Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Fixing device configured to restrain increases in rotational torque of a fixing member, image forming apparatus and method of manufacturing fixing device
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Application No.: US16881539Application Date: 2020-05-22
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Publication No.: US10990043B2Publication Date: 2021-04-27
- Inventor: Makoto Nakamura , Takashi Tanaka
- Applicant: Makoto Nakamura , Takashi Tanaka
- Applicant Address: JP Kanagawa; JP Kanagawa
- Assignee: Makoto Nakamura,Takashi Tanaka
- Current Assignee: Makoto Nakamura,Takashi Tanaka
- Current Assignee Address: JP Kanagawa; JP Kanagawa
- Agency: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C.
- Priority: JPJP2019-111418 20190614
- Main IPC: G03G15/20
- IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract:
A fixing device receives a recording material having a toner image and applies pressure and heat to fix the toner image. The fixing device includes a fixing member, a sliding member, a pressing member, and a heating member. The fixing member has a rotatable endless belt shape that includes an inner circumferential resin layer. The sliding member is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member with a lubricant interposed between the sliding member and the inner circumferential surface. The sliding member has a resin coating layer and slides on the inner circumferential surface. The pressing member presses the recording material toward an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member. The heating member generates heat to heat the recording material. A surface hardness of the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member is smaller than a surface hardness of the sliding surface of the sliding member.
Information query