Patent
Heating device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
| العنوان: | Heating device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 12124,194 |
| تاريخ النشر: | October 22, 2024 |
| Appl. No: | 18/176845 |
| Application Filed: | March 01, 2023 |
| مستخلص: | A heating device includes a rotator, a heating source, a reflector, a rotator holder, and a liquid or semi-solid substance. The rotator is rotatably held. The heating source heats the rotator. The reflector includes a reflection face that reflects radiant heat emitted from the heating source. The reflection face has a reflectance lower at each end portion of the reflection face in a longitudinal direction of the rotator than at a center portion of the reflection face in the longitudinal direction of the rotator. The rotator holder holds a longitudinal end portion of the rotator. The liquid or semi-solid substance has lubricity and adheres to the rotator holder. |
| Inventors: | Sugiyama, Ryohhei (Kanagawa, JP); Andoh, Takayuki (Kanagawa, JP); Samei, Masahiro (Kanagawa, JP); Shiodera, Kota (Tokyo, JP); Yoshinaga, Hiroshi (Chiba, JP) |
| Assignees: | Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP) |
| Claim: | 1. A heating device comprising: a rotator rotatably held; a heating source configured to heat the rotator; a reflector including a reflection face that reflects radiant heat emitted from the heating source, the reflection face having a reflectance lower at each end portion of the reflection face in a longitudinal direction of the rotator than a reflectance at a center portion of the reflection face in the longitudinal direction of the rotator; a rotator holder holding a longitudinal end portion of the rotator; and a liquid or semi-solid substance having lubricity and adhering to the rotator holder, wherein the reflector is configured to reduce rising temperature of the liquid or semi-solid substance adhering to the rotator holder by reducing the radiant heat emitted to the rotator holder. |
| Claim: | 2. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the each end portion of the reflection face having the reflectance lower than the reflectance of the center portion of the reflection face is disposed at least at a position where the rotator holder is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the rotator. |
| Claim: | 3. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the center portion of the reflection face includes a surface layer including silver, and wherein the each end portion of the reflection face does not include a surface layer including silver. |
| Claim: | 4. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the each end portion of the reflection face has a surface roughness greater than a surface roughness of the center portion of the reflection face. |
| Claim: | 5. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the each end portion of the reflection face is inclined toward the center portion of the reflection face with respect to an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the rotator. |
| Claim: | 6. The heating device according to claim 1 , wherein the substance having lubricity includes at least one of silicone oil or fluorine grease. |
| Claim: | 7. A fixing device comprising: the heating device according to claim 1 , configured to heat a recording medium bearing an unfixed image; and a counter rotator facing an outer circumferential surface of the rotator of the heating device, the counter rotator configured to fix the unfixed image onto the recording medium. |
| Claim: | 8. An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing device according to claim 7 . |
| Claim: | 9. An image forming apparatus comprising the heating device according to claim 1 . |
| Claim: | 10. The heating device of claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the liquid or semi-solid substance adhering to the rotator holder is maintained to be equal or less than a temperature at which ultra-fine particles are generated by the liquid or semi-solid substance. |
| Claim: | 11. A heating device comprising: a rotator rotatably held; a heating source configured to heat the rotator; a reflector including a reflection face that reflects radiant heat emitted from the heating source, each end portion of the reflection face is inclined toward a center portion of the reflection face with respect to an axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the rotator; a rotator holder holding a longitudinal end portion of the rotator; and a liquid or semi-solid substance having lubricity and adhering to the rotator holder, wherein the reflector is configured to reduce rising temperature of the liquid or semi-solid substance adhering to the rotator holder by reflecting the radiant heat away from the rotator holder. |
| Claim: | 12. The heating device according to claim 11 , wherein the substance having lubricity includes at least one of silicone oil or fluorine grease. |
| Claim: | 13. A fixing device comprising: the heating device according to claim 11 , configured to heat a recording medium bearing an unfixed image; and a counter rotator facing an outer circumferential surface of the rotator of the heating device, the counter rotator configured to fix the unfixed image onto the recording medium. |
| Claim: | 14. An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing device according to claim 13 . |
| Claim: | 15. An image forming apparatus comprising the heating device according to claim 11 . |
| Claim: | 16. The heating device of claim 11 , wherein a temperature of the liquid or semi-solid substance adhering to the rotator holder is maintained to be equal or less than a temperature at which ultra-fine particles are generated by the liquid or semi-solid substance. |
| Patent References Cited: | 20070196152 August 2007 Shimizu et al. 20110044734 February 2011 Shimokawa et al. 20110052245 March 2011 Shinshi et al. 20110064437 March 2011 Yamashina et al. 20110222875 September 2011 Imada et al. 20110222888 September 2011 Ikebuchi et al. 20110222931 September 2011 Shinshi et al. 20110274453 November 2011 Shimokawa et al. 20120177388 July 2012 Imada et al. 20130045032 February 2013 Shimokawa et al. 20130164056 June 2013 Imada et al. 20130195523 August 2013 Yamaji et al. 20130209147 August 2013 Ogawa et al. 20140341627 November 2014 Yoshikawa et al. 20150346661 December 2015 Yotsutsuji 20170176898 June 2017 Izawa 20170185015 June 2017 Yoshinaga et al. 20180120741 May 2018 Yoshinaga 20180267449 September 2018 Naitoh et al. 20200387094 December 2020 Yamaguchi 20220026834 January 2022 Yoshinaga 2013-178511 September 2013 2017-120331 July 2017 |
| Other References: | U.S. Appl. No. 17/842,794, filed Jun. 17, 2022, Ryohhei Sugiyama. cited by applicant U.S. Appl. No. 18/160,080, filed Jan. 26, 2023, Daisuke Inoue, et al. cited by applicant U.S. Appl. No. 18/163,591, filed Feb. 2, 2023, Takayuki Andoh, et al. cited by applicant U.S. Appl. No. 18/162,872, filed Feb. 1, 2023, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, et al. cited by applicant |
| Primary Examiner: | Brase, Sandra |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C. |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.12124194 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |