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:
Aug. 12, 2025
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2024
Kentaro Yamashita, Kanagawa, JP;
Takamasa Hase, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Inoue, Tokyo, JP;
Mototaka Iwama, Kanagawa, JP;
Ryohhei Sugiyama, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaro Yamashita, Kanagawa, JP;
Takamasa Hase, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Inoue, Tokyo, JP;
Mototaka Iwama, Kanagawa, JP;
Ryohhei Sugiyama, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes a first rotator and a second rotator that form a nip therebetween and fix an image on a recording medium that enters the nip. A heater heats at least one of the first rotator or the second rotator. A controller controls the heater to switch between a first heating and a second heating, to switch from the first heating to the second heating before the recording medium enters the nip, to start the second heating at a time prior to a nip entry time at which the recording medium enters the nip by a delay time period taken for the heater to conduct heat to the nip, and to continue the first heating before the second heating for at least one control cycle at a duty cycle of power supplied to the heater. The duty cycle is not greater than 40%.