Endless Fuser Belt Rotation Support via Friction-Reducing Washer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fusers in printers face challenges in rapidly heating and maintaining a fusing temperature while minimizing energy consumption and reducing surface roughness and curl of print media, often resulting in inefficient printing processes.
Innovation Solution
A fuser configuration utilizing an endless belt with a small heat capacity, heated by a halogen lamp or induction heater, and a pressurizing roller to form a heating nip, which applies heat and pressure to the print medium, combined with a friction-reducing mechanism to support the belt's rotation, ensuring uniform temperature and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heating member with large heat capacity is used, then the fusing temperature can be maintained stably, but the heating time increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an endless belt with small heat capacity as the heating member. This thin-film structure allows rapid heating to fusing temperature while maintaining stable temperature during operation, resolving the contradiction between quick heating and temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heat capacity parameter of the heating member by using an endless belt instead of traditional large-capacity heating elements. This parameter change enables both fast heating response and stable temperature maintenance through the belt's thermal properties and continuous rotation.
2Loss of time
If an endless belt with small heat capacity is used, then the heating time is reduced, but the temperature stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The endless belt rotates continuously, allowing constant exposure to the heat source and continuous heat transfer to the print medium. This continuous action maintains stable fusing temperature despite the belt's small heat capacity, as the continuous rotation ensures consistent thermal energy delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin-film endless belt provides rapid thermal response while its continuous rotation through the heating zone ensures stable temperature delivery to the print medium, resolving the contradiction between fast heating and temperature stability.
3Device complexity
If the endless belt rotates directly on the rotation member, then the structure is simple, but the wear on the rotation member increases due to friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a friction-reducing member as an intermediary between the endless belt and the rotation member. This mediator reduces direct friction and wear on the rotation member while still supporting the belt's rotation, maintaining structural simplicity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical contact between the endless belt and rotation member with a friction-reducing mechanism. This substitution reduces wear and improves reliability while maintaining the essential rotational support function.
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 allows for rapid heating to fusing temperatures, improving printing speed and energy efficiency while maintaining print medium flatness and surface quality, with reduced wear on the fuser components.
Implementation Method 1
heated by a halogen lamp or induction heater
Implementation Method 2
heated by a halogen lamp or induction heater
Implementation Method 3
a pressurizing roller to form a heating nip, which applies heat and pressure to the print medium
Implementation Method 4
combined with a friction-reducing mechanism to support the belt's rotation, ensuring uniform temperature and reduced wear
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A fuser including an endless belt, a pressurizing roller, a heater, a shaft supporting member, rotation member, and a washer. The pressurizing roller is to form a heating nip with the endless belt and is to rotate to drive the endless belt. The heater is to supply heat to the heating nip. The supporting member includes a shaft and a flange The rotation member is inserted into an inner diameter portion of the endless belt to support the endless belt, the rotation member is to be slidably rotatable with respect to the shaft. A washer interposed between the rotation member and the flange in an axial direction to regulate a movement of the endless belt in the axial direction, the washer is to slide-contact with at least one of the flange and the rotation member.