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. 13, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 13, 2007
Shinji Yamana, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kenji Asakura, Kyoto, JP;
Toshiaki Kagawa, Nara, JP;
Hiroyuki Yamaji, Nara, JP;
Shinji Yamana, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Kenji Asakura, Kyoto, JP;
Toshiaki Kagawa, Nara, JP;
Hiroyuki Yamaji, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
In a fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus of the present invention, an external heating section is provided that includes: an external heating belt; two heat rollers suspending the external heating belt and pressed against a fixing roller via the external heating belt; and a release/contact mechanism for causing the two heat rollers to separate from or contact with the fixing roller. With the heat rollers separated from the fixing roller by the release/contact mechanism, the external heating belt and the fixing roller are in contact with each other and the external heating belt follows rotation of the fixing roller. As a result, a fixing apparatus is provided that includes an external release/contact mechanism that can quickly operate in a small space and at low power without encouraging deterioration of the belt member. An image forming apparatus provided with such a fixing apparatus is also provided.