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:
Feb. 15, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 20, 1998
Kensaku Kusaka, Ibaraki-ken, JP;
Akiyoshi Kimura, Kawasaki, JP;
Minoru Nada, Kashiwa, JP;
Hirokazu Takahashi, Matsudo, JP;
Ryuichi Iwanaga, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuhiko Ishiwata, Kashiwa, JP;
Hidekazu Maruta, Yokohama, JP;
Shinichi Konno, Matsudo, JP;
Shigeaki Takada, Tokyo, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit for forming a non-fixed toner image on a recording material, a heater for heating the non-fixed toner image, a back-up member for cooperating with the heater to form a nip therebetween, the back-up member pinching and conveying the recording material at the nip in such a manner that the non-fixed toner image is contacted with the heater so that the non-fixed toner image is fixed to the recording material by heat from the heater, and a cleaning member for cleaning the back-up member. The cleaning member is brought into a first and second cleaning mode in which an image forming operation is not effected and the back-up member is cleaned, the second cleaning mode having a cleaning time longer than a cleaning time of the first cleaning mode.