Heating device, fixing device, image forming device

Abstract

The present invention aims to suppress the heating of the lubricant. [Solution] A fixing device 40 comprising a fixing belt 42, a pressure roller 41 that pressurizes the fixing belt 42, a fixing stay 44 that receives the pressure from the pressure roller 41 via the fixing belt 42, a heater 43 provided on the inside of the fixing belt 42, a reflective member 48 that reflects the heat of the heater 43, and a lubricant application member 47 that contacts the inside of the fixing belt 42 and applies lubricant to the fixing belt 42, wherein the reflective member 48 has a reflective portion 48a that reflects the heat of the heater 43 and a pressure receiving portion 48b that is thermally connected to the reflective portion 48a and receives the pressurizing force of the pressure roller 41 via the fixing belt 42, and the reflective portion 48a is provided between the lubricant application member 47 and the heater 43, and the fixing stay 44 is provided between the lubricant application member 47 and the reflective portion 48a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device, a fixing device, and an image forming device.

Background Art

[0002] In a fixing device (heating device), there is a device that reflects radiant heat from a heating body to the inner surface of a fixing belt by a reflecting member provided inside the endless fixing belt (rotating body) to efficiently heat the fixing belt.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-106335), the reflecting member is provided with a reflecting portion that reflects heat from a heater, a fixing belt, and a pressure receiving portion that receives a pressing force from a pressure roller via a heat equalizing member. The radiant heat from the heater received by the reflecting portion is transmitted to the fixing belt via the pressure receiving portion, so that the fixing belt can be efficiently heated.

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, in order to efficiently transfer heat from the pressure receiving portion to the fixing belt side, a heat equalizing member that is provided between the fixing belt and the pressure receiving portion and abuts against the inner surface of the fixing belt is formed of a metal material having a high thermal conductivity or the like. However, in this case, it has been difficult to hold a lubricant for reducing the frictional force between the fixing belt and the heat equalizing member on the heat equalizing member.

[0005] Also, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-220553), a storage portion for storing a lubricant and an application member for applying the lubricant to the inner surface of the fixing belt are provided. The storage portion is provided inside a belt support member that supports the fixing belt from the inside. The lubricant is supplied from the storage portion to the application member via an oil supply passage, and the lubricant is applied to the inner surface of the fixing belt. Further, the outer surface of the fixing belt is heated by an induction heating portion provided outside the fixing belt.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the configuration of Patent Document 2, since the coating member is located near the induction heating section, there was a problem in that the temperature of the coating member was heated, causing the lubricant to volatilize as a gas, and when this gas cooled, fine particles were generated.

[0007] The present invention aims to suppress the heating of the lubricant. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a heating device comprising: a rotating body; a pressurizing member for pressurizing the rotating body; a support member that receives the pressure from the pressurizing member via the rotating body; a heating element provided inside the rotating body; a reflecting member for reflecting the heat of the heating element; and a lubricant application member that contacts the inside of the rotating body and applies a lubricant to the rotating body, wherein the reflecting member has a reflecting portion for reflecting the heat of the heating element and a pressure receiving portion that is thermally connected to the reflecting portion and receives the pressurizing force of the pressurizing member via the rotating body, the reflecting portion is provided between the lubricant application member and the heating element, and the support member is provided between the lubricant application member and the reflecting portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, heating of the lubricant can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a fixing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows the relationship between the temperature of the lubricant and the concentration of fine particles generated. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the sample container. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the second thermal insulation member. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the fixing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be simplified or omitted as appropriate. In the following description, a fixing device provided in an image forming apparatus will be described as an example of a heating device of the present invention.

[0012] The following describes an embodiment of the present invention applied to a laser printer, which is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment. This image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming unit 100 that forms an image on a paper P, which is a recording medium. The image forming unit 100 is a tandem type image forming apparatus in which image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K for each color (yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K)) are arranged along the rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt 20, which serves as an intermediate transfer body. Each image forming unit 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K is equipped with a photoreceptor 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K, respectively, which serves as a latent image carrier.

