Patent Application
20190171136
The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus which is used by an image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine and a laser beam printer is provided with an image heating apparatus (which hereafter may be referred to as fixing apparatus) which is for fixing unfixed toner image formed on a sheet of recording medium by the application of heat and pressure. As a heating method for a fixing apparatus, a method which heats a sheet of recording medium and an unfixed toner image thereon with the use of heating film has been proposed as a heating method which can reduce a fixing apparatus in electric power consumption, in addition to a heating method of the so-called heat roller type, which employs a fixation roller which contains a halogen heater, for example, in its hollow.
A fixing apparatus of the so-called film heating type has: a cylindrical film, a heater which is in contact with the inward surface of the film; and a pressure roller which forms a fixation nip between itself and film, with the film being sandwiched between itself and heater.
Further, there has also been known such a fixing apparatus of the film heating type, that uses a heating method based on electromagnetic induction. In the case of this type of fixing apparatus, eddy current is generated in the film itself, or an electrically conductive member positioned closed to the film, to generate heat (Joule's) in the film.
A fixing apparatus of this type is likely to suffer from a phenomenon that as a substantial number of sheets of recording paper are continuously conveyed through a fixation nip, the out-of-sheet-path portions of the fixation nip, which are not robbed of heat by the sheets of recording paper, gradually increase in temperature. This phenomenon is more apparent in the case of a fixing apparatus which is low in thermal capacity than a fixing apparatus which is high in thermal capacity. As the out-of-sheet-path portions of the fixation nip continue to increase in temperature, some members of the fixing apparatus exceed the limit of their heat resistance. Thus, image forming apparatuses equipped with this type of fixing apparatus are designed so that they can be reduced in throughput, that is, they can be increased in sheet interval, for example, to deal with this problem, that is, in order to prevent the aforementioned members of a fixing apparatus from exceeding the limit of their heat resistance.
In order to prevent the out-of-sheet-path portions of the fixing nip from excessively increasing in temperature, without reducing an image forming apparatus in throughput, various fixing apparatuses such as the following ones have been proposed.
There has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. H06-194993, a fixing apparatus which has only one heating member which can be switched in the selection of heat generation range.
There has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2000-162909, a fixing apparatus which uses such a heater that has a ceramic substrate, and two or more heat generating members formed on one of the primary surfaces of the substrate. In the case of this fixing apparatus, the heating members are different in heating range, making it possible to select a proper one according to the width of a sheet of recording paper.
There has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2003-337484, a fixing apparatus which has a ceramic substrate, and two or more heat generating members which are different in heat generation range. In the case of this fixing apparatus, the heat generating members are formed on both surfaces of the substrate to reduce the fixing apparatus in size.
Further, there has also been proposed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2013-73206, a fixing apparatus structured so that it can be switched in the selection of heating member to be used for heat generation. In the case of this fixing apparatus, two or more heat generation lines can be driven (supplied with electric power) by a common triac, and the fixing apparatus is switched in the selection of heat generation line by a switching means such as a relay circuit.
However, a fixing apparatus such as the one disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2013-73206 which drives two or more heating lines with the use of a common triac, and is switched in the selection of heat generation line with the use of a relay circuit or the like suffered from the following problem, in a case where a printing job in which images are thermally fixed to sheets of recording paper, one for one, while the sheets are continuously conveyed.
Referring to
The operation for switching a fixing apparatus in the selection of heat generation line has to be carried out in such a sequence that consists of a step in which the common triac is turned off, a step in which heating means is switched by the switching relay, a step in which the triac is turned on after it is ensured that the heating means was switched. The reason why this switching operation has be carried out is that if the relay is switched while the triac is on, it is possible that the points of contact of the relay will become welded to each other.
Therefore, there occurs a short period in which the fixing apparatus is not supplied with electric power, and therefore, the heater temporarily reduces in the amount of heat generation, while the heating member is switched in heat generation line. This temporary reduction in the amount by which the heat generation line generates reduces the amount by which heat is transmitted from the heating member to a sheet of paper. Therefore, the toner image on a sheet of recording paper is insufficiently heated, making it possible that the fixation failure will occur.
