FIXING DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART

The present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet. This fixing device is mountable in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine or a multi-function machine having a plurality of functions of these machines.

In a conventional image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, the toner image is formed on the sheet by using a toner in which a parting agent (wax) is incorporated, and then is fixed under heat and pressure in the fixing device.

It has been known that during the fixing, the wax incorporated in the toner is vaporized and immediately thereafter is condensed. According to knowledges of the present inventors, it has been found that in the neighborhood of a fixing member of the fixing device, the condensed wax (particles of several nm to several hundred nm, hereinafter referred to as also a dust) is present and suspended in a large amount. When no means is taken against such a wax immediately after the condensation, most of the wax is diffused to an outside of the fixing device, so that there is a liability that an image is adversely affected. Therefore, it has been required that the wax immediately after the condensation is increased in particle diameter so as not to be diffused to the outside of the fixing device.

On the other hand, in a fixing device of an electromagnetic induction type described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 2010-217580, in order to prevent the wax from being fixed and deposited on a coil holder, a heat generating member is provided in the neighborhood of the coil holder. Specifically, the wax is liquefied by heating the coil holder by the heat generating member, so that the wax fixed on the coil holder is dropped downward.

Further, in a fixing device described in JP-A 2011-112708, when fine particles deposited on a fixing roller are removed by a cleaning web, a trapping material for trapping the fine particles is contained in the cleaning web.

However, in the fixing devices described in JP-A 2010-217580 and JP-A 2011-112708, the dust present in a large amount in the neighborhood of the fixing member cannot be suppressed from being diffused as it is to the outside of the fixing devices, and therefore the means therein do not constitute a solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fixing device comprising: first and second rotatable members configured to heat-fix, at a nip therebetween, a toner image formed on a sheet by using a toner containing a parting agent; a heating portion, provided opposed to an outer surface of the first rotatable member, configured to heat the first rotatable member through electromagnetic induction heating; a holding portion configured to hold the heating portion; and an extended portion configured to be extended from the holding portion so as to close a gap between itself and the first rotatable member.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1, (a) and (b) are a schematic sectional view an exploded perspective view, respectively, of a fixing device.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fixing unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an image forming apparatus.

In FIG. 4, (a) is an enlarged view of a nip in (a) of FIG. 1, (b) is a schematic view showing a layer structure of a fixing belt, and (c) is a schematic view showing a layer structure of a pressing roller.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a pressing mechanism for a fixing belt unit.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing a heating region of the fixing belt.

In FIG. 7, (a) to (c) are illustrations showing a wax deposition region and a dust generating region on the fixing belt.

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing a rib disposing region as a suppressing portion.

In FIG. 9, (a) is a schematic view showing a coalescence phenomenon of a dust, and (b) is a schematic view for illustrating a deposition phenomenon of the dust.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view for illustrating airflow at a periphery of the fixing belt and the pressing roller.

In FIG. 11, (a) and (b) are schematic views each showing a fixing device.

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional views showing a fixing device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a fixing device according to the present invention will be specifically described below. Incidentally, unless otherwise specified, within a scope of concept of the present invention, constitutions of various devices can be replaced with other constitutions.

Embodiment 1
(1) General Structure of Image Forming Apparatus

Before description of the fixing device, first, a general structure of an image forming apparatus will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus 1. This image forming apparatus 1 is a four color-basis full-color laser beam printer (color image forming apparatus) using an electrophotographic process. That is, the image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet P on the basis of an electric image signal inputted from an external host device B such as a personal computer or an image reader into a control circuit portion (control means or CPU) A. Examples of the sheet P may include a sheet, an OHP sheet, coated paper, label paper and the like.

The control circuit portion A transfers various pieces of electric information between itself and the external host device B or an operating portion C, and effects integrated control of an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with predetermined control program and reference table.

As an image forming portion 5, the image forming apparatus includes first to fourth (four) image forming stations (process cartridges) 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K. The first to fourth image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K are successively arranged in parallel from a left side to a right side in FIG. 3 at a substantially central portion of an inside of the image forming apparatus 1.

Each image forming station includes the same electrophotographic process mechanism. Each of the image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K in this embodiment includes a rotation drum type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as a “drum”) 6 as an image bearing member on which an image is to be formed. As process means actable on the drum 6, a charging roller 7, a cleaning member 41 and a developing unit 9 are provided.

The first image forming station 5Y accommodates a developer (toner) of yellow (Y) in a toner accommodating chamber of the developing unit 9. The second image forming station 5M accommodates a toner of magenta (M) in a toner accommodating chamber of the developing unit 9. The third image forming station 5C accommodates a toner of cyan (C) in a toner accommodating chamber of the developing unit 9. The fourth image forming station 5K accommodates a toner of black (K) in a toner accommodating chamber of the developing unit 9.

In an apparatus main assembly 1A, below the respective image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K, a laser scanner unit 8 as an image information exposes means for the respective drums 6 is provided. Further, in the apparatus main assembly 1A, on the respective image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K, an intermediary transfer belt unit 10 is provided.

The unit 10 includes a driving roller 10a provided in a right side in FIG. 3, a tension roller 10b provided in a left side in FIG. 3, and an intermediary transfer belt (hereinafter referred to as a belt) 10c as an intermediary transfer member extended and stretched belt these rollers. Further, inside the belt 10c, first to fourth (four) primary transfer rollers 11 opposing the drums 6 of the respective image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K are provided in parallel to each other. An upper surface portion of each of the drums 6 of the image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K contacts a lower surface of the belt 10c in a position of the associated primary transfer roller 11. The contact portion is a primary transfer portion.

