Fixing Belt Gap Design for Lubricant Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fixing devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently fixing toner images onto recording sheets due to high frictional resistance between the fixing belt and its components, leading to potential lubricant leakage and image quality defects.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a rotatable fixing belt, a contact portion, a holding portion, a pressing unit, a protrusion, and a gap forming portion that creates a space with a larger vertical sectional area at the center than at the ends, allowing lubricant to be retained and reducing frictional resistance, thereby preventing lubricant leakage and enhancing fixing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a lubricant is applied to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt, then frictional resistance is reduced, but the lubricant leaks out from the end portions of the fixing belt
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different structural characteristics to different regions of the fixing belt assembly. The center portion maintains direct contact between the fixing belt and support member for effective lubricant application, while the end portions incorporate protrusions that create lubricant retention spaces, preventing leakage without compromising the overall friction reduction benefit
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions at the end portions of the support member act as intermediary structures that create retention spaces. These protrusions mediate between the need for lubricant application and the risk of leakage, providing a structural solution that allows lubricant to be held in place while still enabling friction reduction in the contact areas
2Productivity
If the fixing belt is pressed against the contact portion, then fixing efficiency is improved, but torque rises due to increased frictional resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing force is applied selectively at the center portion where the fixing belt contacts the contact portion, while the end portions have reduced contact pressure due to the protrusion structure. This local differentiation allows high fixing efficiency at the contact zone without proportionally increasing torque across the entire belt length
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is segmented into different functional zones: the center portion provides strong pressing for fixing efficiency, while the end portions with protrusions provide lubricant retention with reduced pressing. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high fixing efficiency without the torque penalty that would result from uniform pressing across the entire belt
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 and prevents lubricant leakage, ensuring efficient fixing operations and maintaining image quality by allowing the lubricant to be retained within the gap, thus preventing defects such as torque rise and image quality errors.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricant applied to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing belt; a contact portion that comes into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in a width direction; a holding portion disposed opposite the inner peripheral surface to guide and hold the fixing belt; a pressing unit that presses the fixing belt against the contact portion; a protrusion disposed at a portion of the holding portion upstream of the contact portion in a rotation direction of the fixing belt to come into contact with the inner peripheral surface in the width direction; a gap forming portion that forms a gap at a portion of the holding portion between the protrusion and the contact portion, the gap extending in the width direction of the fixing belt without allowing the fixing belt to come into contact with the holding portion; and a lubricant applied to the inner peripheral surface.