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. 14, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2008
Koji Takahashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Koji Takahashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device forms, with use of an endless belt and a fixing roller that are positioned facing each other, a fixing nip by placing the endless belt in contact with the fixing roller while causing a pressing member to press the endless belt from an inner side thereof against the fixing roller, and fixes an unfixed image onto a recording medium when the recording medium passes through the fixing nip. The fixing device includes (i) a sheet member that is provided between the endless belt and the pressing member and thus reduces friction therebetween, (ii) a supporting mechanism that movably supports the sheet member, and (iii) a sheet member moving part that, when a predetermined condition is not satisfied, keeps the sheet member at rest, and when the predetermined condition is satisfied, moves the sheet member in a certain direction by a predetermined amount.