# US 8,571,437 B2 · Cooling 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 8,571,437 B2 - Document ID: US8571437B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/926,988 - Filed: 2010-12-22 - Published: 2011-07-07 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2010-01-06 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Tomoyasu Hirasawa; Satoshi Okano; Masanori Saitoh; Shingo Suzuki; Kenichi Takehara; Yasuaki Iijima; Hiromitsu Fujiya; Keisuke Yuasa - Inventors: Tomoyasu Hirasawa; Satoshi Okano; Masanori Saitoh; Shingo Suzuki; Kenichi Takehara; Yasuaki Iijima; Hiromitsu Fujiya; Keisuke Yuasa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571437B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - F28D 15/00: Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls {; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies (F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence)} - F28F 2265/06: by using means for draining heat exchange media from heat exchangers - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A cooling device includes a heat receiving unit disposed to contact a surface of a temperature-increasing part the temperature of which increases during an image forming process; a radiation unit transferring heat from a cooling liquid; a tube for circulating the cooling liquid between the heat receiving unit and the radiation unit in a liquid circulation direction; a conveying unit conveying the cooling liquid through the tube; a coupling having an internal flow path and including a first end to which a first part of the tube is connected and a second end to which a second part of the tube is connected; and an outlet for draining the cooling liquid from the tube. At least one of the first part of the tube and the second part of the tube extends to a position lower than the position of the coupling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cooling device, comprising: a heat receiving unit disposed to contact a surface of a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; a radiation unit transferring heat from a cooling liquid; a tube for circulating the cooling liquid between the heat receiving unit and the radiation unit in a liquid circulation direction; a conveying unit conveying the cooling liquid through the tube a coupling having an internal flow path and including a first end to which a first part of the tube is connected and a second end to which a second part of the tube is connected; and an outlet for draining the cooling liquid from the tube, wherein at least one of the first part of the tube and the second part of the tube extends to a position lower than a position of the coupling, when the first end of the coupling is an upstream end in the liquid circulation direction and the second end of the coupling is a downstream end in the liquid circulation direction, the first part of the tube connected to the first end of the coupling includes a first horizontal flow path located at a position lower than the position of the coupling and extending in a substantially horizontal direction, a first vertical flow path extending substantially vertically upward from a downstream end in the liquid circulation direction of the first horizontal flow path, and a second horizontal flow path extending in a substantially horizontal direction from a downstream end in the liquid circulation direction of the first vertical flow path and connected to the first end of the coupling; and the second part of the tube connected to the second end of the coupling includes a third horizontal flow path connected to the second end of the coupling and extending in a substantially horizontal direction; a second vertical flow path extending substantially vertically downward from a downstream end in the liquid circulation direction of the third horizontal flow path, and a fourth horizontal flow path extending in a substantially horizontal direction from a downstream end in the liquid circulation direction of the second vertical flow path and located at a position lower than the position of the coupling. ### Claim 2 A cooling device, comprising: a heat receiving unit disposed to contact a surface of a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; a radiation unit transferring heat from a cooling liquid, a tube for circulating the cooling liquid between the heat receiving unit and the radiation unit in a liquid circulation direction; a conveying unit conveying the cooling liquid through the tube; a coupling having an internal flow path and including a first end to which a first part of the tube is connected and a second end to which a second part of the tube is connected; an outlet for draining the cooling liquid from the tube; a container connected to the tube and containing the cooling liquid to be conveyed through the tube; and a connecting part attached to the container and to be connected to an air supplying unit supplying air into the tube, wherein at least one of the first part of the tube and the second part of the tube extends to a position lower than a position of the coupling. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cooling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a container connected to the tube and containing the cooling liquid to be conveyed through the tube, wherein the conveying unit is a self-priming pump; and at least one air vent for allowing air to flow into and out of the container is formed in a wall of the container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cooling device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: an opening/closing part for opening and closing the air vent. ### Claim 5 A cooling device, comprising: a heat receiving unit disposed to contact a surface of a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; a radiation unit transferring heat from a cooling liquid; a tube for circulating the cooling liquid between the heat receiving unit and the radiation unit in a liquid circulation direction; a conveying unit conveying the cooling liquid through the tube; a coupling having an internal flow path and including a first end to which a first part of the tube is connected and a second end to which a second part of the tube is connected; an outlet for draining the cooling liquid from the tube; a first connecting part provided at an upstream side in the liquid circulation direction of the radiation unit; a second connecting part that is attached to a part of the tube located upstream of the radiation unit in the liquid circulation direction and connectable to and disconnectable from the first connecting part; a third connecting part provided at a downstream side in the liquid circulation direction of the radiation unit; and a fourth connecting part that is attached to a part of the tube located downstream of the radiation unit in the liquid circulation direction and connectable to and disconnectable from the third connecting part, wherein at least one of the first part of the tube and the second part of the tube extends to a position lower than a position of the coupling, and the second connecting part is connectable to and disconnectable from the fourth connecting part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit forming an image; a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; and the cooling device of claim 1 configured to cool the temperature-increasing part. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit forming an image; a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; and the cooling device of claim 2 configured to cool the temperature-increasing part. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit forming an image; a temperature-increasing part a temperature of which increases during an image forming process; and the cooling device of claim 5 configured to cool the temperature-increasing part.