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. 29, 2016
Filed:
Mar. 11, 2015
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideo Nagafuji, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohichi Utsunomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Shohei Saito, Kanagawa, JP;
Qifeng Cui, Tokyo, JP;
Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Motoyoshi Yamano, Tokyo, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiromasa Takagi, Tokyo, JP;
Keitaro Shoji, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideo Nagafuji, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohichi Utsunomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Shohei Saito, Kanagawa, JP;
Qifeng Cui, Tokyo, JP;
Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Motoyoshi Yamano, Tokyo, JP;
Kenji Ishii, Kanagawa, JP;
Hiromasa Takagi, Tokyo, JP;
Keitaro Shoji, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes: a rotatable fixing member formed as an endless belt; a heat source to heat the fixing member; a nip-forming member being not rotatable and arranged inside the fixing member; and a pressure member arranged outside the fixing member and forming a nip between the pressure member and the fixing member. The nip-forming member is formed of a first heat transmission unit and a sliding sheet. The first heat transmission unit includes an abutting part abutting the fixing member with the sliding sheet therebetween, and a bent part or bent parts extending inside the fixing member at upstream or upstream and downstream of the nip in a transport direction of a recording medium. A retaining part to catch and retain the sliding sheet is provided at a tip of at least the bent part at upstream of the nip in the transport direction.