[0013] Furthermore, each image-forming unit 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K is equipped with a charging device as a charging means, a light writing device 9 as an electrostatic latent image formation means, and a developing device as a developing means, around the photoreceptor 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. In addition, a primary transfer device as a primary transfer means and a cleaning device as a cleaning means are also equipped around the photoreceptor 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. The charging device uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor to a predetermined potential, and the light writing device 9 exposes the photoreceptor surface, which has been uniformly charged by the charging device, according to the image information and writes an electrostatic latent image. The developing device creates a toner image by a developing process that deposits toner of each color (Y, M, C, K) onto the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. The primary transfer device transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the intermediate transfer belt 20, and the cleaning device cleans the photoreceptor by removing any remaining toner.

[0014] The toner images of each color formed on each photoreceptor 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are transferred by the primary transfer device onto the intermediate transfer belt 20 so that they overlap each other, and a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 20. The color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 20 is transported to the region opposite the secondary transfer device 30 (secondary transfer region) as the intermediate transfer belt 20 rotates.

[0015] Meanwhile, a paper feed cassette 60, which serves as a paper feed unit for feeding the paper P to be held, is located below the image forming unit 100. One sheet of paper P is fed from the paper feed cassette 60 by a pickup roller 61. Then, the paper P is transported along the transport path to the secondary transfer area by a pair of registration rollers 62.

[0016] The color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 20 is transferred in the secondary transfer region to the paper P, which is transported by the registration roller pair 62 at a predetermined timing, by the secondary transfer device 30. The paper P on which the color toner image has been formed is then transported to the fixing device 40, which acts as a heating device, and the color toner image is fixed onto the paper P by the action of heat and pressure. After fixing, the paper P is transported along the transport path and discharged to the paper output tray 64 by the paper output roller 63.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the fixing device 40 in this embodiment. The fixing device 40 comprises a pressure roller 41 as a pressure member, a fixing belt 42, a heater 43 as a heating element (a halogen heater in the example of Figure 2), a fixing stay 44 as a support member, a nip forming member 45, a first heat insulating member 46 as a first low thermal conductivity member, a lubricant application member 47, and a reflective member 48. The heater 43, the fixing stay 44 and the nip forming member 45 held by the fixing stay 44, the first heat insulating member 46, the lubricant application member 47, and the reflective member 48 are arranged within the fixing belt 42. At the fixing nip N, which is a nip portion formed between the pressure roller 41 and the fixing belt 42, the paper is heated and pressurized, thereby fixing the image on the paper. As one embodiment of the rotating body of the present invention, there is a fixing member provided in a fixing device. The fixing belt 42 in this embodiment is a specific example of this fixing member.

[0018] The pressure roller 41, fixing belt 42, heater 43, fixing stay 44, nip forming member 45, first heat insulating member 46, lubricant application member 47, and reflective member 48 extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2. This direction is the longitudinal direction of these members, and will hereinafter be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction. This longitudinal direction is also the direction of the rotation axis of the pressure roller 41 and the fixing belt 42. Also, the vertical direction in Figure 2 is parallel to the transport direction B of the paper P, and the horizontal direction in Figure 2 is parallel to the direction in which the pressure roller 41 applies pressure to the fixing belt 42.

[0019] In the configuration shown in Figure 2, the shape of the fixing nip N is flat, but it may also be concave or have other shapes. By forming a concave nip, the direction in which the leading edge of the paper is discharged is closer to the pressure roller, improving the separation of the paper from the fixing belt 42, and thus suppressing jamming.

[0020] The nip forming member 45 abuts against the pressure roller 41 via the fixing belt 42, and forms a fixing nip N between the pressure roller 41 and the fixing belt 42. The nip forming member 45 is a sliding member that slides on the inner surface of the fixing belt 42. The nip forming member 45 is formed of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a metal material. Thereby, heat transfer in the longitudinal direction of the fixing belt 42 is promoted to suppress temperature unevenness in the longitudinal direction, and heat transfer from the reflecting member 48 side to the fixing belt 42 side can be promoted.

