Heater with Localized Substrate Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image heating apparatuses face challenges in resisting stress while maintaining cost-effectiveness, particularly in reducing the temperature increase of non-paper passing areas and preventing heater cracks due to thermal stress, especially when handling various paper sizes and high power application.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a heater with at least two first heat generating resistors and one second heat generating resistor on a substrate, where the second resistor has varying resistance regions and is strategically positioned between the first resistors. A substrate reinforcing layer is applied only to the areas opposite to where the heat generating resistors are located, specifically covering the higher resistance regions to manage thermal stress effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reinforcing layer is provided on the whole surface of the substrate, then the resistance against thermal stress is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a reinforcing layer only to specific high-stress regions (areas opposite to heat generating resistors and regions between resistors) rather than the entire substrate surface. This localized reinforcement approach maintains adequate stress resistance while reducing material usage and manufacturing cost compared to full-surface reinforcement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If heat generating resistors are uniformly distributed, then the heat generation is uniform, but the temperature increase in non-paper passing areas becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent varies the resistance values of heat generating resistors based on their positions. Resistors in regions that contact paper during conveyance have different resistance values than those in non-contact regions. This allows non-uniform heat generation that compensates for heat loss in paper-contacting areas, preventing excessive temperature rise in non-paper passing areas while maintaining overall thermal stability.
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 efficient heat distribution, reduced temperature increase in non-paper passing areas, and enhanced resistance to thermal stress, thereby preventing heater cracks and maintaining cost-effectiveness by targeted reinforcement of the substrate.
Implementation Method 1
heat generating resistors 102 and 103 provided along a longitudinal direction of the substrate 101... By supplying power from power supplying electrodes 104, 105 and 106 electrically communicated with both ends of the heat generating resistors 102 and 103 to the heat generating resistors 102 and 13 are heated
Data Source
AI summary
The heating apparatus comprises a substrate extending in one direction and a plurality of heat generating members provided on one surface of the substrate along a longitudinal direction thereof and wherein at least one of the plural heat generating members has heat generating regions having different heat generation amount per unit length in the longitudinal direction, substrate reinforcing members are provided on the other surface of the substrate in correspondence to the high heat generating regions provided on one surface of the substrate. By the virtue of the invention, cost can be reduced, emergency safety upon occurrence of overrun of a CPU can be achieved, and increase in temperature of a sheet non-passing portion can be suppressed.