ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,306,563, issued on May 20, was assigned to TOSHIBA TEC K.K. (Tokyo).

"Fixing device with a heater holder having a retraction portion" was invented by Ryota Saeki (Sunto Shizuoka, Japan).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a belt, a heater, and a holder. The holder has a plurality of support portions that contact an end of the first heating region and an end of the second heating region along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a plurality of non-contacting portions that do not contact the end of the first heating region and the end of the second heating region betwee...