JP2016170199A - Regenerating method of image heating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reuse a belt 23 which has not reached an end of a service life in a belt heating type image heating device 18.SOLUTION: A regeneration method includes the steps of: inverting one end side and the other end side of a removed belt by comparing a state before removing the belt; and installing again the belt to a device to use the belt.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for reproducing an image heating apparatus suitable for use as a fixing device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic system.

  The image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material by using an image forming process such as an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, or a magnetic recording method. For example, a copying machine, a printer, a FAX, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of these functions is included. The recording material is an image on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus, and includes, for example, paper, an OHT sheet (resin sheet), and the like.

  As an image heating device, a fixing device that heats and fixes an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material as a fixed image on the recording material, or a toner image that is assumed to be fixed on the recording material or a toner image that has been heat-fixed once is heated again. Examples thereof include an image quality reforming device that improves the glossiness by applying pressure. The following will be described as a fixing device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a fixing device having the following configuration. Temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature distribution in the longitudinal direction of the heating resistor by cooling or heating based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means. The temperature adjusting means is composed of air blowing means for the fixing film (belt), and the air blowing means is located on a non-sheet passing portion region that does not contact a recording material (hereinafter referred to as paper) on the surface of the fixing film. It arrange | positions so that fixed quantity ventilation may be performed.

  The temperature control means causes the temperature adjustment means to cool or heat so as to form a temperature gradient in the longitudinal direction on the heating resistor or the fixing film at an appropriate timing. The fixing film is moved in the longitudinal direction of the heating resistor by the temperature gradient of the heating resistor.

  Thus, the temperature rise in the non-sheet passing portion region is suppressed, and the occurrence of paper edge scraping at the fixing film portion in contact with the end portion of the sheet is suppressed. Even when paper with a small size width is continuously introduced, the temperature rise at the edge of the non-sheet passing area is suppressed, and high temperature offset occurs due to a decrease in releasability at the edge of the paper edge. Suppress.

JP 2011-136991 A

  However, in recent years, especially in emerging countries, cost is often regarded as important, and since there is a tendency to use a low-cost image forming apparatus that does not have a blowing means, it is impossible to take measures against paper edge scraping. In emerging countries, there are many models that have been recovered through processes such as disassembly, sorting, regeneration, and assembly of devices collected from the market, such as REM machines (devices that incorporate recycled and reused parts). Parts that wear out, such as rollers, that have not reached the end of their service life may be replaced with new ones when reused.

  For REM machines, it is important to reduce the environmental impact, to achieve the same quality as new products, as well as to reduce the price and profitability as a business. Is required to be reusable.

  However, in the fixing device, in the market, there are many belts (fixing films) that are collected without end of life.

  An object of the present invention is to allow such belt reuse.

  In order to achieve the above object, a typical configuration of a reproducing method for an image heating apparatus according to the present invention is an image heating apparatus that heats a recording material carrying an image while nipping and conveying the recording material at a nip portion. In an image heating apparatus that introduces a recording material into a central part by central reference conveyance, a rotatable endless belt, an inner member disposed inside the belt, and the inner member in contact with the inner belt At least one of the rotating body that forms the belt and the nip portion, and at least one of the inner member is detachably disposed on one end side and the other end side, and one end that restricts the movement of the belt in the width direction. And a belt regulating member on the other end side, and the center in the width direction of the recording material conveyance path in the nip portion is from a central position between the belt regulating member on the one end side and the belt regulating member on the other end side. The one end side A method of regenerating an image heating apparatus that is shifted to a belt regulating member side or a belt regulating member side on the other end side, wherein at least one of the belt regulating member on the one end side and the other end side is removed from the internal member Removing the belt from the internal member, before removing the removed belt, reversing one end side and the other end side and attaching the removed belt regulating member to the internal member Attaching to the member.

