# US 12,117,753 B2 · Pressing device and pressing process apparatus using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,753 B2 - Document ID: US12117753B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/958,444 - Filed: 2022-10-03 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-29 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Applicants: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp. - Inventors: Shogo Kamiya; Takashi Ohashi; Kouichi Kimura; Shingo Akiyama; Toyohiko Awano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117753B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure} - G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating} - G03G 2215/2009: Pressure belt - G03G 2215/2025: the fixing nip having a rotating belt support member opposing a pressure member - G03G 2215/2038: the belt further entrained around one or more rotating belt support members - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A pressing device includes a first pressurization unit; a second pressurization unit that is provided to face the first pressurization unit, and sandwiches and pressurizes a medium moving in a contact region formed between the first pressurization unit and the second pressurization unit; and a contact region variable unit that changes a width dimension of the contact region along a moving direction of the medium in a state of maintaining a contact pressure on an outlet side of the contact region, in varying a contact state of the contact region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressing device comprising: a first pressurization unit, wherein the first pressurization unit is a pressurization roll; a second pressurization unit that is provided to face the first pressurization unit, and sandwiches and pressurizes a medium moving in a contact region formed between the first pressurization unit and the second pressurization unit, wherein the second pressurization unit is a pressing member; and a contact region variable unit that changes a width dimension of the contact region along a moving direction of the medium in a state of maintaining a contact pressure on an outlet side of the contact region, in varying a contact state of the contact region, wherein the contact region variable unit comprises a motor, wherein the contact pressure on the outlet side of the contact region remains unchanged as the contact state of the contact region varies. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein the contact region variable unit moves the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit along a width direction of the contact region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pressing device according to claim 2, wherein the contact region variable unit changes the width dimension of the contact region with a position of an outlet side end portion of the contact region as a reference. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein the contact region variable unit swings the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit around a swing fulcrum such that the width dimension of the contact region is changed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pressing device according to claim 4, wherein the contact region variable unit maintains an intrusion amount of an outlet side end portion of the contact region at the same level in a swing range of the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the medium is a thin medium having a predetermined thickness or less, the contact region variable unit narrows the width dimension of the contact region as compared with other cases. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pressing device according to claim 6, further comprising: a discrimination unit that discriminates a type of a medium having a different thickness, wherein the discrimination unit comprises a thickness detector, wherein in a case where the discrimination unit discriminates that the medium is a thin medium having a predetermined thickness or less, the contact region variable unit narrows the width dimension of the contact region as compared with other cases. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the medium is a thin medium having a predetermined thickness or less, the contact region variable unit causes a surface pressure of an outlet side end portion of the contact region to be larger than a surface pressure of other portions of the contact region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pressing device according to claim 1, wherein the second pressurization unit is fixedly installed on a back surface of an endless belt member that causes rotation of the first pressurization unit to be followed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pressing device according to claim 9, further comprising: a heating unit that heats the endless belt member or the second pressurization unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A pressing process apparatus comprising: a processing unit that applies an object to be pressurized on a medium, wherein the processing unit comprises a transfer roll; and the pressing device according to claim 1, which pressurizes the object to be pressurized on the medium. ### Claim 12 A pressing device comprising: a first pressurization unit, wherein the first pressurization unit is a pressurization roll; a second pressurization unit that is provided to face the first pressurization unit, and sandwiches and pressurizes a medium moving in a contact region formed between the first pressurization unit and the second pressurization unit, wherein the second pressurization unit is a pressing member; a contact region variable unit that changes a width dimension of the contact region along a moving direction of the medium in a state of maintaining a contact pressure on an outlet side of the contact region, in varying a contact state of the contact region, wherein the contact region variable unit comprises a motor; and a medium guide unit that is provided on an upstream side of the contact region in the moving direction of the medium, and guides the medium in accordance with an inlet portion of the contact region which is changed by the contact region variable unit, wherein the medium guide unit comprises a guide chute, wherein the contact pressure on the outlet side of the contact region remains unchanged as the contact state of the contact region varies. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pressing device according to claim 12, wherein the contact region variable unit moves the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit along a width direction of the contact region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pressing device according to claim 13, wherein the contact region variable unit changes the width dimension of the contact region with a position of an outlet side end portion of the contact region as a reference. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The pressing device according to claim 12, wherein the contact region variable unit swings the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit around a swing fulcrum such that the width dimension of the contact region is changed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pressing device according to claim 15, wherein the contact region variable unit maintains an intrusion amount of an outlet side end portion of the contact region at the same level in a swing range of the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The pressing device according to claim 12, wherein in a case where the medium is a thin medium having a predetermined thickness or less, the contact region variable unit narrows the width dimension of the contact region as compared with other cases. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The pressing device according to claim 12, wherein in a case where the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit is moved by the contact region variable unit, the medium guide unit is moved following the movement of the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The pressing device according to claim 18, wherein in a case where the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit is moved along a width direction of the contact region by the contact region variable unit, the medium guide unit is moved along the contact region by a movement amount of the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The pressing device according to claim 18, wherein in a case where the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit is swung by the contact region variable unit, the medium guide unit is swung around a swing fulcrum by a swing amount of the first pressurization unit or the second pressurization unit.