Fuser Heater Element with Spaced Features for Wrinkle Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuser assemblies cause wrinkling in paper substrates due to moisture absorption leading to wavy edges, resulting in non-parallel edges and corrugations when passed through the fusing nip, causing defective copies.
Innovation Solution
A heater element with laterally spaced-apart features extending beyond a center section is used in the fuser assembly, positioned near the substrate input edge, to prevent substrate expansion by creating low-pressure contact areas before the fusing nip, ensuring the substrate enters the nip with constrained edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a conventional fusing nip compresses the substrate to flatten wavy edges, then the edges become flat, but the substrate develops non-parallel edges and corrugations causing wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
The heater element applies preliminary action by creating low-pressure contact areas at its lateral edges before the substrate enters the fusing nip. This preliminary contact prevents the wavy edges from expanding outward during compression, maintaining edge parallelism while still achieving the necessary flattening effect to prevent wrinkles.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater element features laterally spaced-apart low-pressure contact areas at its edges rather than uniform contact across the entire surface. This local quality differentiation allows the edges to be constrained separately from the center portion, preventing non-parallel edge formation while maintaining overall substrate flatness.
2Reliability
If the substrate is constrained to prevent edge expansion, then wrinkle formation is prevented, but the substrate must enter the nip with pre-constrained edges
Solution Approach 1:
The heater element is segmented into distinct zones with laterally spaced-apart low-pressure contact areas at the edges and a different contact characteristic in the center portion. This segmentation allows independent control of edge and center substrate contact, providing wrinkle prevention through edge constraint without requiring complex additional mechanisms.
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
Prevents wrinkle formation by maintaining the substrate's width constraint, thus preventing corrugations and ensuring smooth image fixation without edge flattening and expansion.
Implementation Method 1
a heater element (200) adapted to heat the flexible belt (110)
Data Source
AI summary
A heater element is provided adapted to heat a belt in a fuser assembly. The heater element comprises laterally spaced-apart features extending beyond a center section provided between the features. The features and center section are adapted to face an inner surface of the belt.