IP Library Granted Patent US 7,477,867
Granted Patent B2
US 7,477,867 · App. 11/201,226 · Granted Jan 13, 2009

Fixing device having cleaner and temperature detector

Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,477,867
App. No.
11/201,226
Granted
Jan 13, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

To accomplish high-speed fixing which requires high-precision temperature control, or fixing of high-quality color images on various kinds of paper without increasing the size and production cost of the temperature detecting means and contaminating the back sides of paper by toner that comes off from the temperature detecting element, an image forming device is equipped with a fixing device comprising a heating roller, a pressing belt which forcibly contacts the heating roller, and a temperature detecting means which touches the surface of the heating roller to sense the surface temperature of the heating roller, wherein a cleaning means to clean the belt surface is provided on a place which is corresponding to a place at which the contact-type thermistor touches the heating roller.

Claims (29)

1. A fixing device comprising:

a heating roller,

a pressing belt which forcibly contacts the heating roller,

a temperature detecting means which touches a surface of the heating roller at a predetermined width position of the heating roller to sense the surface temperature of the heating roller, and

a cleaning means contacting the pressing belt to clean a belt surface thereof, where the cleaning means is provided at a predetermined width position of the pressing belt corresponding in position to the predetermined width position of the heating roller where the temperature detecting means touches the surface of the heating roller, and the cleaning means is configured to be driven by the pressing belt.

2. The fixing device of claim 1 , wherein said cleaning means comprises a base material made of a heat-resistant resin and artificial leather which is spirally wound around the surface of the base material.

3. The fixing device of claim 2 , wherein said artificial leather is made of polyester fiber and polyurethane.

4. The fixing device of claim 3 , wherein said polyester fiber is made of very thin polyester fiber.

5. The fixing device of claim 2 , wherein each end of the cleaning means tapers to a narrower diameter in comparison to a diameter of said cleaning means at a central width portion of the cleaning means.

6. An image forming device comprising the fixing device of any of claims 1 to 5 .

7. The fixing device of claim 1 , wherein a width of the cleaning means is a fraction of a width of the pressing belt.

8. The fixing device of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning means contacts the pressing belt at a position adjacent to where the pressing belt is fed into contact with the heating roller.

9. A fixing device comprising:

a heating roller,

a pressing belt which forcibly contacts the heating roller,

a temperature detector configured to touch a surface of the heating roller at a predetermined width position of the heating roller to sense the surface temperature of the heating roller, and

a cleaning roller contacting the pressing belt to clean a belt surface thereof, where the cleaning roller is provided at a predetermined width position of the pressing belt corresponding in position to the predetermined width position of the heating roller where the temperature detector touches the surface of the heating roller, and the cleaning roller is configured to be driven by the pressing belt.

10. The fixing device of claim 9 , wherein said cleaning roller comprises a base material made of a heat-resistant resin and artificial leather which is spirally wound around the surface of the base material.

11. The fixing device of claim 10 , wherein said artificial leather is made of polyester fiber and polyurethane.

12. The fixing device of claim 11 , wherein said polyester fiber is made of very thin polyester fiber.

13. The fixing device of claim 10 , wherein each end of the cleaning means tapers to a narrower diameter in comparison to a diameter of said cleaning means at a central width portion of the cleaning means.

14. An image forming device comprising the fixing device of any of claims 9 to 13 .

15. The fixing device of claim 9 , wherein a width of the cleaning roller is a fraction of a width of the pressing belt.

16. The fixing device of claim 9 , wherein the cleaning roller contacts the pressing belt at a position adjacent to where the pressing belt is fed into contact with the heating roller.

17. A fixing device comprising:

a heating roller,

a pressing belt which forcibly contacts the heating roller,

a temperature detecting means which touches a surface of the heating roller at a predetermined width position of the heating roller to sense the surface temperature of the heating roller, and

a cleaning means contacting the pressing belt to clean a belt surface thereof, where the cleaning means is provided at a predetermined width position of the pressing belt corresponding in position to the predetermined width position of the heating roller where the temperature detecting means touches the surface of the heating roller.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP Recorded Mar 20, 2009
From: RICOH PRINTING SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 022438/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2005
From: HIRAOKA, CHIKARA; HANASHIMA, TORU; SAITO, MASAHIKO; OOHARA, SHUNICHI; OGISO, TOSHIO
To: RICOH PRINTING SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 017041/0457 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2004-234251 · Aug 11, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060034646A1 · Feb 16, 2006