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:
Oct. 02, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 11, 2005
Hideki Tatematsu, Ashiya, JP;
Tadafumi Shimizu, Ogori, JP;
Masahiro Samei, Toyonaka, JP;
Keiichi Matsuzaki, Kurume, JP;
Kazunori Matsuo, Onojo, JP;
Shoichi Kitagawa, Fukuoka, JP;
Hideki Tatematsu, Ashiya, JP;
Tadafumi Shimizu, Ogori, JP;
Masahiro Samei, Toyonaka, JP;
Keiichi Matsuzaki, Kurume, JP;
Kazunori Matsuo, Onojo, JP;
Shoichi Kitagawa, Fukuoka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A fixing apparatus is provided that enables a recording medium that has undergone heat-fixing to be separated smoothly from a heating medium without causing a sheet jam or image disturbance. In this apparatus, there are provided on the guide surface of a separator two step parts raised along the guide surface guide width direction. Recording paper is transported gripped by a fixing nip, is guided so as to come into contact with only the apex parts of step parts, and is separated from the surface of a fixing belt. Thus, a gap is formed between the guide surface and the heat-fixing surface of recording paper guided along the guide surface, the contact area between the heat-fixing surface of recording paper and the guide surface decreases, the heat-fixing surface of recording paper becomes less prone to adhere to the guide surface of the separator, and recording paper is smoothly separated from the fixing belt without causing a sheet jam or image disturbance.