Outside a curved portion of the belt 10c contacting the driving roller 10a, a secondary transfer roller 12 is provided. A contact portion between the belt 10c and the secondary transfer roller 12 is a secondary transfer portion. Outside a curved portion of the belt 10c contacting the tension roller 10b, a transfer belt cleaning device 10d is provided.

At a lower portion of the apparatus main assembly 1A, a sheet feeding cassette 2 is provided. The cassette 2 is constituted so as to be pullable from and insertable into the apparatus main assembly 1A in a predetermined manner.

In FIG. 3, in a right side in the apparatus main assembly 1A, an upward sheet feeding path (vertical path) D for feeding upward the sheet P picked up from the cassette 2. In the sheet feeding path D, in the order from a lower side to an upper side, a roller pair of a feeding roller 2a and a retard roller 2b, a registration roller pair 4, the secondary transfer roller 12, a fixing device (device) 103, a double-side flapper 15a, a discharging roller pair 14 are provided. An upper surface of the apparatus main assembly 1a constitutes a discharge tray (discharged sheet stacking portion) 16.

In FIG. 3, in a right surface side of the apparatus main assembly 1A, a manual feeding portion (multi-purpose tray) 3 is provided. The manual feeding portion 3 is capable of being placed in a closed state (retracted state) in which the manual feeding portion 3 is vertically raised and folded with respect to the apparatus main assembly 1A as indicated by a chain double-dashed line during non-use. During use, the manual feeding portion 3 is turned on its side as indicated by a solid line to be placed in an open state.

(1-1) Image Forming Sequence of Image Forming Apparatus

An operation for forming a full-color image is as follows.

A control circuit portion A starts an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1 on the basis of a print start signal. That is, in synchronism with image formation timing, each of the drums 6 of the first to fourth image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K is rotationally driven at a predetermined in the clockwise direction indicated by an arrow. Also the belt 10c is rotationally driven at a speed corresponding to the speed of the drum 6 in the counterclockwise direction (the same direction as the rotational direction of the drum 6) indicated by an arrow R. Also the laser scanner unit 8 is driven.

In synchronism with this drive, at each of the image forming stations 5Y, 5M, 5C and 5K, a surface of the drum 6 is electrically charged uniformly to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential by the charging roller 7 to which a predetermined charging bias is applied. The surface of each drum 6 is subjected to scanning exposure, by the laser scanner unit 8, to a laser beam modulated depending on an image information signal of an associated one of colors of Y, M, C and K. As a result, an electrostatic latent image depending on the image information signal of the associated color is formed on the surface of each drum 6. The formed electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image (developer image) by a developing roller (developing member) of the developing unit 9. To the developing roller, a predetermined developing bias is applied.

By the electrophotographic image forming process operation as described, above, a Y color toner image corresponding to a Y component of the full-color image is formed on the drum 6 of the first image forming station 5Y. The toner image is primary-transferred onto the belt 10c at the primary transfer portion of the image forming station 5Y. An M color toner image corresponding to a M component of the full-color image is formed on the drum 6 of the second image forming station 5M. The toner image is primary-transferred superposedly onto the toner image of Y which has already been transferred on the belt 10c at the primary transfer portion of the image forming station 5M. A C toner image corresponding to a C component of the full-color image is formed on the drum 6 of the third image forming station 5C. The toner image is primary-transferred superposedly onto the toner images of Y and M which have already been transferred on the belt 10c at the primary transfer portion of the image forming station 5C. A K color toner image corresponding to a K component of the full-color image is formed on the drum 6 of the fourth image forming station 5K. The toner image is primary-transferred superposedly onto the toner images of Y, M and C which have already been transferred on the belt 10c at the primary transfer portion of the image forming station 5K.

To each of the first to fourth primary transfer roller 11, at predetermined control timing, a primary transfer bias of an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner and of a predetermined potential is applied. In this way, unfixed full-color toner images of Y, M, C and K are synthetically formed on the moving belt 10c. These unfixed toner images are conveyed by subsequent rotation of the belt 10c to reach the secondary transfer portion.

At each of the image forming station 5, the surface of the drum 6 after the primary transfer of the toner image onto the belt 10c is wiped with a cleaning member (cleaning blade) 41 to remove a primary transfer residual toner, thus being subjected to a subsequent image forming step.

On the other hand, the sheets P in the cassette 2 are fed one by one by the feeding roller 2a and the retard roller 2b at a predetermined control timing, and the fed sheet P is fed to the registration roller pair 4. In the case of an operation in a manual feeding mode, the sheet P on the manual feeding tray 3 is fed by a feeding roller 3a and then is fed to the registration roller pair 4 by a feeding roller pair 3b.

The sheet P is fed to the secondary transfer portion at predetermined control timing by the registration roller pair 4. To the secondary transfer roller 12, at predetermined control timing, a secondary transfer bias of an opposite polarity to a normal charge polarity of the toner is applied. As a result, in a process in which the sheet P is nipped and fed through the secondary transfer portion, the superposed four color toner images on the belt 10c are collectively secondary-transferred onto the surface of the sheet P.

