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:
Jun. 11, 2019
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2018
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Shimada, Tokyo, JP;
Takashi Seto, Kanagawa, JP;
Takayuki Seki, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazunari Sawada, Shizuoka, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes a fixing rotator and a lateral end heater to heat a lateral end span of the fixing rotator in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts the fixing rotator. A nip formation pad contacts the thermal conduction aid. A lateral end temperature detector detects a temperature of the fixing rotator in a lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a first span including the lateral end detection span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a first contact area. The thermal conduction aid contacts the nip formation pad in a second span disposed outboard from the first span in the axial direction of the fixing rotator with a second contact area smaller than the first contact area.