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:
Oct. 25, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 22, 2015
Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideo Nagafuji, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohichi Utsunomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiho Sai, Tokyo, JP;
Motoyoshi Yamano, Kanagawa, JP;
Shohei Saito, Kanagawa, JP;
Yutaka Ikebuchi, Kanagawa, JP;
Hideo Nagafuji, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuji Arai, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohichi Utsunomiya, Kanagawa, JP;
Arinobu Yoshiura, Kanagawa, JP;
Kiho Sai, Tokyo, JP;
Motoyoshi Yamano, Kanagawa, JP;
Shohei Saito, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes: a fixing member; an opposing member that provides a fixing nip with the fixing member; a heating unit that heats the fixing member; a heating area changing member that moves to change a heating area of the fixing member heated by the heating unit; and a position detection sensor that detects a position of the heating area changing member. The fixing device controls a stop position of the heating area changing member based on detection by the position detection sensor. The single position detection sensor detects the position of the heating area changing member both when the heating area changing member is moving from a preset reference position to an arbitrary position and when the heating area changing member is moving back from an arbitrary position to the reference position.