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:
May. 12, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 09, 1995
Satoru Yoneda, Toyohashi, JP;
Takeshi Kato, Toyokawa, JP;
Eiji Okabayashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Hiroaki Hinotani, Toyokawa, JP;
Tatsumi Fujishima, Toyokawa, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A toner image formed on a recording member is fixed onto the recording member by a fixing device having a heatable member, a heater for heating the heatable member positioned on one side of the heatable member, the recording member being positioned on an opposite side of the heatable member and spaced from the heatable member to heat the recording member by radiation from the heatable member, and a fixing structure for fixing the toner image on the heated recording member. The heatable member can be a fixing belt arranged in a loop while the heater is an electromagnetic induction coil positioned substantially within the loop. The electromagnetic induction coil generates a magnetic flux perpendicular to the transport direction of the fixing belt to produce an eddy-like induction current in a conductive member of the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt. The fixing belt, in turn, heats the recording member on the exterior side of the belt to soften the toner image thereon. The fixing structure, e.g., a pressure roller, then fixes the toner image on the heated recording member. The heatable member may be a conductive guide member, or a belt arranged in a loop and having a tension roller with the electromagnetic induction coil being arranged on an interior side of the tension roller.