IP Library Granted Patent US 11,599,049
Granted Patent B2
US 11,599,049 · App. 17/680,395 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Fixing device with a first heat generating resistor and a second heat generating resistor

Inventor: Ryota Saeki (Sunto Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G15/2053G03G15/2017G03G21/1685G03G21/20G03G2215/2035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,599,049
App. No.
17/680,395
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a belt, a heater, and a holder. The holder has a plurality of support portions that contact an end of the first heating region and an end of the second heating region along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and a plurality of non-contacting portions that do not contact the end of the first heating region and the end of the second heating region between the plurality of support portions, the end of the second heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the end of the second heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

Claims (60)

1. A fixing device, comprising:

a belt configured to rotate to transport a sheet in a transport direction;

a heater configured to heat the belt, the heater comprising a first heat generating resistor configured to heat a first heating region thereof and a second heat generating resistor configured to heat a second heating region thereof, the first heating region and the second heating region being aligned in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction; and

a holder comprising

a plurality of support portions that contact an end of the first heating region and an end of the second heating region along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

a plurality of non-contacting portions that do not contact the end of the first heating region and the end of the second heating region between the plurality of support portions, wherein

the end of the second heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the end of the second heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

2. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the heater includes a substrate having a first side where the first heat generating resistor and the second heat generating resistor are disposed and a second side which is opposite side against the first side, the second side contacts with the plurality of the support portions.

3. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the side is closer to a central one of the first heating region and the second heating region in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction than the other side.

4. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the center portion of the sheet in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction overlaps with the center portion of the first heating region in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the side is closer to the center portion of the first heating region than the other side.

5. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the end of the first heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions, and

the end of the first heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at both sides in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

6. The fixing device according to claim 5 , wherein

the end of the second heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the end of the second heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

7. The fixing device according to claim 6 , wherein

the center portion of the sheet in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction overlaps with the center portion of the first heating region in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the side of the second heating region is closer to the center portion of the first heating region than the other side of the second heating region.

8. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the heater further comprising a third heating region, wherein

the first heating region is at a side of the second heating region in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the third heating region is at the other side of the second heating region in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

9. The fixing device according to claim 8 , wherein

the end of the third heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the end of the third heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

10. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first heating region and the second heating region being comprised within a plurality of heating regions that are configured to be selectively powered according to a sheet width of the sheet.

11. A fixing device, comprising:

a belt configured to rotate to transport a sheet in a transport direction;

a heater configured to heat the belt, the heater comprising a first heat generating resistor configured to heat a first heating region thereof and a second heat generating resistor configured to heat a second heating region thereof, the first heating region and the second heating region being aligned in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction; and

a holder comprising

a plurality of support portions that contact an end of the first heating region and an end of the second heating region along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

a plurality of non-contacting portions that do not contact the end of the first heating region and the end of the second heating region between the plurality of support portions, wherein

the first heating region and the second heating region being comprised within a plurality of heating regions that is configured to be powered respectively independently, wherein a plurality of notches in the holder forms a plurality of non-contacting portions and is arranged periodically along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

12. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; and

a fixing device comprising:

a belt configured to rotate to transport a sheet in a transport direction;

a heater configured to heat the belt, the heater comprising a first heating region and a second heating region aligned in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction; and

a holder comprising

a plurality of support portions that contact an end of the first heating region and an end of the second heating region along the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

a plurality of non-contacting portions that do not contact the end of the first heating region and the end of the second heating region between the plurality of support portions, wherein

the end of the second heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the end of the second heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portion at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the heater includes a substrate having a first side where a first heat generating resistor and a second heat generating resistor are disposed and a second side which is opposite side against the first side, the second side contacts with the plurality of the support portions.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the side is closer to a central one of the first heating region and the second heating region in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction than the other side.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the center portion of the sheet in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction overlaps with the center portion of the first heating region in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the side is closer to the center portion of the first heating region than the other side.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the end of the first heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions, and

the end of the first heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portion at both side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein

the end of the second heating region contacts one of the plurality of support portions at a side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and

the end of the second heating region faces to one of the plurality of non-contacting portions at the other side in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the center portion of the sheet in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction overlaps with the center portion of the first heating region in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the side of the second heating region is closer to the center portion of the first heating region than the other side of the second heating region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: SAEKI, RYOTA
To: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 059098/0237 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-148782 · Aug 7, 2018 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17142280 · Jan 6, 2021
Continuation 16451173 · Jun 25, 2019
Related Publication 20220179343A1 · Jun 9, 2022