Variable Heat Generation Heating Member for Uniform Temperature Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature distribution across heating devices due to uneven heat generation, leading to inconsistencies in heating and image quality, particularly when processing sheets of varying lengths.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a heating device with a rotator member and an opposed member, allowing for switching between different heat generation states to ensure consistent heating across the width of the sheet, using a heating unit with resistive heat generators and power supply lines configured to manage heat distribution by partial and whole energization strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heating member uses a conductive pattern to electrically couple heating elements, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but uneven heat generation occurs causing temperature distribution non-uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of heat generation from the conductive pattern into a beneficial control mechanism. By intentionally designing asymmetric conductive patterns with different resistance values, the system uses the previously problematic heat generation to create deliberate temperature differences that can be dynamically adjusted through switching between different heat generation states, thereby resolving the temperature uniformity issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control by making the heating member switchable between a first heat generation state and a second heat generation state. This dynamic switching allows the system to adapt the heat generation distribution in real-time, changing from a static asymmetric heating pattern to a controllable dynamic system that can maintain temperature uniformity across different operating conditions.
2Device complexity
If the heating member generates asymmetric heat distribution, then electrical coupling is simplified, but temperature deviation between first side and second side increases causing uneven heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heating member into multiple independent heating elements that can be selectively activated. By dividing the heating structure into separate controllable units with different resistance values, the system can independently control heat generation in different regions, thereby maintaining simple electrical coupling while achieving uniform temperature distribution through selective activation of segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different resistance values to different heating elements positioned at specific locations. The first heating element has a first resistance value and the second heating element has a second resistance value, creating localized heat generation characteristics that compensate for asymmetric heat distribution and achieve overall heating uniformity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus processes recording media of varying lengths, then versatility is improved, but maintaining consistent temperature distribution becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic switching between different heat generation states to adapt to varying sheet lengths. The control system can switch between the first heat generation state (with the first heating element active) and the second heat generation state (with the second heating element active) depending on the sheet size being processed, thereby maintaining temperature consistency across different operating conditions and sheet lengths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the heating system by switching between different resistance values and heat generation levels. By adjusting which heating element is active based on the sheet length, the system modifies its thermal parameters to maintain optimal temperature distribution for each specific sheet size, thereby achieving both versatility and temperature consistency.
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 effectively reduces temperature deviations and ensures uniform heating, improving image quality and fixability across different sheet sizes by adjusting heat generation based on sheet width and temperature thresholds.
Implementation Method 1
a heating member (42), and an opposed member (43). The heating member (42) is configured to heat the rotator member (20)
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a heating device including a rotator member, a heating member configured to heat the rotator member. The heating member is switchable between a first heat generation state in which an amount of heat generated on a first side is larger than an amount of heat generated on a second side in the intersection direction and a second heat generation state in which the amount of heat generated on the second side is larger than the amount of heat generated on the first side, The image forming apparatus is configured to switch between the first heat generation state and the second heat generation state while executing a job of continuously forming an image on a plurality of recording media having a same length in the intersecting direction.