Image forming apparatus with plurality of ribs on guide to fixing nip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9904222-B2
Application number	US-201615175287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for fixing an image formed on a recording material; and a guide member for guiding the recording material. The guide member is provided at an entrance to the fixing portion and at an end portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording material The guide member is moved when the guide member is pushed by the recording material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming portion for forming an unfixed image on a recording material;
a fixing portion for fixing the unfixed image formed on the recording material onto the recording material at a fixing nip;
a first guide member configured to guide the recording material to the fixing nip, said first guide member contactable with a surface of the recording material opposite from a surface of the recording material on which the unfixed image is formed; and
a second guide member configured to guide the recording material to the fixing nip, said second guide member provided at a position opposed to the surface of the recording material on which the unfixed image is formed and at an end of said fixing portion with respect to a direction, as a widthwise direction of the recording material, perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording material,
wherein said second guide member is shaped so that a guide portion of said second guide member, contactable with the recording material, is inclined in the direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording material so that the guide portion approaches said first guide member at a position thereof closer to an end portion thereof,
wherein a plurality of ribs with which the recording material is contactable are provided on the guide portion of said second guide member,
wherein when the plurality of ribs are seen from a side upstream of the fixing nip with respect to the feeding direction, the plurality of ribs are inclined in the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording material, and
wherein when the plurality of ribs are viewed in the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction, the plurality of ribs are inclined in the feeding direction.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second guide member is provided in a position where an edge of the recording material parallel to the feeding direction is contactable with said second guide member.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second guide member is held by a main assembly of said image forming apparatus.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second guide member is held at said fixing portion.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein said fixing portion includes a pair of rotatable members for forming the fixing nip through which the recording material is to be passed, and
wherein at least one of the pair of rotatable members has a shape such that a diameter thereof is increased with a distance thereof toward the end portion with respect to the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second guide member is provided at an entrance to said fixing portion and at each of end portions with respect to the direction perpendicular to the feeding direction.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ribs are provided along a direction in which said second guide member is inclined.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Koyama Tomooku
• Murooka Ken
• Uchida Wataru
• Agata Jun
• Suzuki Yohei
• Takamura Daisuke

Classifications

• G03G15/2028 Primary

  with means for handling the copy material in the fixing nip, e.g. introduction guides, stripping means · CPC title

• G03G15/2085 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic