Segmented Fixing Belt Heating for Small Sheet Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fixing devices with thin fixing belts struggle to maintain the required fixing temperature for small-sized sheets due to limited power availability and inefficient heat transfer, leading to defective fixing results.
Innovation Solution
A fixing device with a hollow endless rotary body and multiple heat sources, where a first heat source heats the center region for small-sized sheets and additional heat sources heat the ends for larger sheets, with power allocation adjusted based on sheet size to ensure sufficient heating within power constraints, and shielding members to prevent excessive heat loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If power supplied to the heat source is increased to heat the sheet passage region for small-sized sheets, then the fixing temperature can be maintained, but the total power consumption exceeds the available power limit
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is divided into multiple independent heat sources (first heat source for center region, second heat source for end regions) that can be selectively activated based on sheet size. This segmentation allows the system to concentrate power on only the necessary heating zones, maintaining fixing temperature where needed while avoiding unnecessary power consumption in regions that don't require heating.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the fixing belt are provided with different heating characteristics - the center region has a first heat source while the end regions have a second heat source. This local differentiation ensures that each region receives appropriate heating based on the actual thermal requirements, preventing both overheating and insufficient heating in different areas.
2Loss of energy
If a single heat source heats the entire width of the fixing belt, then the structure is simple, but the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient for maintaining temperature in the sheet passage region
Solution Approach 1:
The single heat source is replaced with multiple segmented heat sources positioned at different locations (center and ends) of the fixing belt. This segmentation enables direct heating of specific regions, dramatically improving heat transfer efficiency by eliminating the need for heat to propagate across the entire belt width, while the modular design keeps the overall structure manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing belt itself serves as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the multiple heat sources and the sheet passage region. The heat sources heat the fixing belt at specific locations, and the belt's thermal properties enable efficient heat distribution to the sheet passage region, improving overall heat transfer efficiency.
3Loss of time
If the fixing belt is made thin to reduce heat capacity, then the warm-up time is shortened, but the ability to maintain fixing temperature during continuous printing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented into multiple heat sources that can be independently controlled. During continuous printing, the system can activate multiple heat sources simultaneously to compensate for the thin belt's low heat capacity, ensuring temperature maintenance in the sheet passage region without requiring a thick belt with high heat capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple heat sources are positioned to provide preliminary heating to the fixing belt before sheets pass through. This preliminary action ensures that the thin belt reaches and maintains the required fixing temperature quickly, compensating for its low heat capacity and preventing temperature drops during continuous operation.
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 ensures consistent and efficient heating of the fixing belt, maintaining the required fixing temperature for both small and large-sized sheets, reducing defective fixing and optimizing power usage.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device to heat the endless rotary body with radiant heat
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing device includes a heating device to heat an endless rotary body with radiant heat, a power source to supply power to the heating device, a first heat source to heat a region on the endless rotary body corresponding to a width of the small size sheet, and a second heat source to heat regions on the endless rotary body corresponding to both widthwise ends of the large size sheet outside the width of the small size sheet. The power source supplies power only to the first heat source when the small size sheet is printed and to both the first and second heat sources when the large size sheet is printed. The power source supplies more power to the first heat source when the small size sheet is printed than when the large size sheet is printed within a maximum power available to the fixing device.