(19)
(11) EP 2 541 339 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
22.03.2017 Bulletin 2017/12

(43) Date of publication A2:
02.01.2013 Bulletin 2013/01

(21) Application number: 12171711.0

(22) Date of filing: 13.06.2012
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G03G 15/20(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME

(30) Priority: 28.06.2011 JP 2011143298

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Takahira, Masafumi
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Hashimoto, Haruo
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Kondo, Kazuyoshi
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Hagiwara, Genta
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)
  • Tada, Kaoru
    Tokyo, 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Patentanwälte Rechtsanwalt Partnerschaft mbB Joseph-Wild-Straße 20
81829 München
81829 München (DE)

   


(54) Fixing device and image forming apparatus employing same


(57) A fixing device (16) includes a pair of rollers (30) forming a fixing nip (N) therebetween and a nip pressure adjusting unit (50) including a pair of first and second operation levers (45a, 45b) disposed near widthwise ends of the pair of rollers (30) to adjust a nip pressure generated in the fixing nip (N) by moving the pair of first and second operation levers (45a, 45b). The nip pressure adjusting unit (50) further includes a first movement member (51) cooperating with the first operation lever (45a) to perform a first movement, a second movement member (52) cooperating with the second operation lever (45b) to perform a second movement, and a detector (53) to detect both of the first and second movements being performed and generate a turn on signal. The fixing device (16) becomes operable only when the turn on signal is generated by the detector (53).







Search report









Search report