Heater Support Segmentation for Thermal Stress and Rise Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image heating apparatuses face challenges in achieving a short rise time and high reliability while effectively suppressing temperature rises at non-sheet-passing portions during continuous printing of small-sized recording materials.
Innovation Solution
The image heating apparatus incorporates a high heat-conductive member sandwiched between a ceramic heater and a heater supporting member, with a specific structure that includes a pressure region and a non-pressure region to enhance heat conduction and reduce thermal stress, allowing for efficient temperature control and rapid heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a high heat-conductive member is sandwiched between the heater and heater supporting member to suppress non-sheet-passing portion temperature rise, then temperature control is improved, but the rise time to reach predetermined temperature increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater supporting member is divided into a pressure region (first region) and a non-pressure region (second region). The high heat-conductive member is pressed against the heater in the pressure region to suppress temperature rise at non-sheet-passing portions, while the non-pressure region allows faster heat transmission to reduce rise time. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between temperature control and rise time.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the heater supporting member have different properties: the pressure region has high contact pressure for heat dissipation to adjacent areas, while the non-pressure region has low contact pressure for rapid heating. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of temperature control and fast response.
2Temperature
If the high heat-conductive member is pressed against the heater to suppress temperature rise, then temperature distribution is improved, but thermal stress on the heater increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater supporting member is segmented into a pressure region and a non-pressure region. By concentrating the pressing force only in the pressure region and releasing it in the non-pressure region, the design achieves temperature distribution control while preventing excessive thermal stress that would occur with uniform pressing across the entire heater surface.
3Loss of energy
If uniform pressure is applied across the entire heater surface, then heat conduction is maximized, but response time increases and thermal stress accumulates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniform pressure application, the design uses localized pressure only in the pressure region where heat dissipation is needed. The non-pressure region maintains low contact pressure to enable rapid heat transmission and fast response time, resolving the contradiction between heat conduction efficiency and response time.
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 enables a shorter time to reach a predetermined temperature and improves the reliability of the image heating apparatus by efficiently conducting heat and reducing thermal stress, thus effectively suppressing temperature rises at non-sheet-passing portions.
Implementation Method 1
a high heat-conductive member having high thermal conductivity is sandwiched between a heater supporting member and a ceramic heater
Data Source
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AI summary
An image heating apparatus includes: a heater including a substrate and a heat generating element; a supporting member; a high heat-conductive member. The recording material on which an image is formed is heated by heat from the heater. The supporting member has a bottom region, where the supporting member supports the heater, including a first region where the supporting member contacts the high heat-conductive member so as to apply pressure between the heater and the high heat-conductive member and including a second region where the supporting member is recessed from the high heat-conductive member relative to the first region. At least a part of the first region overlaps, with respect to a movement direction of the recording material, with a region where the heat generating element is provided.