Fixing device heating roller and laser printer

Abstract

The utility model relates to a fuser heating roller which comprises a hollow tubular roller body and a heating source arranged in the roller body, the roller body comprises a heat conduction part located in the middle, a supporting part arranged at one end of the heat conduction part and a driving part arranged at the other end of the heat conduction part, a mounting notch is formed in the driving part, and the thickness of the heat conduction part is smaller than that of the supporting part. According to the fuser heating roller, the heat transfer efficiency of the heating roller in the heat conduction process can be improved, the heat capacity is reduced, the temperature rise preheating time is shortened, and meanwhile the rigidity and strength can be guaranteed to meet the service life requirement. The utility model further relates to a laser printer which comprises a support, a pressure roller arranged on the support and the fuser heating roller, and the fuser heating roller is parallel to the pressure roller and is rotationally arranged on the support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a fixing device heating roller and also relates to a laser printer using the fixing device heating roller. Background Art

[0002] The imaging unit of a laser printer typically includes a fuser, which is used to fix the toner image to the print medium. The fuser primarily consists of a heat source that provides heat to melt the toner, a heating roller that transfers heat to melt the toner into the paper fibers, a pressure roller with an elastic layer that presses the print medium against the heating roller's surface, an external load-applying device that provides pressure to the pressure roller, and a sensor component for temperature detection. The heating roller typically has a hollow structure. The fuser's heat source is typically mounted within a hollow through-hole within the heating roller or against one side of the roller. When external power is applied, the heat source generates heat and transfers it to the surface of the heating roller through radiation or conduction. The pressure of the external load-applying device contacts the heating roller, causing a portion of the elastic layer on the pressure roller to deform, forming a fixing nip. When the print medium carrying the toner image passes through the fixing nip between the rotating heating and pressure rollers, the toner image melts under the heat and pressure, becoming fixed to the print medium, completing the printing process. The heat-conducting heating roller must have a certain hardness and rigidity because it needs to withstand the pressing force from the pressure roller. Generally, an aluminum tube, stainless steel tube or copper tube with a certain thickness is used.

[0003] In laser printers, the fuser plays a crucial role as the imaging device that solidifies the toner image onto the print media. This fixation occurs by continuously applying heat to the media under the action of an external electrical source. However, this fusing method, due to its slow heating rate and low thermal conductivity, negatively impacts the laser printer's startup time, print speed, and performance. Utility Model Content

[0004] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a fixing heating roller which can improve the heat transfer efficiency of the heating roller during the heat conduction process, reduce the heat capacity and the warm-up time, and at the same time ensure its rigidity and strength to meet the life requirements.

[0005] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a laser printer using the aforementioned fuser heating roller in response to the above-mentioned prior art.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a fixing device heating roller, characterized in that it includes a roller body in a hollow tubular shape and a heating source arranged in the roller body, the roller body includes a heat-conducting part located in the middle, a supporting part arranged at one end of the heat-conducting part, and a driving part arranged at the other end of the heat-conducting part, the driving part is provided with a mounting notch, and the thickness of the heat-conducting part is less than the thickness of the supporting part.

[0007] Optionally, the thickness of the driving portion is smaller than that of the supporting portion, and the mounting notch is bent toward the roller body and provided with a flange.

[0008] Optionally, the thickness of the heat conducting part is smaller than the thickness of the driving part.

[0009] Preferably, the supporting portion and the driving portion are retracted.

[0010] In order to further enhance the heat conduction effect of the heat conduction part and increase the heating speed, the inner wall of the heat conduction part is coated with a black layer with heat absorption effect.

[0011] In order to make the heat conducting part have a certain voltage resistance and prevent high voltage breakdown, the outer wall surface of the heat conducting part has an anodic oxide layer, and the outer surface of the anodic oxide layer is provided with a high temperature resistant and wear resistant coating and an active layer to prevent the colorant image from adhering to high temperature.

[0012] Optionally, the roller body is an aluminum tube, a stainless steel tube or a copper tube.

[0013] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned second technical problem is: a laser printer, including a bracket, a pressure roller arranged on the bracket, characterized in that it also includes the aforementioned fuser heating roller, and the fuser heating roller is rotatably arranged on the bracket parallel to the pressure roller.

[0014] Optionally, an elastic sleeve is provided on the outer surface of the fuser heating roller or the outer surface of the pressure roller.

