JP2004177541A - Flash-fixing device and double-sided printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flash-fixing device, without staining a continuous sheet or a double-sided printer concerning the flash-fixing device for melting and fixing a toner image formed on the continuous sheet through radiation heat, by emitting a flash lamp and the double-sided printer having the flashing fixing device. <P>SOLUTION: The flash-fixing device 51 provided on a second printer of the double-sided printer having a first printer for printing one face of the continuous sheet 55 at first, and the second printer for printing the other face successively, is provided with a roller (rolling means) 57 which is brought into contact with a face forming an image by the first printer of the continuous sheet 55 on a part facing the flash lamp 53 and going with by the movement of the continuous sheet 55. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flash fixing device that causes a flash lamp to emit light and melts and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat, and a duplex printer having the flash fixing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a conventional flash fixing device. The illustrated fixing device 1 is a fixing device for continuous paper. A frame 5 is provided on the surface of the continuous paper 3 on which the toner image to be fixed is formed (the upper surface in the conventional example). A transparent glass 7 is provided on a surface of the frame 5 facing the continuous paper 3, and the frame 5 has a substantially hermetic structure. Four flash lamps 9 are provided in the frame 5, and two reflecting mirrors 11 for reflecting light from the flash lamps 9 in the direction of the continuous paper 3 through the glass 7 are provided in the frame 5. Is provided. The glass 7 is provided so that the cooling wind of the flash lamp 9 does not hinder the conveyance of the continuous paper 3 and further transmits the light from the flash lamp 9 toward the continuous paper 3.
[0003]
Further, when the toner image on the continuous paper 3 is fixed by the flash lamp 9, the gas evaporates. In order to collect this gas, an intake duct 12 and an intake duct 13 are provided at the rear of the frame 5 so as to sandwich the continuous paper 3.
[0004]
When the surface of the continuous paper 3 on which the toner image is formed comes into contact with the glass 7 of the frame 5, the printing surface is soiled. Therefore, the air balance between the intake duct 12 and the intake duct 13 is determined as follows. 7 is set so as not to contact.
[0005]
However, if the continuous paper 3 is too far from the flash lamp 9, the fixing efficiency deteriorates. Therefore, the guide 15 that can contact the surface of the continuous paper 3 opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed is provided (for example, the guide 15 is provided). And Patent Document 1).
[0006]
Reference numeral 17 denotes a pair of transport rollers for nipping and transporting the continuous paper 3.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-308852 (page 5, FIG. 2)
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the toner image fused and fixed on the continuous paper 3 by such a flash fixing device is melt-fixed in a non-contact manner as compared with the toner image fused and fixed by the hot roller method, the bonding force on the toner surface tends to be weak. It is in.
[0009]
On the other hand, it has a first printer that forms an image on one side of a continuous sheet, and a second printer that forms an image on the other side of the continuous sheet on which one side has formed an image by the first printer. There is a duplex printer device. When the flash fixing device having the above configuration is provided in the second printer of the duplex printer, the surface of the continuous paper 3 on which the toner image has already been fixed comes into contact with the guide 15. In this case, the toner adheres to the guide 15 due to an environment at a high temperature. Then, as the amount of printing increases, the toner attached to the guide 15 grows, and there is a problem that the continuous paper 3 is soiled.
[0010]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flash fixing device and a duplex printer that do not stain continuous paper.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the first aspect of the present invention.
[0012]
Reference numeral 51 denotes a flash fixing device that causes the flash lamp 53 to emit light and fixes the toner image formed on the continuous paper 55 by the radiation heat.
[0013]
Rolling means, which contacts a surface of the continuous paper 55 opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed, and rotates with the movement of the continuous paper 55, a plurality of rollers 57 in this principle diagram Is provided.
[0014]
Even if the surface of the continuous paper 3 on which the toner image has already been fixed comes into contact with the roller 57 and the toner adheres to the roller 57, the roller 57 rotates together with the movement of the continuous paper 55, so that even if the print amount increases. The attached toner does not grow. Therefore, the continuous paper 55 is not stained.
[0015]
The rolling means includes a plurality of rollers and belts, but is not limited.
[0016]
The invention according to claim 2 is the flash fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a layer made of a toner adhesion preventing material is formed on a surface of the rolling means that contacts the continuous paper.
[0017]
By forming a layer made of a toner adhesion preventing material on the surface of the rolling means that contacts the continuous paper, toner is less likely to adhere to the surface of the rolling means that contacts the continuous paper, and the continuous paper is not stained. . Examples of the toner adhesion preventing material include, but are not limited to, PTFE (tetrafluoroethylene resin: Teflon (registered trademark of DuPont)), hard alumite, and silicone resin. Means for forming the layer include, but are not limited to, coating, thermal spraying, and the like.
[0018]
It is also preferable to provide a cleaning means for cleaning a surface of the rolling element that comes into contact with the continuous paper. The toner is removed by the cleaning means, and the continuous paper is not stained. The cleaning means includes a blade that comes into contact with the surface of the rolling element that comes into contact with the continuous paper and scrapes off toner attached to the surface of the rolling element that comes into contact with the continuous paper, and a blade that contacts the continuous paper of the rolling element. There is, but is not limited to, felt or the like that abuts the surface to be cleaned and wipes off toner attached to the surface of the rolling element that comes into contact with the continuous paper.
[0019]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first printer for forming an image on one side of a continuous sheet, and an image on the other side of the continuous sheet having an image formed on one side by the first printer. A two-sided printer having a second printer, wherein the flash fixing device is provided in the second printer, emits a flash lamp, and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat. A roller which contacts a surface of the continuous paper on which an image is formed by the first printer and rotates with the movement of the continuous paper. .
[0020]
Even if the toner of the image formed by the first printer adheres to the surface of the rolling means, the rolling means rotates with the movement of the continuous paper, so that the adhered toner does not grow even when the print amount increases. . Therefore, the continuous paper is not stained.
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0022]
First, a duplex printer provided with the flash fixing device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 4, the duplex printer 101 includes a first printer 103 that forms an image on one side of a continuous sheet, and another side of the continuous sheet on which an image is formed on one side by the first printer 103. And a second printer 105 for forming an image on the surface.
[0024]
Between the first printer 103 and the second printer 105, there are provided an accumulator 107 for absorbing a difference in processing speed between the first printer 103 and the second printer 105, and a sheet reversing device 109 for reversing a continuous sheet. Has been.
[0025]
The first printer 103 will be described with reference to FIG. 5, and the second printer 105 will be described with reference to FIG. Since the first printer 103 and the second printer 105 have the same structure, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.
[0026]
In FIG. 5, a folded continuous sheet 113 is set in a sheet feeding unit 111 in the first printer 103. Around the photoconductor drum 115, a charging unit 117 that uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor drum 115, and an exposure unit that is operated based on image data and that exposes the photoconductor drum 115 to form a latent image 119, a developing unit 121 that reversely develops the latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 115 to form a toner image, a transfer unit 123 that transfers the toner image onto one surface of the continuous paper 113, and a photoconductor after the transfer process is completed. A cleaner 125 for cleaning the body drum 115 is provided.
[0027]
A control unit 127 including a power supply, an electric circuit board, and the like is provided below the photoconductor drum 115.
[0028]
The continuous paper 113 on which the toner image is formed on one surface by the transfer unit 123 is fixed to the toner image by a flash fixing device 201 described later, and is discharged out of the device.
[0029]
The continuous paper 113 discharged from the first printer 103 reaches the paper reversing device 109 via the accumulator 107. Here, the continuous paper 113 is turned upside down and enters the second printer 105 (see FIG. 4).
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 6, the continuous paper 113 passes through the lower part of the control unit 127 of the second printer 105 and reaches the paper supply unit 111. Then, through the same process as the first printer 103, a toner image is formed on the other surface of the continuous paper 113, and the toner image is fixed by the flash fixing device 201, and the toner image is formed on the stacker 131 in the second printer 105. It is folded and stacked.
[0031]
Next, the flash fixing device 201 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in the figure, a frame 205 is provided on the surface of the continuous paper 113 on which the toner image to be fixed is formed (the upper surface in the present embodiment). A transparent glass 207 is provided on a surface of the frame 205 facing the continuous paper 3, and the frame 205 has a substantially closed structure. Four flash lamps 209 are provided in the frame 205, and two reflecting mirrors 211 for reflecting light from the flash lamps 209 in the direction of the continuous paper 113 via the glass 207 are provided in the frame 205. Is provided. The glass 207 is provided so that the cooling wind of the flash lamp 209 does not hinder the conveyance of the continuous paper 223 and further transmits the light from the flash lamp 209 toward the continuous paper 113.
[0032]
Further, when the toner image on the continuous paper 203 is fixed by the flash lamp 209, the gas evaporates. In order to recover this gas, an intake duct 212 and an intake duct 213 are provided behind the frame 205 so as to sandwich the continuous paper 113.
[0033]
When the surface of the continuous paper 113 on which the toner image is formed comes into contact with the glass 207 of the frame 205, the printing surface is soiled. Therefore, the air balance between the intake duct 212 and the intake duct 213 is determined by the following. 207 is set so as not to touch.
[0034]
If the continuous paper 113 is too far from the flash lamp 209, the fixing efficiency deteriorates. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the continuous paper 113 can come into contact with the surface of the continuous paper 113 opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed. Then, a plurality of rollers 221 are provided that rotate with the movement of the continuous paper 113.
[0035]
In addition, in the flash fixing device 201 of the present embodiment, a guide 215 that guides the leading end of the continuous paper 113 when the continuous paper 113 is automatically loaded is provided in addition to the roller 221.
[0036]
Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the surface of the roller 221 is coated with PTFE as a toner adhesion preventing material, and a PTFE layer 221a is formed.
[0037]
According to the flash fixing device 201 having such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The surface of the continuous paper 3 on which the toner image has already been fixed (the surface on which the image is formed by the first printer 103: the lower surface of the continuous paper 113 in FIG. 2) contacts the roller 221 and the toner adheres to the roller 221. However, since the roller 221 rotates with the movement of the continuous paper 113, the attached toner does not grow even when the print amount increases. Therefore, the continuous paper 113 is not stained.
(2) Since the PTFE layer 221a is formed on the surface of the roller 221, toner does not easily adhere to the roller 221 and the continuous paper 113 is not stained.
[0038]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the roller 221 is used as a rolling element. However, as shown in FIG. 8, a rolling element including a roller 321, a roller 323, a roller 321 and a belt 325 wound around the roller 323 is used. There may be.
[0039]
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a blade 222 may be provided which comes into contact with the surface of the roller 221 and scrapes off the toner adhered to the surface of the roller 221.
[0040]
In the above-described embodiment, the first printer 103 and the second printer 105 are provided with the flash fixing device 201 having the same configuration. However, the first printer 103 has a conventional fixed guide as shown in FIG. Only a flash fixing device may be provided.
[0041]
(Supplementary Note 1) In a flash fixing device that emits a flash lamp and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat,
Rolling means is provided at a portion facing the flash lamp so as to come into contact with the surface of the continuous paper opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed, and to rotate with the movement of the continuous paper. Flash fixing device.
[0042]
(Supplementary Note 2) The flash fixing device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein a layer made of a toner adhesion preventing material is formed on a surface of the rolling unit that contacts the continuous paper.
[0043]
(Supplementary Note 3) The flash fixing device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, further comprising a cleaning unit that cleans a surface of the rolling unit that contacts the continuous sheet.
[0044]
(Supplementary Note 4) The flash fixing device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, wherein the rolling unit is one of a belt and a plurality of rollers.
[0045]
(Supplementary Note 5) A first printer that forms an image on one surface of the continuous paper, and a second printer that forms an image on the other surface of the continuous paper on which one image is formed by the first printer In a two-sided printer device having
A flash fixing device provided in the second printer, which emits a flash lamp and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat,
A double-sided printer provided with rolling means for contacting the surface of the continuous paper on which the image is formed by the first printer and rotating with the movement of the continuous paper at a portion facing the flash lamp. apparatus.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the surface of the continuous paper on which the toner image has already been fixed contacts the rolling means and the toner adheres to the rolling means, Since the paper is rotated by the movement of the continuous paper, the attached toner does not grow even when the print amount increases. Therefore, the continuous paper is not stained.
[0047]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, since a layer made of a toner adhesion preventing material is formed on the surface of the rolling means that contacts the continuous paper, toner is applied to the surface of the rolling means that contacts the continuous paper. Adhesion is difficult and continuous paper is not stained.
[0048]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, even if the toner of the image formed by the first printer adheres to the surface of the rolling means, the rolling means rotates with the movement of the continuous paper, so that the printing amount Even if the amount of toner increases, the attached toner does not grow.
[0049]
Therefore, the continuous paper is not stained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the invention according to claim 1;
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a flash fixing device of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a roller and a guide of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a double-sided printer device provided with the flash fixing device shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a first printer of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a second printer of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the roller of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a conventional flash fixing device.
[Explanation of symbols]
51 Flash fixing device 53 Flash lamp 55 Continuous paper 57 Roller (rolling element)

Claims (3)

In a flash fixing device that emits a flash lamp and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat,
Rolling means is provided at a portion facing the flash lamp so as to come into contact with the surface of the continuous paper opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed, and to rotate with the movement of the continuous paper. Flash fixing device. 2. The flash fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a layer made of a toner adhesion preventing material is formed on a surface of the rolling unit that contacts the continuous paper. A double-sided printer including a first printer that forms an image on one side of a continuous sheet, and a second printer that forms an image on the other side of the continuous sheet on which one side has been formed by the first printer In the device,
A flash fixing device provided in the second printer, which emits a flash lamp and fixes a toner image formed on continuous paper by radiant heat,
A double-sided printer provided with rolling means for contacting the surface of the continuous paper on which the image is formed by the first printer and rotating with the movement of the continuous paper at a portion facing the flash lamp. apparatus.

Images