Fixing Roller Cooling via Sirocco Fan Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face inefficiencies in cooling the non-paper passing regions of fixing devices, leading to temperature differences and uneven fixing processing, especially when handling small-sized recording media.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates sirocco fans to cool the outer peripheral surfaces of the fixing and pressing rollers, specifically targeting the non-paper passing regions, ensuring efficient temperature uniformity and effective heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If three fans are disposed in the conveyor unit to cool non-paper passing regions, then temperature uniformity is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is segmented by directing air flow to specific regions. The fan in the fixing device divides cooling action into paper-passing region cooling (through the nip) and non-paper passing region cooling (through the end surface), replacing the need for multiple fans in the conveyor unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Air flow acts as an intermediary cooling medium. By controlling air flow direction through the fixing device's fan and air passage, both paper-passing and non-paper passing regions are cooled indirectly through the fixing roller, eliminating the need for separate cooling fans in the conveyor unit.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple fans are used to cool non-paper passing regions, then fixing quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan in the fixing device performs multiple functions: it cools both the paper-passing region (through air flow across the nip) and the non-paper passing region (through air flow across the end surface). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cooling fans, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining fixing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling functions for paper-passing and non-paper passing regions are merged into a single fan system in the fixing device. The air passage structure allows one fan to simultaneously cool both regions through different flow paths, reducing the total number of operating fans and power consumption.
3Temperature
If fans cool the entire conveying width, then temperature uniformity is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling is applied locally to where it is most needed. The air passage directs air flow specifically to the end surface of the fixing roller (non-paper passing region) and through the nip (paper-passing region), creating localized cooling zones rather than cooling the entire conveying width. This improves heat dissipation efficiency by targeting hot spots.
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 configuration efficiently eliminates temperature differences between paper passing and non-paper passing regions, ensuring consistent fixing quality even for small-sized media, while also preventing dew condensation and reducing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a fan is provided that, when a recording medium having a width smaller than a width of a maximum-width recording medium that can be passed through the fixing nip is passed through the fixing nip, cools a part of an outer peripheral surface of a non-paper passing region formed on one of the fixing roller and the pressing roller
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that has: a fixing roller heated by induction and a pressing roller brought into press-contact with the fixing roller to fix a toner image borne on a paper sheet conveyed toward the fixing device by a conveyor unit. When a paper sheet having a width smaller than a width of a maximum-width recording medium that can be passed through the fixing device is passed through the fixing device, a non-paper passing region is formed at each end portion of each of the fixing and pressing rollers. Sirocco fans cool the non-paper passing region at a part of an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller. The pressing roller is disposed opposed to the outer side of the main body of the image forming apparatus.