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. 10, 2026
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2024
Daisuke Inoue, Tokyo, JP;
Takamasa Hase, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaro Yamashita, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Shogo Nakamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Mototaka Iwama, Kanagawa, JP;
Daisuke Inoue, Tokyo, JP;
Takamasa Hase, Kanagawa, JP;
Kentaro Yamashita, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Shogo Nakamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Mototaka Iwama, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a fixing device, and circuitry. The image forming section forms an image on a recording medium. The fixing device includes a rotator including a flexible endless belt, a pressure rotator pressed against the rotator to form a nip between the rotator and the pressure rotator, a heater heating the rotator, and a movable shield. The movable shield is disposed between the heater and the rotator to shield the rotator from radiant heat generated from the heater and is movable according to a size of the recording medium. The circuitry is configured to control the image forming section to form the image on the recording medium based on an image forming condition and change at least one of an operating temperature of the movable shield or a shielding amount of the movable shield based on the image forming condition.