Fixing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022011700-A1
Application number	US-202117487267-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2021
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fixing device 9 has a nozzle unit 9A. The nozzle unit 9A sprays the fixing solution to a sheet S on which a toner image is formed. The nozzle unit 9A has a housing 21, a nozzle electrode 23 and a plurality of nozzles 22. The plurality of nozzles 22 has a first nozzle 22A and a second nozzle 22B located at an interval from the first nozzle 22A in a first direction, and the nozzle electrode 23 is located inside the housing 21. The nozzle electrode 23 extends in the first direction. A length L1 of the nozzle electrode 23 in the first direction is greater than the interval between the first nozzle 22A and the second nozzle 22B in the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fixing device comprising a nozzle unit that sprays a fixing solution to a sheet on which a toner image is formed, and provided to fix the toner image on the sheet,
wherein the nozzle unit comprises:
a housing capable of accommodating the fixing solution;
a nozzle electrode located inside the housing and extending in a first direction; and
a plurality of nozzles provided to discharge the fixing solution electrically charged by the nozzle electrode from the housing, aligned along the first direction, and comprising a first nozzle and a second nozzle located at an interval from the first nozzle in the first direction, and
a length of the nozzle electrode in the first direction is greater than the interval between the first nozzle and the second nozzle in the first direction.

2 . The fixing device according to claim 1 , further comprising an opposite electrode located at an interval from the nozzle unit in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, a voltage being applied to the opposite electrode.

3 . The fixing device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first direction intersects with a third direction in which the sheet is conveyed, and the second direction intersects with the third direction.

4 . The fixing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first nozzle is located at one end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction, and the second nozzle is located at the other end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction.

5 . The fixing device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first nozzle is located at one end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction, and the second nozzle is located at the other end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction.

6 . The fixing device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first nozzle is located at one end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction, and the second nozzle is located at the other end of the plurality of nozzles in the first direction.

7 . The fixing device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the housing has an inlet through which the fixing solution entering the housing passes, and the nozzle electrode is located between the plurality of nozzles and the inlet in the second direction.

8 . The fixing device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the housing has an inlet through which the fixing solution entering the housing passes, and the nozzle electrode is located between the plurality of nozzles and the inlet in the second direction.

9 . The fixing device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the nozzle electrode is located closer to the plurality of nozzles than the inlet in the second direction.

10 . The fixing device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the nozzle electrode is located closer to the plurality of nozzles than the inlet in the second direction.

11 . The fixing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of nozzles are located on an outer surface of the housing, and the nozzle electrode is located on an inner surface of the housing.

12 . The fixing device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the nozzle electrode is in contact with the inner surface of the housing.

13 . The fixing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the housing has a first hole allowing the fixing solution to enter the first nozzle and a second hole allowing the fixing solution to enter the second nozzle, and the nozzle electrode has a first notch allowing the fixing solution to enter the first hole and a second notch allowing the fixing solution to enter the second hole.

14 . The fixing device according to claim 13 ,
wherein a diameter of the first notch is smaller than a diameter of the first hole, and a diameter of the second notch is smaller than a diameter of the second hole.

15 . The fixing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the nozzle unit further comprises a supply electrode provided to supply electric power to the nozzle electrode, supported by the housing, and electrically connected to the nozzle electrode.

16 . The fixing device according to claim 15 ,
wherein the supply electrode has a projection, and the nozzle electrode has a hole in which the projection is fitted.

17 . The fixing device according to claim 12 ,
wherein the nozzle electrode is attached to the inner surface of the housing by heat caulking.

18 . The fixing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the nozzle electrode is made of metal.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kakigahara Yutaka
• Takahashi Masamitsu
• Murata Satoshi
• Takeda Kengo
• Kamiya Masataka

Classifications

• G03G15/2096 Primary

  using a solvent · CPC title

• G03G15/20

  for fixing, e.g. by using heat · CPC title