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:
Jun. 10, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 04, 2000
Toshiharu Hachisuka, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Masamichi Yamada, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing apparatus includes a fixing roller, a heat roller, a seamless fixing belt, a pressure roller, a supporting roller, and a pressure applying member. The heat roller includes a fixing heat source. The seamless fixing belt is extended between the fixing roller and the heat roller. The pressure roller pushes the fixing roller via the fixing belt to form a second fixing-process area. The supporting roller contacts inside the fixing belt and winds the fixing belt around a surface of the pressure roller to form a first fixing-process area upstream of and next to the second fixing-process area. The pressure applying member applies a pressure to the heat roller in a direction opposite to an ejection of the recording sheet from the second fixing-process area to adjust a fixing pressure of the first fixing-process area.