IP Library Granted Patent US 12697824
Granted Patent B2
US 12697824 · App. 18/817,388 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Heating apparatus, image forming apparatus, and liquid discharge apparatus

Inventors: Yusuke Morikawa (Kanagawa, JP); Hiroshi Kato (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B41J11/0024B41J11/002B41J29/377B41M7/009G03G15/2007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12697824
App. No.
18/817,388
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heating apparatus includes: a heating rotator to heat a medium; a heat source including: a glass tube disposed inside the heating rotator to generate radiant heat; and a sealing on each of both ends of the glass tube in an axial direction of the heating rotator; a heater holder to hold the heat source inside the heating rotator; a support having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the heating rotator to support the heater holder inside the heating rotator; and a gas supply disposed outside an outer end of the heating rotator in the axial direction, the gas supply to supply gas to the sealing through the support in the axial direction, wherein the heating rotator has an air hole facing the sealing.

Claims (36)

1 . A heating apparatus comprising:

a heating rotator to heat a medium;

a heat source including:

a glass tube disposed inside the heating rotator to generate radiant heat; and

a sealing on each of both ends of the glass tube in an axial direction of the heating rotator;

a heater holder to hold the heat source inside the heating rotator;

a support having an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the heating rotator to support the heater holder inside the heating rotator; and

a gas supply disposed outside an outer end of the heating rotator in the axial direction, the gas supply to supply gas to the sealing through the support in the axial direction,

wherein the heating rotator has an air hole facing the sealing, and

the air hole discharges the gas blown to the sealing from the air hole in a transverse direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

2 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the support includes a cylinder, and

the gas supply supplies the gas to the sealing through an interior of the cylinder in the axial direction.

3 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the heating rotator has a conveyance region to convey a medium in the axial direction,

the sealing is disposed outside the conveyance region inside the heating rotator in the axial direction.

4 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the heating rotator has the air hole on a face of the heating rotator facing the sealing, and

the air hole discharges the gas blown to the sealing from the air hole in the transverse direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

5 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a frame to hold the heating rotator,

wherein the support extends outside the frame in the axial direction.

6 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising circuitry configured to adjust an amount of gas to be supplied from the gas supply to the support.

7 . The heating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor to detect temperature of the heating rotator.

8 . The heating apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the gas supply supplies the gas to the temperature sensor.

9 . The heating apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a gas distributor to distribute the gas supplied from the gas supply to:

the support; and

the temperature sensor.

10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

the heating apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

an image forming unit to form an image onto the medium,

wherein the heating apparatus heats the medium onto which the image has been formed by the image forming unit.

11 . A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

the heating apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid onto the medium,

wherein the heating apparatus heats the medium onto which the liquid has been discharged by the liquid discharge head.