Warped Heater Substrate for Fixing Unit Nip Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat-fixing systems in printers and copying machines often experience paper wrinkles due to uneven conveyance speed in the fixing unit, leading to mechanical and thermal stress on the heater, which can cause damage and pattern destruction.
Innovation Solution
A heater with a substrate formed into a plate shape, featuring a warped design where the center portion protrudes more than the end portions, combined with an insulating layer and a cover layer, to manage stress and prevent paper wrinkles by adjusting the nip width and conveyance speed distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the heater holder is formed in a protruded shape to widen the nip width at the center portion, then paper wrinkles are reduced, but mechanical stress on the heater increases causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is pre-formed with a warped shape where the center portion protrudes toward the pressure roller before installation. This preliminary shaping allows the heater to adapt to the protruded heater holder configuration without experiencing excessive stress during operation, as the warping is already accounted for in the design
Solution Approach 2:
The physical shape parameter of the heater is changed from a flat configuration to a warped configuration with the center portion protruding. This parameter change allows the heater to maintain appropriate contact pressure distribution while reducing the mechanical stress that would otherwise occur from forcing a flat heater into a protruded holder
2Ease of manufacture
If the heater is made flat to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the heater cannot accommodate the protruded heater holder shape causing stress concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is pre-formed with the required warped shape during the manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring post-manufacturing adjustment or installation into a protruded holder. This preliminary shaping is integrated into the manufacturing step, maintaining both ease of manufacture and shape stability
3Shape
If the heater is deformed to match the protruded heater holder shape, then the nip width distribution is improved, but thermal stress combined with mechanical stress causes substrate damage or pattern destruction
Solution Approach 1:
The heater's geometric parameters are changed by forming a controlled warp in the substrate and heating element layers. This shape parameter change achieves the desired nip width distribution while the controlled deformation process maintains the structural integrity and reliability of the heater components
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 enhances the durability of the heater and effectively suppresses paper wrinkles, ensuring safe operation and preventing heater damage during abnormal temperature rises, even with thin or low-stiffness recording materials.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element arranged on the insulating layer and configured to generate heat by flowing electric current therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A heater includes a substrate formed of metal into a plate shape in which a length in a longitudinal direction thereof is greater than a length in a short direction thereof when viewed in a thickness direction thereof, an insulating layer formed of insulating material on a first surface of the substrate on a first side in the thickness direction, a heating element arranged on the insulating layer and configured to generate heat by flowing electric current therethrough, and a cover layer arranged to cover the heating element. The heater is a warped shape when receiving no external force, such that a center portion of the heater in the longitudinal direction protrudes to the first side in the thickness direction compared to both end portions of the heater in the longitudinal direction.