公开(公告)号：US12050422B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-30

申请号：US18162888

申请日：2023-02-01

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Masakazu Uehara ,  Hironori Takahashi ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Shota Onishi ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20 ,  G03G21/16

CPC classification number: G03G15/2064 ,  G03G21/1647 ,  G03G21/1685

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including: a fixing belt; a pressure roller which pressurizes toner on a sheet that passes through a pressure area; a pair of retention members each including a shaft-supporting portion which rotatably guides one of both end portions of the fixing belt in an axial direction, and a restriction surface which restricts a movement of the fixing belt in the axial direction; and a frame including a pair of side plates which rotatably support both end portions of the pressure roller in the axial direction as well as support the fixing belt via the pair of retention members, in which attachment positions of the pair of retention members in the pair of side plates are provided such that a gap becomes larger on a downstream side of a passing direction of the sheet with respect to the pressure area than on an upstream side.

公开(公告)号：US20230244168A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-03

申请号：US18159588

申请日：2023-01-25

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Hironori Takahashi ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Shota Onishi ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20

CPC classification number: G03G15/2064

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a pair of retention members each including a restriction surface. The restriction surface restricts a movement of the fixing member in an axial direction. The restriction surface includes a first contact area and a second contact area. The first area is an area more on a downstream side of a passing direction of a medium than a center of a pressure area in the passing direction, and also closer to the pressure area than an apex of the fixing member on an opposite side of the pressure area. The first contact area and the second contact area are each tilted at a certain gradient so as to be set apart from the end portion of the fixing member in the axial direction from a side of the apex toward a side of the pressure area.

公开(公告)号：US10990046B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-27

申请号：US16887270

申请日：2020-05-29

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Tomohiro Watatani ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Hironori Takahashi ,  Yuhiro Sakai ,  Fumito Nakamoto

IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure member, and a heating section. The heating section faces an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The heating section includes a heater and a heater holding member. The heater heats the fixing belt. The heater holding member holds the heater. The heater holding member has a first side surface, a second side surface, and an inclined slit. The first and second side surfaces are in contact with the inner circumferential surface. The first side surface has the inclined slit. The inclined slit is located in the first side surface in a direction of a rotational axis of the fixing belt. The inclined slit has one end on a side of the pressure member and the other end on an opposite side to the side of the pressure member. The other end is located nearer a middle (center) of the first side surface in the direction of the rotational axis than the one end.

公开(公告)号：US20200241457A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-30

申请号：US16774958

申请日：2020-01-28

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Takashi Eiki ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heater, a pressure roller, a heater support member, and a restriction portion. The heater is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. An end portion of the heater in a width direction of the fixing belt is exposed to outside the fixing belt. The pressure roller is provided to face a contact surface of the heater across the fixing belt, the contact surface being in contact with the fixing belt, the pressure roller being pressed against the fixing belt. The heater support member supports the heater by being in contact with a surface of the heater opposite from the contact surface. The restriction portion restricts the contact surface from moving toward the pressure roller at outside the fixing belt in the width direction.

公开(公告)号：US11966182B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US18159588

申请日：2023-01-25

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Hironori Takahashi ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Shota Onishi ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20

CPC classification number: G03G15/2064

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a pair of retention members each including a restriction surface. The restriction surface restricts a movement of the fixing member in an axial direction. The restriction surface includes a first contact area and a second contact area. The first area is an area more on a downstream side of a passing direction of a medium than a center of a pressure area in the passing direction, and also closer to the pressure area than an apex of the fixing member on an opposite side of the pressure area. The first contact area and the second contact area are each tilted at a certain gradient so as to be set apart from the end portion of the fixing member in the axial direction from a side of the apex toward a side of the pressure area.

公开(公告)号：US11934123B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-19

申请号：US17759002

申请日：2021-01-15

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Atsushi Kohama ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20

CPC classification number: G03G15/2039 ,  G03G15/2053

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressing roller and a heating part. The heating part includes a heater, a plurality of temperature sensors, a heater holding member and a sensor holding member. The sensor holding member holds the temperature sensors between the heater holding member and the sensor holding member. The heater holding member has observation holes through which the heater is exposed. The heater holding member has a guide part which positions the sensor holding member with respect to the heater holding member. The sensor holding member has an engagement part engaged with the guide part. The sensor holding member holds each of the temperature sensors at a position corresponding to each of the observation holes by engagement of the engagement part with the guide part.

公开(公告)号：US11474463B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-18

申请号：US17341956

申请日：2021-06-08

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Fumito Nakamoto ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Yuhiro Sakai

IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure applying member, and a heater holding member. The fixing belt fixes toner to a sheet. The pressure applying member forms a nip portion together with an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt and causes the fixing belt to peripherally rotate while applying pressure to the fixing belt at the nip portion. The heater holding member holds a heater that applies heat to the fixing belt. The heater holding member includes: a side portion that extends from the nip portion along an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt and guides the fixing belt; and a plurality of inclined ribs that are disposed on the side portion to face the inner peripheral surface and formed such that an interval between them is gradually narrowed as they proceed in a direction in which the fixing belt peripherally rotates.

公开(公告)号：US20210364961A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-25

申请号：US17325016

申请日：2021-05-19

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Yuhiro Sakai ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Fumito Nakamoto

IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a heater holding member, and a belt holding member. The fixing belt fixes a toner image to a sheet by heating the sheet. The heater holding member guides the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The heater holding member holds a heater that heats the fixing belt. The belt holding member is fixed in position with respect to a conveyance path of the sheet and holds an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation axis direction of the fixing belt such that the fixing belt can peripherally rotate. The belt holding member includes an engaging portion. The heater holding member includes an engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion to restrict a movement of the belt holding member with respect to the heater holding member.

公开(公告)号：US11126119B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-21

申请号：US16887278

申请日：2020-05-29

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Hironori Takahashi ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Tomohiro Watatani ,  Yuhiro Sakai ,  Fumito Nakamoto

IPC: G03G15/20

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressure member, a first holding member, and a second holding member. The fixing belt is endless and includes a first rim and a second rim. The pressure member presses the fixing belt by being in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt and rotates about a rotation axis of the pressure member. The first holding member is attached to the fixing belt and holds the first rim of the fixing belt. The second holding member is attached to the fixing belt and holds the second rim of the fixing belt. The second holding member includes a base portion, a main portion, and a protrusion. The main portion protrudes from the base portion. The protrusion protrudes from the main portion in a direction away from the base portion.

公开(公告)号：US12044990B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US18191784

申请日：2023-03-28

Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.

Inventor： Tomohiro Watatani ,  Masakazu Uehara ,  Hironori Takahashi ,  Shota Onishi ,  Yuhiro Sakai ,  Takuya Kawasumi

IPC: G03G15/20

CPC classification number: G03G15/2025 ,  G03G15/2064

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure member, and a holder. The pressure member forms a pressure area between the pressure member and a fixing belt. The holder is provided inside the fixing belt, has a sliding surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt via a lubricant, and holds a heater for heating the fixing belt. The holder includes a plurality of slits and a blocking portion. The plurality of slits are arranged in an axial direction on the sliding surface upstream of the pressure area in a passing direction of a medium and guide movement of the lubricant from upstream to downstream in a rotational direction of the fixing belt. The blocking portion restricts an outflow of the lubricant from each of the slits and restricts a fall of the fixing belt into each of the slits.