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide an image heating apparatus which is capable of preventing the problem that the toner image on a sheet of recording medium is unsatisfactorily heated due to the temporary reduction in the amount of heat generation, which occurs as the heating member is switched in heat generation line.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, said apparatus comprising a nip forming unit providing a nip configured to nip and feed the recording material; a first heat generating element configured to heat said nip; a second heat generating element configured to heat said nip; a thyristor configured to control electric power supplied to said first heat generating element and said second heat generating element; a relay configured to switch a supply destination of the electric power supply between said first heat generating element and said second heat generating element; and a controller; wherein when said controller switches the supply destination from said first heat generating element to said second heat generating element during heating the images on continuously supplied recording materials, said controller switches said thyristor from on-state to off-state, and then actuates said relay to switch the supply destination from said first heat generating element to said second heat generating element, and thereafter switches said thyristor from the off-state to the on-state, and wherein said controller sets timing of a period for switching the supply destination such that the image on the recording material is not influenced by a temperature drop in the period.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Parts (a), (b), (c) and (d) of
Parts (a), (b) and (c) of
Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail with reference to a few of preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the measurements, materials, shapes of the structural components of the image heating apparatuses, and the positional relationships among the components, in the following embodiments of the present invention, are to be changed as necessary according to the structure of an image heating apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and also, the conditions under which the apparatus is used. That is, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention in scope.
The image forming portion A2, which forms a toner image on a sheet P of recording paper, has a photosensitive drum 1 (which hereafter may be referred to simply as drum), as an image bearing member, which is rotationally driven at a preset process speed (peripheral velocity: 200 mm/sec, in this embodiment), in the counterclockwise direction indicated by an arrow mark. It has also a charge roller 2, a laser scanner unit 3, a development roller 4, a transfer roller 5, and a cleaner 6, which are the devices for processing the drum 1. Since the electrophotographic processes to be carried out by the image forming portion A2 are well-known, they are not described in detail, here.
Sheets P of recording paper are held in layers in a cassette 7. As a feed roller 8 is driven with preset control timing, the sheets P are fed, one by one, into the main assembly A1 while being separated from the others. Then, each sheet P is conveyed through a sheet passage 9 to a pair of registration rollers 10. Then, it is introduced by the pair of registration rollers 10 into a transfer nip 11, which is formed by the drum 1 and a transfer roller 5, with preset control timing. Then, the sheet P is conveyed through the transfer nip 11. While the sheet P is conveyed through the transfer nip 11, a toner image is transferred from the drum 1 onto the sheet P. As the sheet P is conveyed out of the transfer nip 11, it is separated from the peripheral surface of the drum 1, conveyed through a sheet conveyance passage 12, and introduced into a fixing apparatus 115 (fixing portion) as an image heating apparatus. While the sheet P is conveyed through the fixation nip 11, the toner image on the sheet P is fixed to the sheet P by a combination of heat and pressure. After being conveyed out of the fixing apparatus 115 (fixing portion), it is conveyed through a sheet passage 13, and then, is discharged, as a print, onto the tray 15 by a pair of discharge rollers 14.
The width of the widest sheet P of recording paper which the image forming apparatus A in this embodiment can accommodate (which can be conveyed through image forming apparatus A is 297 mm, which is equal to the length of the long edge of an A4 sheet of recording paper (when conveyed in landscape mode). Hereafter, this widest sheet P of recording paper is referred to as a “wide sheet”, and a sheet P of recording paper which is narrower than the wide sheet is referred to as a “narrow sheet”. Further, the apparatus A is structured so that each sheet P of recording paper is conveyed in such an attitude that the center of the sheet P coincides with the center line of the sheet passage of the apparatus A. That is, the apparatus A is structured so that when a sheet P of recording medium (paper) is conveyed through the main assembly A1 of the image forming apparatus A, the centerline of the sheet P, in terms of the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, coincides with the centerline of the sheet conveyance passage, regardless of sheet width.
The information (width information) regarding the size of a sheet P of recording paper used for a given image forming operation is inputted into the control portion 100 from an external apparatus B, a control panel C of the image forming apparatus A, or a sheet width detecting means D, such as a sheet width sensor (unshown) with which the size regulation plate (unshown) of the cassette 7, sheet conveyance passage, or the like is provided.
Roughly explaining, this fixing apparatus 115 has: a heating unit 200 having a fixation film 202, which is a cylindrical (endless) and flexible rotational member (movable member); a pressure roller 210 which is a backup member (pressure applying rotational member); and a frame 220 (
The heating unit 200 is an assembly consisting of a film guide 201 as a guiding member, a ceramic heater 203 as a heating member (heat generating member) for heating the fixation film 202, a rigid stay 209 as a pressure applying member, and so on.
A pair of rotational members, more specifically, the fixation film 202 (which hereafter may be referred to simply as film) and pressure roller 210, form a nip N (fixation nip). The nip N is a portion of the fixing apparatus 115, through which a sheet P of recording paper, on which an unfixed toner image T is present, is conveyed while remaining pinched between the fixation film 202 and pressure roller 210 so that the toner image T is fixed to the sheet P by a combination of heat and pressure. The film 202 rotates through the nip N while remaining in contact with the sheet P, on which the image T is present. The film 202, pressure roller 210, heater 203, etc., make up a nip formation unit.