The sheet P coming out of the secondary transfer portion is separated from the belt 10c to be fed into the fixing device 103, and then the toner images are thermally fixed on the sheet P. The sheet P coming out of the fixing device 103 passes through, via a sheet discharging roller pair 118, a lower side of the double-side flapper 15a held in a first attitude a indicated by a solid line, and then is discharged onto the discharge tray 16 by the discharging roller pair 14. A secondary transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the belt 10c after the secondary transfer of the toner images onto the sheet P is removed from the belt surface by the transfer belt cleaning device 10d, and then the cleaned belt surface is subjected to a subsequent image forming step.

The sheet P, coming out of the fixing device 103, which has already been subjected to image formation at its one (first) surface (side) is not discharged onto the discharge tray 16 but can also be subjected to double-side printing by being fed into a re-circulating feeding path 15b for effecting printing on another (second) surface (side) of the sheet P. In this case, the sheet P, coming out of the fixing device 103, which has already been subjected to image formation at its one surface passes through an upper side of the double-side flapper 15a switched to a second attitude b indicated by a broken line, and then is fed toward the discharge tray 16 by a switch-back roller 15.

Then, when a downstream end of the sheet P with respect to a feeding direction reaches a position on the double-side flapper 15a, the double-side flapper 15a is returned to the first attitude a, and at the same time, the switch-back roller 15 is reversely driven. As a result, the sheet P is reversely fed downward in the re-circulating path 15b to the registration roller pair 4 again via a feeding roller pair 15c and 3b. Thereafter, similarly as in the case of an operation in a one-side image forming mode, the sheet P which has already subjected to the double-side printing is fed through a path including the secondary transfer portion, the fixing device 103 and the discharging roller pair 14, thus being discharged onto the discharge tray 16.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, as the image forming apparatus 1, the full-color laser beam printer including the plurality of drums 6 is used, but the present invention is applicable to also a fixing device to be mounted into a monochromatic copying machine or printer. Therefore, the image forming apparatus in which the fixing device of the present invention is to be mounted is not limited to the full-color laser beam printer.

(2) Structure of Fixing Device 103

Next, the fixing device 103 will be described. In FIG. 1, (a) is a schematic sectional view of the fixing device 103, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the fixing device 103. The fixing device in this embodiment is constituted by a fixing belt unit 101 including a fixing belt 105, a pressing roller 102 which is a second rotatable member, and a heating portion 300 for heating, through electromagnetic induction heating, the fixing belt 105 which is a first rotatable member. The fixing device 103 is an elongated apparatus such that a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction (sheet feeding direction) X of the sheet P in a plane of a sheet feeding path at a nip 101b between the fixing belt 105 and the pressing roller 102.

The sheet P is nipped and fed through the nip 101b between the pressing roller 102 and the fixing belt 105 heated in a non-contact manner by the heating portion 300. The unfixed toner image S formed on the sheet S contacts the fixing belt 105 at the nip 101b, so that the toner image is heated and melted and is further press-contacted to the fixing belt 105, and thus is fixed on the sheet S.

(2-1) Structure of Fixing Belt Unit 101

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fixing belt unit 101. Incidentally, also the pressing roller 102 is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The fixing belt unit 101 is an assembled member including a pressure applying member 104, an urging (pressing) stay 104a, the fixing belt 105 as a rotatable heating member (endless belt) to be rotated, flanges 106L and 106R positioned in end sides of the fixing belt 105 with respect to the widthwise direction of the fixing belt 105, and the like.

The pressure applying member 104 is an elongated member having an almost semi-circular trough shape in cross section, and is formed of a heat-resistant resin material such as a liquid crystal polymer. The urging stay 104a is an elongated rigid member having a U-shape in cross section, and is formed of metal such as iron and is provided inside the pressure applying member 104. The fixing belt 105 is loosely engaged (fitted) externally with the assembled member of the pressure applying member 104 and the urging stay 104a.

The flanges 106L and 106R are symmetrical molded members formed of a heat-resistant resin material, and are mounted symmetrically in longitudinal end sides of the pressure applying member 104. The flanges 106L and 106R hold the fixing belt 105 and guide rotation of the fixing belt 105. Movement of widthwise end portions of the fixing belt 105 in a widthwise direction is limited by the flanges 106L and 106R.

Each of the flanges 106L and 106R includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a flange portion 106a, a shelf portion 106b and a portion-to-be-urged 106c. The flange portion 106a is a member for limiting movement of the fixing belt 105 in a thrust direction by receiving an end surface of the fixing belt 105, and has an outer configuration larger than an outer configuration of the fixing belt 105. The shelf portion 106b is provided in an arcuate shape on the flange portion 106a and holds the fixing belt end portion inner surface to keep the cylindrical shape of the fixing belt 105. The portion-to-be-urged 106c is provided in an outer surface side of the flange portion 106a, and an urging force is applied thereto by springs 108L and 108R shown in FIG. 5, so that the portion-to-be-urged 106c performs the function of causing the fixing belt 105 to be press-contacted to the pressing roller by the urging force applied via the pressure applying member 104.

(2-1-1) Structure of Fixing Belt

In FIG. 4, (a) is a partly enlarged view of the nip 101b shown in (a) of FIG. 1, and (b) is a schematic view showing a layer structure of the fixing belt 105 in this embodiment. The fixing belt 105 is a thin member having a flexibility as a while and a low heat capacity. The fixing belt 105 is a composite-layer member in which an endless (cylindrical) base layer 105a, a primer layer 105b, an elastic layer 105c and a parting layer 105d are laminated in the listed order from an inside to an outside thereof.

