Fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording medium and image forming apparatus including the fixing device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsKeisuke Kubota, Teruaki Mitsuya, Takashi Suzuki, Yoshihiro Sonohara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fixing device, which fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording medium, includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller, and an endless belt that stretches over the heating roller and the fixing roller. A heat source and a heat pipe are arranged in a heating roller. The heat pipe substantially uniformly heats the surface of the heating roller.
Claims20
A fixing device that fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording medium, the fixing device comprising:
- a fixing roller;
- a pressurizing roller that opposes the fixing roller;
- a heating roller, the heating roller including:
- a heating unit arranged in the heating roller to heat the heating roller;
- and
- at least one heat pipe is arranged in the heating roller and adjacent to a surface of the heating roller and that substantially uniformly heats the surface;
- and
- an endless fixing belt that stretches over the heating roller and the fixing roller and that conveys a recording medium with an unfixed toner image in a nip portion between the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller.
An image forming apparatus that includes a fixing device that fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording medium, the fixing device comprising:
- a fixing roller;
- a pressurizing roller that opposes the fixing roller;
- a heating roller, the heating roller including:
- a heating unit arranged in the heating roller to heat the heating roller;
- and
- at least one heat pipe is arranged in the heating roller and adjacent to a surface of the heating roller and that substantially uniformly heats the surface;
- and
- an endless fixing belt that stretches over the heating roller and the fixing roller and that conveys a recording medium with an unfixed toner image in a nip portion between the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.