric is wound, and a winding-up roller for winding up the cleaning fabric fed from the feeding roller; and a load applying mechanism for applying a retarding force against a winding-up operation of the winding-up roller such that when a frictional force between the rotatable member and the cleaning fabric which is in a standstill state and which is in contact with the rotatable member which is rotating exceeds the retarding force of the load applying mechanism, the winding-up roller rotates to wind up the cleaning fabric. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110243620 | FIXING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image formed on a recording material includes a fixing roller; a cleaning unit for cleaning the fixing roller, the cleaning unit including a first shaft, a second shaft, and cleaning fabric extended between the first shaft and the second shaft and wound on the first shaft and the second shaft to be fed out from the first shaft and wound up on the second shaft, wherein at the time of cleaning the fixing roller, an outer surface of the cleaning fabric wound on the first shaft contacts the fixing roller, and wherein an outer diameter of the cleaning fabric wound on the first shaft is larger than that wound on the second shaft irrespective of amount of the cleaning fabric on the first shaft. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110268481 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is capable of setting a cleaning mode in which a fixing portion is cleaned by a cleaning sheet while nip-conveying the cleaning sheet in a fixing nip. When the cleaning mode is set, an image forming apparatus provides a period in which a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member are rotated in a state in which a heater is controlled so that a surface temperature Th of the first rotatable member immediately after passing through the fixing nip is kept within a temperature range of Th≦Tf | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268482 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming an unfixed toner image on a recording material; and a fixing portion for heat-fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material while nip-conveying the recording material in a fixing nip, the fixing portion includes a first rotatable member contactable to the unfixed toner image, and a second rotatable member contacted to the first rotatable member to form the fixing nip between itself and the first rotatable member. The image forming apparatus is capable of setting a cleaning mode in which the fixing portion is cleaned by a cleaning sheet while nip-conveying the cleaning sheet in the fixing nip. When the cleaning mode is set, the image forming apparatus executes a plurality of types of cleaning operations in a period in which a single cleaning sheet passes through the fixing nip. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110280635 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed fixing device includes a fixing material application unit applying a fixing material to a fixing material carrier, a transfer unit transferring the fixing material onto a recording medium, a cleaning blade cleaning the fixing material carrier after the fixing material is transferred onto the recording medium, and a lubricant agent application unit disposed on a downstream side of the cleaning blade on the fixing material carrier and applying a lubricant agent to the fixing material carrier. Further, before a fixing operation is started, the lubricant agent application unit applies the lubricant agent to the fixing material carrier, and the fixing material carrier moves in a direction opposite to a direction when the fixing operation is performed and to a position where the applied lubricant agent is adhered to the cleaning blade. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280636 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing apparatus of the present invention includes a fixing rotation member, a rotation drive portion that rotates the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet that cleans a circumferential surface of the fixing rotation member, a cleaning web sheet roller that takes up or feeds out the cleaning web sheet, a swing cam rotationally driven by the rotation drive portion, a rotation transmission portion that transmits a rotation drive force to the cleaning web sheet roller, a one way clutch provided on an input shaft of the rotation transmission portion, and a swing lever connected to the one way clutch and biased so as to be brought into slide contact with the swing cam. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110299897 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD - An image forming apparatus, capable of cleaning a fixing member by conveying a blank sheet, including: an image forming section for forming a toner image on a sheet; a feeding section for feeding a sheet to the image forming section; a fixing section for fixing a toner image onto a sheet at a nip formed between a fixing member and a pressure member; and a control section for controlling the image forming section and the fixing section to feed a sheet from the feeding section, wherein, when a toner is adhered to a fixing section, the control section controls to feed a sheet from the feeding section, convey to the fixing section without forming a toner image thereon, and transfer a toner, having been adhered onto the fixing member, onto a downstream side of the sheet from a leading edge area of the sheet in a sheet conveying direction. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110311283 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device to fix a toner image on a recording medium, including a pressure roller to press the toner image on the recording medium; an elastically-deformable cylindrical fixing roller to contact the pressure roller to form a nip and transfer the recording medium to the nip to fix the toner image; and a holder to rotatably hold both ends of the fixing roller, wherein the holder is located at least two positions at both sides on an outer circumference of the fixing roller across the longest diameter thereof, and the nip is formed between the two holders at the side of the pressure roller. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20120003020 | Method of producing cleaning web, image-forming device and fixing device - Provided is a cleaning web produced without use of a binder that is superior in smoothness, release efficiency and orientation, resistant to fluffing, having a high heat-resistance temperature, superior in low water-absorption and compatible with oils, and having particular cleaning characteristics. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120087702 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTERNAL HEATER ROLL CLEANING - According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to maintain a clean and effective external heat roll surface in a printing system. The disclosed embodiment's uses a cleaning roller in contact with the external heat rollers designed to dislodge and displace contamination products that would otherwise accumulate on and in the external heat roller rough surface. The cleaning roller rotates concurrently with the heating roller so that the cleaning media cleans the roller from a picking action as opposed to a wiping motion. This provides maximum cleaning action with the undesirable wear and tear of the bristles that would occur with the conventional method of a wiping motion. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120141173 | SUSPENDED PARTICLE COLLECTING MEMBER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A collecting member that collects suspended particles vaporized from wax includes a flow path and a space, where gas passes along the flow path. The space is connected to the flow path through an opening formed in the flow path. The space extends upstream with respect to a direction of travel of the gas that passes along the flow path. By virtue of this structure, dew condensation in a fixing unit is suppressed while efficiently collecting the suspended particles. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120189360 | PRINTING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF PREVENTING SHEET FEED ERROR IN CLEANING, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE PRINTING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A printing apparatus which is capable of preventing printing from being performed on a sheet different from a sheet originally intended for printing, after completion of cleaning. The printing apparatus has a fixing device for fixing an image recorded on a sheet fed from a sheet feeder. The printing apparatus feeds a sheet from the sheet feeder and performs cleaning of the fixing device using the fed sheet. After execution of the cleaning of the fixing device, the printing apparatus requests a user to set a sheet to be used for a page to be printed next, in the sheet feeder. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120195653 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device including: an endless fixing belt that conveys a sheet-like medium having a toner image formed thereon; a heating member on which the fixing belt is wound and which includes a heater therein; a fixing member on which the fixing belt is wound; a pressing member that is disposed so as to face the fixing member with the fixing belt interposed therebetween; a separator that comes into contact with the surface of the pressing member and prevents the sheet-like medium from being wound on the pressing member; and a polisher that polishes the surface of the pressing member. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120219335 | Cleaning System, Fixing Device, And Image Forming Apparatus Incorporating Same - A fixing device includes a rotary fuser member, a rotary pressure member, and a cleaning system. The rotary fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotary pressure member is opposite the fuser member. The fuser member and the pressure member are pressed against each other to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is conveyed as the fuser member and the pressure member rotate together. The cleaning system cleans the pressure member, and includes a cleaning web, a web supply mechanism, and a controller. The cleaning web at least partially contacts the pressure member to wipe the pressure member. The cleaning web is mounted on the web supply mechanism to be released into contact with the pressure member. The controller is operatively connected with the web supply mechanism to control an amount of supply of the cleaning web. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120224894 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; a pressing rotary body, rotatable in a direction counter to the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body, pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a joint connected to a shaft of one of the fixing rotary body and the pressing rotary body and rotatable to rotate the one of the fixing rotary body and the pressing rotary body; and a fixing knob detachably attached to the joint and rotated manually by a user. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120263508 | BELT CLEANING APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR BELT FUSER - A belt fuser system has a cleaning member with a changeable wick. The cleaning member has a first belt cleaning surface and a second belt cleaning surface. The cleaning member rotates about a longitudinal axis for bringing the first belt cleaning surface and the second belt cleaning surface in contact with a back of a fuser belt. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20130004215 | CLEANING APPARATUSES FOR FUSING SYSTEMS - An embodiment generally relates to a xerographic fusing apparatus including a fuser member; and a cleaning mechanism for the fuser member. The cleaning mechanism can include an abrasive cleaning web in contact with the fuser member, the abrasive cleaning web including a non-woven fabric and at least one abrasive; a supply roll configured to advance the abrasive cleaning web; and a take-up roll configured to collect the abrasive cleaning web. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130004216 | FIXING DEVICE WITH MECHANISM CAPABLE OF MINIMIZING GLOSSY STREAKS AND STAIN ON RECORDING MEDIUM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation; an opposed rotary body contacting the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a plurality of separation pawls separatably contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body to separate the recording medium discharged from the fixing nip from the fixing rotary body; a temperature detector contacting the outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body to detect a temperature of the fixing rotary body; and a fixing rotary body cleaner interposed between the plurality of separation pawls and the temperature detector in the direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body and contacting the outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body to clean the outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130011172 | APPLYING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An applying device includes an applying member that applies an applying material to an outer peripheral surface of a fixing member that rotates, while a peripheral velocity difference is caused to exist between a peripheral velocity of the fixing member and a peripheral velocity of the applying member. The applying material contains a fluorocarbon resin material. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130045031 | CLEANING SYSTEM CONTROL METHOD, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a rotary fuser member, a rotary pressure member, and a cleaning system. The rotary fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotary pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The cleaning system includes a cleaning web, a feeding mechanism, a positioning mechanism, and a controller. The cleaning web is disposed adjacent to the pressure member to wipe the pressure member. The feeding mechanism is operatively connected to the cleaning web to feed a new, unused portion of the cleaning web toward the pressure member. The positioning mechanism is operatively connected to at least one of the cleaning web and the pressure member to position the cleaning web and the pressure member with respect to each other. The controller is operatively connected with the feeding mechanism and the positioning mechanism to control feeding and positioning of the cleaning web. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130064583 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, which is configured to form an image on a sheet, includes an image forming unit configured to form an unfixed toner image on the sheet, and a fixing unit configured to fix the unfixed toner image to the sheet by heating the sheet bearing the unfixed toner image while conveying the sheet by a fixing nip portion. The image forming apparatus can perform a cleaning mode for cleaning the fixing unit by conveying a sheet with an unfixed toner image for cleaning formed thereon by the fixing nip portion. At a time of the cleaning mode, the image forming unit forms the unfixed toner image for cleaning on a sheet surface opposite from a sheet surface where the unfixed toner image is formed at a time of image formation. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130094886 | CHEMICALLY TREATED CLEANING WEB - The present teachings provide a fuser cleaning apparatus that includes a rotatable fuser member and a cleaning web. The cleaning web is impregnated with a chelating agent comprising citric acid. The cleaning web is translatable and arranged to directly or indirectly contact the rotatable fuser member whereby the citric acid is transferred to the rotatable fuser member to inhibit Zn contamination on the rotatable fuser member. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130202332 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a radiating portion that radiates light on a recording medium on which a toner image is formed and that is transported along a transport path, a partition member that transmits the light radiated from the radiating portion and partitions between the radiating portion and the transport path, and a drive section that moves a scraping member scraping toner that adheres to the partition member and is heated by the radiation of the light from the radiating portion so as to contact a surface of the partition member of the transport path side. | 08-08-2013 |
| 20130236219 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a heat assembly including an endless belt, a heat source, a pressure pad, and a cleaning member that cleans an inner surface of the endless belt as the result of circulation movement of the endless belt; and a pressure member that presses an outer surface of the endless belt. The cleaning member contacts the endless belt with a contact-pressure distribution such that a contact pressure of a portion located downstream of a most upstream portion in a moving direction of the endless belt is the maximum in a contact region where the cleaning member contacts the endless belt. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130236220 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a cleaning unit, and a controller. The fixing unit includes a pair of nipping members and a heat source that heats at least one of the pair of nipping members. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning web wound on a supply core to be supplied from the supply core and taken up on a take-up core, and a pressing roller that is pressed against one of the pair of nipping members. The controller causes the take-up core to rotate in such a manner that, when a leading portion of the cleaning web extending up to 2% of an overall length of the cleaning web from a leading end of the cleaning web is fed, a length of the cleaning web to be fed in one feeding is 10-30% larger than when a subsequent portion of the cleaning web is fed. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130336689 | METHOD AN APPARATUS FOR REUSING A CLEANING WEB TO CLEAN A FUSER UNIT - An approach is provided for reusing a cleaning web to clean portions of a fuser unit. The approach involves causing a cleaning web supply mechanism to feed a cleaning web having a first surface and a second surface to the portions of the fuser unit. The approach also involves causing a cleaning web receiving mechanism to receive the cleaning web following a cleaning process in which the first surface of the cleaning web is used to clean at least one of the portions of the fuser unit. The approach further involves causing the cleaning web receiving mechanism to return the cleaning web to the portions of the fuser unit to clean at least one of the portions of the fuser unit using the second surface of the cleaning web. | 12-19-2013 |
