Amorphous Carbon Heater Surface for Fixing Belt Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
The durability life of fixing devices employing the film heating method is limited due to wear and tear of the fixing film, leading to noise and degradation of image quality, despite previous improvements with DLC films.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a cylindrical fixing belt and heater, where the heater's surface layer is an amorphous carbon film containing graphite particles, providing a sliding surface with protrusions that enhance self-lubricity and wear resistance, thus extending the device's operational stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If a thin fixing film is used to reduce warm-up time and power consumption, then energy saving is achieved, but the fixing film wears away quickly leading to reduced durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by forming a DLC film with specific SP3 bonding ratio (40-90%) on the ceramic heater surface. This composite structure combines the heating function of the ceramic heater with the wear-resistant properties of the DLC coating, allowing the thin fixing film to slide smoothly without wearing away quickly. The SP3-bonded carbon atoms provide high hardness and wear resistance while maintaining low friction, thus extending the durability of the fixing film without increasing power consumption.
2Loss of time
If the fixing film is made thinner to shorten warm-up time, then warm-up time is reduced, but the film wears away faster reducing device life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specialized surface layer on the ceramic heater with specific DLC film properties (SP3 bonding ratio of 40-90%). This localized treatment of the heater surface provides enhanced wear resistance and low friction specifically at the contact interface with the fixing film, allowing the thin fixing film to maintain its thickness longer without wearing away, thus extending device life while maintaining short warm-up time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the heater surface by controlling the SP3 bonding ratio of the DLC film to be between 40-90%. This parameter optimization creates a surface with specific friction and wear characteristics that protect the thin fixing film from rapid wear, thereby extending device operational life without compromising the thin-film advantages of rapid heating.
3Reliability
If a DLC film with high SP3 bonding ratio is formed to improve wear resistance, then durability is improved, but the sliding property may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the SP3 bonding ratio parameter of the DLC film to fall within the range of 40-90%. This parameter optimization balances the competing requirements: sufficient SP3 bonding provides hardness and wear resistance, while maintaining appropriate SP2 bonding content ensures low friction and good sliding properties. The specific range identified through experimentation achieves the optimal balance between wear resistance and sliding performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a DLC surface layer with specifically controlled bonding characteristics on the heater surface. This localized modification provides the necessary wear resistance at the contact interface while maintaining low friction through the appropriate SP3/SP2 bonding ratio balance, thus simultaneously improving wear resistance without compromising sliding properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The amorphous carbon film with graphite particles significantly extends the durability life of the fixing device, allowing stable operation for 500 hours or longer without noise, improving the quality and longevity of the fixing process.
Implementation Method 1
the surface layer being constituted by an amorphous carbon film containing graphite particles, the sliding surface including protrusions derived from the graphite particles
Implementation Method 2
providing a sliding surface with protrusions that enhance self-lubricity and wear resistance, thus extending the device's operational stability
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device capable of stably performing a fixing operation for a long time is provided. The fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing belt and a heater. The fixing belt includes a resin layer forming an inner circumferential surface contactable with the heater. The heater includes a surface layer forming a sliding surface sliding on the fixing belt. The surface layer is an amorphous carbon film containing graphite particles. The sliding surface includes protrusions derived from the graphite particles. The protrusions have a distribution density of 50 to 2000 per 1 square millimeter of the sliding surface.