[0021] The nip forming member 45 is a metal member such as aluminum or copper with high thermal conductivity having a thermal conductivity of 50 [W / m·K] or more, and a coating excellent in sliding performance is provided on the surface of the nip forming member 45. Examples of the coating material include resin-based ones such as polyimide resin, fluororesin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, or saturated polyester resin. Alternatively, glass fiber, carbon, graphite, fluorinated graphite, carbon fiber, molybdenum disulfide, fluororesin, etc. may be mixed with such a resin-based coating material.

[0022] Also, a metal-based one can be used as the coating material of the nip forming member 45. Examples of the metal-based coating material include molybdenum disulfide, nickel, composite plating of nickel and fluororesin, etc. Also, examples of the metal-based coating material include anodized aluminum or anodized aluminum impregnated with resin or metal. Also, ceramics can be used as the coating material. Examples of the ceramics used as the coating material include silicon carbide ceramics, silicon nitride ceramics, alumina ceramics, and those mixed with molybdenum disulfide, fluororesin, etc.

[0023] Furthermore, a nip-forming member 45 made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy is also effective in which an anodized layer is formed on the surface, and molybdenum disulfide produced by secondary electrolysis is filled into the micropores of the anodized layer from the deepest part of the micropores to the outermost layer. In this embodiment, the nip-forming member 45 having high thermal conductivity is made from a material having a thermal conductivity greater than that of aluminum and is treated as described above. In this way, a nip-forming member 45 having high thermal conductivity is produced.

[0024] The pressure roller 41 has a silicone rubber layer on the outer circumference of a metal roller, and a release layer (PFA or PTFE layer) is provided on the surface of the silicone rubber layer to obtain release properties. The pressure roller 41 is pressed against the fixing belt side by a spring or the like, and the rubber layer is compressed and deformed to have a predetermined nip width.

[0025] The pressure roller 41 rotates in the direction of arrow A2 when driving force is transmitted to it via gears from a drive source such as a motor provided in the image forming apparatus. The fixing belt 42 rotates in the direction of arrow A1 when driving force is transmitted from the pressure roller 41 at the nip section.

[0026] The pressure roller 41 may be a solid roller, but a hollow roller is preferable because it has a lower heat capacity. A heating element such as a halogen heater may also be provided on the pressure roller 41. The silicone rubber layer may be solid rubber, but if there is no heater inside the pressure roller, sponge rubber may be used. Sponge rubber is preferable because it has better heat insulation properties, preventing heat loss from the fixing belt.

[0027] The fixing belt 42 is an endless belt (or film) based on a metal belt such as nickel or SUS, or a resin material such as polyimide. The surface layer of the fixing belt 42 has a release layer such as a PFA or PTFE layer to prevent toner from adhering to it.

[0028] An elastic layer, such as a layer of silicone rubber, may be present between the substrate and the release layer of the fixing belt 42. If the silicone rubber layer is absent, the heat capacity will be reduced and fixing performance will improve, but when the unfixed image is compressed and fixed, subtle irregularities on the belt surface will be transferred to the image, resulting in the problem of orange peel-like marks remaining in the solid areas of the image. To improve this, it is necessary to provide a silicone rubber layer of 100 μm or more. The deformation of the silicone rubber layer will absorb the subtle irregularities, improving the orange peel-like image.

[0029] The fixing stay 44 is a hollow, pipe-shaped metal body made of aluminum, iron, stainless steel, or other metals. In this embodiment, the fixing stay 44 is rectangular, but it may have other cross-sectional shapes. The fixing stay 44 supports the nip forming member 45 from the side opposite the pressure roller 41 via the first heat insulating member 46. This prevents the nip forming member 45 from bending due to the pressure applied by the pressure roller 41, and ensures that a uniform nip width is obtained in the longitudinal direction at the fixing nip N.

[0030] Two heating elements for heating the fixing belt 42 are provided inside the fixing belt 42. In this embodiment, the heater 43 is a halogen heater, and the fixing belt 42 is directly heated from the inner circumference by the radiant heat from the heater 43. Here, the heater 43 only needs to be able to heat the fixing belt 42, and may be an IH coil, a resistance heating element, a carbon heater, etc.

