This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. ยง119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-143300, filed on Jun. 28, 2011, in the Japanese Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Exemplary aspects of the present invention relate to a lever switcher, a fixing device, and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a lever switcher for changing pressure between opposed bodies, a fixing device incorporating the lever switcher, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the fixing device.
Related-art image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, or multifunction printers having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically form an image on a recording medium according to image data. Thus, for example, a charger uniformly charges a surface of an image carrier; an optical writer emits a light beam onto the charged surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier according to the image data; a development device supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier to render the electrostatic latent image visible as a toner image; the toner image is directly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium or is indirectly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium via an intermediate transfer member; a cleaner then cleans the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred from the image carrier onto the recording medium; finally, a fixing device applies heat and pressure to the recording medium bearing the toner image to fix the toner image on the recording medium, thus forming the image on the recording medium.
Pressure applied between the pressing roller 102 and the fixing roller 101 is adjustable according to the type of the recording medium P in order to accommodate envelopes produced by bonding a folded sheet, which are susceptible to warping and creasing when passing through the fixing nip N. For example, as shown in
As a mechanism for changing the pressure between the pressing roller 102 and the fixing roller 101, a configuration may be employed in which a lever 115 moves a pressing frame 111 mounting the pressing roller 102 with respect to a fixing frame 110 mounting the fixing roller 101 by leverage, as shown in
However, the configuration shown in
To address the above-described drawbacks of the fixing device 1R, it is possible to include a cam that engages and disengages a lever as the lever slides over the outer circumferential edge face of the cam, thus eliminating a strike of the lever against the cam that may generate noise. However, this configuration may not minimize mechanical shock caused by the lever.
Alternatively, a movable cushion or sponge that contacts the lever to absorb mechanical shock therefrom can be employed. However, an expensive solenoid may be required to separate the cushion from the lever, resulting in increased manufacturing costs.
This specification describes below an improved lever switcher. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lever switcher includes a first opposed body and a second opposed body pressed against the first opposed body. A resilient member is connected to the second opposed body to exert a resilient bias to the second opposed body that presses the second opposed body against the first opposed body. A lever assembly is connected to the second opposed body and swingable to move the second opposed body against the resilient bias exerted by the resilient member between at least a reduced pressure position where the second opposed body presses against the first opposed body with reduced pressure therebetween and an enhanced pressure position where the second opposed body presses against the first opposed body with enhanced pressure therebetween. A resistance applier engages the lever assembly to exert drag on the lever assembly when the lever assembly moves the second opposed body from the reduced pressure position to the enhanced pressure position.
This specification further describes an improved fixing device. In one exemplary embodiment, the fixing device includes a fixing rotary body, a heater disposed opposite the fixing rotary body to heat the fixing rotary body, and a pressing rotary body pressed against the fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A resilient member is connected to the pressing rotary body to exert a resilient bias to the pressing rotary body that presses the pressing rotary body against the fixing rotary body. A lever assembly is connected to the pressing rotary body and swingable to move the pressing rotary body against the resilient bias exerted by the resilient member between at least a reduced pressure position where the pressing rotary body presses against the fixing rotary body with reduced pressure therebetween and an enhanced pressure position where the pressing rotary body presses against the fixing rotary body with enhanced pressure therebetween. A resistance applier engages the lever assembly to exert drag on the lever assembly when the lever assembly moves the pressing rotary body from the reduced pressure position to the enhanced pressure position.
This specification further describes an improved image forming apparatus. In one exemplary embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes the fixing device described above.
A more complete appreciation of the invention and the many attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In describing exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner and achieve a similar result.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in particular to
Referring to
The image forming apparatus 100 includes four process units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K detachably attached to the image forming apparatus 100. Although the process units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K contain yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toners that form yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images, respectively, resulting in a color toner image, they have an identical structure. Hence, the following describes the structure of one of them, that is, the process unit 1Y that forms a yellow toner image.
The process unit 1Y includes a photoconductor 2Y serving as an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image and a resultant yellow toner image; a charging roller 3Y serving as a charger that charges an outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 2Y; a development device 4Y serving as a development unit that visualizes the electrostatic latent image formed on the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 2Y into a yellow toner image with yellow toner; and a cleaning blade 5Y serving as a cleaner that cleans the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 2Y.
Above the process units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K is an exposure device 7 serving as an exposure unit that emits a laser beam L onto the outer circumferential surface of the respective photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K to form an electrostatic latent image thereon.
