Fixing Device Lubricant Recesses Suppress Outflow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixing devices in image forming apparatuses face issues with lubricant leakage and evaporation, leading to decreased sliding performance over time, as the viscosity of lubricants decreases with heating, causing increased friction and wear.
Innovation Solution
A lubricant holding member with alternating recesses and slits is used, applying a first lubricant of low viscosity to the entire inner surface and a second lubricant of higher viscosity only in recesses, which reduces lubricant outflow and maintains low friction without increasing viscous resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lubricant is applied to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt to reduce frictional resistance, then the sliding performance is improved, but the lubricant leaks out from the edges or evaporates with heating, causing the sliding performance to deteriorate over time
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing pad is provided with a lubricant supply member that supplies lubricant to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt in advance before the lubricant is depleted. This preliminary action ensures continuous lubrication and prevents the deterioration of sliding performance over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricant supply member is integrated into the pressing pad, which automatically supplies lubricant to the fixing belt during operation. The system serves itself by using the existing pressing mechanism to deliver the lubricant without requiring external intervention.
2Loss of substance
If a high viscosity lubricant is used to suppress lubricant outflow, then the loss of lubricant is reduced, but the viscous resistance and frictional resistance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant supply member supplies lubricant locally to the specific region where it is needed on the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. This localized application ensures adequate lubrication without requiring excessive lubricant viscosity, thereby maintaining low frictional resistance.
3Productivity
If the operation time of the fixing device is extended, then the productivity is improved, but the initially applied lubricant becomes insufficient and sliding performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricant supply member ensures continuous supply of lubricant to the fixing belt throughout the extended operation time. This continuous action maintains the sliding performance and prevents deterioration even during prolonged operation periods, thereby supporting higher productivity.
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 lubricant outflow and wear, maintaining the sliding performance and reducing friction between the fixing belt and pressing pad for an extended period, ensuring continuous lubrication and high throughput in image forming processes.
Implementation Method 1
a heater provided for heating the rotatable heated body
Implementation Method 2
a lubricant, such as silicone oil, is typically applied to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. This reduces the frictional resistance of the fixing belt with respect to pressing pad
Implementation Method 3
it is known that such a lubricant (e.g., the silicone oil) may leak out from the edges of the fixing belt, or also may eventually evaporate with heating/use
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a fixing device used for fixing a toner image to a sheet in a printing process includes a rotatable heated body having an inner facing surface and an outer facing surface. A heater for heating the rotatable heated body has a length corresponding to the length of the heated body. A pressing member contacts the inner facing surface of the rotatable heated body at a first position. A pressing roller presses against the outer facing surface of the rotatable heated body at a position corresponding to the pressing member. A lubricant holding member has a lubricating surface that contacts the inner facing surface of the rotatable heated body at a second position. The lubricant holding member has a plurality of recesses in its lubricating surface. The recesses are spaced from each other along the length of the lubricant holding member.