Retractable Heat Conductor for Fuser Thermal Gradient Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses face reduced throughput and potential damage due to thermal gradients generated when printing narrow media sheets, as existing techniques either slow down the printing process or increase inter-page gaps to prevent overheating, affecting print quality and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An image fixing assembly with a heat conducting member that retractably couples to the fusing or backup member to create a thermal conduction path, reducing thermal gradients and allowing for closer media sheet spacing without overheating, thereby enhancing throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If narrow media sheets are printed consecutively without increasing inter-page gap, then throughput is maintained, but thermal gradient accumulates causing damage to image fixing assembly
Solution Approach 1:
A heat conducting member is introduced as an intermediary between the fusing member and the media sheet. This heat conducting member acts as a thermal mediator that distributes heat more uniformly across the fusing member surface, preventing localized thermal gradient accumulation during consecutive narrow media sheet printing while maintaining high throughput
2Reliability
If inter-page gap is increased to dissipate heat, then thermal gradient is reduced, but throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conducting member serves as a thermal intermediary that actively manages heat distribution during narrow media sheet printing. By providing a controlled thermal conduction path, it allows continuous printing without requiring increased inter-page gaps, thus maintaining high throughput while preventing thermal gradient accumulation
3Temperature
If hot roll fuser system with large thermal mass is used, then heat retention is improved, but warm-up time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal mass of the fusing system is segmented into the fusing member and the separate heat conducting member. This segmentation allows the heat conducting member to be optimized for rapid heat distribution without requiring the entire system to have large thermal mass, thereby reducing warm-up time while maintaining effective heat retention during operation
4Reliability
If heat conducting member is continuously coupled to fusing member, then thermal gradient is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the heat conducting member and the fusing member is made dynamic rather than continuous. The heat conducting member is coupled only when narrow media sheets are being printed (when thermal gradient control is needed) and decoupled otherwise, allowing thermal gradient management on-demand while minimizing energy consumption during full-width media sheet printing
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 reduces thermal gradients, allowing for increased throughput by minimizing inter-page gaps and preventing overheating, while maintaining print quality across various media sheet sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conducting member capable of being retractably coupled to one of the fusing member and the backup member for configuring a thermal conduction path therebetween for enabling flow of heat between the one of the fusing member and the backup member, and the heat conducting member
Data Source
AI summary
An image fixing assembly includes a heating unit having a heating element and a fusing member enclosing the heating element; a backup member; and a heat conducting member. The fusing member is configured to rotate around the heating element. Further, the fusing member is capable of being heated by the heating element. The backup member is abuttingly coupled to the fusing member for configuring a nip portion therebetween, and is capable of pressing media sheets against the fusing member, when the media sheets pass through the nip portion. The heat conducting member is capable of retractably coupling to one of the fusing member and the backup member for enabling flow of heat between the one of the fusing member and the backup member, and the heat conducting member, for reducing a thermal gradient. Further disclosed is a method for fixing images on the media sheets using the image fixing assembly.