  In addition, another typical configuration of the reproducing method of the image heating apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is an image heating apparatus that heats a recording material carrying an image while being nipped and conveyed at a nip portion. In the image heating apparatus for introducing the recording material into the nip portion by one-side reference conveyance, a rotatable endless belt, an inner member disposed inside the belt, and the inner member sandwiching the belt And at least one of the inner member and one end side and the other end side of the inner member are detachably disposed to move the belt in the width direction. And a belt regulating member on one end side that regulates the other end, and a step of removing at least one of the belt regulating member on the one end side and the other end side from the internal member, Inside Removing the belt from the material, before removing the removed belt, reversing one end side and the other end side and attaching to the internal member, and attaching the removed belt regulating member to the internal member It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, the belt can be reused.

(A) is the figure which showed the state of the belt unit after the belt reversal replacement work in the fixing device of Example 1, (b) is a graph showing the amount of surface abrasion along the width direction of the belt. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an image forming apparatus in Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixing device. FIG. 3 is a front view of the fixing device (a surface viewed from the paper inlet side). FIG. 3 is a longitudinal front view of the fixing device. It is a disassembled perspective view of the one end side of a belt unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of the other end side of a belt unit. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of a fixing device. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the surface scraping associated with the device configuration of the fixing device and the durability of the belt. In the fixing device of Embodiment 1, it is an explanatory diagram of surface scraping accompanying the durability of the belt after the work of reversing the belt. 6 is a simplified block diagram of a control system of an image forming apparatus in Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an operation when the fixing device is reused. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method for taking out the fixing device. It is a figure which shows the taking-out method of a belt. It is a figure which shows the reattachment method of a belt. It is a figure which shows the example of the identification marking of the one end side and other end side of a belt. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for mounting a fixing device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Example 1
[Image forming apparatus]
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 1 is an intermediate transfer type, tandem four-color full-color electrophotographic laser printer, which can form a full-color toner image on a recording material P and print it out. The recording material P is a sheet-like recording medium on which a toner image (image) can be formed. Examples thereof include plain paper, glossy paper, resin sheet, cardboard, postcard, envelope, OHP sheet, printing paper / format paper, and the like. Hereinafter referred to as paper. The paper width (recording material width) is a paper size in a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction on the paper surface.

  The apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 has four image forming units (stations) U (UY, UM, UC, UK) arranged in parallel from the right side to the left side in the drawing. Each image forming unit U includes a photosensitive drum (hereinafter referred to as a drum) 3 as an image carrier, and a charging roller 4, a laser exposure device 5, and a developing device 6 as electrophotographic process means acting on the drum 3. A primary transfer roller 7, a cleaning device 8, and a pre-exposure device 9. Each drum 3 is driven to rotate at a predetermined peripheral speed in the clockwise direction indicated by an arrow R1.

  An intermediate transfer body unit 10 is disposed below the four image forming units U. The unit 10 has an endless belt 11 as an intermediate transfer member. The belt 11 is suspended from the right and left rollers 12 and 13 in the drawing, and is driven to rotate at a predetermined peripheral speed in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow R2.

  The primary transfer roller 7 of each image forming unit U is disposed inside the belt 11 and is in contact with the lower surface of the corresponding drum 3 via the belt 11. In each image forming unit U, a contact portion between the drum 3 and the belt 11 is a primary transfer unit Q1. The secondary transfer roller 17 is in contact with the right roller 12 via the belt 11. A contact portion between the secondary transfer roller 17 and the belt 11 is a secondary transfer portion Q2.

  Yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images (developer images) are formed on the drums 3 of the image forming units U, respectively. The Since the principle and process of forming a toner image by electrophotography are known, the description thereof is omitted. Then, the toner images of the four colors are sequentially superposed and primarily transferred from the drum 3 of each image forming unit U to the belt 11 in the primary transfer unit Q1. As a result, an unfixed full-color toner image is formed on the belt 11. This full-color toner image is continuously transferred onto the paper P by reaching the secondary transfer portion Q2 by the subsequent rotation of the belt 11.

  The sheet P is separated and fed from a sheet cassette 14 disposed below the unit 10 by driving a sheet feeding roller 15, and is moved upward by a vertical conveyance path 16 disposed on the right side inside the apparatus main body 2. It is conveyed and introduced into the secondary transfer portion Q2. Then, the sheet P that has received the secondary transfer of the toner image is conveyed upward in the vertical conveyance path 16 and introduced into a fixing device (fixing unit) 18 as an image heating device. An unfixed toner image is heated and pressurized by the fixing device 18 and fixed on the paper as a fixed image. The paper P exiting the fixing device 18 is discharged by a discharge roller 19 onto a tray 20 on the upper surface of the device as a full-color image formed product.