Below the process units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1K is an intermediate transfer unit 6 that accommodates an endless intermediate transfer belt 10, a driving roller 8, a driven roller 9, four primary transfer rollers 11Y, 11C, 11M, and 11K, a secondary transfer roller 12, and a belt cleaner 21. Specifically, the endless intermediate transfer belt 10 is stretched over the driving roller 8 and the driven roller 9 and rotatable in a rotation direction A.
Inside a loop formed by the intermediate transfer belt 10 are the four primary transfer rollers 11Y, 11C, 11M, and 11K serving as primary transferors that transfer the yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images formed on the photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K onto an outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10. The primary transfer rollers 11Y, 11C, 11M, and 11K contact an inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 and press the intermediate transfer belt 10 against the photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K at opposed positions where the primary transfer rollers 11Y, 11C, 11M, and 11K are disposed opposite the photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K, respectively, via the intermediate transfer belt 10. Accordingly, the photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K press against the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10, forming primary transfer nips therebetween where the yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner images formed on the photoconductors 2Y, 2C, 2M, and 2K are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 10 to form a color toner image thereon.
Opposite the driving roller 8 is the secondary transfer roller 12 serving as a secondary transferor that transfers the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 onto a recording medium P. The secondary transfer roller 12 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 and presses the intermediate transfer belt 10 against the driving roller 8, thus forming a secondary transfer nip where the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is transferred onto the recording medium P.
The belt cleaner 21, disposed opposite the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10, cleans the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10.
Below the intermediate transfer unit 6 is a waste toner container 22 that collects waste toner conveyed from the belt cleaner 21 through a waste toner conveyance tube extending from the belt cleaner 21 to an inlet of the waste toner container 22.
Below the waste toner container 22 in a lower portion of the image forming apparatus 100 is a paper tray 13 that loads a plurality of recording media P (e.g., sheets and OHP (overhead projector) transparencies). The paper tray 13 is attached with a feed roller 14 that picks up and feeds a recording medium P toward the secondary transfer nip formed between the secondary transfer roller 12 and the intermediate transfer belt 10.
The recording medium P fed by the feed roller 14 is conveyed upward through a conveyance path R1 that extends from the paper tray 13 to a pair of output rollers 19a and 19b. The conveyance path R1 is provided with a pair of registration rollers 15A and 15b disposed below the secondary transfer nip formed between the secondary transfer roller 12 and the intermediate transfer belt 10, that is, upstream from the secondary transfer nip in a recording medium conveyance direction. The conveyance path R1 is further provided with a fixing device 16 disposed above the secondary transfer nip, that is, downstream from the secondary transfer nip in the recording medium conveyance direction. For example, the fixing device 16 includes a fixing roller 17 and a pressing roller 18 pressed against the fixing roller 17 to form a fixing nip N therebetween.
The pair of output rollers 19a and 19b is situated at a downstream terminal of the conveyance path R1 in the recording medium conveyance direction. An output tray 20, disposed atop the image forming apparatus 100, constitutes a top face of the image forming apparatus 100 that draws a downward curve in cross-section toward a position immediately underneath the pair of output rollers 19a and 19b. The output tray 20 receives the recording medium P discharged from the pair of output rollers 19a and 19b.
Referring to
As the photoconductor 2Y rotates clockwise in
A power supply applies a constant voltage or a constant current control voltage having a polarity opposite a polarity of yellow toner to the primary transfer roller 11Y.
Accordingly, a transfer electric field is created at the primary transfer nip formed between the primary transfer roller 11Y and the photoconductor 2Y. Consequently, as the photoconductor 2Y rotates in the rotation direction B and the intermediate transfer belt 10 rotates in the rotation direction A, the yellow toner image formed on the photoconductor 2Y is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 10 at the primary transfer nip.
Similarly, the cyan, magenta, and black toner images formed on the photoconductors 2C, 2M, and 2K, respectively, are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 10 in such a manner that the cyan, magenta, and black toner images are superimposed on the yellow toner image on the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10, thus forming a color toner image thereon.
After the primary transfer of the yellow toner image from the photoconductor 2Y to the intermediate transfer belt 10, the cleaning blade 5Y removes residual yellow toner not transferred and therefore remaining on the photoconductor 2Y therefrom, thus cleaning the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 2Y. Further, a discharging lamp eliminates residual potential remaining on the photoconductor 2Y, discharging the outer circumferential surface of the photoconductor 2Y. Similarly, the outer circumferential surface of the respective photoconductors 2C, 2M, and 2K is cleaned and discharged.
