Divided Heater Blocks for Thermal Management in Image Formers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image heating apparatuses in electrophotographic systems face challenges in preventing temperature rises in non-sheet-passing portions during continuous printing, leading to potential overheating and the need for throughput reduction or standby periods to manage heat equilibrium.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a heater configuration with divided heat generating blocks and independent power control, utilizing thermistors to detect temperature differences and adjust electric power distribution along the heater's length, ensuring balanced heat distribution and minimizing throughput reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous printing is performed on recording materials smaller than maximum sheet-passing width, then productivity is improved, but temperature rise occurs in non-sheet-passing portions
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into multiple heat generating blocks along the longitudinal direction, with each block independently controllable. This segmentation allows selective heating of only those regions where recording material passes, preventing temperature rise in non-sheet-passing portions while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heater are provided with different heating characteristics by dividing it into multiple blocks. The heat generating blocks positioned at non-sheet-passing portions have reduced or zero power supply, creating local heating differences that prevent temperature accumulation in specific areas
2Temperature
If throughput is decreased to suppress temperature rise, then temperature control is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply to heat generating blocks is dynamically adjusted based on real-time temperature detection. When temperature in non-sheet-passing portions approaches limits, the system automatically reduces power to affected blocks, enabling continuous operation at high throughput without manual intervention or standby periods
3Temperature
If heater is divided into multiple heat generating blocks with independent power control, then temperature distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into multiple heat generating blocks along the longitudinal direction, with each block independently controllable. This segmentation allows selective heating of only those regions where recording material passes, preventing temperature rise in non-sheet-passing portions while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature detection elements are positioned to detect temperatures at heat generating blocks, and the system automatically adjusts power distribution based on detected temperatures, enabling self-regulating temperature control without complex external intervention
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
This solution effectively suppresses temperature rises in non-sheet-passing portions, maintaining high throughput and preventing overheating, while reducing the need for extended standby periods, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a heat generating element provided on an inner surface of the fixing film, generates heat by being energized
Implementation Method 2
temperature detection elements provided at respective heat generating blocks, detect temperatures at the heat generating blocks
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus includes a heater including a first and second heat generating blocks; and a power control portion that controls electric power to be supplied to respective heat generating blocks. When a recording material passes the position of the heater, and in a longitudinal direction of the heater, when an entire range in which the second heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes and only a portion of a range in which the first heat generating block is provided is a range in which the recording material passes, the power control portion controls the electric power to be supplied to respective heat generating blocks so that an electric power Wd supplied to the first heat generating block is smaller than an electric power Wc supplied to the second heat generating block.