The base layer is formed of nickel in an inner diameter of 30 mm and a thickness of 40 μm by electroforming. The elastic layer 105c formed of a heat-resistant silicone rubber, and is bonded toward the base layer 105a via the primer layer 105b. The elastic layer 105c is deformed when the toner image is press-contacted to the fixing belt 105, and thus performs the function of causing the parting layer 105d to be hermetically contacted to the toner image. The thickness of the elastic layer 105c may preferably be set in a range of 100-1000 μm. In this embodiment, in view of shortening of warm-up time by decreasing the heat capacity of the fixing belt 105 and obtaining of a fixing image suitable when a color image is fixed, the thickness of the elastic layer is set at 300 μm. The silicone rubber has a hardness of 20 degrees as JIS-A hardness and the thermal conductivity of 0.8 W/mK.

On the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer 105c, a fluorine-containing resin layer (of, e.g., PFA or PTFE) as the surface parting layer 1c is provided in a thickness of 30 μm. As a material for the parting layer 105d, a fluorine-containing resin excellent in parting property and heat-resistant property is used for preventing deposition of the toner and paper power (dust).

(2-2) Structure of Heating Portion 300

In this embodiment, the heating portion 300 is disposed opposed to the outer surface of the fixing belt 105 which is first rotatable member, and is a heating means for heating the fixing belt 105 in the non-contact manner through electromagnetic induction heating. Specifically, the heating portion 300 is a device for induction-heating the base layer 105a of the fixing belt 105. The heating portion 300 includes an exciting coil 110 and an outside magnetic core 111.

The exciting coil 110 is provided so as to oppose a part of the peripheral surface of the fixing belt 105 by winding the Litz wire in an elongated trough-like shape. A magnetic field generated by the exciting coil passes through the outside magnetic core 111 covering the exciting coil 110 and the base layer 105a of the fixing belt 105, and therefore does not leak out. The outside magnetic core 111 covering the exciting coil 110 is supported by an inside casing 112a and an outside casing 112b which are formed of an electrically insulating resin material. The inside casing 112a is provided opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the belt 105 via a predetermined gap (spacing).

In this embodiment, the inside casing 112a and the outside casing 112b constitute a holding portion for holding the coil 110 and the core 111 which constitute the heating portion 300. In a rotation state of the fixing belt 105, to the exciting coil 110, a high-frequency current of 20 kHz-50 kHz is applied from an unshown power source (exciting circuit). The magnetic field generated from the coil 110 induction-heats the base layer 105a of the fixing belt 105.

(2-3) Structure of Pressing Roller

In FIG. 4, (c) is a schematic view showing a layer structure of the pressing roller 102.

The pressing roller 102 is an elastic roller including a core metal 102a of aluminum or iron, an elastic layer 102b formed of a silicone rubber or the like, and a parting layer 102c for coating the elastic layer 102b. The parting layer 102c is formed of a fluorine-containing resin material such as PFA and is coated with a tube.

As shown in FIG. 5, the core metal 102a of the pressing roller 102 is rotatably supported between a side plate 107L and another side plate 107R via bearings 113. On the other hand, the fixing belt unit 101 is disposed in parallel with the pressing roller 102 between the side plate 107L and another side plate 107R.

The flanges 106L and 106R in the end sides of the fixing belt unit 101 are urged toward the pressing roller 102 with a predetermined urging force T by the springs 108L and 108R. The springs 108L and 108R are supported by supporting portions 109L and 109R provided in the image forming apparatus.

As a result, the fixing belt 105 is rotated by rotation of the pressing roller 102 rotationally driven by an unshown driving source. That is, in this embodiment, the pressing roller 102 performs also the function of a driving roller (rotatable driving member) for rotationally driving the fixing belt 105.

By the above-described urging force, a whole of the flanges 106L and 106R, the urging stay 104a and the pressure applying member 104 is urged toward the pressing roller 102. As a result, the nip 101b ((a) of FIG. 1 and (a) of FIG. 4) having a predetermined width is formed between the fixing belt 105 and the pressing roller 102.

(2-4) Fixing Sequence

An operation of a fixing sequence (fixing process) of the fixing device 103 is as follows.

The control circuit portion A rotationally drives the predetermined roller 102 at point control timing in a rotational direction R102 in (a) of FIG. 1 at a predetermined speed. The rotational drive of the pressing roller 102 is made by transmitting a driving force of a driving source (not shown) to a driving gear GA (FIGS. 2 and 5) provided integrally with the pressing roller 102.

By the rotational drive of the pressing roller 102, at the nip 101b, a rotational torque acts on the fixing belt 105 due to a frictional force between 105 and the pressing roller 102. As a result, the fixing belt 105 is rotated around the pressure applying member 104 and the urging stay 104a by the pressing roller 102 at a speed substantially corresponding to a speed of the pressing roller 102 while sliding at its inner surface on the pressure applying member 104 in close contact with the pressure applying member.

