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:
Dec. 21, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1999
Tadafumi Shimizu, Ogori, JP;
Hidehiko Inokuchi, Ogori, JP;
Tetsuya Mitsuyasu, Kurume, JP;
Hiroyuki Noda, Kurume, JP;
Junichi Terayama, Kurume, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A fixing roller cooperates with a pressing roller to heat and press a toner image to a recording medium so as to fix the toner image to the recording medium. A sheet-like web is impregnated with a mold release for supplying the mold release to a surface of the fixing roller by being pressed by the pressing roller. A first shaft has an unused portion of the web wound therearound, and a second shaft takes up the web after supplying the mold release to the fixing roller. A coil spring applies a rotational force in a direction opposite to a direction of drawing out the web relative to the first shaft so as to apply a tension to the web, thereby automatically removing slackness of the web.