Heating Member End Thickness for Fixing Device Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixing devices in image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the position of the heating member during rotation, leading to deviations and potential image defects due to the thinness of the heating member's end portions.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a hollow rotating body and a heating member that includes a contact portion and non-contact portions with thicker second end portions, which are held by a holding member to prevent positional deviation during rotation, and a pressure roller that applies pressure to the recording medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the heating member has a thin end portion to reduce wear and facilitate cutting, then ease of manufacture and wear resistance are improved, but positional stability during rotation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating member is designed with non-uniform thickness: the end portions have smaller thickness for ease of cutting and wear resistance, while the central portion has larger thickness for positional stability during rotation. This local variation in geometric property resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific functional requirement.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the heating member has a thin end portion to reduce wear, then durability is improved, but positional stability during rotation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating member features localized thinning at the end portions that contact the holding member, which reduces wear at these high-friction areas while the thicker central portion maintains positional stability during rotation, thus resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and positional stability.
3Device complexity
If the heating member is held only at the thin end portion, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The holding member is designed to contact only the end portions of the heating member rather than the entire length, simplifying the holding structure while the localized contact at the thicker end portions maintains sufficient positional precision, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and manufacturing precision.
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
The solution effectively suppresses positional deviations of the heating member, ensuring consistent temperature distribution and reducing the likelihood of image defects such as hot offset, while also reducing wear and facilitating easier cutting of the heating member components.
Implementation Method 1
a heating member that is disposed in such a manner as to be in contact with an inner surface of the rotating body while extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the transport direction and that heats the rotating body
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes a hollow rotating body, a pressing member that applies pressure to a recording medium and transports the recording medium in a transport direction along with rotation of the rotating body, a heating member that is in contact with the rotating body while extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a holding member that holds the heating member. The heating member includes a contact portion and non-contact portions, the contact portion has a first end portion on a downstream side of the contact portion in the transport direction, each non-contact portion has a second end portion on the downstream side in the transport direction, and each second end portion is thicker than the first end portion in a direction perpendicular to the transport and axial directions. The holding member is in contact with the second end portions in the transport direction.