JP2005056738A - Heating device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent temperature drop by an integrated member of a film guide member and a heating element (hereinafter called as a heating guide member) in the on-demand fixing system. <P>SOLUTION: The heating guide member of a conventional on-demand fixing system has a heat resistant liquid crystal polymer and a linear heating element formed integrally and the heating element is arranged at a nip part side only where a transfer material passes, therefore heat is radiated from the guide rib part, resulting in temperature drop. In this heating device and the image forming device, a plurality of layers of heating elements are provided at the nip part, thereby preventing temperature drop, and the improvement of heat efficiency and fixation performance and stability of temperature condition or the like can be realized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is a film heating method in which a heated material is closely attached to a heated body via a heat resistant film, and the heated body and the heat resistant film are moved relative to each other to apply the heat of the heated body to the heated material via the heat resistant film. The present invention relates to a heating device of the type. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus provided with the heating device as an image heating device.

  The film heating type heating apparatus as described above has been proposed in, for example, Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 12 below, and includes copying machines, laser beam printers, facsimiles, microfilm reader printers, and image displays. In an image forming apparatus such as a (display) apparatus or a recording machine, an image forming process using an image forming process means such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording, or magnetic recording as an image support using toner made of heat-meltable resin or the like. An unfixed toner image corresponding to the target image information (directly or indirectly (transfer)) formed on the surface of the recording material (electrofax sheet, electrostatic recording sheet, transfer material sheet, printing paper, etc.) Used as an image heating stationary device that heats and fixes a fixed image as a permanently fixed image on the surface of the recording material carrying the image. Kill.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the fixing device, and can be widely used as a means / device for heat-treating a material to be heated, such as a device for modifying a surface property by heating a recording material carrying an image, or a device for assumed wearing.

  Film heating type heating devices are compared with other known heating roller methods, hot plate methods, belt heating methods, flash heating methods, open heating methods, and other heating devices or image heating fixing devices. Low heat capacity linear heating element can be used as the body, and thin film with a low heat capacity can be used as the film, enabling power saving and shortening the wait time (quick start), and suppressing temperature rise in the machine. 2) In the image heating and fixing device, since the fixing point and the separation point can be set separately, offset can be prevented, and other various advantages of other type devices can be solved. Is something.

(Conventional example 1)
FIG. 5A is a transverse cross-sectional model view of an example (image heating device) of a film heating type heating device, and FIG. 5B is a partially cutaway plan model view of a heating body omitted in the middle. The apparatus of this example is a heating apparatus of a so-called tensionless type film heating system disclosed in Patent Document 3 to Patent Document 11, Patent Document 12 to Patent Document 16, and the like, using a cylindrical endless film as a heat-resistant film, At least a part of the circumference of the film is always tension-free (a state in which no tension is applied), and the film is driven to rotate by the rotational driving force of a pressure roller as a pressure rotation member.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes a holder for heat-insulating and supporting a heating body 30 to be described later, and is a substantially semicircular arc-shaped laterally long member having an upward cross section, and a stay (hereinafter referred to as a stay) as a guide member on the inner surface of the film and a reinforcing member of the apparatus. Doubles as

  The heating element 30 is a horizontally long linear heating element having a low heat capacity, and is fitted into a groove 10a provided along the length on the outer lower surface of the stay 10 to be fixed and supported.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a cylindrical heat-resistant film that is externally fitted to the stay 10 including the heating body 30. The inner peripheral length of the cylindrical heat-resistant film 2 and the outer peripheral length of the stay 10 including the heating body 30 are, for example, about 3 mm larger than the film 2. On the other hand, the outer circumference is loosely fitted with a margin.

