Roller-shaped rotator with thin-walled base for fixing device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently heating and pressurizing recording sheets to fix toner images, as conventional fixing devices require high heat capacity and limited contact area between fixing and pressurizing members.
Innovation Solution
A roller-shaped rotator is designed with an endless belt and a deformable stainless steel thin plate base member, which is wound into a tubular shape and inserted into the belt, allowing for wide-range press contact and efficient heat transfer, reducing heat capacity and increasing the nip width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional fixing devices use roller-shaped members with high heat capacity, then sufficient heating and pressurization of recording sheets is achieved, but the time required to heat the fixing member increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the fixing member by using a thin-walled hollow cylindrical structure instead of a solid roller. This structural parameter change reduces the heat capacity while maintaining the necessary temperature for fixation, thereby reducing heating time without sacrificing temperature effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing member is designed as a hollow cylindrical structure with thin walls, effectively segmenting the material distribution. This segmentation reduces the overall mass and heat capacity of the fixing member while maintaining structural integrity and functional performance, enabling faster heating.
2Device complexity
If conventional fixing devices use roller-shaped members, then structural simplicity is maintained, but the press contact area between fixing and pressurizing members is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs curved, cylindrical surfaces for both the fixing member and pressurizing member. The cylindrical geometry of the thin-walled hollow structure allows for increased circumferential contact area compared to flat or rigid roller designs, enhancing the press contact area while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Device complexity
If conventional fixing devices use members with limited contact area, then device complexity is reduced, but heating efficiency and pressurization effectiveness decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the structural parameters to a thin-walled hollow cylindrical design, the invention achieves both reduced heat capacity (improving heating efficiency) and increased surface area (improving pressurization effectiveness), thereby enhancing overall fixation productivity without significantly increasing device complexity.
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 enables faster heating and wider press contact area, improving the fixation process by reducing heat capacity and enhancing the efficiency of toner image transfer onto recording sheets.
Implementation Method 1
a roller-shaped base member formed by winding a thin plate material plural times through elastic deformation into a roller shape, the roller-shaped base member being inserted into the endless belt and brought into press contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt by an elastic repulsive force due to the deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A roller-shaped rotator includes an endless belt and a roller-shaped base member. The roller-shaped base member is formed by winding a thin plate material plural times through elastic deformation into a roller shape. The roller-shaped base member is inserted into the endless belt, and brought into press contact with an inner peripheral surface of the belt by an elastic repulsive force due to the deformation. The roller-shaped base member is supported at both end portions in an axial direction so as to be rotatable about an axis of the roller-shaped base member.