Parallel Thermistor Temperature Acquisition for Image Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image heating apparatuses face challenges in reducing the size of the heater due to the increasing number of wires connected to thermistors and are unable to detect individual temperatures of thermistors connected in parallel, which affects apparatus safety.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion with a substrate, heating elements, and temperature detection elements arranged at specific intervals, where first temperature detection elements output individual signals and second elements output a combined signal, allowing the temperature acquisition portion to acquire individual temperatures from both, enabling improved safety through precise temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a thermistor is formed in each heat generating area, then temperature detection precision is improved, but the number of wires connected to the thermistors increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple temperature detection elements (thermistors) that were previously connected to separate signal lines are merged into a single parallel connection. The signal lines of a plurality of thermistors are connected in parallel to a single signal line, reducing the number of wires from multiple individual connections to just one shared signal line while maintaining temperature detection capability across multiple heat generating areas.
2Device complexity
If multiple thermistors are connected in parallel to reduce wire number, then device complexity is reduced, but individual temperature detection capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A temperature acquisition portion is introduced as an intermediary component that receives the combined parallel signal from multiple thermistors and processes it to extract individual temperature information. This intermediary processing stage enables the system to maintain individual temperature detection capability despite the physical parallel connection of thermistors, effectively decoupling the electrical connection structure from the information extraction requirement.
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 the detection of individual temperatures from multiple thermistors connected in parallel, reducing the heater's width and enhancing safety by preventing abnormal temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element provided on the substrate, and that heats an image formed on a recording material so as to fix the image on the recording material using heat from the heater
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of temperature detection elements provided on the substrate... a plurality of first temperature detection elements that are arranged at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction of the substrate and respectively output temperature signals individually
Data Source
AI summary
In a heater including a plurality of first temperature detection elements that are arranged at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction of a substrate and respectively output temperature signals individually, and a plurality of second temperature detection elements that are arranged at predetermined intervals in positions that differ from the positions of the first temperature detection elements in a lateral direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction but correspond to the positions of at least some of the plurality of first temperature detection elements in the longitudinal direction, and that output a single temperature signal obtained by adding individual temperature signals together, the individual temperature signals included in the single temperature signal are acquired on the basis of the plurality of temperature signals output by the plurality of first temperature detection elements and the single temperature signal.