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. 24, 2026
Filed:
Nov. 20, 2024
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Saya Minoshima, Gifu, JP;
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
An image-forming apparatus includes a housing, a fixing device, a shutter, a link, a circuit board, and a fan. The fixing device includes a heating unit and is configured to thermally fix a toner image to a sheet conveyed in a conveying direction. The shutter is movable relative to the fixing device between a closing position for closing an upstream end of the heating unit in the conveying direction and an opening position for exposing the upstream end of the heating unit. The link is connected to the shutter, and is configured to abut on a cartridge, which is detachably attachable to the housing, to move the shutter between the closing position and the opening position. The circuit board and the fan are spaced apart from each other to provide an airflow path through which air flows. The link is positioned between the circuit board and the fan.