The film 202 is made up of an endless substrative layer formed of heat resistant resinous substance or metallic substance, and a release layer formed on the outward surface of the substrative layer, of fluorinated resin or the like, by coating or the like method. It is a thin, flexible, and thermally conductive member. It is elastic. Therefore, if it is left unattended, it remains roughly cylindrical.
As the material for the substrative layer, resinous substances (heat resistant resin film) such as polyimide, or metallic substances (metallic sleeve) such as SUS, are usable. The release layer is provided to prevent the off-set phenomenon that toner temporarily adheres to the surface of the film 202, and then, transfers onto a sheet P of recording paper. As the material for the release layer, fluorine resins such as PTFE and PFA, silicone resin, or the like are usable.
The heater 203 is a heat generating member. It is long, narrow, and thin, being therefore low in thermal capacity. Thus, it very quickly increases in temperature as electric current is flowed trough it. In this embodiment, it is a ceramic heater. The structure of this heater 203 is described later in Section 3.
The film guide 201 (which hereafter may be referred to simply as guide) is such a member that holds the heater 203, and also, guides the film 202 as the film 202 is rotated. The guide 201 is in the form of a trough which is roughly semicircular in cross-section. It is a long and narrow member, and is thermally insulative. It is formed of heat resistant resin such as poly-carbonate. It is positioned so that its lengthwise direction is parallel to the lengthwise direction of the film 202. The heater 203 is held by the outward side of this guide 201, by being embedded in a long and narrow groove (seating groove) made in the outward surficial portion of the guide 201 so that it extends in the lengthwise direction of the guide 201.
The rigid stay 209 (which hereafter may be referred to simply as stay) also is a long and narrow member. It is positioned so that its lengthwise direction is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the film 202. It is such a member that is positioned to catch the reactional force from the pressure roller 210. Thus, it is desired to be formed of a substance which is unlikely to deform, even when it is subjected to a large amount of pressure. In this embodiment, it is shaped so that its cross-section looks like an inverted letter U. It is formed of SUS 304. It is positioned so that it is on the center portion of the upwardly facing surface (opposite side from heater 203) of the guide 201, and extends in the lengthwise direction of the guide 201.
The film 202 is loosely fitted around an assembly consisting of the aforementioned guide 201, heater 203, and stay 209. The lengthwise end portions (front and rear portions) of the guide 201, and those of the stay 209, are protrusive from the lengthwise ends (openings) of the film 202, one for one, and are fitted with end members 50L and 50R, respectively.
The end members 50L and 50R are regulating members for regulating the movement of the film 202 in the lengthwise direction of the heating unit 200, and the shape of the film 202 in a plane which is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the heating unit 200. The film 202 is between a pair of flanges 50Lf and 50Rf, which oppose the end members 50L and 50R. The end members 50L and 50R are provided with pressure bearing portions 50Lt and 50Rt, respectively. As the film 202 slides in its widthwise direction, one of the edges of the film 202 comes into contact with the flanges 50Lf or 50Rf, regulating thereby the movement of the film 202.
The pressure roller 210 has: a core shaft 211 formed of aluminum, iron, stainless steel, or the like, and an elastic layer 212 formed of an elastic and heat resistant substance such as silicone rubber, in the form of a cylindrical roller, in a manner to fit around the peripheral surface of the core shaft 211, and allow the end portions of the core shaft 211 to extend beyond the lengthwise ends of the elastic layer 212 and function as the portions by which the pressure roller 210 are supported. It is also provided with a release layer 213 formed on the outward surface of the elastic layer 212, of a substance which contains fluorinated resin, for such reasons as enabling the pressure roller 210 to efficiently convey a sheet P of recording paper, film, or the like, preventing the pressure roller 210 from being soiled by toner, and/or the like substances.
The pressure roller 210 is supported between the side plates 220L and 220R of the frame 220 (
The end members 50L and 50R catch, by their pressure bearing portions 50Lt and 50Rb, a preset amount of pressure generated by a pressure application mechanism (unshown) toward the pressure roller 210. Thus, the entirety of the end members 50L and 50R, stay 209, guide 201, and heater 203 is pressed toward the pressure roller 210. Therefore, the combination of the heater 203 and guide 201 is pressed against the elasticity of the elastic layer of the pressure roller 210 by the preset amount of pressure, with the presence of the film 202 between the heater 203 and pressure roller 210. Thus, the elastic layer 212 is elastically deformed in the direction in which it is pressed by the heater 203, forming thereby the nip N which has a preset amount of width in terms of the direction parallel to the recording paper conveyance direction a, between the film 202 and pressure roller 210.
In this embodiment, the heater 203 is positioned so that it remains in contact with the inward surface of the film 202, and functions as a nip forming member for forming the nip N by pinching pressure roller 210 and film 202. By the way, the heater 203 is made to generate heat by the electric power supplied thereto by way of a cable 52.
The control portion 100 rotationally drives the motor M in response to a print command. The rotation of the output shaft of the motor M is transmitted to a driving gear 51, with which one of the lengthwise end portions of the metallic core 211 of the pressure roller 210 is provided. Thus, the pressure roller 210, which is as a rotational driving member, rotates, at a preset process speed (peripheral velocity) in the clockwise direction indicated by an arrow mark R210 in
The rotational force from the pressure roller 210 is transmitted to the film 202 by the friction between the peripheral surface of the pressure roller 210 and the outward surface of the film 202, in the nip N. Thus, the film 202 rotates around the combination of the heater 203, guide 201, and stay 209, in the direction indicated by an arrow mark 8202, at a peripheral velocity which is roughly equal to the peripheral velocity of the pressure roller 210, remaining in contact with the protective layer 208 (which will be described later), that is, the surface layer, of pressure roller 210, by its inward surface. Further, after the control portion 100 starts supplying the heater 203 with electric power, it raises the temperature of the heater 203 to a target level which enables the fixing apparatus 115 to perform a fixing operation, and controls the power supply so that the temperature of the pressure roller 210 remains at the target level. The control circuit for driving the heater 203 will be described later in Section (4).
As the state of the fixing apparatus 115 changes into the one described above, a sheet P of recording paper which is bearing an unfixed toner image is introduced into the fixing apparatus 115 from the direction of the transfer nip 11, and is conveyed through the nip N while remaining pinched between the film 202 and pressure roller 210. While the sheet P is conveyed through the nip N, the heat from the heater 203 is given to the sheet P and the unfixed toner image thereon, through the film 202. Thus, the unfixed toner image T is melted by the heat from the heater 203, and is fixed to the sheet P by the pressure in the nip N.
Part (a) of
This heater 203 is a ceramic heater. It is in the form of a long, narrow, and thin piece of plate, being therefore low in thermal capacity. Thus, it quickly increases in temperature as it is supplied with electric power. It has a long, narrow, and thin substrative plate 206 (which hereafter may be referred to simply as substrate) formed of ceramic such as alumina, aluminum nitride, and the like. Hereafter, one of the primary surfaces of this heater substrate 206 is referred to as a top surface, whereas the other surface is referred to as bottom surface.
The heater 203 is provided with the first heating member 207 and second heating member 204, which are heat generating resistors. Both the first and second heating members 207 and 204 are positioned on the top surface of the heater substrate 206, in such a manner that their lengthwise directions are parallel to the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 206, being therefore in parallel to each other, with the presence of a preset amount of gap between the two heating members 207 and 204 in terms of the widthwise direction of the heater substrate 206.
The first and second heating members 207 and 204 are made different in heat generation range (effective heat generation length). The size of the widest sheet P of recording paper usable by (conveyable through) the image forming apparatus A in this embodiment is A3 (297 mm in landscape mode) as described above. Thus, the first heating member 207 is given a heat generation range of 300 mm (heat generation range A), which is wide enough to thermally fix a toner image on the widest sheet P of recording paper. The second heating member 204 is given a heating range of 222 mm (heating range B) for thermally fixing a toner image on a narrow sheet of recording paper (210 mm (A4 size in portrait mode); 216 mm (legal size in portrait mode).
The first and second heating members 207 and 204 are formed on heater substrate 206 by coating one (top surface) of the primary surfaces of the heater substrate 206 with an electrically resistant substance such as Ag/Pd, by screen printing or the like method, in such a manner that the members 207 and 204 extend in the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 206. By the way, Ag/Pd stands for silver/palladium. As described above, the image forming apparatus A in this embodiment is structured so that when a sheet P of recording paper is conveyed in the apparatus A, the center of the sheet P coincides with the widthwise center of the sheet passage. In part (a) of
One of the lengthwise end portions of the top surface of the heater substrate 206 is provided with a pair of electrically conductive patterns (electric power supply electrodes) 323 and 324 which are in connection to the first and second heating members 207 and 204, respectively. The other is provided with an electrically conductive pattern 326 (power supply electrode) which is in connection to both the first and second heat generating members 207 and 204. These electrically conductive patterns 323, 324 and 326 are formed by coating the heater substrate 206 with an electrically conductive substance such as Ag, with the use of screen printing or the like method.
Further, the heater 203 is provided with a glass coat layer 208 formed as a protective layer on the heater substrate 206 by coating the top surface of the heater substrate 206 with glass or the like substance, in a manner to cover the entirety of the first and second heating members 207 and 204, and parts of the electrically conductive patterns 323, 324 and 326.
Further, the heater 203 is provided with a pair (first and second) temperature detecting members 215 and 216, which are positioned on the bottom surface of the heater substrate 206 to detect the temperature of the heater 203. The temperature detecting members 215 and 216 are thermistors, for example. Moreover, the heater 203 is provided with a protective element 214, which is a means for preventing the heater 203 from excessively increasing in temperature. The protective member 214 is positioned on the bottom surface of the heater substrate 206. It is a thermal fuse or a thermal switch, for example.
The first temperature detecting member 215 is positioned on the lengthwise center portion of the bottom surface of the heater substrate 206 to control the heater 203 in temperature. It is kept pressed on the heater substrate 206 by a preset amount of pressure generated by a spring (unshown) of the like. Hereafter, this first temperature detecting member 215 is referred to as a temperature control thermistor. The second temperature detecting member 216 is positioned on one of the lengthwise end portions of the bottom surface of the heater substrate 206 to monitor the temperature of the end portion of the heater 203. It is kept pressed upon the lengthwise end portion of the bottom surface of the heater substrate 206 by a preset amount of pressure generated by a spring (unshown) or the like. Hereafter, this second temperature detecting member 216 is referred to as an end portion temperature monitoring thermistor.
The temperature control portion 322 makes the first heat generating member 207 or the second heat generating member 204 generate heat by supplying the heat generating member 207 or 204 with electric power from the AC power source 301 with preset control timing. As the first heat generating member 207 is supplied with electric power, it quickly generates heat across its heat generation range A. As the second heat generating member 204 is supplied with electric power, it quickly generates heat across its heat generation range B.
Referring to
More concretely, the electric power to be supplied to the heating generating member 207 or second heat generating member 204 is controlled (turned on or off) by a shared triac 302 (bidirectional thyristor). Resistors 303 and 304 are bias resistors for the triac 302. A photo-triac coupler 305 has a photo-transistor 305a and a light emitting diode 305b. It supplies the light emitting diode 305b with electric power to turn on the triac 302.
The resistor 306 is for controlling the light emitting diode 305b in the amount of electric current. It turns on or off the photo-triac coupler 305 with the use of the transistor 307, which reacts to a heater driving signal outputted from the temperature control portion 322 by way of the resistor 308.
Further, the circuit, in
In order to prevent the problem that when the contact point 707a of the relay 707 is switched in point of connection, the point 707a of contact becomes welded to the point 707c of contact or the point 707b of contact, due to electrical discharge (arcing). The temperature control portion 322 is structured so that it is after it is ensured that the triac 302 was turned off, and the power supply is gone, that the relay 707 is changed in point of connection. In this embodiment, the length of time which is allowed to elapse from when the triac 302 is turned off to when it becomes possible for the triac 302 to be turned on is set to 100 msec. The detailed description of the control of the operation for switching between the first and second heat generating members 207 and 208 will be given later.
The temperature detected by the thermistor 215 (216) is outputted as a partial voltage divided between the resistor 321a (321b) and thermistor 215 (216), in the form of an analogue signal. This analogue signal is converted into a digital signal by an A/D conversion circuit (unshown), and is inputted as temperature information into the temperature control portion 322.
The temperature control portion 322 obtains the duty with which electric power is to be supplied, based on the temperature value detected by the temperature control thermistor 215, and the temperature level (target temperature level set to thermally fix unfixed toner image to sheet of recording paper through film 202), by PI control, for example. Further, the temperature control portion 322 converts the duty of the electric power to be supplied, into a phase angle or a frequency, which is proportional to the duty, or frequency, which is set for the heater 203. Then, the temperature control portion 322 outputs a heater driving signal which corresponds to the control level. In this embodiment, the target temperature level for the heater 203 is set to 200° C.
Further, the temperature control portion 322 monitors the temperature of the portion of the heater 203, which is out of the sheet path. The protective element 214 is positioned in the power supply line between the AC power source 301 and the electrically conductive pattern 326 of the heater 203. If the heater 203 goes out of control in temperature, and the protective element 214 reaches the preset temperature level, the protective element 214 opens to interrupt the power supply to the heater 203.
The temperature control portion 322 outputs a heater driving signal to the transistor 307 to turn on the photo-triac coupler 305, in order to turn on the triac 302 (S4). As the triac 302 is turned on, electric power is supplied to the heating member 207 from the commercial power source 301 through the electrically conductive patterns 323 and 326. Thus, the heating member 207 begins to generate heat, causing the heater 203 to quickly increase in temperature. The temperature control portion 322 turns on or off the transistor 307 to maintain the temperature of the heater 203 at the preset level, based on the temperature information from the temperature control thermistor 215.
Further, while the control portion 100 is rotationally driving the motor M, and the heating member 207 is being supplied with electric power, a sheet P of recording paper of the size A4, on which an unfixed toner image T is present, is introduced into the nip N in the portrait mode, with its toner image bearing surface facing upward. Then, the sheet P is conveyed through the nip N by the coordination of the outward surface of the film 202 and the peripheral surface of the pressure roller 210 while remaining pinched by the film 202 and pressure roller 210.
While the sheet P is conveyed through the nip N, the toner image T on the sheet P is heated by the heater 203 through the film 202. Thus, the toner image T is thermally fixed to the surface of the sheet P by the pressure in the nip N. After the thermal fixation of the toner image T to the sheet P, the sheet P is discharged from the nip N, and then, is conveyed toward a sheet conveyance passage 13.
While multiple sheets P of recording paper are continuously conveyed through the fixing apparatus 115, the temperature control portion 322 continuously monitors the value of the temperature detected by the thermistor 216 for monitoring the lengthwise end portion of the heater 203 (S5). As the sheets P are continuously conveyed through the nip N, the out-of-sheet-path portions of the nip N (heater 203) gradually increases in temperature. If the temperature detected by the thermistor 216 for monitoring the lengthwise end portion of the heater 203 exceeds a preset threshold value, the temperature control portion 322 determines (obtains) the switching timing (t-off-on), which will be described next. Here, that the temperature detected by the thermistor 216 exceeds a preset value means that the temperatures of the internal members of the fixing apparatus 115 are nearing the upper limit of the temperature range tolerable to the members. However, it does not mean that the internal temperature of the fixing apparatus 115 immediately becomes intolerable to the internal members of the fixing apparatus 115.
After the timing with which the temperature detected by the thermistor 216 exceeded the threshold value described above, the temperature control portion 322 compares the timing with which the portions of a sheet P of recording medium, which has no image (portion of sheet P of recording medium, on which toner image is not present, or physical sheet interval between two sheets P of recording paper, which are being consecutively conveyed) reaches the nip N, and the length of time it takes for the image-less portion of the sheet P to pass a given portion (nip N, for example) of the fixing apparatus 115, with the length of time it takes for heat to conduct from the heating member to the nip N. Then, it determines the switching timing (t-off-on) by calculating the point in time at which the triac 302 is to be turned off and on, in order to ensure that the heat conduction during this period stays within the period in which the image-less portions of the sheet P, or sheet interval, moves through the nip N (S6).
Then, the temperature control portion 322 waits until the point in time determined in S6 (S7). Then, it turns off the triac 302 (S8), disconnects the point 707a of contact of the relay 707 from the point 707c of contact, and connects the point 707a of contact to the point 707b of contact to form the second heat generation line (S9). That is, it forms a heat generation line which makes it possible to supply the second heat generating member 207 with electric power. Then, it turns on the triac 302 (S10). The length of time S8-S10 required is 100 ms as described above.
If the temperature detected by the temperature monitoring thermistor 216 exceeds the threshold value after the switching of the point of connection, the sheet interval is extended (S15) to continue the on-going printing job until the last print is outputted (S16).
Further, if it is detected by the sheet size (width) detecting means in S2 that the sheet P of recording paper which is being fed into the main assembly A1 of the image forming apparatus A is a wide sheet P of recording paper, the first heat generation line which is capable of supplying the first heating member 207 with electric power, is enabled, like in S3 (S12). Further, the temperature control portion 322 makes the first heating member 207 generate heat by supplying the first heating member 207 with electric power, and controls the heater 203 in such a manner that the temperature of the heater 203 remains at the preset level, like in S4 (S13). Then, it makes the image forming portion A2 continuously form images on wide sheets P of recording paper. If the temperature detected by the temperature monitoring thermistor 216 exceeds the preset level (S14), the temperature control portion 322 increases the image forming apparatus A in sheet interval, or takes the like measure (S15). Then, it makes the image forming apparatus A continue the printing job until the job is completed (S16).
As described above, the temperature control portion 322 sets the switching timing so that the effects of the reduction in heater temperature which occurs while the triac 302 is turned on and off (period in which the point 707a of contact of the relay 707 is switched in connection, that is, the period in which heater is supplied with no electric power) do not appear across the toner image T on a sheet P of recording paper.
This can be confirmed by obtaining the profile of the surface temperature of a given point (on the upstream side, for example, of the nip N, in terms of direction of film rotation) of the film 202, by measuring the temperature of this point with the use of a temperature measuring device such as an infrared thermography, and then, comparing the timing with which the area of the film 202, which fell in surface temperature due to the drop in the amount of heat generation, reaches the nip N, with the timing with which the toner image T on a sheet P of recording paper moves through the nip N, or the timing with which the sheet p moves trough the nip N.
As described above, in the case of a fixing apparatus, such as the one in this embodiment, which is structured so that it can be switched in heat generation line during a printing job, the problem that a toner image on a sheet P of recording medium is unsatisfactorily fixed due to the fluctuation in the temperature of the heating means can be prevented with the use of the method, in this embodiment, for controlling the heating unit 200, described above.
By the way, in this embodiment, the heating unit 200 was provided with two heating lines, more specifically, the first and second ones. This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. For example, the present invention is also applicable to a fixing apparatus which has three or more heat generation lines, and structured so that at least two of them can be switched in their connection to the power supply. That is, the present invention is effectively applicable to any fixing apparatus as long as the apparatus is structured to be compatible with the technical concept of the present invention.
Further, a fixing apparatus may be structured so that the period in which its heating means drops in the amount of its heat generation coincides with the period in which no sheet P of recording paper is moving through the nip N.
Further, in this embodiment, the heater 203 was provided with the heat generating members 207 and 204, which are different in length. This embodiment, however, is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. That is, the present invention is also applicable to a fixing apparatus which has two or more heat generating members which are the same in length, but, are different in electrical resistance, and which is structured so that it is switchable in heat generating member.
Moreover, in this embodiment, the heating members were formed on the ceramic substrate. However this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention in scope. That is, the present invention is also applicable to a fixing apparatus having a heater, the substrative layer of which is formed of heat resistant resin such as polyimide, or a metallic substance such as SUS.
Further, in this embodiment, the heater was made up of a ceramic substrate, and heat generating members formed on the nip side surface of the substrate. That is, it is of the so-called top surface heat generation type. However, the technical concept of the present invention is also applicable to a heater of the so-called bottom surface heat generation type, that is, a heater made up of a substrate, and heat generating members from on the opposite surface of the substrate from the nip.
The characteristical feature of the heater of the fixing apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention is that it is structured so that both the top and bottom surfaces of its substrate are provided with heat generating members, and also, so that the heaters are different in the heat generation amount distribution in terms of their lengthwise direction. Further, its heater driving circuit is structured so that the heat generating member formed on one of the two surfaces of the heater substrate, and the heat generating member formed on the other surface, can be switched in operation with the use of the switching relay, and also, the two heat generating members are driven by a triac which is shared by the two members.
Part (a) of
The heater 403 has: heat generating members 700 and 701 for a wide sheet P of recording paper; and a heater substrate 406, which holds the heat generating members 700 and 701 on its top surface. The heat generating members 700 and 701 are 303 mm in length and are positioned in parallel to the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 406. These heat generating members 700 and 701 are shaped so that they are not uniform in width in terms of their lengthwise direction. That is, the two heat generating members 700 and 701 are different in shape.
More specifically, the heat generating member 700, that is, one of the two heat generating members 700 and 701, is referred to as the first heating member (which hereafter will be referred to as main heat generating member). It is designed so that the closer it is to the center of the heater substrate 406 in terms of the lengthwise direction of the substrate 406, the narrower the heat generating member 700 is. In the case of the heat generating member 701, or the other of the two heat generating members, is designed so that the closer it is to the center of heater substrate 406 in terms of the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 406, the wider the heat generating member 701 is. It may be referred to as the second heat generating member (which hereafter may be referred to as subordinate heat generating member (sub-heat generating member). This subordinate heat generating member 701 and main heat generating member 700 are positioned side by side on the substrate 406. This heat generating member for a wide sheet P of recording paper, which consists of the main heating member 700 and subordinate heating member 701, is positioned so that its one half is symmetrical to the other with reference to the line which is perpendicular to the heater substrate 406 and coincides with the lengthwise center of the heater substrate 406.
Further, the heater 403 is provided with an electrically conductive pattern 705 (power supply electrode) shared by the main heating member 700 and subordinate heating member 701. The electrically conductive pattern 705 is on one of the lengthwise ends of the heater substrate 406. It is formed on the top surface of the heater substrate 406 by screen printing or the like method. Further, the heater 403 is provided with an electrically conductive pattern 703 (power supply electrode) for the main heating member 700, and an electrically conductive pattern 704 (power supply electrode) for the subordinate heating member 701, which is on the other lengthwise end of the heater substrate 406. The electrically conductive patterns 703 and 704 also are formed by screen printing or the like method.
