Image heating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9235168-B2
Application number	US-201414288712-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating a toner image on a sheet in a nip. An inner surface of the belt is coated with a lubricant. The apparatus also includes a lubricant; a driving roller cooperative with the belt to form the nip, an urging member provided inside the belt to urge the belt toward the roller, a first regulating portion for regulating the position of the belt and configured to be abutted by one end edge of the belt, a first heat sink provided on the first regulating portion to cool the first regulating portion, a second regulating portion for regulating the position of the belt and configured to be abutted by the other end edge of the belt, and a second heat sink provided on the second regulating portion to cool the second regulating portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image heating apparatus comprising:
an endless belt configured to heat a toner image on a sheet in a nip, wherein an inner surface of said endless belt is coated with a lubricant;
a driving rotatable member cooperative with said endless belt to form said nip and configured to feed said endless belt;
an urging member provided inside said endless belt and configured to urge said endless belt toward said driving rotatable member;
a first regulating portion configured and positioned to regulate the position of said endless belt with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof, said first regulating portion being configured to be abutted by one longitudinal end edge of said endless belt;
a first heat sink provided on said first regulating portion and configured to cool said first regulating portion;
a second regulating portion configured and positioned to regulate the position of said endless belt with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof, said second regulating portion being configured to be abutted by the other longitudinal end edge of said endless belt; and
a second heat sink provided on said second regulating portion and configured to cool said second regulating portion.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling mechanism configured to cool a heat radiating portion of said first heat sink and a heat radiating portion of said second heat sink with air.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said cooling mechanism includes a fan, and an isolation member configured and positioned to isolate said endless belt from air flow produced by said fan.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a back-up member configured and positioned to back-up said urging member, wherein said first heat sink and said second heat sink are mounted to said back-up member through a heat insulating member.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant is grease.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said urging member is provided with a heat generating element configured to generate heat by electric power supplied thereto.

7. An image heating apparatus comprising:
an endless belt configured to heat a toner image on a sheet in a nip, wherein an inner surface of said endless belt is coated with a lubricant;
a driving rotatable member cooperative with said endless belt to form said nip and configured to feed said endless belt;
an urging member provided inside said endless belt and configured to urge said endless belt toward said driving rotatable member;
a first hollow regulating portion configured and positioned to regulate the position of said endless belt with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof, said first hollow regulating portion being configured to be abutted by one longitudinal end edge of said endless belt;
a first heat sink extending from an inside space of said endless belt to an outside through a hollow portion of said first hollow regulating portion configured and positioned to cool said first hollow regulating portion;
a second hollow regulating portion configured and positioned to regulate the position of said endless belt with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof, said second hollow regulating portion being configured to be abutted by the other longitudinal end edge of said endless belt; and
a second heat sink extending from the inside space of said endless belt to an outside through a hollow portion of said second hollow regulating portion configured and positioned to cool said second hollow regulating portion.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a cooling mechanism configured to cool a heat radiating portion of said first heat sink and a heat radiating portion of said second heat sink with air.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said cooling mechanism includes a fan, and an isolation member configured and positioned to isolate said endless belt from air flow produced by said fan.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a back-up member configured and positioned to back-up said urging member, wherein said first heat sink and said second heat sink are mounted to said back-up member through a heat insulating member.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the lubricant is grease.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said urging member is provided with a heat generating element configured to generate heat by electric power supplied thereto.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Kawai Hiroki

Classifications

• G03G2215/2035

  the fixing nip having a stationary belt support member opposing a pressure member · CPC title

• G03G15/2017 Primary

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

• G03G15/2053

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

• G03G2215/0132

  vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer · CPC title