[0031] Furthermore, a reflective member 48 is placed inside the fixing belt 42 to reflect heat back to the fixing belt in order to reduce the loss of radiant heat from the heater 43 as much as possible. The reflective member 48 is based on high-purity aluminum as a metal material, and high-brightness aluminum is used, which has multiple reflective coatings or protective coatings formed on the surface to obtain a high reflectivity, for example, a reflectivity of 95% or more. In addition, depending on the configuration, a material in which silver is deposited on an aluminum plate may be used to further improve the reflectivity. Hereinafter, the reflectivity in this embodiment was measured using a spectrophotometer (UH4150 ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectrophotometer manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation) at an incident angle of 5°.

[0032] The reflective member 48 of this embodiment has a reflective portion 48a and a pressure receiving portion 48b. The reflective portion 48a reflects radiant heat towards the fixing belt side. The pressure receiving portion 48b receives the pressure from the pressure roller 41 via the fixing belt 42 and the nip forming member 45. The reflective portion 48a is positioned between the heater 43 and the fixing stay 44. The pressure receiving portion 48b is positioned between the nip forming member 45 and the first heat insulating member 46. The pressure receiving portion 48b is thermally connected to the reflective portion 48a. Thermal connection means that heat transfer is possible between the two.

[0033] The reflective portion 48a absorbs a portion of the radiant heat and is heated. This heat is transferred to the fixing belt 42 via the pressure receiving portion 48b and the nip forming member 45, allowing the fixing belt 42 to be heated efficiently.

[0034] The reflective portion 48a of this embodiment includes at least the portion from one end of the reflective member 48 to the portion facing the heater 43. The pressure receiving portion 48b includes at least the plate portion that is pressed between the heat equalizing member 45a and the resin pad 45b from the other end of the reflective member 48, and a portion that extends parallel to this pressed portion.

[0035] The first heat insulating member 46 is sandwiched between the pressure receiving portion 48b and the fixing stay 44. The first heat insulating member 46 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than at least a portion of the pressure receiving portion 48b. By providing the first heat insulating member 46, heat transfer from the pressure receiving portion 48b to the fixing stay 44 can be suppressed, and consequently, heat transfer to the lubricant application member 47 can be suppressed. In addition, the amount of heat transferred from the reflective member 48 to the fixing belt 42 can be increased.

[0036] The lubricant application member 47 contacts the inner surface of the anchoring belt 42. The lubricant application member 47 is fixed (held) by the anchoring stay 44. The lubricant application member 47 holds lubricant inside and applies the lubricant to the inner surface of the anchoring belt 42 in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the lubricant application member 47 contacts the anchoring belt 42 at a position upstream of the anchoring nip N in the rotational direction A1 of the anchoring belt 42. By providing the lubricant application member 47, lubricant can be stably supplied between the inner surface of the anchoring belt 42 and the nip forming member 45, and the sliding resistance between the anchoring belt 42 and the nip forming member 45 can be reduced. This suppresses wear of the anchoring belt 42 and allows the anchoring belt 42 to rotate smoothly. As the lubricant, for example, fluorine grease or silicone oil can be used.

[0037] In this embodiment, the lubricant application member 47 is formed from a porous material such as felt. This makes it easier for the lubricant application member 47 to hold the lubricant and allows for uniform application of the lubricant to the fixing belt 42.

[0038] Incidentally, when the lubricant is heated to a high temperature by the heater 43, it volatilizes, reducing the amount applied to the fixing belt 42. Furthermore, there is a problem that the gaseous lubricant aggregates and becomes fine particles when cooled. These fine particles, or ultrafine particles (hereinafter referred to as "FP / UFP"), are particles with a diameter of 5.6 nm to 560 nm.

[0039] In other countries, particularly in Europe, there is a very high level of environmental concern. Image forming equipment such as photocopiers, multifunction printers, and other devices that use electrophotographic processes have various certification standards for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone, dust, and particulate matter generated during image formation. In particular, the German government's research institutions have an eco-label system called the "Blue Angel Mark," and only certified products and services are permitted to use the label.

[0040] While products without the "Blue Angel Mark" certification can still be sold, the lack of certification often leads to the perception that the product is not environmentally friendly, a tendency particularly strong among government agencies. Therefore, the presence or absence of the "Blue Angel Mark" certification significantly impacts product sales.

