Heater lamp for fixation, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9778605-B2
Application number	US-201414282543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2014
Priority date	May 22, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A heater lamp for fixation and a method of producing the heater lamp are provided. The heater lamp includes a heat generator and a protective casing to cover the heat generator, in which an amount of carbon in an external surface of the protective casing as detected by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method is equal to or less than 12 atomic %. The method of producing a heater lamp for fixation includes preparing a heat generator; preparing a protective casing to cover the heat generator; and heating the heat generator in an atmosphere containing oxygen gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heater lamp for fixation comprising:
a heat generator; and
a protective casing formed of quartz glass to cover the heat generator, wherein an amount of carbon in an external surface of the protective casing, which is a quartz glass, as detected by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method in a new product state prior to use of the heater lamp is not less than 4.1 atomic % and is not larger than 12 atomic %,
wherein an amount of C—Si binding component in the external surface of the protective casing of the heater lamp for fixation as detected by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method is from 2.0 atomic % to 8.0 atomic %.

2. The heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an amount of C—C binding and C-Hn binding components in the external surface of the protective casing of the heater lamp for fixation as detected by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method is equal to or lower than 10 atomic %.

3. A fixing device comprising:
a heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 1 ;
a fixing member heated by the heater lamp for fixation; and
a pressure member disposed to press at least a part of the fixing member and forming a nip portion between the fixing member and the pressure member,
wherein the fixing member fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording medium conveyed to and passed through the nip portion.

4. A method of producing a heater lamp for fixation that includes a heat generator and a protective casing to cover the heat generator, comprising:
preparing a protective casing formed of quartz glass to cover the heat generator; and
generating an amount of carbon in an external surface of the protective casing, which is a quartz glass, as detected by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method in a new product state following a heating or cleaning step that is not less than 4.1 atomic % and is not larger than 12 atomic %,
wherein an amount of C—Si binding component in the external surface of the protective casing of the heater lamp for fixation as detected by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic method is from 2.0 atomic % to 8.0 atomic %.

5. The method of producing a heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein the generating includes heating the heater lamp such that the heating is performed in an atmosphere containing oxygen gas with a concentration of 25 volume % or more.

6. The method of producing a heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the generating includes heating the heater lamp such that in the heating, surface temperature of the protective casing reaches 400 to 750 degrees C.

7. A fixing device comprising:
a heater lamp for fixation produced by the method as claimed in claim 4 ;
a fixing member heated by the heater lamp for fixation; and
a pressure member disposed to press at least a part of the fixing member and forming a nip portion between the fixing member and the pressure member;
wherein the fixing member fixes an unfixed toner image on a recording medium conveyed to and passed through the nip portion.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising a fixing device as claimed in claim 3 .

9. A method of producing a fixing device comprising:
producing a heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 4 .

10. A method of producing an image forming apparatus comprising:
producing a heater lamp for fixation as claimed in claim 4 .

Assignees

• Kabata Toshiyuki
• Yasufuku Hideyuki
• Shimada Hiroyuki
• Kuwata Kazumi
• Shibuya Takeshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kabata Toshiyuki
• Yasufuku Hideyuki
• Shimada Hiroyuki
• Kuwata Kazumi
• Shibuya Takeshi

Classifications

• G03G15/2064

  combined with pressure · CPC title

• G03G15/2053 Primary

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

• H05B3/0033

  Heating devices using lamps · CPC title

• H05B2203/017

  Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title