Halogen Heater Reflection Member Design for Sealing Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fixing devices in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face issues with excessive temperature rise at the sealing portions of the halogen heater, leading to reduced gas concentration and shorter heater life due to inefficient radiation light reflection.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device configuration where a reflection member is positioned to minimize radiation light reflection onto the sealing portions of the halogen heater, with the longitudinal end of the reflection member placed between the light emission area and the metal body, or with cutout portions to reduce radiation exposure to the sealing surfaces, ensuring efficient heat distribution and maintaining gas concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the reflection plate is arranged to surround the sealing portions of the halogen heater, then the radiation light is reflected toward the nip member, but the sealing portions undergo excessive temperature rise causing gas sealing performance to drop
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful function of the reflection plate by removing the portion that faces the sealing portion. The reflection plate is designed with a removed section at the location opposing the sealing portion, thereby eliminating the path for radiation light to reach and overheat the sealing portion while retaining the reflection function for other areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflection plate is designed with non-uniform structure where different regions have different functions. The region facing the sealing portion is removed to prevent overheating, while other regions maintain reflection capability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between overall reflection efficiency and localized thermal protection.
2Productivity
If the reflection plate surrounds the sealing portions, then radiation light is reflected toward the nip member, but the heater life is reduced due to excessive temperature rise
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful portion of the reflection plate is extracted by removing the section that would reflect radiation light onto the sealing portion. This prevents the thermal degradation that shortens heater life while maintaining the beneficial reflection function for image heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful radiation light that would otherwise overheat the sealing portion into a beneficial heating source for the nip member by strategically positioning the reflection plate to redirect light away from the sealing portion while maintaining overall heating efficiency.
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 effectively suppresses excessive temperature rise at the sealing portions, extending the life of the halogen heater by reducing oxidation and degradation, thereby enhancing the device's operational longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a halogen heater arranged in a hollow portion of the belt to radiate radiation light toward the nip portion forming member
Implementation Method 2
a reflection member configured to reflect the radiation light of the halogen heater toward the nip portion forming member
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device to fix an image formed on a recording material to the recording material includes a cylindrical belt, a nip portion forming member contacting the belt, a backup member forming a nip portion with the nip portion forming member, a halogen heater including a bulb filled with gas and having a sealing portion sealing the bulb, and a reflection member that is long in a longitudinal direction of the halogen heater, wherein an image formed on the recording material is fixed to the recording material at the nip portion, and wherein the reflection member has a length greater than a length of a light emission area of the halogen heater, and the nip portion forming member has a length greater than the length of the reflection member.