# US 2016/0259282 A1 · Fixing device and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2016/0259282 A1
- Document ID: US20160259282A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/842,901
- Filed: 2015-09-02
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-04
- Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Nobuyoshi KOMATSU; Masaki NAGATA; Motoi NOYA; Yusuke KANAI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160259282A1

## CPC

- G03G 15/206: {Structural details or chemical composition of the pressure elements and layers thereof}
- G03G 2215/2009: Pressure belt
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

A fixing device includes a pressure applying unit that is provided facing a heating unit. The pressure applying unit includes an endless belt-shaped member that rotates by being driven by rotation of the heating unit, and a retainer that retains the endless belt-shaped member in a movable manner. The retainer has an upstream adjuster that is located at an upstream side of the endless belt-shaped member in a rotational direction thereof and that has a curved shape with a center, in a longitudinal direction of the retainer, which is a most bulging area from which the upstream adjuster decreases in height toward opposite ends of the upstream adjuster.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fixing device comprising:
a pressure applying unit that is provided facing a heating unit,
wherein the pressure applying unit includes
an endless belt-shaped member that rotates by being driven by rotation of the heating unit, and
a retainer that retains the endless belt-shaped member in a movable manner,
wherein the retainer has an upstream adjuster that is located at an upstream side of the retainer with respect to a rotational direction of the endless belt-shaped member and that has a curved shape with a center, in a longitudinal direction of the retainer, which is a most bulging area from which the upstream adjuster decreases in height toward opposite ends of the upstream adjuster in the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the upstream adjuster is separated from the heating unit such that no point along the endless belt-shaped member is simultaneously contacted by the upstream adjuster and the heating unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fixing device according to claim 1,
wherein the curved shape of the upstream adjuster changes increasingly toward the opposite ends.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fixing device according to claim 1,
wherein a curved surface that is located at an upstream side of the upstream adjuster with respect to the rotational direction of the endless belt-shaped member extends from a side facing the heating unit to a surface extending downward away from the heating unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fixing device according to claim 1,
wherein the retainer further has a downstream adjuster that is located at a downstream side of the retainer with respect to the rotational direction of the endless belt-shaped member and that has a curved shape with a downstream-side center, in the longitudinal direction of the retainer, which is a most recessed area from which the downstream adjuster increases in height toward opposite ends of the downstream adjuster in the longitudinal direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fixing device according to claim 4,
wherein the curved shape of the downstream adjuster changes increasingly toward the opposite ends.

### Claim 6

A fixing device comprising:
a pressure applying unit that is provided facing a heating unit,
wherein the pressure applying unit includes
an endless belt-shaped member that rotates by being driven by rotation of the heating unit, and
a retainer that retains the endless belt-shaped member in a movable manner,
wherein the retainer has a downstream adjuster that is located at a downstream side of the endless belt-shaped member in a rotational direction thereof and that has a curved shape with a downstream-side center, in a longitudinal direction of the retainer, which is a most recessed area from which the downstream adjuster increases in height toward opposite ends of the downstream adjuster.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fixing device according to claim 6,
wherein the curved shape of the downstream adjuster changes increasingly toward the opposite ends.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An image forming apparatus comprising:
the fixing device according to claim 1.