[0041] Figure 3 shows the temperature rise of silicone oil and fluorine grease used as lubricants, and the concentration of FP / UFP generated from these lubricants (1 cm³). 3 The results of a study investigating the relationship between FP / UFP generation per unit area are shown.

[0042] In this test, a liquid or semi-solid lubricating substance in a sample container was heated in a 1 cubic meter chamber (air exchange rate: 5 times) conforming to JIS A 1901. As shown in Figure 4, the sample container 1000 was made from a 50 mm × 50 mm × 5 mm aluminum plate with a φ22 mm, 2 mm deep recess 1000a, into which the sample was placed. The sample container 1000 with the sample in it was placed on the hot plate of a heating device (AS ONE Clean Hot Plate MH-180CS, AS ONE Controller MH-3CS), and the sample was heated at a set temperature of 250°C. While monitoring the temperature of the hot plate, the FP / UFP number concentration in the chamber was measured using a measuring device (Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (TSI; Model 3091)) (Use Averaging Interval during Export: 30 seconds). Fluorine grease and silicone oil were used as lubricants, with a sample volume of 36 μl. In Figure 3, the solid line shows the number concentration of FP / UFP generated from the fluorine grease, and the dashed line in the same figure shows the number concentration of FP / UFP generated from the silicone oil. In Figure 3, the horizontal axis shows the temperature of the hot plate, but since the temperature rise of the hot plate and the temperature rise of the lubricant change almost synchronously, the temperature of the hot plate is considered to be the temperature of the lubricant here.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, in the fluorine grease (shown by the solid line), FP / UFP generation began around 185°C, and the number concentration of FP / UFP increased sharply above 194°C. On the other hand, in the silicone oil (shown by the dashed line), FP / UFP generation began around 200°C, and the number concentration of FP / UFP increased sharply above 210°C. Thus, since FP / UFP generation occurs due to the temperature rise of the lubricant, it is important to suppress the heating of the lubricant.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a reflector 48a is positioned between the heater 43 and the lubricant coating member 47, and a fixing stay 44 is positioned between the reflector 48a and the lubricant coating member 47. In other words, the reflector 48a and the fixing stay 44 are positioned between the heater 43 and the lubricant coating member 47, in that order from the heater 43 side. By positioning the reflector 48a between the heater 43 and the lubricant coating member 47, the radiant heat from the heater 43 is blocked by the reflector 48a, preventing it from being directly transmitted to the lubricant coating member 47. Furthermore, by positioning the fixing stay 44 between the reflector 48a and the lubricant coating member 47, heat transfer from the reflector 48a, which becomes hot due to the radiant heat from the heater 43, to the lubricant coating member 47 can be suppressed. These arrangements suppress the heating of the lubricant coating member 47, and thus the lubricant held by the lubricant coating member 47. Consequently, thermal degradation, volatilization, and atomization of the lubricant can be suppressed.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fixing stay 44 that holds the lubricant application member 47 is not in contact with the reflective portion 48a. This suppresses heat transfer from the reflective portion 48a to the fixing stay 44, and consequently suppresses heat transfer from the fixing stay 44 to the lubricant application member 47.

