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:
Sep. 14, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2008
Satoshi Ueno, Kawasaki, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kawasaki, JP;
Tadashi Ogawa, Machida, JP;
Akiko Ito, Machida, JP;
Hiroshi Seo, Sagamihara, JP;
Satoshi Ueno, Kawasaki, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kawasaki, JP;
Tadashi Ogawa, Machida, JP;
Akiko Ito, Machida, JP;
Hiroshi Seo, Sagamihara, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device to fix a toner image on a recording medium by applying heat. Such a fixing device includes at least a magnetic flux generator, a heat generating roller, a magnetic shunt layer, and a protective layer. The magnetic flux generator is configured to generate magnetic flux. The heat generating roller including a heat generating layer is configured to generate heat by the magnetic flux. The magnetic shunt layer may be formed independently of the heat generating layer. The protective layer is provided on an inner surface of the magnetic shunt layer and configured to cover a crack formed in the magnetic shunt layer during fabrication of the magnetic shunt layer. An image is fixed onto the recording medium by the heat from the heat generating roller. Alternatively, the magnetic shunt layer may be integrally provided with the heat generating layer.