Thermally Conductive Roller with Filler Bundle for Image Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pressing rollers in image forming apparatuses face overheating issues in non-passing regions due to increased processing speed, leading to higher temperatures and reduced fixing performance, especially when using long fiber-like thermally conductive fillers which increase hardness and reduce nip width.
Innovation Solution
A roller design featuring a core metal with an elastic layer and a thermally conductive layer containing fiber-like fillers dispersed in a bundle shape, enhancing thermal conductivity while maintaining a lower hardness through efficient heat dissipation and flexible orientation of fillers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If long fiber-like thermally conductive fillers are used to enhance thermal conductivity, then thermal conductivity is improved, but hardness remarkably increases and nip width decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the filler from long fibers to spherical particles, fundamentally altering the morphology parameter. This transformation allows the filler to provide thermal conductivity without the entanglement and reinforcing effects that cause hardness increase in long fiber configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining spherical thermally conductive filler particles with a rubber base material. This composite structure achieves thermal conductivity enhancement while maintaining the flexibility and appropriate hardness of the rubber matrix, avoiding the excessive hardening caused by long fiber reinforcement
2Productivity
If processing speed is increased to improve productivity, then productivity is improved, but temperature in non-passing regions excessively increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the thermal conductivity parameter of the pressing roller by incorporating spherical thermally conductive filler particles. This parameter change enables more efficient heat dissipation from non-passing regions, allowing the system to operate at higher processing speeds without excessive temperature buildup
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the reliance on mechanical contact time for heat transfer with a thermally conductive material-based heat transfer mechanism. The spherical filler particles create thermal pathways that actively conduct heat away from non-passing regions, supplementing the passive heat transfer that occurs through mechanical contact
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 overheating in non-passing regions, maintains a broad nip width for improved fixing performance, and ensures efficient heat transfer, thereby maintaining a stable fixing temperature and preventing damage to the fixing device components.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive layer containing fiber-like fillers dispersed in a bundle shape, enhancing thermal conductivity while maintaining a lower hardness through efficient heat dissipation
Data Source
AI summary
A roller for use with an image fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material includes a core metal, and an elastic layer provided around the core metal. In the elastic layer, a filler bundle including a plurality of fiber-like fillers is dispersed.