Further, the control circuit portion A starts electric energy (power) supply from a power source portion (not shown) to the exciting coil 110. By this electric energy supply, the exciting coil 110 generates the magnetic field in a part 114 (FIG. 6) of a region of the fixing belt 105, and heats the fixing belt 105. The part 114 constitutes a heating region of the fixing belt 105. The temperature rise by the heating is detected by a thermistor TH as a temperature detecting means provided on the urging stay 104a.

The control circuit portion A controls, on the basis of a back surface temperature of the fixing belt 105 detected by the thermistor TH, electric power to be supplied to the exciting coil 110 so that the fixing belt (back surface) temperature is increased up to and kept at a predetermined target set temperature. The target set temperature in this embodiment is about 170° C.

In the state of the fixing device described above, the sheet P on which unfixed toner images S are carried is fed from the secondary transfer portion side of the image forming portion to the fixing device 103 side. Then, the sheet P is introduced into a nip entrance 101c ((a) of FIG. 1), so that the sheet P is nipped and fed through the nip 101b. To the sheet P, heat is applied via the fixing belt 105 heated in a process in which the sheet P is nipped and fed through the nip 101b. The unfixed toner images S are melted by the heat of the fixing belt 105 and are fixed on the sheet P by pressure applied to the nip 101b. The sheet P coming out of the nip 101b is sent to an outside of the fixing device 103 by a fixing discharge roller pair 118 (FIG. 3).

(3) Parting Agent Incorporated in Toner

Next, a parting agent incorporated (contained) in the toner S, i.e., a wax in this embodiment will be described.

There is a liability that a phenomenon which is called offset such that the toner S is transferred onto the fixing belt 105 during fixing is caused. Such an offset phenomenon leads to a factor which causes a problem such as an image defect.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the wax is incorporated into the toner S. That is, during the fixing, the wax bleeds from the toner S. As a result, the wax melted by heating is present at an interface between the fixing belt 105 and the toner image on the sheet P, so that it becomes possible to prevent the offset phenomenon (parting action).

Incidentally, also a compound containing a molecular structure of the wax is referred herein to as the wax. For example, such a wax is obtained by reacting a resin molecule of the toner with a wax molecular structure. Further, as a parting agent, other than the wax, it is also possible to use another substance, such as a silicone oil, having a parting action.

In this embodiment, paraffin wax is used and a melting point Tm of the wax is about 75° C. In the case where the heater temperature at the nip 101b is kept at the target set temperature of 170° C., the melting point Tm is set so that the wax in the toner S is instantaneously melted to bleed out to an interface between the toner image and the fixing belt 105.

The wax bleeding out from the toner image is positioned at the interface between the toner image and the fixing belt 105, but a part thereof is heated on the fixing belt 105 after being transferred the fixing belt 105. This is because the surface of the fixing belt 105 from which heat is taken by the sheet P at the nip 101b and which is lowered in temperature is heated again by the heating portion (induction heating device) 300.

Further, a part of the wax such as a low-molecular-weight component in the wax is vaporized (volatilized). Although the wax is constituted by a long-chain molecular component, a length of the component is not uniform and has a certain distribution. The wax contains a low-molecular-weight component having a short chain and a low boiling point and a high-molecular-weight component having a long chain and a high boiling point. When the wax is vaporized in the heating region 114, it would be considered that the low-molecular-weight component as a part of the wax is vaporized.

The vaporized wax component is condensed by being cooled in the air, so that fine particles (dust) of several nm to several hundred nm in particle diameter can exist immediately after the condensation. However, most of the condensed wax component forms the fine particles of several nm to several ten nm in particle diameter.

This can be confirmed by measuring the dust.

In the direction, measurement of the dust was made using a high-speed response type particle sizer (“FMPS”, mfd. by TSI Inc.) was used. The particle sheet (FMPS) is capable of measuring a particle size distribution, a number density (concentration) (particles/cm³) and a weight density (concentration) (μg/m³). In the present invention, the fine particles of 5.6 nm or more and 560 nm or less in particle size measurable by the particle sizer (FMPS) are regarded as the dust.

(4) Generated Particles (Dust) Resulting from Parting Agent with Fixing Process
(4-1) Dust Generation Position

In FIG. 7, each of (a) to (c) shows a process in which the wax deposited on the fixing belt 105 is vaporized. In FIG. 7, the heating portion 300 is omitted from illustration. In a state of (a) of FIG. 7, only a leading end portion of the toner images passes through the nip 101b, and therefore a wax deposition region in a range 135a shown in the figure. In this stage, the wax is not vaporized.

In a state of (b) of FIG. 7, the wax deposition region extends to a range 135b in the figure and partly overlaps with the heating region 114 shown in FIG. 6. At an overlapping portion 136, the dust generates simultaneously with start of the vaporization of the wax. In a state of (c) of FIG. 7, the wax deposition region extends to a range 135c, so that the wax is vaporized in a broader range 138 and thus the dust generates.

This dust is the wax component and therefore has an adhesive property, so that there is a liability that the dust is deposited in positions inside the image forming apparatus 1 to cause a problem. For example, when the dust is fixed and deposited on the fixing discharge roller pair 118 (FIG. 3) and the discharge roller pair 14 to generate contamination, there is a liability that the contamination is transferred onto the sheet P to adversely affect the image. Further, there is a liability that the dust is deposited on a filter 600 (FIG. 3) provided in an exhausting (heat exhausting) mechanism for exhausting ambient air at a periphery of the fixing device 103, thus causing clogging.

