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:
Jul. 28, 2020
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2019
Konica Minolta, Inc., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Masashi Nakabo, Toyokawa, JP;
Naoki Kataoka, Toyokawa, JP;
Konica Minolta, Inc., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet passing through a nip, the fixing device including: a pressure structure and a heating structure forming the nip when in pressure contact; and a switching unit selectively switching a pressure contact state of the heating structure and the pressure structure between a first state, a second state, and a release state. The switching unit includes: a first switcher directly switching the pressure contact state between the first state and the second state without switching the pressure contact state to the release state; a second switcher switching the pressure contact state between the first state and the release state; an acquirer acquiring information relating to which state the pressure contact state is to be switched into; and a controller controlling the first switcher and the second switcher based on the acquired information to switch the pressure contact state.