[0046] Furthermore, the lubricant application member 47 is brought into contact with the fixing belt 42 on the upstream side of the fixing nip N in the rotational direction A1 of the fixing belt. This stabilizes the contact between the lubricant application member 47 and the fixing belt 42 due to the tension of the fixing belt 42 generated when the fixing belt 42 is pulled into the fixing nip N, allowing the lubricant application member 47 to stably apply lubricant to the fixing belt 42. Note that, on the plane of Figure 2 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, when the fixing belt 42 is divided into two by a line segment C that passes through the center position N1 in the paper transport direction B of the fixing nip N and is parallel to the pressurizing direction of the pressure roller 41 (or the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction), the side including the upstream end of the fixing belt 42 in the rotational direction of the fixing nip N (the part of the fixing belt 42 below line segment C in Figure 2) is defined as the first part of the fixing belt 42. In this case, the upstream side of the fixing belt 42 in the rotational direction A1 of the fixing belt 42 on the fixing nip N is the part of the first part of the fixing belt 42 other than the fixing nip N. The rotational direction A1 of the fixing belt 42 is the circumferential direction along the surface of the fixing belt 42 on the plane of Figure 2, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0047] Furthermore, it is preferable to keep the lubricant coating member 47 as far away as possible from the position where the radiant heat from the heater 43 reaches, thereby suppressing the heating of the lubricant coating member 47 and the lubricant it holds. Specifically, on the plane of Figure 2 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fixing belt 42, let line segment D1 be the line segment connecting the center position of the heater 43 (more specifically, the center position of the heat-generating part of the heating element) to the contact point of the lubricant coating member 47 with respect to the fixing belt 42, and let line segment D2 be the line segment connecting the center of the heater 43 to the end of the reflecting member 48 on the reflecting part 48a side, and let the angle between line segment D1 and line segment D2 be θ. At this time, it is preferable to set θ to 20 degrees or more so that the lubricant coating member 47 can be kept as far away as possible from the position where the radiant heat reaches. The contact point of the lubricant application member 47 with respect to the anchoring belt 42 in line segment D1 is selected from all contact points to be the point with the smallest θ, and in this embodiment, it is the point on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the anchoring belt 42, furthest from the anchoring nip N. In other words, it is preferable that all angles θ formed by each line segment D1 formed by all contact points and each angle θ formed by line segment D2 are 20 degrees or more. Furthermore, if there are multiple heaters 43 as in this embodiment, it is preferable that θ be 20 degrees or more for each heater 43. However, some line segments D1, for example, the line segment with the largest θ, may be 20 degrees or more.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower side of Figure 2 is the lower side in the direction of gravity when the fixing device 40 is attached to the image forming apparatus. In other words, the lubricant application member 47 can be configured to contact the fixing belt 42 in the direction of gravity. This allows the lubricant held by the lubricant application member 47 to move toward the fixing belt 42 by its own weight, and the lubricant can be efficiently applied to the inner surface of the fixing belt 42. Note that "the lubricant application member 47 contacting the fixing belt 42 in the direction of gravity" does not necessarily mean only contact in a direction parallel to the direction of gravity, but rather means that the direction of contact of the lubricant application member 47 with respect to the fixing belt 42 has a vector component in the direction of gravity.

[0049] As shown in Figure 5, the lubricant application member 47 can also be held to the fixing stay 44 via a second heat insulating member 49, which acts as a second low thermal conductivity member. The second heat insulating member 49 is made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity than at least a portion of the fixing stay 44. This reduces the amount of heat transferred from the fixing stay 44 to the lubricant application member 47, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the lubricant application member 47 and, consequently, the lubricant.

[0050] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0051] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the lubricant application member 47 may be positioned downstream of the fixing nip N in the rotational direction A1 of the fixing belt 42 relative to the fixing belt 42. Alternatively, the fixing stay 44 may be configured to contact the reflector portion 48a.

[0052] The present invention is not limited to applications to fixing devices, which are an example of heating devices, but can also be applied to heating devices other than fixing devices. For example, the present invention can be applied to heating devices such as drying devices that dry liquids such as ink applied to paper, laminators that heat-press a film as a covering material onto the surface of a sheet such as paper, and heat sealers that heat-press the sealing portion of packaging materials. This makes it possible to suppress the heating of the lubricant.

[0053] The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the color image forming apparatus shown in Figure 1, but may also be a monochrome image forming apparatus, a copier, a printer, a facsimile, or a combination device thereof.

[0054] Recording media include plain paper (P), as well as cardboard, postcards, envelopes, thin paper, coated paper (such as coated paper and art paper), tracing paper, OHP sheets, plastic film, prepreg, copper foil, and the like.