(4-2) Property of Dust

According to study by the present inventor, it has turned out that the particle size of the dust generated from the fixing belt 105 depends on a spatial temperature in the neighborhood of the fixing belt 105.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 9, when a high-boiling-point substance 20 of 150-200° C. in boiling state is placed on a heating source 20a and is heated to about 200° C., a volatile matter 21a of the high-boiling-point substance 20 is generated. The volatile matter 21a is decreased in temperature to a boiling point temperature or less immediately after the volatile matter 21a contacts the air at a normal temperature, and therefore the volatile matter 21a agglomerates in the air, thus being changed into fine particles (dust) 21b of several nm to several ten nm in particle size. This phenomenon is the same as a phenomenon that water vapor is changed into minute water droplets to generate fog when the temperature of the water vapor is below a dew-point temperature.

In this case, the agglomeration and particle formation of the gas in the air is more impaired with a higher temperature in the air. This is because vapor pressure increase with the higher temperature in the air and thus gas molecules are easily kept in a gaseous state. As a result, with the higher temperature in the air, the number of generation of the dust becomes smaller. Further, excessive gas existing in the air gathers around the dust and thus agglomerates on the dust. This is because compared with energy required for newly generating the dust by agglomeration of the gas molecules, energy required for causing the gas molecules to agglomerate around the dust is lower.

It has been known that the particles of dust 21b generated in the above-described process move in the air by the Brownian movement and therefore mutually collide and coalesce to grow into the particles of the dust 21c having a larger particle size. This growth is accelerated when the dust more actively moves, in other words, when the temperature in the air is higher temperature state. As a result, with respect to the particle size of the dust and the number of particles of the dust, with a higher spatial temperature in the neighborhood of the fixing belt 105, the particle size becomes larger and the number of particles becomes smaller.

Further, the growth of the particle size gradually slows down and stops when the dust has a certain particle size or more. This is presumably because when the dust is increased in particle size by the coalescence, the movement of the dust in the air by the Brownian movement becomes inactive.

Further, as a property of the dust resulting from the parting agent (wax), such a property that the dust deposits on an ambient solid matter has been known. With reference to (b) of FIG. 9, the case where the air a containing the minute dust 21b and the larger dust 21c moves toward a wall 23 along airflow 22 will be considered. At this time, the larger dust 21c than the minute dust 21b is liable to be deposited on the wall 23 and is less liable to be diffused.

This is presumably because the dust 21c has a large force of inertia and vigorously collides against the wall 23. This phenomenon is similarly generated even in the case where the airflow speed is not more than 0.2 m/s which is below a measurement limit of an anemometer, i.e., even in the case where the airflow speed is very slow. Therefore, it is understood that when the dust 21c is increased in particle size more and more, particularly, the fine particles of about several hundred nm are readily left in the fixing device (most of the fine particles is deposited on the belt) and thus diffusion toward the outside of the fixing device can be suppressed.

In this way, the dust has two properties including such a property that the dust is increased in particle size with the increase in the temperature in the air and such a property that the dust is liable to be deposited on a peripheral object (member) when the dust is increased in particle size. Accordingly, it is understood that when the dust is increased in particle size by increasing the temperature in the air, it is possible to suppress the diffusion of the dust toward the outside of the fixing device in a state of the fine particles (particle size immediately after the condensation). Incidentally, eased of the coalescence of the dust depends on components, temperature and density of the dust. For example, when an easily adhesive component is soften at high temperatures and when collision probability between dust particles is increased at a high density, the dust particles are liable to coalesce.

(5) Dust Diffusion Suppressing Mechanism

When a dust diffusion suppressing measure in the image forming apparatus 1 is studied on the basis of the above-described properties of the dust, it is understood that the temperature in the air in the neighborhood of the dust generating position (portion) 138 indicated by wavy lines in (c) of FIG. 7 may only be required to be increased. When the dust generating position 138 is described on the basis of FIG. 6, the dust generating position 138 is a region obtained by adding, to the heating region 114 on the fixing belt 105, a region ranging from the heating region 114 to the nip entrance 101c along the rotational direction R105 of the fixing belt 105.

(5-1-1) Ambient Airflow of Fixing Belt 105

For explanation of a method of increasing the temperature in the air in the neighborhood of the dust generating position 138, the airflow in the neighborhood of the fixing belt 105 will be described on the basis of a verification result of a hot airflow simulation shown in FIG. 10.

In this verification with respect to the heat and the airflow, it is assumed that the fixing belt 105 at a surface temperature of 170° C. is rotated in the counterclockwise direction R105 at a speed V, the pressing roller 102 is rotated in the clockwise direction R102 at the speed V, and the sheet P is moved upward in the figure at the speed V.

For that reason, in this verification, ascending airflow (CD1) due to natural convection generated at the periphery of the fixing belt 105, an airflow (RD1) at the belt surface generated with surface movement of the fixing belt 105, and an airflow 26a generated the sheet P with movement of the sheet P are taken into consideration.

As shown in FIG. 10, it was confirmed that an airflow 26c which appears to lose a place to go at the nip entrance 101c and to be issued from the nip entrance 101c are present.

It would be considered that the airflow 26c is the issued air which loses the place to go as a result of collision at the nip entrance 101c between the airflow RD1 and the airflow 26a which is generated at the sheet surface with movement of the sheet surface.