On the other hand, the feed roller 14 rotates counterclockwise in
A power supply applies a voltage having a polarity opposite the polarity of toner to the secondary transfer roller 12, creating a transfer electric field at the secondary transfer nip formed between the secondary transfer roller 12 and the intermediate transfer belt 10. Alternatively, the power supply may apply a voltage having the same polarity as the polarity of toner to the driving roller 8 disposed opposite the secondary transfer roller 12, creating the transfer electric field at the secondary transfer nip. Then, the pair of registration rollers 15a and 15b resumes rotating to feed the recording medium P to the secondary transfer nip at a time when the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is transferred onto the recording medium P. Accordingly, the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is secondarily transferred onto the recording medium P by the transfer electric field generated at the secondary transfer nip. After the secondary transfer of the color toner image from the intermediate transfer belt 10 onto the recording medium P, the belt cleaner 21 removes residual toner not transferred onto the recording medium P and therefore remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 10 therefrom. The removed toner is collected into the waste toner container 22.
Thereafter, the recording medium P bearing the color toner image is conveyed to the fixing device 16. As the recording medium P is conveyed through the fixing nip N formed between the fixing roller 17 and the pressing roller 18, the fixing roller 17 and the pressing roller 18 apply heat and pressure to the recording medium P, melting and fixing the color toner image on the recording medium P. Then, the recording medium P bearing the fixed color toner image is discharged by the pair of output rollers 19a and 19b onto the output tray 20.
Referring to
The lever assembly 50 switches between the enhanced pressure state and the reduced pressure state by moving the pressing roller 18 with respect to the fixing roller 17. The fixing roller 17 is supported by a fixing frame 61; the pressing roller 18 is supported by a pressing frame 62. That is, the fixing roller 17 is rotatably mounted on the fixing frame 61; the pressing roller 18 is rotatably mounted on the pressing frame 62. The pressing frame 62 mounting the pressing roller 18 is rotatable about a shaft 69 mounted on the fixing frame 61. A resilient member, in this case the spring 30, attached to the fixing frame 61 and the pressing frame 62 exerts a resilient bias to the pressing frame 62, thus pressing the pressing roller 18 supported by the pressing frame 62 against the fixing roller 17 supported by the fixing frame 61 to form the fixing nip N between the pressing roller 18 and the fixing roller 17. The spring 30 has a spring load of about 65N; the fixing nip N has a nip load of about 340 N.
A detailed description is now given of the construction of the fixing roller 17.
The fixing roller 17 is constructed of a hollow tube 65 including a thermal conductive base layer 63 and an outer layer 64 coating the base layer 63. In addition, a heater 66 (e.g., a halogen heater, an infrared heater, and an induction heater) is disposed inside the hollow tube 65. Alternatively, the heater 66 may be disposed outside the fixing roller 17 or an additional heater may be disposed inside or outside the pressing roller 18. The outer layer 64 of the hollow tube 65 is constructed of an elastic layer and a surface layer coating the elastic layer.
The thermal conductive base layer 63, having a predetermined mechanical strength, is made of thermal conductive carbon steel or aluminum. The elastic layer of the outer layer 64 is made of synthetic rubber such as silicone rubber or fluoro rubber. The surface layer of the outer layer 64 is made of materials with high thermal conductivity and durability that facilitate separation of toner of a toner image on plain paper P1 or an envelope P2 from the fixing roller 17 and enhance the durability of the elastic layer. For example, the surface layer of the outer layer 64 may be a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer (PFA) tube, a layer coated with fluoroplastic such as PFA, or a layer cladded with silicone rubber or fluoro rubber.
The fixing roller 17 has an outer loop diameter in a range of from about 15 mm to about 40 mm. The elastic layer of the outer layer 64 has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mm to about 3.0 mm. The surface layer of the outer layer 64 has a thickness in a range of from about 10 micrometers to about 80 micrometers. According to this exemplary embodiment, the fixing roller 17 has an outer loop diameter of about 24 mm. The elastic layer of the outer layer 64 has a thickness of about 1 mm and the surface layer of the outer layer 64 has a thickness of about 43 micrometers.
A detailed description is now given of the construction of the pressing roller 18.