| 20140029991 | CONTROL METHOD, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a rotary fuser member, a rotary pressure member, and a cleaning system. The rotary fuser member is subjected to heating. The rotary pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member. The fuser member and the pressure member are pressed against each other to form a fixing nip therebetween. The cleaning system is disposed adjacent to the pressure member to clean the pressure member, and includes a cleaning web, a web supply mechanism, and a controller. The cleaning web is disposed in contact with the pressure member to wipe the pressure member. The web supply mechanism is operatively connected to the cleaning web to supply a new, unused portion of the cleaning web to the pressure member. The controller is operatively connected to the web supply mechanism to control a web supply amount by which the cleaning web is supplied to the pressure member. | 01-30-2014 |
| 20140064801 | CLEANING DEVICE AND FIXING DEVICE - A cleaning device includes a cleaning unit which includes a web; a first roller, a second roller for winding the web up, a driving mechanism for second roller, a third roller urging the web to the rotatable member, an urging portion urging the third roller toward the rotatable member, and a supporter supporting the third roller while permitting movement relative to the first and second rollers; a moving mechanism for relative movement between the cleaning unit and the rotatable member, between a first position in which the web is spaced from the rotatable member and a second position in which they contact; and a controller. When the mechanism causes the relative movement from the first position to the second position, the controller operates the mechanism for a predetermined duration to substantially eliminate the slackness of the web resulting from the relative movement. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140079448 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device includes a first cleaning roller that contacts a member to be cleaned and that rotates, separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller; a second cleaning roller that contacts the first cleaning roller, separates the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller from the first cleaning roller, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller; a first push member that pushes the first cleaning roller against the member to be cleaned; and a second push member that pushes the second cleaning roller against the first cleaning roller, and pushes the first cleaning roller against the member to be cleaned. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140079449 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device includes a supporting member; a first cleaning roller that contacts a member to be cleaned and that rotates, separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller; a second cleaning roller that contacts the first cleaning roller and rotates, separates the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller from the first cleaning roller, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller; a pair of first bearing members that rotatably support respective ends of the first cleaning roller, and are supported by the supporting member; and a pair of second bearing members that rotatably support respective ends of the second cleaning roller, and are supported by the first bearing members. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140079450 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a pair of fixing members that contact each other and that rotate or circulate, and that heat and press a sheet to fix the toner image to the sheet, the pair of fixing members being such that at least one of the pair of fixing members is to be cleaned; and a first cleaning device that cleans the at least one of the pair of fixing members to be cleaned by removing any residual toner on the at least one of the pair of fixing members to be cleaned therefrom. The at least one of the pair of fixing members to be cleaned includes a fixing belt and a supporting member. The first cleaning device includes a cleaning roller. The at least one of the pair of fixing members to be cleaned further includes a first contact member. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140079451 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device includes a first cleaning roller and a second cleaning roller. The first cleaning roller contacts a member to be cleaned and rotates, separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller. The first cleaning roller has a diameter that decreases continuously from a center thereof towards both ends thereof in a direction of a rotation axis. The member to be cleaned rotates or circulates. The second cleaning roller contacts the first cleaning roller and rotates, separates the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller from the first cleaning roller, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140079452 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device includes a first cleaning roller and a second cleaning roller. The first cleaning roller contacts a member to be cleaned, rotates, separates any matter to be removed that is stuck on the member to be cleaned from the member to be cleaned, and causes the matter to be removed to adhere to the first cleaning roller. The member to be cleaned rotates or circulates. The first cleaning roller has an elastic peripheral surface. The second cleaning roller has a peripheral surface whose hardness is higher than that of the first cleaning roller. The second cleaning roller pushes the first cleaning roller and rotates while causing the first cleaning roller to be elastically recessed, to separate the matter to be removed that is stuck on the first cleaning roller therefrom and cause the matter to be removed to adhere to the second cleaning roller. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140119784 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a toner image former; a fixing portion including a fixing roller and a pressing roller to fix the image; a feeder for reversing a facing orientation of the paper and refeed it to the image former; an executing portion for executing a cleaning mode in which a predetermined toner image is fixed on one side of paper, and the paper is refed to the image former with the reversed orientation to clean the pressing roller; a first integrator for integrating number of the simplex mode executions; a notifying portion for prompting the cleaning mode operation upon a predetermined first integrated value; a second integrator for integrating number of executions of a duplex mode in which toner images are formed on both sides of paper, wherein a corrector corrects the integrated value of the first integrator depending on the integrated value of the second integrator. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140147179 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A PRESSURE ROLL OF A FUSER UNIT AS USED IN PRINTING - An apparatus and method are provided for cleaning a pressure roll of a fuser unit useful in printing by way of a cleaning member having a compressible surface portion configured to contact the pressure roll, the compressible surface portion comprising a porous material configured to absorb a release agent from the pressure roll. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140193181 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A fixing device in accordance with the present invention comprises: a rotary member for transporting printing paper; a pressure member for press-contacting the rotary member to apply pressure onto the printing paper; and a cleaning member capable of freely moving into contact with, or away from, a peripheral surface of the rotary member and/or a peripheral surface of the pressure member. A toner image formed on the printing paper is fixed while the printing paper is being held between the rotary member and the pressure member. The fixing device further comprises a contact and separation unit for moving the pressure member into contact with, or away from, the rotary member. The cleaning member moves into contact with, or away from, the peripheral surface of the rotary member and/or the peripheral surface of the pressure member in conjunction with the contact and separation unit moving the pressure member into contact with, or away from, the rotary member. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140270866 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating a toner image on a recording material; a rotatable rubbing member configured to rub the first rotatable member to substantially refresh a surface property of the first rotatable member; and a pipe member provided with an opening, formed at a peripheral surface thereof, for permitting air blowing toward the rotatable rubbing member, wherein said pipe member has an end portion hermetically sealed by collapse. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140270867 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating a toner image on a recording material; rotatable rubbing member configured to rub the first rotatable member to substantially refresh a surface property of the first rotatable member; an air blowing mechanism, provided with a plurality of openings, configured to blow air toward different positions of the rotatable rubbing member with respect to an axial direction of the rotatable rubbing member; and a moving mechanism configured to reciprocate the air blowing mechanism with respect to the axial direction. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140270868 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating a toner image on a recording material; a rotatable rubbing member configured to rub the first rotatable member to substantially refresh a surface property of the first rotatable member; and an air blowing mechanism configured to blow air onto the rotatable rubbing member to clean the rotatable rubbing member. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140294456 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND FIXING METHOD - A fixing device includes a pressing rotary body to press against a fixing rotary body. A pivotable pressure lever rotatably mounts the pressing rotary body. A pressurization cam assembly pivots the pressure lever to press the pressing rotary body against the fixing rotary body and release pressure between the pressing rotary body and the fixing rotary body. A pivotable cleaning unit includes a cleaning web separably contacting the pressing rotary body to clean the pressing rotary body, a pressure adjuster contacting the cleaning web to separably press the cleaning web against the pressing rotary body, a take-up reel to reel up the cleaning web, and a supply reel to reel out the cleaning web. A cleaning unit cam assembly contacts the cleaning unit to pivot the cleaning unit to press against and separate from the pressing rotary body. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140348557 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a generation tendency determining section to determine, before execution of a job, whether or not this job is a large-amount generation tendency job that is likely to generate a large amount of ultrafine particles. When the current job is determined to be the large-amount generation tendency job and a toner adhesion status value is equal to or higher than a first predetermined threshold representing an amount of toner adhering to a surface of a fixing member, cleaning of the fixing unit is performed before execution of the job. On the other hand, when the current job is determined to be a small-amount generation tendency job or the toner adhesion status value is less than the predetermined first threshold, the job is executed without cleaning the fixing unit. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140369724 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a pre-fusing paper sheet guide, a fuser unit and a control section. The pre-fusing paper sheet guide is disposed adjacent to the fuser unit on its upstream side. The fuser unit includes a pressing roller having, an electrically conductive surface, a grounding structure grounding a pressing roller's surface, and a cleaning mechanism cleaning the pressing roller's surface. The cleaning mechanism includes a web and a take-up roller. The control section sets a winding quantity x of the web to 0.7 mm when a setting for printing without margin is not made, and sets the winding quantity x to 2.1 mm when the setting for printing without margin is made. If the number of sheets accumulated through the image forming process becomes not less than 18, the control section causes the take-up roller to wind the web by the winding quantity x, and performs an image forming process. | 12-18-2014 |
| 20140376977 | CLEANING WEB UNIT - A cleaning web unit is provided. The cleaning web unit includes a cleaning web, a web supply mechanism for supplying the cleaning web, a wind-up roller which supports the cleaning web at one end and is adapted for winding the cleaning web around the wind-up roller and a driving roller. The driving roller forms a web transporting pinch and has a surface which in operation is urged against a portion of the cleaning web in said web transporting pinch. The driving roller is adapted for transporting the cleaning web through the web transporting pinch, thereby winding the cleaning web around the wind-up roller. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20150125190 | CLEANING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE INCLUDING THE CLEANING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE FIXING DEVICE - A cleaning device includes a web sheet, a holding member, a reel member, a drive device, a pressing member, and a rotational load-applying device. The web sheet slides against and cleans a surface of a cleaning target object. The holding member holds the web sheet wound around the holding member to be reeled out. The reel member has the web sheet wound around the reel member to be reeled in. The drive device drives the reel member to rotate. The pressing member presses the web sheet against the cleaning target object. The rotational load-applying device applies a load to rotation of the holding member. The load is changeable depending on an amount of the web sheet held by the holding member. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150323892 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes a first rotator rotatable in a given direction of rotation and a second rotator contacting the first rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A heater is disposed opposite and heats at least one of the first rotator and the second rotator. An abutment separably contacts the first rotator to refresh an outer circumferential surface of the first rotator. A mover is connected to the abutment to move the abutment with respect to the first rotator. A degradation estimator is operatively connected to the mover to estimate a degradation level of the outer circumferential surface of the first rotator and control the mover to move the abutment with respect to the first rotator according to the degradation level of the first rotator. | 11-12-2015 |
| 20160011544 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160041511 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form a cleaning toner image in a cleaning region on a cleaning sheet and a check toner image in a check region on the cleaning sheet. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing device including a first rotator and a heater to heat the first rotator to a cleaning temperature that is lower than a fixing temperature to which the first rotator is heated in a print job and higher than a cold offset temperature at which toner adheres to the first rotator by cold offset. Each of the cleaning region and the check region has a length greater than a circumferential length of the first rotator. The cleaning region and the check region are disposed at a leading section and a trailing section of the cleaning sheet in a cleaning sheet conveyance direction, respectively. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160124357 | CLEANER FOR ROTARY FIXING MEMBER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING THE CLEANER, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD EXECUTED BY THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotary fixing member cleaner that includes a freely rotatable rotary unwinding member, around which a cleaning web winds, a rotary winding member to wind the cleaning web thereon from one end thereof, and a load applicator to apply a load to the cleaning web unwound from the rotary unwinding member. The rotary fixing member cleaner removes any unnecessary substance adhering to an outer circumferential surface of the rotary fixing member therefrom by unwinding and moving the cleaning web from the rotary unwinding member in an opposite direction to a direction of movement of the outer circumferential surface of the rotary fixing member at a contacting point at which the cleaning web contacts the outer circumferential surface of the rotary fixing member. The load applicator presses against the cleaning web winding around the rotary unwinding member at a prescribed angular contact position. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160132002 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH BUILT-IN CLEANING MECHANISM - In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a fixing device configured to include a heating roller heated by a heating section and a pressing roller for pressing the heating roller; and a cleaning sheet configured to be stretched between a first reel and a second reel and wound on at least one of the first reel and the second reel to clean the heating roller; wherein the cleaning sheet is separated from or contacted with the heating roller by a movable member. | 05-12-2016 |
| 20160170342 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