  Reference numeral 7 denotes a flange member that receives the film end portions disposed at the left and right end portions of the stay 10 as means for restricting movement of the film 2.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a pressure roller as a pressure rotating body that forms a pressure nip portion (fixing nip portion) N with the film 2 sandwiched between the heating body 30 and rotationally drives the film 2, and includes a metal shaft 8a and The heat-resistant rubber layer 8b having good releasability, such as silicon rubber, is arranged in such a manner that the film 2 is sandwiched with a predetermined pressing force by a bearing means / biasing means (not shown) and pressed against the surface of the heating element 30. It is. Then, a rotational driving force is transmitted by the driving means M via a power transmission system (not shown) and is driven to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow.

  A rotational force acts on the film 2 due to the frictional force between the roller 8 and the outer surface of the film 2 by the rotational driving of the pressure roller 8 (when the recording material P is introduced into the pressure nip N, the heated material P The film 2 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction a indicated by the arrow while the film 2 is pressed against and slides on the surface of the heating body 30. The stay 10 also serving as a film inner surface guide member facilitates the rotation of the film 2. In order to reduce the sliding resistance between the inner surface of the film 2 and the surface of the heating body 30, a small amount of a lubricant such as heat resistant grease is preferably interposed between the two.

  The stay 10 is made of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PAI (polyamideimide), PI (polyimide), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), liquid crystal polymer and other high heat resistant resins, and these resins and ceramics, metals, glass, etc. It can be composed of composite materials.

  The heating body 30 includes a heat-resistant film 2 or an elongated heat-resistant / insulating / high-heat-conducting heater substrate 31 whose longitudinal direction is the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction a of the recording material P as the heated material, The energization heating resistor 4 formed along the length of the substrate is formed at the center of the surface side of the surface 31 along the length of the substrate. The feeding electrodes 41 and 41 at both ends of the energization heating resistor 4 are formed. The heat-resistant overcoat layer 50 that protects the surface of the heated body 30 and the temperature detection element 6 such as a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the heated body provided on the back side of the substrate 31 are linear heating with a low heat capacity overall. Body (ceramic heater).

  The heating element 30 is fixedly disposed on the lower surface of the heat-resistant and heat-insulating stay 10 as described above with the surface side on which the energization heating resistor 4 is formed exposed downward.

  The heater substrate 31 is, for example, ceramic having a thickness of 1 mm, a width of 10 mm, and a length of 240 mm, such as alumina or aluminum nitride.

  The energization heating resistor 4 is formed by, for example, applying an electric resistance material such as Ag / Pd (silver palladium), RuO2, and Ta2N to a linear or narrow strip having a thickness of about 10 μm and a width of 1 to 3 mm by screen printing or the like. Formed.

  The feeding electrodes 41 and 41 are screen printing pattern layers such as Ag.

The overcoat layer 5 is a heat-resistant glass layer having a thickness of about 10 μm, for example.
The heating element 30 is heated quickly by the energization heating resistor 4 generating heat over the entire length by feeding power to both end electrodes 41, 41 of the energization heating resistor 4, and the temperature rise is detected by the temperature detection element 6. Then, it is fed back to a control system (not shown), and energization of the heating resistor 4 is controlled so that the temperature of the temperature detection element 6 is maintained at a predetermined set temperature during image heating.

  Film 2 has a heat resistance, releasability, strength, durability, and flexibility in a film thickness of 100 μm or less, preferably 60 μm or less and 20 μm or more in order to reduce heat capacity and improve quick start performance. Alternatively, a composite layer film can be used. For example, it is a single layer film such as PTFE, PFA, FEP or the like, or a composite layer film obtained by coating PTFE, PFA, FEP or the like on the outer peripheral surface of a film such as polyimide, polyamideimide, PEEK, PES, PPS or the like.

  An unfixed visible image (toner image) T to be fixed based on pressing of a copy button of this machine such as a copying machine or a print command signal or from an image forming process means (not shown) to the image heating apparatus is fixed. Based on a signal when the tip of the supported recording material P is detected by a sensor (not shown) disposed on the front side of the apparatus, the rotation of the pressure roller 8 is started, and the heating body 30 Heat up starts.

