Heater Electrode Wiring for Uniform Heat Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing image forming apparatuses suffer from heat generation non-uniformity in the fixing device, leading to image defects such as gloss unevenness due to voltage drop across electroconductive lines, resulting in inconsistent heat application across the heater.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a heater design with a substrate having alternating electrode portions and electroconductive line portions, where all first contact portions are at one end and all second contact portions are at the other end, ensuring uniform heat generation by alternating the direction of electric currents between adjacent electrode portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If voltage is applied between electroconductive lines from one end portion side of the heater, then the heater structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but heat generation non-uniformity occurs due to voltage drop across the electroconductive lines
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is divided into multiple independent heating sections, each with its own electroconductive lines connected to electrodes at different positions along the heater length. This segmentation allows each section to have balanced voltage application, preventing the cumulative voltage drop that occurs in single-end wiring configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The electroconductive lines are routed in both longitudinal directions from opposite ends of the heater rather than from a single end. This dimensional change in wiring architecture distributes the voltage application points along the length of the heater, compensating for voltage drop and achieving uniform heat generation.
2Ease of manufacture
If electroconductive lines have certain resistances, then the heater can be made with standard materials and manufacturing processes, but the voltage applied between the electroconductive lines decreases toward the other end portion side
Solution Approach 1:
Electrodes are positioned at multiple locations along the heater and connected via electroconductive lines to create equipotential regions. This ensures that voltage is applied at multiple points along the heater length, compensating for the resistance-induced voltage drop in the electroconductive lines and maintaining consistent heat generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical configuration parameters are changed by introducing multiple electrodes at different positions and connecting them with electroconductive lines. This modifies the voltage distribution pattern along the heater, transforming it from a decreasing gradient to a more uniform distribution that accounts for line resistance.
3Device complexity
If voltage decreases toward the other end portion side of the substrate, then the electroconductive lines can be connected at one end only, but the amount of heat generation is lower in the other end portion side
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is segmented into multiple heating zones with electrodes distributed along the length. Each zone is independently wired to compensate for voltage drop, preventing the heat generation non-uniformity that would result from single-end connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The wiring architecture transitions from one-dimensional (single end) to two-dimensional (both ends) electrode connections. This allows voltage to be applied at multiple locations along the heater, ensuring uniform heat generation despite the simplicity of the connection method.
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 design effectively suppresses heat generation non-uniformity, ensuring consistent heat distribution across the heater, which reduces gloss unevenness and improves image quality by maintaining uniform temperature across the heating area.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of heat generating portions, provided between adjacent electrode portions, respectively, for generating heat by electric power supply between adjacent electrode portions
Data Source
AI summary
A heater usable with an image heating apparatus includes contacts including at least one first contact provided on a substrate and connectable with a first terminal, and second contacts provided on the substrate and connectable with a second terminal; electrodes arranged in a longitudinal direction of the substrate with predetermined gaps; electroconductive lines connecting the electrodes with respective ones of the contacts such that the electrode connected with the first contact and the electrode connected with the second contacts are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of the substrate; and heat generating portions, provided between adjacent electrodes, respectively, for generating heat by electric power supply between adjacent electrodes, wherein all of the first contacts are provided in one end portion of the substrate with respect to the longitudinal direction, and all of the second contacts are provided in the other end portion with respect to the longitudinal direction.