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:
Jan. 26, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 30, 2007
Takahiro Yoshikawa, Sagamihara, JP;
Takahiro Yoshikawa, Sagamihara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form a toner image on a sheet and a fixing device configured to fix the toner image on the sheet. In the fixing device, a heater heats a fixing belt. A pressing roller applies a pressure to a fixing roller via the fixing belt to form a nip between the pressing roller and the fixing belt. A controller switches the fixing device between an increased pressure mode and a decreased pressure mode in a state in which the fixing roller and the pressing roller rotate. In the increased pressure mode, the pressing roller applies an increased pressure capable of fixing the toner image on the sheet to the fixing roller. In the decreased pressure mode, the pressing roller applies a decreased pressure incapable of fixing the toner image on the sheet to the fixing roller.