Belt Guide Protrusion Surface Roughness for Friction and Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fixing devices in image-forming apparatuses face issues with lubricant leakage and frictional resistance between the belt and guide member, as the protrusions on the guide member do not effectively prevent lubricant leakage while minimizing friction.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a belt guide that includes a base part and a first protrusion with a distal end surface having lower surface roughness and side surfaces with higher roughness regions, which are manufactured using specific polishing and molding techniques to reduce friction and retain lubricant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If protrusions are formed on the outer surface of the guide member to reduce sliding resistance, then frictional resistance between the belt and guide member is reduced, but lubricant leaks from the gap between the belt and guide member
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with different surface roughness characteristics in different regions: the distal end surface of the protrusion has low surface roughness (Ra 0.03-0.3 μm) to reduce friction, while the side surfaces have high surface roughness (Ra 3.0-10.0 μm) to prevent lubricant leakage. This local differentiation of surface properties resolves the contradiction between reducing friction and preventing lubricant loss.
2Loss of substance
If the gap between the belt and guide member is reduced to prevent lubricant leakage, then lubricant retention is improved, but frictional resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly reducing the gap, the invention applies local quality differentiation by creating high surface roughness regions on the side surfaces of the protrusions. This allows the gap to remain sufficient for belt movement while the rough side surfaces act as barriers to lubricant leakage, avoiding the increase in frictional resistance that would result from uniformly reducing the gap.
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 solution effectively reduces frictional resistance between the belt and guide member while preventing lubricant leakage, enhancing the operational efficiency of the fixing device.
Implementation Method 1
The first distal end surface having a first distal surface roughness, the first side surface connecting the first distal end surface and the surface of the base part, at least one of the first side surface and the surface of the base part including a rough region having a surface roughness higher than the first distal surface roughness
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the first side surface and the surface of the base part including a rough region having a surface roughness higher than the first distal surface roughness
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes a belt, and a belt guide configured to guide movement of the belt. The belt guide includes a base part and a first protrusion protruding from a surface of the base part toward a surface of the belt. The first protrusion has a distal end surface and a side surface, the surface of the belt being configured to contact the distal end surface, the distal end surface having a distal surface roughness, the side surface connecting the distal end surface and the surface of the base part. At least one of the side surface and the surface of the base part includes a rough region having a surface roughness higher than the distal surface roughness.