  The fixing nip formed by the heating body 30 and the pressure roller 8 with the film 2 sandwiched in a state where the rotational peripheral speed of the film 2 is stabilized by the rotation of the pressure roller 8 and the temperature of the heating body 30 rises to a predetermined level. A recording material P to be image-fixed as a material to be heated is introduced between the film 2 of the portion N and the pressure roller 8, and the film 2 is nipped and conveyed together with the fixing nip portion N of the heating body 30. Heat is applied to the recording material P through the film 2 and the unfixed visible image T on the recording material P is heated and fixed on the surface of the recording material P. The recording material P that has passed through the fixing nip N is separated from the surface of the film 2 and conveyed.

  The tension-less type film heating type apparatus of this example has a fixing nip portion N in the film rotation driving state, and a contact portion region between the stay outer surface portion upstream of the fixing nip portion N in the film rotating direction and the film 2. Tension acts only on the film portion, and tension does not act on the remaining most film portion. Therefore, the shift movement force along the stay length of the film 2 in the film rotation driving state is small, and the shift movement restricting means or the film shift control means of the film 2 can be simplified. For example, the shift movement restricting means for the film 2 can be as simple as the flange member 7 for receiving the film end, and the film shift control means can be omitted to reduce the cost and size of the apparatus. .

(Conventional example 1-1)
In Patent Document 17, the guide member is made of a highly durable ceramic such as alumina, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride or the like for the purpose of eliminating the labor of bonding and assembling the heating body and the film guide member as in Conventional Example 1. For example, by applying an electric resistance material such as Ag / Pd on the guide member by screen printing or the like. A coating layer is formed.

  However, in the conventional example 1-1, since the heating body 30 and the stay 10 also serving as a film guide member that supports the heating body 30 are separate members, (1) the assembly of the heating body 30 and the stay 10 is bonded. Since it is necessary, the manufacturing process takes time. (2) Adhesive strength is insufficient, and the heating body 30 may peel off from the stay 10. There were disadvantages such as.

(Conventional example 2)
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heating apparatus (image heating apparatus) of Conventional Example 2 corresponding to the above determination. Constituent members / portions common to the apparatus shown in FIG.

  Produced by encapsulating a heating element in a film guide member, and by making the heating element and the film guide member an integrated structure, there is no bonding assembly process for both members, and there is no complicated heating element molding process It was possible to obtain an effect that facilitates.

  Reference numeral 60 denotes a heating guide member which is configured by integrating a heating body and a film guide member, and is a heating body itself, which is also a film guide member, and also serves as a base material for the apparatus. Hereinafter, this is referred to as a fixing stay. The fixing stay 60 is basically composed of a stay main body 60A and an energization heating resistor 5 directly formed on the stay main body 60A.

  The energizing heat generating resistor 5 is formed and encapsulated in the stay main body 60A by enclosing an electric resistance material such as nichrome along the longitudinal direction.

As described above, the heating element is enclosed in the film guide member, and the heating element and the film guide member are integrated into a combined structure (heating guide member), thereby reducing the number of parts of the device and simplifying the device configuration. In addition, the process of screen-printing a complicated heat generation pattern on the guide member can be eliminated, and the manufacture of the heating element can be facilitated.
JP-A-63-313182 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-157878 JP-A-4-44075 JP-A-4-44076 JP-A-4-44077 JP-A-4-44078 JP-A-4-44079 JP-A-4-44080 JP-A-4-44081 JP-A-4-44082 JP-A-4-44083 JP-A-4-204980 JP-A-4-204981 JP-A-4-204982 JP-A-4-204983 JP-A-4-204984 JP-A-6-337602

  However, in Conventional Example 2, since the energization heating resistor 5 is disposed only in the vicinity of the fixing nip N, (1) the heat escapes to the side of the anti-fixing nip and the thermal efficiency is poor. (2) When the material to be heated is nipped and conveyed to the fixing nip N at a high speed, the temperature of the energization heating resistor 5 is likely to decrease. There are disadvantages such as.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned problems, and prevents a temperature drop due to a member (hereinafter referred to as a heating guide member) in which a film guide member and a heating body are integrated by an on-demand fixing method. An object of the present invention is to provide a heating device and an image forming apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises the following configurations (1) to (3).

