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. 09, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 05, 2007
Kazunori Katada, Hino, JP;
Masami Maruko, Hachioji, JP;
Masakazu Nakamura, Hachioji, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is described a fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image onto a recording material, which makes it possible not only to reduce the frictional resistance generated between a temperature sensor and a heating member, but also to prevent occurrences of abnormal sounds and breaking of the wire coupled to the temperature sensor, both caused by the direct contact between them. The fixing apparatus includes: a heating member provided with a surface layer, which is elastically deformable and includes the paper sheet passing area and the paper sheet non-passing area; a pressing member that press-contacts the heating member; and a temperature sensor that contacts the paper sheet non-passing area of the surface layer. A surface roughness Ra of the paper sheet non-passing area is set at such a value that is larger than that of a paper sheet passing area.