Fixing device and image forming apparatus using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9037054-B2
Application number	US-201213479536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2012
Priority date	Jul 14, 2011
Publication date	May 19, 2015
Grant date	May 19, 2015

Abstract

A fixing device includes: a fixing belt that heats a recording medium with a toner image transferred thereon to fix the toner image to the recording medium; a heater unit for heating the fixing belt; and a tension roller that suspends the fixing belt in a rotatable manner. This fixing device is constructed such that the heater unit is extended in the direction of the belt width that is perpendicular to the rotational direction of the fixing belt and includes a planar heat generator that generates heat by supplying electricity, a heat transfer member arranged in contact with both the planar heat generator and the fixing belt and a reinforcing member for fixing the heat transfer member while the heat transfer member is joined to the reinforcing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fixing device comprising:
an endless belt that heats a recording medium with a toner image transferred thereon to fix the toner image to the recording medium;
a heating assembly for heating the endless belt; and
a suspending member that suspends the endless belt in a rotatable manner,
characterized in that the heating assembly is extended in a direction of a belt width that is perpendicular to a rotational direction of the endless belt, and includes a planar heat generator that generates heat through resistive heating, a heat transfer member arranged in contact with both the planar heat generator and the endless belt and a reinforcing member for fixing the heat transfer member while the heat transfer member is joined to the reinforcing member,
wherein the heat transfer member is formed in a shape having a rectangled U-shaped section which is larger in size than the reinforcing member such that the reinforcing member fits within the rectangled U-shaped section,
wherein the reinforcing member is formed in a shape having a rectangled U-shaped section that fits within the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member,
wherein the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member has an engagement depressed toward the interior of the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member that is formed in a longitudinal direction on either longitudinal side of the heat transfer member, and
the rectangled U-shaped section of the reinforcing member has an outward projected engagement that is formed in the longitudinal direction on either longitudinal side of the reinforcing member such that the projected engagement will engage said corresponding engagement of the heat transfer member.

2. A fixing device comprising:
an endless belt that heats a recording medium with a toner image transferred thereon to fix the toner image to the recording medium;
a heating assembly for heating the endless belt; and
a suspending member that suspends the endless belt in a rotatable manner,
characterized in that the heating assembly is extended in a direction of a belt width that is perpendicular to a rotational direction of the endless belt, and includes a planar heat generator that generates heat through resistive heating, a heat transfer member arranged in contact with both the planar heat generator and the endless belt and a reinforcing member for fixing the heat transfer member while the heat transfer member is joined to the reinforcing member,
wherein the heat transfer member is formed in a shape having a rectangled U-shaped section which is larger in size than the reinforcing member such that the reinforcing member fits within the rectangled U-shaped section,
wherein the reinforcing member is formed in a shape having a rectangled U-shaped section that fits within the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member,
wherein the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member has a plurality of engagements depressed toward the interior of the rectangled U-shaped section of the heat transfer member that are formed in a longitudinal direction on either longitudinal side of the heat transfer member, and
the rectangled U-shaped section of the reinforcing member has a plurality of outward projected engagements that are formed in the longitudinal direction on either longitudinal side of the reinforcing member such that the projected engagements will engage corresponding said engagements of the heat transfer member.

Assignees

• Mukai Takashi
• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Mukai Takashi

Classifications

• G03G2215/2032

  the belt further entrained around additional rotating belt support members · CPC title

• G03G2215/2029

  the belt further entrained around one or more stationary belt support members, the latter not being a cooling device · CPC title

• G03G15/2017

  Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means (G03G15/2053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/2053 Primary

  Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating · CPC title

• G03G2215/2003

  Structural features of the fixing device · CPC title