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:
Aug. 15, 2017
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2016
Kenji Nozawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Masami Okamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuuki Kikushima, Kanagawa, JP;
Keisuke Kubota, Kanagawa, JP;
Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kaori Hemmi, Kanagawa, JP;
Kenji Nozawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Masami Okamoto, Kanagawa, JP;
Yuuki Kikushima, Kanagawa, JP;
Keisuke Kubota, Kanagawa, JP;
Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kanagawa, JP;
Kaori Hemmi, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A fixing device includes a fixing belt looped over a first roller and a second roller and rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the first roller via the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressure rotator. A separation aid, disposed downstream from the fixing nip in the direction of rotation of the fixing belt, contacts an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt to decrease a radius of curvature of the fixing belt. A polishing roller, disposed downstream from the separation aid and upstream from the second roller in the direction of rotation of the fixing belt, contacts an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt. An opposed roller, disposed opposite the polishing roller via the fixing belt, forms a polishing nip between the polishing roller and the fixing belt.