Further, the heater 403 is provided with a heating member 702, as the third heating member, for a narrow sheet P of recording paper. The heating member 702 is 222 mm in length, and is positioned on the bottom surface of the heater substrate 406, in such a manner that its lengthwise direction is parallel to the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 406. The heating member 702 for a narrow sheet P of recording paper is positioned so that one half of the heating member 702 is symmetrical to the other half with reference to the line which is perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the heater substrate 406 and coincides with the lengthwise center of the heater substrate 406. Further, the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of paper is designed so that it is narrowest at its lengthwise center, and gradually increases in width toward its lengthwise ends.
Moreover, the heater 403 is provided with a pair of electrically conductive patterns 705 and 706 (power supply electrodes) for the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of paper, which are positioned on one of the lengthwise ends of the bottom surface of the heater substrate 406. The two patterns 705 and 706 also are formed by screen printing or the like method. The electrically conductive pattern 705 is in electrical connection to the electrically conductive pattern 705 on the top surface of the heater substrate 406, by way of an electrically conductive pattern (unshown) in a through hole with which the heater substrate 406 is provided.
Further, like the heater 203 in the first embodiment, the heater 403 is provided with a pair of thermistors 215 and 216 (which are unshown in
Moreover, like the heater 203 in the first embodiment, the heater 203 is provided with a protective element 214 (which is not shown in
Thus, the main heating member 700 and subordinate heating member 701 can be controlled to give an optional inclination to the distribution of the amount by which heat is generated by the heater 403, in terms of the lengthwise direction of the heater 403. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the out-of-sheet-path portions of the nip N (fixing apparatus 115) from excessively increasing in temperature when a substantial number of sheets P of paper which are wider than the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of paper, but narrower than the widest sheet of paper conveyable through the nip N (no narrower than 216 mm, and no wider than 297 mm, in this embodiment) are used as recording medium.
Further, the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of paper, and the subordinate heating member 701, can be independently controlled from each other to prevent the out-of-sheet-path portions of the nip N (fixing apparatus 115) from excessively increasing in temperature when a substantial number of sheets of recording paper which are narrower (no wider than 216 mm, in this embodiment, than the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of paper, are used as recording medium.
In a case where a wide sheet of recording paper is used for a printing operation, the switching relay 707 is connected to the main heating member 700 so that the main heating member 700 and subordinate heating member 701 can be used in combination to control the ratio with which electric power is supplied for the printing operation.
In a case where a narrow sheet of recording paper is used for a printing operation, first, the switching relay 707 is connected to the main heating member 700 side as in the first embodiment, so that the main heating member 700 and subordinate heating member 701 can be used in combination for a printing operation. If the temperature detected by the end temperature monitoring thermistor 216 exceeds a preset value, such timing that the period in which the heater 403 temporarily falls in the amount of heat generation as it is switched in heat generating member is determined. Then, the triac 302 is turned off with the determined timing. Then, the connection of the switching relay 707 is switched to the heating member 702 for a narrow sheet of recording paper to turn on the triac 302.
Thereafter, a printing operation is carried out while controlling the heater 403 in power supply ratio by the combination of the heat generating pattern 702 for a small sheet of recording paper and the subordinate heating member 701.
The fixing apparatus in this embodiment is another example of a fixing apparatus which is in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus has a radiant heater which is low in thermal capacity.
The fixing apparatuses shown in
Therefore, the switching timing is determined (calculated) so that the drop in the amount of heat generation, which occurs as the heating unit is switched in the heat generation line with the use of a heater driving circuit and a control sequence such as those in the first embodiment, during a printing job, does not coincide with the period in which an image bearing portion of a sheet P of recording paper is moving through the compression nip N. Then, the switching is made with this timing. Thus, the same effects as those obtained in the first embodiment can be obtained.
The technical concept of the present invention is applicable also to a fixing apparatus which employs a radiant heating means and is relatively small in thermal capacity as described above.
Further, referring to
Usage of an image heating apparatus is not limited to the thermal fixation of an unfixed toner image T to a sheet of recording paper. It can also be effectively used as an image heating apparatus for temporarily fixing an unfixed image to a sheet of recording paper, an image heating apparatus for reheating a sheet of recording paper, on which an image is present, in order to improve the image in surface properties, or the like.
The application of the present invention is not limited to a fixing apparatus (image forming apparatus) of the so-called central conveyance. That is, the present invention is also applicable to a fixing apparatus (image forming apparatus) of the so-called offset conveyance type. Further, the application of the present invention is not limited to an image forming apparatus which employs an electrophotographic image forming portion (A2). That is, the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus having an image forming portion which uses an electrostatic image recording method, a magnetic image recording method, or the like. Further, the application of the present invention is not limited to an image forming apparatus of the so-called transfer type. That is, the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus structured so that an unfixed image is directly transferred onto a sheet of recording paper.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-232484 filed on Dec. 4, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-232484 | Dec 2017 | JP | national |
