# US 12,111,594 B2 · Fixing device capable of fixing frame covering heating unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,594 B2 - Document ID: US12111594B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/063,369 - Filed: 2022-12-08 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-12 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Taku Ashida; Youichi Chikugo; Hidekazu Tatezawa; Kenichi Tanaka; Rikiya Takemasa; Takeshi Kozuma; Mikihiko Watanabe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111594B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2032: {Retractable heating or pressure unit} - G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure} - G03G 21/1685: {for the fixing unit} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A fixing device includes a heating unit, a pressure unit, a first frame, an urging member, a support member, and a fixing member. The heating unit heats toner carried by a recording medium. The pressure unit pressurizes the heating unit to form a nip portion with the heating unit and fixes a toner image onto the recording medium at the nip portion with the heating unit. The first frame moves to a first position where the heating unit is exposed and moves to a second position where the heating unit is covered. The urging member urges the heating unit to position the heating unit. The support member supports one end of the urging member and the fixing member fixes the support member to the fixing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fixing device comprising: a heating unit configured to heat toner carried by a recording medium; a pressure unit configured to pressurize the heating unit to form a nip portion with the heating unit and configured to fix a toner image onto the recording medium at the nip portion with the heating unit; a first frame configured to move to a first position where the heating unit is exposed and to move to a second position where the heating unit is covered; a second frame configured to rotatably support the pressure unit; an urging member configured to urge the heating unit to position the heating unit; a support member configured to support one end of the urging member; and a fixing member configured to fix the support member to the fixing device; wherein the urging member urges the heating unit when the fixing member fixes the support member to the fixing device, and wherein the first frame is fixed to the second frame by the fixing member fixing the support member after the first frame is moved from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first frame is movable to the first position and the second position by rotating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is a screw, and wherein the support member is fixed to the second frame with the screw in a state where the first frame is fixed to the second frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first frame is provided with a first hole, wherein the second frame is provided with a second hole, and wherein the support member includes a penetration member insertable into the first hole and the second hole in a state where the first frame is moved to and positioned at the second position, and the first hole and the second hole are positioned to face each other in a conveyance direction of the recording medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fixing device according to claim 4, wherein, in a case where the first frame is at the first position and the penetration member is inserted into the second hole, the first frame is not allowed to be located at the second position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The fixing device according to claim 4, wherein a direction in which the urging member urges the heating unit is identical to a direction in which the penetration member is inserted into the first hole and the second hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the urging member includes a compression spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes a rotatable endless fixing belt and a stay as a member forming the nip portion on an inner peripheral surface of the rotatable endless fixing belt, and wherein the urging member comes into contact with and urges the stay outside an area where the recording medium is in contact with the rotatable endless fixing belt in a width direction of the rotatable endless fixing belt. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein, in a state where the first frame is at the second position, the first frame is maintained at the second position by an own weight of the first frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising a separation member configured to separate the recording medium and the heating unit on a downstream of the nip portion in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, wherein the separation member is configured to be not in contact with an area where the heating unit and the recording medium come into contact with each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device is a belt heating type such that a rotatable endless fixing belt of the heating unit is heated by a heating roller of the heating unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first frame includes a cover that, at the second position, covers an upper side of the heating unit in a vertical direction of the heating unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fixing device according to claim 1, further comprising a pressing member having the support member, where the support member includes a penetration member and the pressing member and the penetration member are separate members. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fixing device according to claim 13, wherein the penetration member is fixed to the support member in an axial direction and the urging member is not fixed to the support member in the axial direction, wherein, when the pressing member is urged in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, the support member pushes a spring, and wherein, when a force greater than or equal to predetermined force is applied from the support member to the spring, the spring is compressed and urges the urging member to abut on the heating unit to position the heating unit.