[0015] Preferably, the support portion and the driving portion are both rotatably assembled on the bracket via a rotating assembly, the rotating assembly is sleeved outside the support portion and the driving portion, and the rotating assembly includes a shaft sleeve and a bearing sleeved outside the shaft sleeve;

[0016] The driving part is also provided with a gear sleeve, and the gear is limited and constrained by the installation notch.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are: The fuser heating roller in this invention improves heat transfer efficiency during the heat transfer process by reducing the thickness of the heat conducting portion, thereby reducing heat capacity and warm-up time. This allows for efficient and reliable heat supply to the toner image during the fusing process, meeting user requirements for printing speed and performance. Furthermore, the thicker support portion ensures the heat roller's secure fit and reliability within the fuser bracket, preventing lifespan issues such as thermal expansion during heating and wear and deformation caused by compression from the pressure roller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the heating roller of the fuser in the embodiment of the present utility model.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional diagram of another fuser heating roller in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a coating structure provided on the heat conducting portion in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a laser printer in an embodiment of the present utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the fixing device heating roller in this embodiment includes a roller body 1 in a hollow tubular shape and a heating source arranged in the roller body 1. When working, the heating source generates heat and transfers the heat to the roller body 1. The roller body 1 melts the colorant image on the printing medium and fixes it to the printer medium, thereby completing the printing imaging.

[0024] The roller body 1 is made of a heat-conducting metal material, such as aluminum tube, stainless steel tube, or copper tube, depending on the required thermal conductivity and strength. The roller body 1 comprises a heat-conducting portion 11 located in the center, a support portion 12 located at one end of the heat-conducting portion 11, and a drive portion 13 located at the other end of the heat-conducting portion 11. The support portion 12 and the drive portion 13 are mounted on a bracket 5 that supports the fuser heating roller. The drive portion 13 is connected to an external drive mechanism, thereby driving the entire heating roller to rotate. The heat-conducting portion 11 is the portion that contacts the print medium and performs printing. To improve the heat transfer efficiency of the roller body 1 and reduce heat capacity and preheating time, the heat-conducting portion 11 is thinned in this embodiment. The thickness of the heat-conducting portion 11 is smaller than that of the support portion 12. The thicker support portion 12 ensures the support strength of the heating roller on the bracket 5, ensuring the hardness and rigidity of the heating roller, and enabling the heating tube to withstand the pressure from the pressure roller.

[0025] In addition, the drive unit 13 is provided with a mounting notch 131, which is used to limit the position of a connecting member that is connected to the drive unit 13 for transmission. In this embodiment, the drive unit 13 is also provided with a gear 9 as a connecting member. The gear 9 and the mounting notch 131 are provided with a limiting constraint. For example, a limiting protrusion is provided on the gear 9 to match the notch 131. When the gear 9 is installed on the drive unit 13, the protrusion is embedded in the notch 131, thereby forming a circumferential constraint between the drive unit 13 and the gear 9, allowing the heating roller to rotate with the rotation of the gear 9. If necessary, a locking spring can also be provided on the drive unit 13, and a keyway 132 for securing the locking spring can be provided on the drive unit 13. In this way, the locking spring 91 is used to fix the gear 9 and constrain the gear 9 in the axial direction.

[0026] The thickness of the driving portion 13 can be set as needed. For example, the thickness of the driving portion 13 can be set to be smaller than the thickness of the supporting portion 12. Figure 2 As shown, the corresponding mounting notch 131 is bent inwardly of the roller body 1 to form a flange 1311 , and the hardness and rigidity of the heating tube can also be ensured by the flange 1311 .

[0027] Of course, the thickness of the driving part 13 can also be set to be greater than the thickness of the heat conducting part 11, that is, the thickness of the heat conducting part 11 is also smaller than the thickness of the driving part 13. This can ensure the hardness and rigidity of the heating tube as a whole. Figure 1As shown, the support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 can be retracted to achieve a thickness greater than that of the heat conducting portion 11. This also facilitates processing and provides greater deformation resistance. The wall thickness of the heat conducting portion 11 can be set within a range of 0.2 to 1.0 mm, while the thickness of the support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 can be set within a range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm. The thickness of the support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 is greater than that of the heat conducting portion 11. When the pressure roller 6 is pressed against the surface of the heating roller, the support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 will have greater support strength to prevent the heating roller from being deformed by heat or pressure.

[0028] The thin-walled structure of the heat-conducting part 11 enables it to achieve a shorter preheating time compared to ordinary heating roller products, which can meet the needs of high-speed and high-efficiency printing. When the preheating time is within 12 seconds, the thickness of the aluminum tube can be less than 1mm, the thickness of the stainless steel tube can be less than 0.6mm, and the thickness of the copper tube can be less than 0.8mm.

[0029] In order to further enhance the heat conduction effect of the heat conduction part 11 and increase the heating speed, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the inner wall of the heat-conducting portion 11 is coated with a blackened layer 2 having a heat-absorbing effect. The blackened layer 2 can enhance the heat-absorbing effect of the heat-conducting portion 11 and improve the heat-absorbing efficiency. In addition, the outer wall surface of the heat-conducting portion 11 can be anodized, so that the outer wall surface of the heat-conducting portion 11 has an anodized layer 3, so that the heat-conducting portion 11 has a certain voltage resistance and prevents high-voltage breakdown. In addition, on the outer wall surface of the heat-conducting portion 11, a high-temperature resistant and wear-resistant coating is provided outside the anodized layer 3, and an active layer 4 is provided to prevent the toner image from adhering to high temperatures. The active layer 4 generally includes a primer 41 and an active coating 42 coated outside the primer 41. The active coating 42 can be a coating with corresponding functions in the existing technology, such as a fluororesin coating. Specifically, the fluororesin coating is 15±5um, the total thickness of the active layer 4 is 30±6um, the heat-resistant temperature is within 410°C, and the surface hardness is greater than F.