Further, the airflow 26c merges with the airflow RD1 to form the airflow CD1 which is adjacent to the airflow RD1 and which flows in an opposite direction to the direction of the airflow RD1, i.e., the airflow which moves upward along the surface of the fixing belt 105.

Incidentally, the airflow 26c was, as shown in FIG. 10, generated so as to move along the surface of the fixing belt 105, but this is presumed to be a result that the airflow is drawn by the natural convection moving upward in the neighborhood of the surface of the fixing belt 105.

The airflows 26c and RD1 are airflows resulting from a low-temperature airflow 26a (since the airflow 26a is carried along the sheet P from the outside of the fixing device), and therefore have a function of lowering the temperature in the air (ambient temperature) in the neighborhood of the dust generating position 138. For that reason, there is a need to block the airflows 26c and RD1.

(5-1-2) Sheet-Like Member 122 which is Extended Portion

A sheet-like member 122 which is an extended portion (suppressing portion) shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 is provided on the inside casing 112a which is the holding portion for the induction heating device (heating portion) 300.

The sheet-like member 122 as the extended portion is extended from the inside casing 112a as the holding portion, and is disposed so as to close a gap between the inside casing 112a and the fixing belt 105 as the first rotatable member. The sheet-like member 122 suppresses generation of the airflow in a space between the fixing belt 105 and the inside casing 112a, whereby the sheet-like member 122 suppresses diffusion, from the surface of the fixing belt 105, of particles which are generated due to the parting agent and which have a predetermined particle size.

The sheet-like member 122 is a flexible sheet-like member, and is extended from the inside casing (cover) 112a so that a surface thereof in the neighborhood of a free end thereof is tangentially contacted to the outer surface of the fixing belt 105. Further, an extension direction of the sheet-like member 122 is inclined toward a downstream side of the rotational direction R105 of the fixing belt 105 relative to a radial direction (perpendicular to a rotational axis of the fixing belt) of the fixing belt 105.

That is, the sheet-like member 122 is disposed in contact with the fixing belt 105 so that a direction in which a free end region 122x (FIG. 1) extends toward a free end (edge) thereof is substantially oriented toward the downstream side of the rotational direction of the fixing belt 105. The sheet-like member 122 is constituted so as to abut against the fixing belt 105 in a so-called codirectional abutment state. By employing such a constitution, an increase in sliding resistance of the sheet-like member 122 with the fixing belt 105 is suppressed.

Further, the sheet-like member 122 is formed of a fluorine-containing resin material having a heat-resistant property, a sliding property and elasticity in combination, and is urged against the fixing belt 105 by an elastic force thereof, so that the sheet-like member 122 is constituted so as to close a gap between the inside casing 122a and the fixing belt 105. That is, the sheet-like member 122 has a function of suppressing the airflows (particularly the airflows 26c and RD1) in the neighborhood of the dust generating position 138 shown by wavy lines in (c) of FIG. 7 by closing between the inside casing 112a and the fixing belt 105. The sheet-like member 122 blocks the airflows to increase the ambient temperature in the neighborhood of the dust generating position 138, and thus has the function of suppressing the diffusion of the dust.

Further, a width W1 of the sheet-like member 122 with respect to a longitudinal direction may preferably be set so as to be wider than a width W2 of a passing region of a toner image 121 on the sheet P as shown in FIG. 8 which is a perspective view of a principal part of the fixing device (from which the heating portion 300 is omitted). The width W2 corresponds to a width (maximum image width) of a region where the image is formable on a sheet having a maximum width. As a result, the sheet-like member 122 has such a positional relationship that the sheet-like member 122 is extended to both outsides of the region where the fixing belt 105 is contactable to the toner image 121.

Further, the free end of the sheet-like member 122 is extended to the neighborhood of a terminal position (portion) 116 (FIG. 6) of a region 117 where the leading end of the sheet P is contactable to the surface of the fixing belt 105. The region 117 means a region where the leading end of the sheet P is contactable to the fixing belt 105 when the leading end of the sheet P is curled or bent (folded). In order to constitute an obstacle to the feeding of the sheet, the leading end of the sheet-like member 122 is disposed so as not to enter the region 117.

In such a constitution, the sheet-like member 122 performs a function of increasing the ambient temperature in the neighborhood of the fixing belt 105. The sheet-like member 122 increases the particle size of the dust by the increase in ambient temperature, and thus suppresses the diffusion of the dust into the image forming apparatus 1. The dust increased in particle size moves upward by the ascending airflow (heat convection) generated at the periphery of the fixing belt 105, and deposits on the fixing belt 105 and the inside casing 112a. The dust deposited on the fixing belt 105 is transferred onto the sheet P, but the size of the dust is small, and therefore has no influence on the image.

(5-1-3) Dust Diffusion Suppressing Effect

A dust diffusion suppressing effect can be discriminated by measuring a dust density (concentration) at a point C1 shown in FIG. 1 (or FIG. 6). The point C1 is set at a position of about 20 mm away from the fixing belt 105 in a path along which the dust generated from the fixing belt 105 is discharged by the ascending airflow due to the heat convection.

The dust density can be measured by the above-described high-speed response type particle sizer (FMPS). Further, the measurement is made under the following condition. Specifically, under a condition such that A4-sized plain paper is fed by long edge feeding on the basis of a standard original of 5% in print ratio, fixing is continuously effected for 11 minutes. Further, for 1 minute (from after 10 minutes to 11 minutes) before end of the fixing, the dust density is measured. A measured value was obtained by averaging the dust densities in 1 minute.

