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:
Mar. 06, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 13, 2006
Kenji Ishii, Kawasaki, JP;
Keizo Yasuda, Kawasaki, JP;
Akiyasu Amita, Yokohama, JP;
Kenichi Hasegawa, Kawasaki, JP;
Yasuhiro Kohira, Machida, JP;
Yasutada Tsukioka, Kawasaki, JP;
Masaya Shitami, Yokohama, JP;
Satoshi Ueno, Kawasaki, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kawasaki, JP;
Keizo Yasuda, Kawasaki, JP;
Akiyasu Amita, Yokohama, JP;
Kenichi Hasegawa, Kawasaki, JP;
Yasuhiro Kohira, Machida, JP;
Yasutada Tsukioka, Kawasaki, JP;
Masaya Shitami, Yokohama, JP;
Satoshi Ueno, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism to form a toner image on a recording medium according to image data and a fixing mechanism to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing mechanism includes a fixing member and an external heater. The fixing member applies heat to the recording medium having the toner image. The external heater heats the fixing member and is formed in a shape corresponding to a surface of the fixing member. The external heater is disposed as if to engage and yet be spaced apart from the fixing member by a distance which is variable according to movement of the external heater.