Fixing Device Heating Control for Temperature Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixing devices in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face issues with temperature unevenness between the center and end portions of the fixing member, leading to increased power consumption and unnecessary heating due to differences in temperature rising periods, which affect the fixing ability and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a main heating part and a sub heating part, where the operation timings are determined by a detecting part to ensure both the center and end portions of the fixing member are heated to a constant temperature, using a control part to adjust the timing based on detected temperatures, thereby eliminating the need for premature activation of the main heater and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the main heater and sub heater are turned on at the same time, then the temperature rising speed is improved, but the rush current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sub heater is turned on first before the main heater to preliminarily heat the end portions of the fixing member. This preliminary action reduces the temperature difference between center and end portions, allowing both heaters to be turned on at appropriate timings without causing excessive rush current while maintaining fast temperature rising speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device dynamically adjusts the turning-on timings of the main heater and sub heater based on real-time temperature detection. The sub heater is turned on at a different timing than the main heater, and this timing difference is dynamically optimized to balance temperature uniformity and rush current suppression.
2Power
If the sub heater is turned on first and then the main heater after one cycle, then the rush current is reduced, but temperature unevenness occurs and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature detection devices detect the actual temperatures of the center and end portions of the fixing member in real-time. The control device uses this feedback information to determine the optimal turning-on timings of the main heater and sub heater, ensuring uniform temperature distribution while avoiding excessive power consumption from unnecessary heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the heating timing based on detected temperature conditions rather than using fixed timing. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between rush current suppression and temperature uniformity, eliminating the need for the main heater to run unnecessarily during waiting periods.
3Temperature
If the main heater is turned on early to maintain center temperature, then the temperature uniformity is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device uses temperature detection feedback to determine the precise turning-on timing of the main heater. By basing the decision on actual detected temperatures rather than fixed timing, the system avoids unnecessary early activation of the main heater, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining temperature uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub heater performs preliminary heating of the end portions before the main heater is activated. This preliminary action reduces the temperature difference, allowing the main heater to be turned on later without compromising temperature uniformity, thus reducing unnecessary power consumption.
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 ensures uniform heating of the fixing member, reducing power consumption and eliminating rush current issues, while maintaining efficient fixing performance by synchronizing the heating of the center and end portions to the same temperature, thus enhancing energy efficiency and fixing ability.
Implementation Method 1
The heat source includes a main heating part heating a center portion of the fixing member in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet and a sub heating part heating both end portions of the fixing member in the sheet width direction
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heat source, a detecting part and a control part. The pressing member forms a pressing area with the fixing member. A sheet is conveyed through the pressing area. The heat source includes a main heating part heating a center portion of the fixing member in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet and a sub heating part heating both end portions of the fixing member in the sheet width direction. The detecting part detects a temperature of the end portion of the fixing member. The control part determines operation timings of the main heating part and the sub heating part based on the temperature detected by the detecting part such that the center portion and the both end portions of the fixing member are heated to a constant temperature.