[0055] Examples of the present invention are as follows: <1> A rotating body and A pressurizing member that pressurizes the rotating body, A support member that receives the applied pressure of the pressurizing member via the rotating body, A heating element provided inside the rotating body, A reflective member that reflects the heat of the aforementioned heating element, A heating device comprising a lubricant application member that contacts the inside of the rotating body and applies a lubricant to the rotating body, The reflective member is A reflective portion that reflects the heat of the aforementioned heating element, The reflective portion is thermally connected to the pressure receiving portion which receives the pressure force of the pressure member via the rotating body, A heating device characterized in that the reflective portion is provided between the lubricant coating member and the heating element, and the support member is provided between the lubricant coating member and the reflective portion. <2> The support member holds the lubricant application member, The support member is not in contact with the reflective portion. <1> The heating device described. <3> The lubricant application member contacts the rotating body upstream of the nip portion between the rotating body and the pressurizing member in the direction of rotation of the rotating body. <1> or <2> The heating device described. <4> On a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rotating body, let D1 be the line segment connecting the center of the heating element to the contact point between the lubricant application member and the rotating body, and let D2 be the line segment connecting the center of the heating element to the end of the reflecting member on the reflecting side, and let θ be the angle between line segments D1 and D2. The angles θ formed by each line segment D1 and line segment D2, which are formed by each contact point between the lubricant application member and the rotating body, are all 20 degrees or greater. <1> from <3> A heating device as described in any of the above. <5> The pressure receiving portion and the support member are in contact via a first low thermal conductivity member having a lower thermal conductivity than the pressure receiving portion. <1> from <4> A heating device as described in any of the above. <6> The lubricant application member is formed of a porous material. <1> from <5> A heating device as described in any of the above. <7> The lubricant application member is in contact with the rotating body in the direction of gravity. <1> from <6> A heating device as described in any of the above. <8> The support member holds the lubricant application member via a second low thermal conductivity member having a lower thermal conductivity than the support member. <1> from <7> A heating device as described in any of the above. <9> <1> from <8> A fixing device equipped with one of the heating devices described above, which fixes an image on a recording medium by heat. <10> <9> An image forming apparatus equipped with the fixing device described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1. Image forming apparatus 40 Fixing device (heating device) 41 Pressure roller (pressure component) 42 Fixing belt (rotating body) 43 Heater (heating element) 45 Nip forming member 46. ​​First thermal insulation member (first low thermal conductivity member) 47 Lubricant application member 48 Reflective material 48a Reflector 48b Pressure receiving section 49. Second thermal insulation member (second low thermal conductivity member) A1 Rotation direction of the fixing belt (rotation direction of the rotating body) B. Paper transport direction (recording medium transport direction) N Fixing nip (nip part) P paper (recording medium) [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0057] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-106335 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-220553

Claims

1. A rotating body and A pressurizing member that pressurizes the rotating body, A support member that receives the applied pressure of the pressurizing member via the rotating body, A heating element provided inside the rotating body, A reflective member that reflects the heat of the aforementioned heating element, A heating device comprising a lubricant application member that contacts the inside of the rotating body and applies a lubricant to the rotating body, The reflective member is A reflective portion that reflects the heat of the aforementioned heating element, The reflective portion is thermally connected to the pressure receiving portion which receives the pressure force of the pressure member via the rotating body, A heating device characterized in that the reflective portion is provided between the lubricant coating member and the heating element, and the support member is provided between the lubricant coating member and the reflective portion.

2. The support member holds the lubricant application member, The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is not in contact with the reflective portion.

3. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant application member contacts the rotating body upstream of the nip portion between the rotating body and the pressurizing member in the direction of rotation of the rotating body.

4. On a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rotating body, let D1 be the line segment connecting the center of the heating element to the contact point between the lubricant application member and the rotating body, and let D2 be the line segment connecting the center of the heating element to the end of the reflecting member on the reflecting portion side, and let θ be the angle between line segment D1 and line segment D2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein all angles θ formed by line segments D1 and D2 formed by each contact point between the lubricant application member and the rotating body are 20 degrees or more.

5. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving portion and the support member are in contact via a first low thermal conductivity member having a lower thermal conductivity than the pressure receiving portion.

6. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant application member is formed of a porous material.

7. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant application member is in contact with the rotating body in the direction of gravity.

8. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the support member holds the lubricant application member via a second low thermal conductivity member having a lower thermal conductivity than the support member.

9. A fixing apparatus for fixing an image on a recording medium by heat, comprising a heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising the fixing device described in claim 9.

Images