Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9244405-B2
Application number	US-201414231030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus may include a main body having a surface. The main body may accommodate a photosensitive member disposed away from the surface and along a conveying path and a fuser. The fuser may be disposed downstream from the photosensitive member along the conveying path and have a portion disposed further away from the surface than the photosensitive member. The fuser may include an endless belt and a nip plate. The nip plate may include a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, and a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface. The second surface may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt and include a furthest downstream portion of the nip plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body having a bottom surface, wherein the main body accommodates:
a photosensitive drum disposed away from the bottom surface; and
a fuser having at least a portion disposed further away from the bottom surface than the photosensitive drum is to the bottom surface, the fuser comprising:
an endless belt;
a rotatable body; and
a nip plate comprising:
a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, the first surface and the rotatable body being configured to nip the endless belt therebetween, the endless belt and the rotatable body configured to form a nip therebetween; and
a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface, the second surface including a furthest downstream portion of the nip plate along a conveying path of a sheet at the nip, and being spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt,
wherein the second surface includes a first portion inclined from the end of the first surface toward the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus to an end of a second portion of the second surface, the second portion being inclined away from the bottom surface.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second surface is configured to return the lubricant toward the first surface by gravity, the second surface having an area which has a length the same as a width of endless belt.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a support protruding from the bottom surface of the main body.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the support is softer than the bottom surface of the main body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the support includes gum.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of supports protruding from the bottom surface of the main body.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of supports is softer than the bottom surface of the main body.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of supports includes gum.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the second surface of the nip plate is inclined relative to both the first surface and an imaginary line tangent to a bottom surface of two of the plurality of supports.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a supply tray configured to be closer to the bottom surface than the photosensitive drum is to the bottom surface.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first surface and the second surface face away from the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the nip plate is inclined relative to both the first surface and an extending direction of the bottom surface.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the nip plate comprises a metal plate.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second surface includes a third portion protruding from the end of the second portion toward the endless belt.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body having a bottom surface;
a photosensitive body disposed away from the bottom surface inside the main body;
a fuser disposed further away from the bottom surface than the photosensitive body is to the bottom surface inside the main body, the fuser comprising:
an endless belt;
a heater extending inside the endless belt;
a rotatable body; and
a nip plate comprising:
a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, the first surface and the rotatable body being configured to nip the endless belt therebetween, the endless belt being configured to move in a moving direction at the nip; and
a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface, the second surface including a furthest downstream portion of the nip plate in the moving direction, and being spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt; and

a guide for guiding an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, the guide being disposed further away from the bottom surface than the second surface of the nip plate to the bottom surface, the guide protruding in a direction from the nip plate toward the rotatable body beyond at least a portion of the second surface of the nip plate.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the nip plate comprises a metal plate.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the main body further comprises a foot disposed on the bottom surface.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the foot comprises gum.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein a portion of the endless belt is bridged by the first surface of the nip plate and the guide, the portion of the endless belt being spaced apart from the second surface of the nip plate.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the second surface includes a first portion inclined from the end of the first surface toward the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus to an end of a second portion of the second surface, the second portion being inclined away from the bottom surface.

21. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body having a bottom surface;
a photosensitive body disposed away from the bottom surface inside the main body; and
a fuser disposed further away from the bottom surface than the photosensitive body to the bottom surface inside the main body, the fuser comprising:
an endless belt;
a heater extending inside the endless belt;
a rotatable body; and
a nip forming assembly comprising:
a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, the first surface and the rotatable body being configured to nip the endless belt therebetween, the endless belt being configured to move in a moving direction at the nip, the first surface facing away from the bottom surface and being inclined relative to an imaginary plane perpendicular to the bottom surface; and
a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface, the second surface including a downstream end in the moving direction, and being spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt, the second surface having a first inclined portion inclined relative to the first surface and extending away from the bottom surface and having a second inclined portion inclined from the end of the first surface toward the bottom surface of the image forming apparatus to the first inclined portion.

22. The image forming apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the main body further comprises a foot disposed on the bottom surface.

23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the foot comprises gum.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the furthest downstream portion of the second surface is disposed further away from the bottom surface than the first surface.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Maruyama Yasuhiro
• Kobayashi Akihiro
• Hazeyama Tomoaki
• Iwata Naoyuki

Classifications

• G03G2215/2035

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

• G03G15/2053 Primary

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

• G03G15/2025

  with special means for lubricating and/or cleaning the fixing unit, e.g. applying offset preventing fluid · CPC title