Further, in this embodiment, the dust density refers to the number density (particles/cm³) of the fine particles having the particle size (diameter) in a predetermined range, i.e., the fine particles of 5.6 nm or more and 560 nm or less in particle size. Incidentally, as the dust density, in place of the number density (particles/cm³), the weight density (μg/m³) may also be employed.

When the dust density was measured at the point C1 by the method described above, the dust density was able to be lowered to ⅕ by providing the sheet-like member 122. Further, the contamination with the wax at a position outside the fixing device was able to be alleviated.

Embodiment 2

Next, a fixing device 103 in Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 11. A difference from the fixing device 103 in Embodiment 1 is that a sheet-like member 120 is provided with a plurality of projections (projected portions) disposed discretely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the sheet-like member 120. That is, the sheet-like member 120 is provided, in a region opposing the fixing belt 105, with the projections 120a disposed discretely with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof. Other constituent elements are similar to those in Embodiment 1, and therefore are represented by the same reference numerals or symbols and will be omitted from specific description.

The above-described offset phenomenon on the fixing belt 105 cannot be sufficiently prevented even when the parting agent (wax) is contained in the toner S, and in addition, there is a liability that the paper powder or the like of the sheet is deposited on the fixing belt 105. That is, there is a liability that some contaminant is deposited on the fixing belt 105. In that case, such a liability leads to deposition of the contamination at the contact portion between the fixing belt 105 and the sheet-like member 122 in Embodiment 1. Then, in the case where the contaminant is accumulated in a certain amount and is peeled off of the contact portion, there is a liability that the contaminant is transferred onto the sheet P.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the projections 120a are provided, so that in a region where the sheet-like member 120 opposes the fixing belt 105, a gap of about 0.2 mm to the extent that the dust suppressing effect is not impaired is ensured.

As a result, most of such a contaminant passes through the gap, so that it becomes possible to suppress the transfer of the contaminant onto the sheet P. Incidentally, although a part of the contaminant is deposited in the neighborhood of the projections 120a, an amount of deposition is slight and therefore is at a practically negligible level.

Embodiment 3

Next, a fixing device 103 in Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. A difference from the fixing device 103 in Embodiment 1 is the extended portion (suppressing member) is changed to a rotatable member 123 mounted on the inside casing 112a. Other constituent elements are similar to those in Embodiment 1, and therefore are represented by the same reference numerals or symbols and will be omitted from specific description.

In this embodiment, the rotatable member 123 functioning as the extended portion is provided. Further, the rotatable member 123 is mounted with no gap so that an outer peripheral portion thereof contacts the outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt 105.

The rotatable member 123 is constituted so as to be rotatable with rotation of the fixing belt 105 when the fixing belt 105 is rotated. Further, the rotatable member 123 is a roller formed of a layer of a heat-resistant silicone rubber coated with a PFA tube.

In this way, in this embodiment, a sliding friction between the rotatable member 123 and the fixing belt 105 is reduced to the possible extent, and therefore the rotatable member 123 does not damage the fixing belt 105, and in addition, it also becomes possible to suppress the deposition of the contamination at the contact portion.

As described above, as the fixing device to which the present invention is applicable, those in Embodiments 1 to 3 are described as an example, but the following constitutions may also be employed.

The extended portion is not limited to those described in the above-described embodiments so long as the extended portion closes between the inside casing 112a and the fixing belt 105 (pressing roller 102) to prevent movement of the dust. That is, when such a function is performed, a constitution using a heat-resistant sponge may also be used.

Further, the fixing belt 105 does not have the constitution in which the fixing belt 105 is rotationally driven by the pressing roller 102, but may have a constitution in which the fixing belt 105 is extended and stretched by a plurality of rollers and then is rotationally driven by one of the rollers. Further, such a constitution that a fixing roller is used in place of the fixing belt 105 may also be employed.

Further, in the above-described embodiments, the example in which the whole of the heating portion (exciting coil, magnetic core) 300 for heating the fixing belt 105 as the first rotatable member through the electromagnetic induction heating is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the exciting coil as a part of the electromagnetic induction heating portion is provided inside the fixing belt 105. In addition, the magnetic core as a part of the electromagnetic induction heating portion is provided outside the fixing belt 105. In this constitution, it is also possible to employ a constitution in which a holding portion (casing, holder), disposed outside the magnetic core, for supporting the magnetic core is provided with the sheet-like member 122 or the rotatable member 123 as the extended portion.

The holding portion for the heating portion 300 may also be a portion other than a portion which covers the entire peripheral region of the magnetic core. The holding portion may only be required to be formed in such a shape that the holding portion covers a part of the outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt as in the case of the inside casing 112a in Embodiment 1.

In this way, the holding portion can be in the form in which the holding portion holds only the coil included in the heating portion, the form in which the holding portion holds only the core, and the form in which the holding portion holds the coil and the core.

Further, the fixing device 103 in this embodiment is constituted so as to discharge the sheet P obliquely upward, but the present invention is also effective on a fixing device for discharging the sheet P in a vertical direction and a fixing device for discharging the sheet P in a horizontal direction.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purpose of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-060014 filed on Mar. 24, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIXING DEVICE

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

Original Assignees

CPC

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

Priority Claims (1)