Heater with Segmented Cells and Tilted Gaps for Heat Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heaters face challenges in achieving effective heat equalization between adjacent heating cells, especially when narrowed in the sweep direction, leading to difficulties in suppressing heat drop and maintaining thermal uniformity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base with rectangularly shaped heating cells featuring lateral and oblique wires forming a serpentine pattern, with specific folded parts and insulation gaps tilted to enhance heat dispersion and reduce thermal spaces, allowing for improved heat equalization even in narrower configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the heater is narrowed in the sweep direction, then the heater becomes more compact and suitable for various applications, but the heat equalization property deteriorates due to increased influence of heat drop from non-formation parts
Solution Approach 1:
The heating wire is divided into multiple heating cells arranged in the longitudinal direction, with each cell being an independent heating unit. This segmentation allows for better heat distribution control across the heater width, effectively addressing the heat equalization issue in narrowed heaters by distributing thermal load across multiple segments rather than relying on a single continuous heating element.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-formation part is tilted at a specific angle (15-45 degrees) relative to the longitudinal direction, creating local structural variation that optimizes heat distribution. This local quality change in the non-formation region helps suppress heat drop influence in the sweep direction while maintaining the narrowed heater width, as the tilted configuration promotes more uniform heat radiation patterns.
2Volume of moving object
If a simple cut is made to narrow the heater in the sweep direction, then the heater width is reduced, but the heat drop influence from non-formation parts increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the heating wire into multiple heating cells creates multiple independent heating zones that can compensate for heat loss in narrowed configurations. Each heating cell acts as a localized heat source, reducing the overall heat drop influence compared to a single continuous heating element of the same narrowed width.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-formation part is tilted at an angle (15-45 degrees) relative to the longitudinal direction, introducing a dimensional change in the structure. This angular configuration alters the heat radiation pattern and reduces the negative impact of heat drop in the sweep direction, effectively managing energy loss in the narrowed heater design.
3Ease of manufacture
If heating cells are arranged in parallel with simple configurations, then the manufacturing is easier, but the heat equalization property between adjacent cells is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heating wire is segmented into multiple independent heating cells, each capable of self-heat equalization through its individual configuration. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity while improving heat equalization between adjacent cells, as each cell can be independently optimized for thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-formation part between heating cells is tilted at a specific angle (15-45 degrees), creating local structural optimization that enhances heat equalization. This local quality improvement in the non-formation regions between cells promotes better thermal distribution without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
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 fills thermal spaces and enhances heat equalization properties, ensuring uniform heating and reducing heat loss, even in heaters with reduced sweep direction widths.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of heating cells (C) each generating heat by energization
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a heater that is excellent in heat equalizing property even when being narrow in a sweep direction. Also provided are a fixing device, an image-forming device, and a heating device each including such a heater. A heater is configured to heat an object to be heated in such a manner that at least one of the object to be heated and the heater is swept with the heater disposed opposite the object to be heated. The heater includes a base having a rectangular shape and a plurality of heating cells each independently receiving power supply, the heating cells being disposed on the base and arranged in a longitudinal direction of the base. Each of the heating cells includes a plurality of lateral wires extending in substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the base and a plurality of oblique wires tilted relative to the lateral wires.