IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,455,524
Granted Patent B2
US 12,455,524 · App. 18/490,933 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Fixing rotating member, fixing apparatus, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Inventors: Matsutaka Maeda (Kanagawa, JP); Takaaki Tsuruya (Shizuoka, JP); Akira Okano (Kanagawa, JP); Makoto Souma (Kanagawa, JP); Naoko Kasai (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G15/2057
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,455,524
App. No.
18/490,933
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fixing rotating member comprising: a substrate comprising a resin; an electro-conductive layer on the substrate; and a resinous layer on a surface of the electro-conductive layer, the surface being opposed to a side of the electro-conductive layer facing the substrate, the electro-conductive layer extending in a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral surface of the substrate, the electro-conductive layer comprising silver, the electro-conductive layer having, in a thickness direction thereof, a through-hole, wherein at least a part of the through-hole is penetrated by a resin that constitutes at least a part of the resinous layer.

Claims (33)

1 . A fixing apparatus comprising a fixing rotating member, and an induction heating device causing the fixing rotating member to generate heat by induction heating,

wherein the fixing rotating member comprises a substrate comprising a resin, an electro-conductive layer on the substrate, and a resinous layer on a surface of the electro-conductive layer, the surface being opposed to a side of the electro-conductive layer facing the substrate,

wherein the electro-conductive layer extends in a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral surface of the substrate,

wherein the electro-conductive layer comprises silver,

wherein the electro-conductive layer has, in a thickness direction thereof, a through-hole,

wherein at least a part of the through-hole is penetrated by a resin that constitutes at least a part of the resinous layer,

wherein the induction heating device has:

an excitation coil for forming an alternating magnetic field causing the electro-conductive layer to generate heat by electromagnetic induction, the excitation coil being disposed in an interior of the fixing rotating member, and having a spiral shape portion, a spiral axis of which is substantially parallel to a direction of a rotation axis of the fixing rotating member; and

a magnetic core, which is disposed within the spiral shape portion and which does not form a loop outward of the fixing rotating member to extend in the rotation axis direction, for guiding magnetic force lines of the alternating magnetic field,

wherein a material of the magnetic core is a ferromagnetic body,

wherein the electro-conductive layer generates heat mainly by an induced current induced by magnetic force lines exiting from one longitudinal end of the magnetic core, passing by an outer side of the electro-conductive layer, and returning to another longitudinal end of the magnetic core, and

wherein the electro-conductive layer has a ring shape in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotating member and is formed in plurality while electrically divided from each other in a rotation axis direction.

2 . The fixing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the resin that constitutes at least the part of the resinous layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyimide and a polyamide-imide.

3 . The fixing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the resin comprised in the substrate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyimide and a polyamide-imide.

4 . The fixing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a maximum thickness of the electro-conductive layer is 4 μm or less.

5 . The fixing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the resin constituting the resinous layer and penetrating the through-hole is in contact with the substrate.

6 . The fixing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electro-conductive layer is a sintered body of a silver nanoparticle.

7 . An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member bearing a toner image;

a transfer device transferring the toner image to a recording material; and

a fixing apparatus fixing the transferred toner image to the recording material,

wherein the fixing apparatus comprises a fixing rotating member, and an induction heating device causing the fixing rotating member to generate heat by induction heating,

wherein the fixing rotating member comprises a substrate comprising a resin, an electro-conductive layer on the substrate, and a resinous layer on a surface of the electro-conductive layer, the surface being opposed to a side of the electro-conductive layer facing the substrate,

wherein the electro-conductive layer extends in a circumferential direction of an outer peripheral surface of the substrate,

wherein the electro-conductive layer comprises silver,

wherein the electro-conductive layer has, in a thickness direction thereof, a through-hole,

wherein at least a part of the through-hole is penetrated by a resin that constitutes at least a part of the resinous layer,

wherein the induction heating device has:

an excitation coil for forming an alternating magnetic field causing the electro-conductive layer to generate heat by electromagnetic induction, the excitation coil being disposed in an interior of the fixing rotating member, and having a spiral shape portion, a spiral axis of which is substantially parallel to a direction of a rotation axis of the fixing rotating member; and

a magnetic core, which is disposed within the spiral shape portion and which does not form a loop outward of the fixing rotating member to extend in the rotation axis direction, for guiding magnetic force lines of the alternating magnetic field,

wherein a material of the magnetic core is a ferromagnetic body,

wherein the electro-conductive layer generates heat mainly by an induced current induced by magnetic force lines exiting from one longitudinal end of the magnetic core, passing by an outer side of the electro-conductive layer, and returning to another longitudinal end of the magnetic core, and

wherein the electro-conductive layer has a ring shape in a circumferential direction of the fixing rotating member and is formed in plurality while electrically divided from each other in a rotation axis direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2023
From: MAEDA, MATSUTAKA; TSURUYA, TAKAAKI; OKANO, AKIRA; SOUMA, MAKOTO; KASAI, NAOKO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 065725/0065 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2022-171564 · Oct 26, 2022 · national
JP 2023-175062 · Oct 10, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240160135A1 · May 16, 2024
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