(1) A heating apparatus of a type in which a heated material is closely attached to a heated body via a heat resistant film, and heat of the heated body is applied to the heated material via the heat resistant film, and the guide member of the heat resistant film is provided In a heating apparatus having a heating guide member in which the heating body and the guide member are integrated,
The heating element is a linear heating resistor, and the heating element is arranged near the nip where the material to be heated comes into contact with the heat-resistant film and arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction inside the heating guide member. Heating device characterized.

  (2) The heating apparatus according to (1), wherein the heating guide member is formed by pouring a heat-resistant resin into a mold in which a heating resistor is arranged in advance.

  (3) Image heating for heating the image on the recording material from the image forming means side with the image forming means for forming an image on the heated material and the image heating apparatus according to (1) or (2) above. An image forming apparatus provided as an apparatus.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the heating device of the film heating method is manufactured by enclosing the heating element in a plurality of stages in the film guide member, and by making the heating body and the film guide member into an integrated structure, With an easy manufacturing method, a heat insulating effect and a stable heat supply can be realized, and predetermined purposes such as improvement of quick start property and prevention of temperature drop due to high-speed pinching and conveyance of heated paper can be achieved.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below based on an embodiment with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating device (image heating device) of this embodiment. (B) is a cross-sectional model figure of the heating body of the heating apparatus (image heating apparatus) of a present Example. Constituent members / portions common to the apparatus shown in FIGS.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes a heating guide member which is formed by integrating a heating body and a film guide member, and is a heating body itself, which is also a film guide member, and also serves as a base material for the apparatus. Hereinafter, this is referred to as a fixing stay. The fixing stay 1 includes a stay main body 1A and energization heating resistors 5b and 5a directly formed on the stay main body 1A.

  The stay main body 1A is a substantially semicircular arc-shaped laterally long member having an upward cross section similar to the fixing stay 60 of the apparatus of FIG. 6, and functions as an inner surface guide member of the film 2, a reinforcing member of the apparatus, and a heating body. The stay main body 1A is made of PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PAI (polyamideimide), PI (polyimide), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), liquid crystal polymer, or the like as its material. It is formed.

  The energization heating resistors 5a and 5b are formed and encapsulated in an electrical resistance material such as nichrome along the length inside the stay main body 1A.

  In the energization heating resistor 5b, the heated material is arranged in a line at a distance d3 from the end surface of the stay main body 1A of the fixing nip N. The energization heating resistors 5a are arranged in a line between the energization heating resistors 5b and the temperature detection element 6 with a distance of d2 and d1, respectively. The intervals between the energizing heat generating resistors are set as d5b for the energizing heat generating resistor 5b and d5a for the energizing heat generating resistor 5a. In addition, an angle formed by a line connecting the centers of the energization heating resistor 5a and the energization heating resistor 5b is θ.

  FIG. 7 shows the temperature transition of the energization heating resistors 5a and 5b when power is supplied to the heating element from room temperature. Generally, the greater the gradient of the temperature transition of the energization heating resistor from normal temperature, the quick start performance is improved and the convenience is improved.

  In this experiment, the measurement of three patterns of the energization heating resistor 5b only (pattern B), 5a only (pattern A), and the combination pattern C of 5a and 5b was performed. The conditions are a low-temperature and low-humidity environment, and the power per one heating resistor is 100 W. The temperature was measured near the fixing nip N with a thermocouple. In this experiment, the distance d3 between the end surface of the stay main body 1A on the fixing nip portion N side and the center of the energization heating resistor 5b, the distance d2 between the center of the energization heating resistor 5b and the center of the energization heating resistor 5a, and the energization heating resistance. The distance d1 between the center of the body 5a and the end surface of the stay main body 1A on the temperature detection element 6 side is all arranged at an interval of about 3 mm. The energization heating resistor 5a has three diameters of 3 mm, the energization heating resistor 5b has four diameters of 4 mm, and an angle θ formed by a line connecting the centers of the energization heating resistors 5a and 5b is 60 °. It is arranged. The intervals d5a and d5b between the energization heating resistors were 4 mm.

  As a result, the pattern A reaches a predetermined temperature of 140 ° C. about 36 seconds after the start of power supply, whereas the pattern B takes about 24 seconds. Conventionally, in order to improve the quick start property, the energization heating resistor is generally arranged in the vicinity of the fixing nip portion N like the pattern B. On the other hand, the pattern C in which the energization heating resistor has a two-stage configuration reaches a predetermined temperature in about 2/3 time compared to the pattern B. This is because the normal heating element 5a of the pattern C plays two roles of blocking the heat radiation from the normal heating element 5b to the non-nip side and supplying the amount of heat to the nip portion N side. Therefore, it can be said that the quick start property is improved by using the pattern C having the two-stage energization heating resistor.

  FIG. 8 shows the temperature transition of the heating body when the material to be heated is nipped and conveyed to the fixing nip portion N. In general, when the heated material P is nipped and conveyed through the fixing nip portion N, the amount of heat of the heated body is deprived by the heated material P, and the temperature of the heated body decreases. Then, for example, when a developer or the like is applied on the heated material P, the developer cannot be fixed on the heated material P. Therefore, the temperature detection element 6 is controlled to give a sufficient amount of heat so that the temperature of the heating body does not decrease. However, when the material to be heated P is passed at high speed, or when the heat capacity of the material to be heated P such as cardboard is large, there are cases where the amount of heat supplied is insufficient. Generally, the current situation is that the material is handled by reducing the narrow conveyance speed of the material to be heated (hereinafter referred to as a down sequence). In the down sequence, since the material to be heated is not nipped and conveyed at a normal speed, the productivity is lowered and the user is uncomfortable.

  The experiment of FIG. 8 was carried out only in the same environment and the same conditions as in FIG. 7 except for pattern B (energized heating resistor only in the vicinity of the fixing nip) and pattern C (two conductive heating resistors installed). A predetermined temperature (140 ° C.) is maintained for 10 minutes, and the material to be heated P (A4) is passed between the pressure roller 8 and the heat resistant film 2 at a constant interval and at a constant speed (rotation speed: 200 mm / s), The temperature was measured.

  As a result, in the case of pattern B, it takes 8 seconds to decrease by about 10 ° C. On the other hand, in Pattern C, it is maintained at 130 ° C. or higher (= initial temperature (140) −temperature drop 10 ° C.) for about 24 times that is about three times. That is, it can be seen that the pattern B has a significant temperature drop because the supply of heat from the energization heating resistor to the heated material P cannot catch up. When the power consumption per unit time of the pattern C and the pattern B is calculated, the pattern C consumes about 1.5 times as much power as the pattern B in terms of the diameter and number of energization heating resistors. Although the power consumption is 1.5 times, the effect on the time until falling into the down sequence is about 3 times. This is because the heat radiation from the energization heating resistor in the vicinity of the fixing nip N is cut off and a sufficient amount of heat is supplied. Moreover, when it arrange | positions closely in the nip part vicinity, supply of calorie | heat amount can fully be covered. However, since the heat radiation toward the anti-fixing nip portion N increases, the effect on the temperature reduction with respect to the power consumption decreases, and it is apparent that the thermal efficiency is very poor.

  In the case C in the experiment, the interval between the energization heating resistors 5a and the interval between the energization heating resistors 5b were fixed. However, the interval between the energization heating resistors 5a on the anti-fixing nip N side is set smaller than that of the energization heating resistors 5b on the fixing nip N side, thereby further preventing heat dissipation from the energization heating resistors 5b. And heat can be efficiently supplied to the nip portion through which the transfer material passes.

