The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 07, 2019
Filed:
May. 15, 2018
Ryohei Matsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba, JP;
Takayuki Seki, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazunari Sawada, Shizuoka, JP;
Ryohei Matsuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba, JP;
Takayuki Seki, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazunari Sawada, Shizuoka, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt, a heat source, an opposed member, a nip formation pad, and a heat conductive member. The nip formation pad includes an abutment region, a first opening portion, and second opening portions. The abutment region includes a plurality of abutment surfaces abutting a first face of the heat conductive member. The first opening portion is disposed at a center of the abutment region to form a non-contact area at which the nip formation pad does not contact the heat conductive member. The abutment region includes an upstream abutment area and a downstream abutment area from the first opening portion in a direction of conveyance of a recording medium. The second opening portions divide at least one area of the upstream abutment area and the downstream abutment area into a plurality of portions in a longitudinal direction of the nip formation pad.