[0030] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment also relates to a laser printer, comprising a bracket 5, a pressure roller 6 mounted on the bracket 5, and the aforementioned heating roller. The heating tube is rotatably mounted on the bracket 5 parallel to the pressure roller 6. An elastic sleeve 8 is provided outside the heating roller or outside the pressure roller 6. In this embodiment, the elastic sleeve 8 is provided outside the heating roller to enable elastic contact between the pressure roller 6 and the heating roller, thereby providing a certain elastic deformation spacing, which is more conducive to imaging of the print medium.

[0031] The support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 are both rotatably assembled on the bracket 5 through the rotating assembly 7 . The rotating assembly 7 is sleeved outside the support portion 12 and the driving portion 13 . The rotating assembly 7 includes a shaft sleeve 71 and a bearing 72 sleeved outside the shaft sleeve 71 .

[0032] In the prior art, laser printer fuser heating rollers uniformly adopt a thicker tube structure to maintain product rigidity and strength. This limits their heating rate and heat conduction efficiency, adversely affecting the laser printer's printing speed and performance, and failing to meet users' requirements for low-energy consumption, low-cost, and high-efficiency printing. The fuser heating roller of the present invention, by reducing the thickness of the heat-conducting portion 11, improves the heat transfer efficiency during the heat conduction process, reduces the heat capacity and warm-up time, and can efficiently and reliably provide the heat required for the toner image during the fixing process, meeting users' requirements for printing speed and performance. Furthermore, retaining the larger thickness of the support portion 12 ensures the installation and reliability of the heating roller on the fuser bracket 5, preventing life issues such as thermal expansion during the heating process and wear and deformation caused by squeezing by the pressure roller 6.

[0033] The laser printer using the fixing device heating roller has a shorter preheating time for the heating roller during printing, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0034] In the specification and claims of the present invention, directional terms such as "front," "back," "up," "down," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom" are used to describe various exemplary structural parts and components of the present invention. However, these terms are used herein for convenience of description only and are based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in the present invention can be arranged in different orientations, these directional terms are intended for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. For example, "up" and "down" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A fuser heating roller, characterized in that: The invention comprises a roller body (1) in a hollow tubular shape and a heating source arranged in the roller body (1). The roller body (1) comprises a heat conducting portion (11) located in the middle, a support portion (12) arranged at one end of the heat conducting portion (11), and a driving portion (13) arranged at the other end of the heat conducting portion (11). The driving portion (13) is provided with a mounting notch (131). The thickness of the heat conducting portion (11) is smaller than that of the support portion (12).

2. The fuser heating roller according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the driving portion (13) is smaller than the thickness of the supporting portion (12), and the mounting notch (131) is bent inwardly of the roller body (1) to provide a flange (1311).

3. The fuser heating roller according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the heat conducting part (11) is smaller than the thickness of the driving part (13).

4. The fuser heating roller according to claim 3, wherein: The support portion (12) and the driving portion (13) are retracted.

5. The fuser heating roller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The inner wall of the heat-conducting portion (11) is coated with a blackened layer (2) having a heat-absorbing effect.

6. The fuser heating roller according to claim 5, wherein: The outer wall surface of the heat conducting part (11) is provided with an anodic oxidation layer (3), and the outer surface of the anodic oxidation layer (3) is provided with an active layer (4) which is a high temperature resistant and wear resistant coating and prevents the toner image from adhering at high temperature.

7. The fuser heating roller according to claim 5, wherein: The roller body (1) is an aluminum tube, a stainless steel tube or a copper tube.

8. A laser printer comprising a bracket (5) and a pressure roller (6) arranged on the bracket (5), characterized in that: It also includes a fuser heating roller according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fuser heating roller is rotatably arranged on the bracket (5) parallel to the pressure roller (6).

9. The laser printer according to claim 8, characterized in that: An elastic sleeve (8) is provided outside the fixing device heating roller or outside the pressure roller (6).

10. The laser printer according to claim 8, wherein: The support portion (12) and the driving portion (13) are both rotatably assembled on the bracket (5) via a rotating assembly (7), wherein the rotating assembly (7) is sleeved outside the support portion (12) and the driving portion (13), and the rotating assembly (7) includes a shaft sleeve (71) and a bearing (72) sleeved outside the shaft sleeve (71); The driving portion (13) is further provided with a gear (9) sleeved on the outside, and the gear (9) and the installation notch (131) are configured to be limited and constrained.

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