| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080253789 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixer including a heating member and a pressure member, a reverse transport part to forward a recording medium transported from the fixer to the image forming part, a toner image sensor to detect presence of a toner image on the recording medium, and a controller. When a glossy image formation mode is selected and no toner image is detected on the recording medium, the image forming part does not form a toner image on the recording medium, the fixer performs a first heating and pressing process and transports the recording medium to the reverse transport part, the reverse transport part transports the recording medium to the image forming part, the image forming part forms a toner image on the recording medium transported from the reverse transport part, and the fixer performs a second heating and pressing process and fixes the toner image thereon. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080317532 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device that transfers a toner image formed on an image bearer onto a transfer sheet and a fixing device that fixes the toner image onto the transfer sheet. The transfer device is freely movable between an operational position and a non-operational position and includes a contacting section that directly contacts the fixing device and determines a position of the transfer device. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090245865 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus - A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member, a pressing member, a drive input rotating body, a first frame, a support shaft, and at least one positioning member. The pressing member contacts the fixing member to form a fixing nip therebetween. The drive input rotating body receives an external driving force and transmits the driving force to the fixing member. The first frame supports the fixing member and the pressing member. The support shaft is provided on the first frame to support the drive input rotating body. At least one positioning member is supported by an image forming apparatus body when the fixing device is installed in the image forming apparatus body. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20100290822 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a hollow, generally cylindrical open-sided stationary heat roll, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, a rotatable pressure member, and a roll shape retainer. The heat roll is configured to heat an outer circumference thereof, and defines an elongated longitudinal side opening in one side thereof. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the heat roll to transfer heat radially outward from the roll circumference. The fuser pad is held substantially stationary along the roll opening outward from the roll hollow and inward from the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The roll shape retainer is disposed on the roll opening to retain the generally cylindrical shape of the heat roll. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20110058862 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes an endless, flexible fixing member, a metal member, a heater, a pressing member, a temperature detector, and a supporting member. The fixing member is rotatably provided in the fixing device to heat a toner image thereon. The metal member is fixedly mounted in the fixing device so as to be opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, to maintain the fixing member in a substantially circularly loop shape. The heater is disposed near the metal member to heat the metal member. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member. The temperature detector is disposed in contact with the metal member, to detect a temperature of the metal member. The supporting member is disposed between the heater and the temperature detector to support the temperature detector. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110058863 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes an endless, flexible fixing member, a heat conductive member, a heater, a pressing member, a nip formation member, and a radiation member. The endless, flexible fixing member is formed into a loop. The heat conductive member is disposed within the loop formed by the fixing member to conduct heat to the fixing member. The heater is disposed near the heat conductive member to heat the heat conductive member. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressing member. The recording medium is conveyed through the fixing nip. The radiation member is detachably pressable against an outer circumference of the fixing member to contact the fixing member with the heat conductive member to cool the fixing member and the heat conductive member. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110058865 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus employing the fixing device - A fixing device includes an endless flexible fixing member, a supporting member having a pipe shape disposed inside a loop formed by the fixing member to support the fixing member, a pressing member disposed opposite the supporting member via the fixing member, and a nip formation member disposed opposite the pressing member via the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the pressing member. The fixing member contacts an outer circumferential face of the supporting member at a side opposite a side at which the fixing member contacts the nip formation member at the fixing nip. The fixing member has slack portions formed upstream and downstream from the fixing nip in a conveyance direction of a recording medium. The slack portions extend toward the pressing member over the fixing nip without contacting either the supporting member or the pressing member. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110058866 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus employing the fixing device - A fixing device includes an endless, rotatable fixing member, a rotational pressing member, a nip formation member, and an urging unit. The rotational pressing member is rotatably provided in contact with the fixing member. The nip formation member is disposed opposite the rotational pressing member via the fixing member to form a fixing nip between the fixing member and the rotational pressing member. The urging unit is disposed opposite the rotational pressing member via the nip formation member and the fixing member to push against and deform the nip formation member to change a curvature of a contact face between the fixing member and the rotational pressing member at the fixing nip. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110064437 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device for fixing an image on a recording medium includes an endless flexible fixing member formed into a loop, a heat conductive member disposed within the loop formed by the fixing member, a heater disposed near the heat conductive member to heat the heat conductive member, a pressing member pressing the fixing member against the heat conductive member to form a fixing nip, a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the fixing member, and a lubricant disposed between the fixing member and the heat conductive member. The heater heats the heat conductive member to heat the lubricant with the fixing member stopped. The fixing member rotates after heating of the heat conductive member by the heater. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110064443 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a hollow, stationary metal roller, a flexible fuser belt, a rotatable pressure member, a fuser pad, a reinforcing member, and a heating assembly. The metal roller has an outer circumference thereof subjected to heating. The flexible fuser belt is looped for rotation around the metal roller to transfer heat radially outward from the heated metal roller. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt to press against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The reinforcing member is disposed stationary within the roller interior. The heating assembly is disposed stationary within the roller interior to heat the metal roller from inside, and includes a first heater and a second heater. The first and second heaters are arranged in juxtaposition with each other along the inner circumference of the metal roller. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110085832 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes a stationary at least partially tubular thermal member, a flexible fuser belt, a fuser pad, and a rotatable pressure member. The thermal member has a tubular portion thereof extending in an axial direction and defining a closed axial cross-section. A circumference of the thermal member is subjected to heating. The fuser belt is looped for rotation around the thermal member. An inner circumference of the fuser belt at least partially faces the thermal member. The fuser pad is held stationary inside the loop of the fuser belt. The pressure member extends opposite the thermal member in the axial direction with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The fuser pad is pressed against the pressure member through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The thermal member is spaced apart from the fuser pad. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110116848 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A fixing device includes an endless belt, a fuser pad, a pressure member, a tubular belt holder, and a reinforcing member. The endless belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction. The fuser pad extends in the axial direction inside the loop of endless belt. The pressure member extends in the axial direction with the belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member. The pressure member is pressed against the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip. The belt holder extends in the axial direction inside the loop of endless belt to retain the belt in shape along an outer circumference thereof. The belt holder accommodates the fuser pad in a longitudinal side slot defined on one side thereof. The reinforcing member is disposed inside the tubular belt holder to reinforce the belt holder around the side slot. | 05-19-2011 |
