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:
Feb. 25, 2020
Filed:
Jan. 04, 2019
Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Shimada, Tokyo, JP;
Takayuki Seki, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Seto, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba, JP;
Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Shimada, Tokyo, JP;
Takayuki Seki, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Seto, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes a fixing rotator that is flexible, endless, and rotatable. A heater heats the fixing rotator. A pressure rotator is disposed opposite the fixing rotator. A nip former defines a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. A support supports the nip former. The nip former includes a back face that contacts the support and has a nonlinear shape in a longitudinal direction of the nip former.