Variable-Thickness Heat Conductor for Faster Toner Fixing Warmup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face challenges in quickly achieving sufficient heat for fixing toner on sheets due to inefficient heat transfer in heating units, leading to prolonged startup times and reduced printing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A heating unit design featuring a rotatable film with a heater and a heat conductor having a groove structure that optimizes heat distribution, allowing efficient heat transfer to the cylindrical drum, thereby reducing startup time and increasing the number of continuous prints without overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a conventional heating unit with uniform heat conductor is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the heat distribution is inefficient and startup time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conductor is designed with non-uniform thickness, where the thickness varies in different regions (first region, second region, third region) to optimize heat distribution. The first region has a first thickness, the second region has a second thickness, and the third region has a third thickness, creating local quality variations that improve heating efficiency and reduce startup time while maintaining consistent heat levels across the heating unit.
2Loss of time
If the heating unit increases power to reach fixing temperature faster, then startup time is reduced, but power consumption increases and overheating may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conductor's geometric parameters (thickness values in different regions) are optimized to change heat conduction characteristics. By varying the thickness parameter across different regions, the system achieves faster heating without requiring excessive power input, thus reducing startup time while controlling power consumption and preventing overheating.
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 optimized heat distribution significantly shortens the time required to reach the fixing temperature, enhances printing productivity, and reduces power consumption while maintaining consistent heat levels across the heating unit.
Implementation Method 1
a heater element on one of the surfaces of the substrate... a heat conductor including a first portion contacting the other surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater disposed inside the film and including a substrate that extends along a first direction and having two surfaces opposite to each other, and a heater element on one of the surfaces of the substrate, and a heat conductor including a first portion contacting the other surface of the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the other surface of the substrate. A width of the second portion is wider than the heater element in the second direction.