Multi-Zone Heating Roller for Image Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixing apparatuses face challenges such as prolonged wait times, temperature fluctuations, and inefficient heat distribution, leading to issues like hot offset and poor fixing quality, especially when handling small paper sizes, due to high heat capacity and thermal conductivity differences in heat roller and film heating methods.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple exothermic bodies with integrated temperature detecting functions, a heating unit, a film for heat transfer, and a pressurization unit, along with an auxiliary heating unit, allows for precise temperature control and efficient heat distribution, reducing power consumption and improving fixing quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a heat roller with high heat capacity is used to ensure stable temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but wait time for heating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating roller is divided into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control. Each zone can be heated independently, allowing the system to maintain temperature stability in occupied zones while quickly heating new zones, thus reducing overall wait time while preserving temperature stability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different zones of the heating roller are controlled with different heating characteristics. The patent implements local temperature control to optimize both temperature stability in active areas and rapid heating capability, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
2Device complexity
If conventional heat distribution is used, then simple structure is maintained, but temperature uniformity deteriorates leading to hot offset
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independently controllable heating elements distributed along the roller. This segmentation allows precise control of heat distribution to achieve uniform temperature across the roller surface, preventing hot offset while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors are integrated into the heating zones to provide feedback for closed-loop control. This feedback mechanism ensures uniform temperature distribution by automatically adjusting heating power in each zone, preventing hot offset without requiring complex mechanical structures.
3Speed
If high power is applied to heat the roller quickly, then heating speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating roller is divided into multiple zones that can be heated independently. This allows the system to apply high power only to zones that are currently in use, rather than heating the entire roller at full power continuously, thus achieving fast heating speed while reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating power in each zone is dynamically adjusted based on real-time temperature feedback and operational requirements. This dynamic control enables the system to heat quickly when needed while minimizing power consumption during steady-state operation, resolving the contradiction between heating speed and energy efficiency.
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 solution enables accurate temperature control, quick start-up, and high-speed operations while preventing hot offset and ensuring high-quality fixing across various paper sizes, reducing energy waste and maintaining stable fixing performance.
Implementation Method 1
two or more exothermic bodies with temperature detecting function that generate heat with electric current
Implementation Method 2
exothermic bodies with temperature detecting function that generate heat with electric current and detect temperature
Implementation Method 3
a film, a surface of which slides on the heating unit... heat provided by the heating unit through the film
Implementation Method 4
a pressurization unit for pressing the recording paper to the thermal fixing unit
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus are disclosed. The fixing apparatus includes two or more heaters with temperature detecting function that generate heat with electric current and detect temperature; a heating unit that includes the heater with the temperature detecting function; a film, a surface of which slides on the heating unit; a thermal fixing unit that is heated by the heating unit through the film for fusing a toner image that is yet-to-be fixed on a recording paper at a predetermined fixing temperature; a pressurization roller for pressing the recording paper to the thermal fixing unit; and a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the heater to be a predetermined temperature based on the temperature of the heater detected by the heater with the temperature detecting function.