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. 16, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 22, 2002
Tetsuo Katoh, Kunitachi, JP;
Other;
Abstract
A fixing device is disclosed which includes a heat roller and a press roller through which an image recording medium carrying thereon a toner image is passed for fixing the toner image to the image recording medium. The fixing device further includes a sheet supply shaft carrying thereon a roll of cleaning sheet in the form of a web, a sheet winding shaft for winding thereon the cleaning sheet, and a motor for controllably driving the sheet winding shaft, the cleaning sheet being pressed against the heat roller for cleaning the peripheral surface thereof while being wound on the sheet winding shaft. The cleaning sheet is provided on one surface thereof with a pattern of markings, such as graduations, which is detectable by an optical sensor. The current speed of movement of the cleaning sheet is calculated by a speed calculator based on detection signals from the optical sensor. A speed of rotation of the motor is controlled so that the current sheet speed becomes a predetermined target speed.