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. 11, 2012
Filed:
Jun. 10, 2009
Kazunori Nishinoue, Toyohashi, JP;
Norikazu Okabe, Toyokawa, JP;
Hideaki Hayashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Taizou Oonishi, Hachioji, JP;
Naoki Yamamoto, Toyohashi, JP;
Kazunori Nishinoue, Toyohashi, JP;
Norikazu Okabe, Toyokawa, JP;
Hideaki Hayashi, Toyokawa, JP;
Taizou Oonishi, Hachioji, JP;
Naoki Yamamoto, Toyohashi, JP;
Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc., Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Fixing belt is brought into pressure-contact with the surface of fixing roller such that fixing belt rotates according to rotation of fixing roller, thereby forming, between fixing belt and fixing roller, fixing nip portion through which recording sheets pass. A pressing area of an opposing surface of pressing member contacting the surface of fixing roller via fixing belt is smaller in each end portion of the opposing surface in the axis direction of fixing roller than in a central portion of the opposing surface in the axis direction of fixing roller. This makes speed of conveying recording sheets faster in each edge portion in the width direction perpendicular to a recording sheet conveyance direction than in a central portion in the width direction. Thus, creases of recording sheets can be prevented while a recording sheet passes through fixing nip portion between fixing roller and fixing belt mutually brought into pressure-contact.