The pressing roller 18 is constructed of a metal core 67 and an outer layer 68 coating the metal core 67. The outer layer 68 includes an elastic layer and a surface layer coating the elastic layer. For example, the metal core 67 is made of carbon steel tubes for machine structural purposes (STKM). The elastic layer of the outer layer 68 is made of silicone rubber, fluoro rubber, silicone rubber foam, fluoro rubber foam, or the like. The surface layer of the outer layer 68 is made of a heat-resistant fluoroplastic tube, such as PFA or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), that facilitates separation of the toner image on the plain paper P1 or the envelope P2 from the pressing roller 18.
The pressing roller 18 has an outer loop diameter in a range of from about 20 mm to about 40 mm. The elastic layer of the outer layer 68 has a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mm to about 10.0 mm. The surface layer of the outer layer 68 has a thickness in a range of from about 10 micrometers to about 80 micrometers. According to this exemplary embodiment, the pressing roller 18 has an outer loop diameter of about 30 mm. The elastic layer of the outer layer 68 has a thickness of about 8 mm and the surface layer of the outer layer 68 has a thickness of about 50 micrometers.
A detailed description is now given of the components disposed in proximity to the fixing roller 17.
A thermistor serving as a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the fixing roller 17 and a thermistor that prevents overheating of the fixing roller 17 are disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing roller 17. A detection signal is output from these thermistors and sent to a controller 99 depicted in
An entry guide, disposed upstream from the fixing nip N in a recording medium conveyance direction E, guides the plain paper P1 or the envelope P2 to the fixing nip N. An exit guide, disposed downstream from the fixing nip N in the recording medium conveyance direction E, guides the plain paper P1 or the envelope P2 discharged from the fixing nip N toward the pair of output rollers 19a and 19b depicted in
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
For example, the receiver 82 includes a brim 82a, a boss 82b, a shaft 82c, and a female thread 82d. The shaft 82c and the female thread 82d constitute a female-threaded nut. The brim 82a is a disc. The boss 82b is an elliptical flat plate. The shaft 82c is an elliptical minor axis. The shaft 82c of the receiver 82 engages a through-hole 90 produced through the pressing frame 62. The through-hole 90 is constructed of an elliptical hole 90a and a slit 90b for clearance contiguous to a lower border of the elliptical hole 90a. The pressing frame 62 includes two mounting plates 55 and 56. The mounting plate 55 is provided with a through-hole 55A through which a shaft is inserted to support the pressing frame 62. The mounting plate 56 is provided with a through-hole 56a through which the shaft 69 depicted in
The shaft 82c of the receiver 82 disposed opposite a back face 62b of the pressing frame 62 is inserted into the through-hole 90. The plate 85, the wave washer 86, and the gear 87 disposed opposite a front face 62a of the pressing frame 62 engage the shaft 82c of the receiver 82 that protrudes from the front face 62a of the pressing frame 62. The male thread 88a of the bolt 88 is inserted through the through-hole 87a of the gear 87, the through-hole 86a of the wave washer 86, and the through-hole 85A of the plate 85 and engages the female thread 82d of the receiver 82.
As the bolt 88 is screwed through the receiver 82, since the plate 85 and the gear 87 sandwich the wave washer 86, resistance (e.g., torque) is exerted to the rotating gear 87 by friction. A biasing member 96 (e.g., a torsion spring) depicted in
As shown in
As the first linkage 50a of the lever assembly 50 swings about the pin 78 in a direction X1, since the first linkage 50a is coupled to the second linkage 50b through the pin 73, the second linkage 50b swings about the pin 72 in a direction X4. Accordingly, the pressing frame 62 swings about the shaft 69 in a direction El depicted in
Conversely, as the first linkage 50a of the lever assembly 50 swings about the pin 78 in a direction X2, the second linkage 50b of the lever assembly 50 swings about the pin 72 in a direction X3. Accordingly, the pressing frame 62 swings about the shaft 69 in a direction E2 depicted in
As shown in
If the teeth 77 of the lever assembly 50 are configured to engage the teeth 87b of the gear 87 of the resistance applier 70 as the lever assembly 50 swings in the direction X1, the resistance applier 70 might generate drag against the swing of the lever assembly 50 in the direction X1. However, as the lever assembly 50 swings in the direction X1, the spring 30 presses the pressing roller 18 against the fixing roller 17. That is, the spring 30 generates drag against the swing of the lever assembly 50, thus rendering drag of the resistance applier 70 unnecessary.
To address this circumstance, as shown in
According to this exemplary embodiment, the fixing device 16 includes the lever switcher 51 constructed of a dual linkage mechanism, that is, the first linkage 50a and the second linkage 50b, downsizing the fixing device 16 and decreasing the force required to press the pressing roller 18 against the fixing roller 17 to about 20 N or smaller. By contrast, if the fixing device 16 includes a lever switcher constructed of a single linkage mechanism (e.g., the lever 115 shown in
Further, according to this exemplary embodiment, transition from the reduced pressure state shown in
As shown in
Referring to
As the lever assembly 50 swings from the enhanced pressure position shown in
As shown in
The separator 95 attains stable transition from the enhanced pressure state shown in
The image forming apparatus 100 depicted in
For example, the enhanced pressure state shown in
According to this exemplary embodiment, the fixing device 16 provides two modes, that is, the plain paper mode shown in
Alternatively, the third mode may be an intermediate pressure mode in which the pressing roller 18 presses against the fixing roller 17 with intermediate pressure between enhanced pressure in the plain paper mode shown in
In order to provide the three modes described above, that is, the plain paper mode, the envelope mode, and the third mode, it is necessary to position the pressing roller 18 with respect to the fixing roller 17 at three different positions. To address this, the lever assembly 50 may have a linkage mechanism corresponding to the respective modes.
As shown in
The present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and various modifications and improvements are possible.
For example, the image forming apparatus 100 may be a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a multifunction printer having at least one of copying, printing, facsimile, and scanning functions, or the like. The exemplary embodiments described above are applied to the fixing device 16 where the first opposed body or the fixing rotary body (e.g., the fixing roller 17), the second opposed body or the pressing rotary body (e.g., the pressing roller 18), and the spring 30 form the fixing nip N. Alternatively, the exemplary embodiments described above may be applied to other configurations that form a nip, for example, a nip formed between the charging roller 3Y and the photoconductor 2Y as shown in
Referring to
As shown in
As the lever assembly 50 swings in the direction X1, the lever assembly 50 moves the pressing roller 18 to the reduced pressure position where the pressing roller 18 presses against the fixing roller 17 with reduced pressure therebetween. Conversely, as the lever assembly 50 swings in the direction X2 counter to the direction X1, the lever assembly 50 moves the pressing roller 18 to the enhanced pressure position where the pressing roller 18 presses against the fixing roller 17 with enhanced pressure therebetween. As the lever assembly 50 swings in the direction X2, the resistance applier 70 exerts drag on the lever assembly 50. Accordingly, drag exerted by the resistance applier 70 decreases a resilient bias exerted by the spring 30 to the pressing roller 18, gentling swinging of the lever assembly 50.
The fixing device 16 includes the fixing roller 17 serving as the fixing rotary body inside which the heater 66 is disposed and the pressing roller 18 serving as the pressing rotary body that presses against the fixing roller 17 to form the fixing nip N therebetween. As a recording medium bearing an unfixed toner image is conveyed through the fixing nip N, the fixing roller 17 heated by the heater 66 and the pressing roller 18 apply heat and pressure to the recording medium, fixing the toner image on the recording medium. When the lever switcher 51 is installed in the fixing device 16, the fixing roller 17 serves as the first opposed body and the pressing roller 18 serves as the second opposed body, thus attaining the advantages described above.
As shown in
Additionally, the lever switcher 51 further incorporates the resistance applier 70 that decreases the resilient bias exerted by the spring 30 to the pressing roller 18 as the lever assembly 50 moves the pressing roller 18 from the reduced pressure position where the pressing roller 18 presses against the fixing roller 17 with reduced pressure therebetween in the reduced pressure state to the enhanced pressure position where the pressing roller 18 presses against the fixing roller 17 with enhanced pressure therebetween in the enhanced pressure state. Hence, the resistance applier 70 decreases mechanical shock caused by the lever assembly 50 during switching between the reduced pressure state and the enhanced pressure state. Further, the lever switcher 51 maintains the reduced pressure state and the enhanced pressure state stably and improves reliability of switching between the reduced pressure state and the enhanced pressure state with minimized sound generated by the lever assembly 50. Accordingly, the lever switcher 51 requires neither a cushion that cushions mechanical shock caused by the lever assembly 50 nor a relatively expensive solenoid that moves the cushion, resulting in reduced manufacturing costs of the fixing device 16.
The fixing device 16 incorporating the lever switcher 51 attains the advantages of the lever switcher 51 described above.
For example, as shown in
As shown in
The present invention has been described above with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Note that the present invention is not limited to the details of the embodiments described above, but various modifications and enhancements are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative exemplary embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-143300 | Jun 2011 | JP | national |