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:
Mar. 30, 2021
Filed:
Apr. 14, 2020
Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ippei Fujimoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A heating device includes a first rotator, a heater, a second rotator to contact an outer surface of the first rotator, a nip formation pad inside a loop of the first rotator to form a nip, a thermal equalizer to cover a surface of the nip formation pad opposite the first rotator and transport heat in an axial direction of the first rotator, and a lubricant disposed between the thermal equalizer and the first rotator. The thermal equalizer has a plurality of concave portions on a surface opposite the inner surface of the first rotator. The concave portion has a shape substantially symmetrical with respect to a first center line extending in a longitudinal direction of the thermal equalizer and a second center line in a cross section of the concave portion viewed from a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the first rotator.