# US 10,481,530 B2 · Separation member, separation device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,530 B2 - Document ID: US10481530B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/010,625 - Filed: 2018-06-18 - Published: 2018-10-18 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-15 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Seiji Saitoh; Keisuke Kubota; Masami Okamoto; Kenji Nozawa; Fumihiro Hirose; Kensuke Yamaji; Shuutaroh Yuasa; Yuuki Kikushima; Kaori Hemmi; Yuuta Kanda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481530B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2028: {with means for handling the copy material in the fixing nip, e.g. introduction guides, stripping means} - G03G 15/20: for fixing, e.g. by using heat - G03G 15/6532: {Removing a copy sheet form a xerographic drum, band or plate (removing sheets from printing cylinders B65H29/02)} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A separation member that is used to separate a conveyance object from two rotation members, the conveyance object having been sent out from a nip that is formed by the two rotation members that are in contact with one another, the separation member includes a wavy part directed toward the nip and inclined from a normal to a center line of the two rotation members at a predetermined angle. The wavy part covers a contact zone where the conveyance object can come into contact with the separation member along a conveyance direction and along a width direction of the conveyance object, and the wavy part has a plurality of depressions parallel to each other and extending in a direction inclined from the conveyance direction and inclined from the width direction, at least two of the depressions overlapping along the conveyance direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A separator to separate a conveyance object from two rotation bodies, the conveyance object having been sent out from a nip that is formed by the two rotation bodies that are in contact with one another, the separator comprising: a wavy part directed toward the nip and inclined from a normal to a center line of the two rotation bodies at a predetermined angle, wherein the wavy part covers a contact zone where the conveyance object can come into contact with the separator along a conveyance direction and along a width direction of the conveyance object, and the wavy part has a plurality of depressions parallel to each other and extending in a direction inclined from the conveyance direction and inclined from the width direction, at least two of the depressions overlapping along the conveyance direction, and the wavy part has a plurality of projections formed between the grooves, the projections having smoothly curved surfaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, further comprising a surface layer member formed on a surface of an extending end of the separator directed toward the nip, the surface layer member having slidability higher than slidability of a body of the separator, wherein the wavy part comprises the surface layer member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein the depressions of the wavy part that are adjacent to each other have segments that overlap along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein the depressions that are adjacent to each other overlap along the conveyance direction within the contact zone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle falls within 10 degrees from the normal on a side opposite a side on which an image is formed on the conveyance object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is parallel to the conveyance direction of the nip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein depths of the depressions are greater than or equal to 7.3 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein depths of the depressions are less than or equal to 38 μm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The separator according to claim 1, wherein a separator upstream section has a shallow groove section where depths of the depressions are smaller than depths of the depressions of a separator midstream section, where the separator upstream section is a section of the separator facing the nip, a separator downstream section is a section of the separator opposite the separator upstream side, and the separator midstream section is a section of the separator between the separator upstream section and the separator downstream section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The separator according to claim 9, wherein depths of the shallow groove section are less than or equal to 3 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The separator according claim 1, wherein the depressions have intervals less than or equal to 1.2 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A fixing device that comprises the two rotation bodies that form the nip and the separator according to claim 1 on a downstream side of the nip with respect to the conveyance direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The fixing device according to claim 12, wherein the two rotation bodies and the separator are arranged in such a manner that a gap between the two rotation bodies and the separator is greater at an end than a center with respect to the width direction of the separator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An image forming apparatus that comprises the fixing device according to claim 12. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus that comprises the separator according to claim 1 and the two rotation bodies that form the nip, the image forming apparatus forming an image on the conveyance object as a recording medium.