  The fixing stay 1 is energized between both ends of the energization heating resistors 5a and 5b, so that the energization heating resistors 5a and 5b generate heat over the entire length. Function as.

  The detection temperature of the temperature detection element 6 is fed back to a control circuit (not shown), and energization of the energization heating resistors 5a and 5b is performed so that the detection temperature of the temperature detection element 6 is maintained at a predetermined set temperature during image heating. Is controlled.

  As described above, the heating element is enclosed in a plurality of stages in the film guide member, and the combined structure (heating guide member) 1 in which the heating body and the film guide member are integrated makes the process easy and wasteful. By interrupting heat dissipation and supplying a sufficient amount of heat, quick start performance can be improved, and the wait time due to temperature drop can be shortened.

  The specific numerical values described in this embodiment are merely examples, and it is desirable to derive optimum conditions in each case.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of the fixing stay 1 in the second embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the fixing stay 1 manufactured in the second embodiment. 203 is a mold for forming the fixing stay 1, and PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PAI (polyamideimide), PI (polyimide), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), liquid crystal polymer, etc. from the injection nozzle 202 to the mold 203. Then, the fixing stay 1 is formed.

  At that time, a linear current-carrying resistance heating element 201 such as nichrome is arranged in the mold 203 in advance along the longitudinal direction, and the aforementioned high heat resistance resin is poured into the mold 203. Thereafter, cooling is performed, and the mold 203 is removed when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, whereby the fixing stay 1 in which the energization resistance heating element 201 is enclosed is formed as shown in FIG.

  As a result, the heating body and the film guide, which were conventionally separate, are integrally molded, and the stay can be removed without performing a process of screen printing a complicated heat generation pattern or overcoat layer on the fixing stay 1. Can be molded.

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of an example of an image forming apparatus incorporating an image heating apparatus A as a film heating type heating apparatus according to the present invention as shown in the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus of this example is an electrophotographic copying apparatus of a platen reciprocating type, a rotating drum type, a transfer type, and a process cartridge attaching / detaching type.

  Reference numeral 100 denotes an apparatus machine 101, 101 denotes a reciprocating type document placing table made of a transparent plate member such as a glass plate disposed on an upper surface plate 102 of the apparatus machine 100. Reciprocally driven to the right a and left a ′ at a predetermined speed.

  G is a document, which is set by placing it on the upper surface of the document placing table 101 according to a predetermined placement standard with the image surface side to be copied facing down, and placing the document crimping plate 103 thereon and pressing it down. .

  Reference numeral 104 denotes a slit opening serving as a document illuminating unit that is opened on the surface of the machine upper surface plate 102 with a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the document placing table 101 (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface) as a longitudinal direction.

  The downward image surface of the document G placed and set on the document table 101 passes through the position of the slit opening 104 sequentially from the right side to the left side in the forward movement process of the document table 101 to the right side a. In the course of the passage, the light L of the lamp 105 is received and scanned through the slit opening 104 and the transparent document table 101, and the reflected light on the document surface of the scanned illumination light is applied to the surface of the photosensitive drum 107 by the image element array 106. Imaging exposure is performed.

  The photosensitive drum 107 is coated with a photosensitive layer such as a zinc oxide photosensitive layer or an organic semiconductor photosensitive layer, and is driven to rotate in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow b at a predetermined peripheral speed around the central support shaft 108. The charger 109 was subjected to uniform positive or negative charging treatment, and the uniform charged surface was subjected to imaging exposure (slit exposure) of the original image, whereby the photosensitive drum 107 surface was subjected to imaging exposure. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the document image is sequentially formed.

  The electrostatic latent image is successively visualized with toner made of resin or the like that is softened and melted by heating by the developing device 110, and the toner image as the visualized image is transferred to an arrangement site of the transfer discharger 111 as a transfer portion. I will do it.

  S is a cassette in which transfer material sheets P as recording materials are stacked and stored. The sheet P in the cassette S is fed and fed to one sheet by the rotation of the feeding roller 112, and then the drum 107 is moved by the registration roller 113. When the leading edge of the upper toner image forming portion reaches the site of the transfer discharger 111, the leading edge of the transfer material sheet P has just reached the position between the transfer discharger 111 and the photosensitive drum 107 and is timed so that both coincide with each other. And is fed synchronously.

  Then, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 107 side is sequentially transferred onto the surface of the feeding sheet by the transfer discharger 111.

  The sheet that has received the toner image transfer at the transfer unit is sequentially separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 107 by a separation unit (not shown), and is guided to the fixing device A by the conveying device 114 to heat the unfixed toner image carried thereon. Upon receiving the fixing, the sheet is discharged as an image formed product (copy) through a discharge roller 116 onto a discharge tray 117 outside the apparatus.

  After the image transfer, the surface of the photosensitive drum 107 is repeatedly used for image formation after being subjected to removal of adhering contaminants such as transfer residual toner by the cleaning device 118.

  The PC is a process cartridge that is attached to and detached from a cartridge attaching / detaching unit 120 in the apparatus main body 100. In this example, the photosensitive drum 107, the charging device 109, the developing device 110, and the cleaning device 118 serving as an image carrier. It is possible to attach and detach and replace the apparatus main body 100 in a lump with the devices included.

(A) Cross-sectional view of the heating device of Example 1, (b) Cross-sectional view of the heating element of the heating device of Example 1. Production method schematic of Example 2 Schematic of the stay manufactured according to Example 2 Schematic of the image forming apparatus of Example 3 (A) Sectional view of the apparatus of Conventional Example 1 of the heating apparatus of the film heating system, (b) Omitted part of the heating body, partially cutaway plan view Sectional drawing of the apparatus of the prior art example 2 of the easy manufacturing film heating type heating apparatus The figure which shows the temperature transition (at the time of normal temperature) of the heating apparatus of Example 1. The figure which shows the temperature transition (at the time of temperature stabilization) of the heating apparatus of Example 1.

Explanation of symbols

A Fixing device G Document L Light M Driving means N Fixing nip P Recording material (heated material, transfer material sheet)
PC process cartridge S Cassette 1 Heating guide member (fixing stay)
1A stay main body 2 heat resistant film 4 energization heating resistor 5, 5a, 5b energization heating resistor 6 temperature detection element 7 film end regulating flange (flange member)
8 Pressure roller 8a Metal shaft 8b Heat-resistant rubber layer 10 Stay 10a Groove 30 Heating body 31 Heater substrate 41 Power supply electrode 50 Heat-resistant overcoat layer 60 Fixing stay 60A Stay main body 100 Image forming apparatus machine housing (apparatus body)
101 Document Placement Table 102 Machine Housing Top Plate 103 Document Crimping Plate 104 Slit Opening (Document Illumination Unit)
105 Lamp 106 Image Element Array 107 Photosensitive Drum 108 Central Axis 109 Charger 110 Developer 111 Transfer Discharger 112 Feed Roller 113 Registration Roller 114 Conveying Device 116 Discharge Roller 117 Discharge Tray 118 Cleaning Device 120 Cartridge Removable Unit 201 Current Resistance Heating Body 202 Injection nozzle 203 type

Claims (3)

It is a heating device of a system in which a material to be heated is closely attached to a heating body via a heat resistant film, and heat of the heating body is applied to the material to be heated via a heat resistant film, and has a guide member for the heat resistant film, In the heating apparatus having a heating guide member in which the heating body and the guide member are integrated,
The heating element is a linear heating resistor, and the heating element is arranged near the nip where the material to be heated comes into contact with the heat-resistant film and arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction inside the heating guide member. Heating device characterized.   The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating guide member is formed by pouring a heat-resistant resin into a mold in which a heating resistor is previously arranged.   3. An image forming unit that forms an image on a heated material; and the image heating device according to claim 1 or 2 as an image heating device that heats an image on the recording material from the image forming unit side. An image forming apparatus.

Images