Ex parte ITO - Page 2




          Appeal No. 2000-1347                                                        
          Application No. 08/740,283                                                  


          apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or the like”                 
          (specification, page 1).  The fixing device, which is heated                
          by an electrical resistance member, is particularly designed                
          to reduce the possibility of electrical shock to an operator                
          and current leak damage to other electrical components (see,                
          for example, pages 8 and 9 in the appellant’s specification).               
          Claim 1 is illustrative of the subject matter on appeal and                 
          reads as follows:                                                           
               1.  A fixing device for heating and fixing an unfixed                  
          image     to a record member bearing said unfixed image,                    
          comprising:                                                                 
               a heating roller having a core roller and a layer of                   
          a    resistance heating material formed on an outer peripheral              
               surface of said core roller and operable to generate heat              
               when an electric current flows therethrough;                           
               a pair of carriers rotatably carrying end portions of                  
               said heating roller;                                                   
               a pair of ring-shaped current receiver members each                    
               located between said carrier and a center of said heating              
               roller, being adapted to rotate together with said                     
          heating roller and electrically connected to said resistance                
          heating material layer;                                                     
               a pair of current supply members being in contact                      
          with      and electrically connected to said current receiver               
          members,       respectively; and                                            
               insulating members made of an electrical insulation                    
               material, each being in contact with an outer end of said              
               current receiver member and extending toward said carrier              
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