  In the case of a monochromatic image forming mode such as monochrome, only the image forming unit U necessary for the image forming operation performs the image forming operation, and the other image forming units U only perform the idle rotation of the drum 3 and do not perform the image forming operation. .

  In the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the conveyance of the paper P in the apparatus is performed by so-called central reference conveyance. In this paper conveyance, the center line in the width direction of the paper P is centered in the width direction of the paper conveyance path for any of the papers P that can be used (passable) in the apparatus (paper of any size). It is a form that passes the paper together.

[Fixing device]
The fixing device 18 in this embodiment is an image heating device of a belt (film) heating method and a pressure roller driving method (tensionless type). 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fixing device 18, FIG. 4 is a front view (a surface viewed from the paper inlet side), and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal front view. The fixing device 18 in the present embodiment is disposed with the front side facing downward with respect to the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, and the sheet P conveyed upward from the secondary transfer portion Q2 is a sheet back surface guide member ( Guided to the fixing device 18 from the bottom up. a is a paper conveyance direction (recording material conveyance direction).

  The fixing device 18 includes a cylindrical fixing belt (fixing member: hereinafter referred to as a belt) 23 as a rotatable endless belt that heats the paper P carrying the image t while being nipped and conveyed by the nip portion N. A belt unit 21. Further, a pressure roller (pressure member) 22 as a rotating body that forms the belt 23 and the nip portion N is provided. In addition, a fixing frame (apparatus housing) 30 that houses the belt unit 21 and the pressure roller 22 is provided.

(1) Belt Unit FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective schematic view of one end side of the belt unit 21, and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective schematic view of the other end side.

  The belt unit 21 includes the above-described belt 23 and a heater (heating body, heat source) 24, a heater holder 25, and a stay (reinforcing member) 26 as internal members (backup members) disposed inside the belt 23. Have. In addition, at least one of the stays 26 is detachably disposed on one end side and the other end side, and is arranged on one end side and the other end side for restricting the movement of the belt 23 in the width direction (longitudinal direction, bus line direction). It has fixing flanges 27 and 28 as belt regulating members.

  The belt 23 is a heat-resistant heat transfer member having a small heat capacity and flexibility, and has a substantially cylindrical shape due to its elasticity in a free state.

  The belt 23 of this embodiment is a metal belt having a thickness of 100 μm or less and having durability and high thermal conductivity in order to enable quick start. Further, a rubber layer is coated on the metal belt surface in order to suppress the occurrence of fixing failure due to the unevenness of the paper surface. The fixing performance is ensured by coating the rubber so that the belt surface follows the unevenness of the paper surface. In addition, in order to prevent offset and ensure separation of the paper, the surface layer of the rubber layer is mixed or singly coated with a heat-resistant resin having good releasability such as fluororesin or silicone resin.

  In this embodiment, the heater 24 is a ceramic heater. The heater 24 is basically composed of an elongated thin plate-like ceramic substrate and an energization heating resistor layer provided on the surface of the substrate, and has a steep rise characteristic over the entire effective heating length region by energizing the heating resistor layer. It is a low heat capacity heater that raises the temperature. The heater 24 is fitted and supported in a heater fitting groove 25a formed on the outer surface side of the heater holder 25 along the longitudinal direction.

  The heater holder 25 is a molded member of a heat-resistant and heat-insulating material having a substantially semicircular cross section, and the outer surface side that supports the heater 24 is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the belt 23. The heater holder 25 is made of a material having good insulation and heat resistance such as phenol resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin, polyamideimide resin, PEEK resin, PES resin, PPS resin, PFA resin, PTFE resin, and LCP resin. The heater holder 25 holds the heater 24 and serves to back up the belt 23, pressurize the nip N formed by being in pressure contact with the pressure roller 22, and transport stability when the belt 23 rotates.

  The stay 26 is a rigid member for imparting longitudinal strength to the heater holder 25 and correcting the heater holder 25 by being pressed against the inner surface side of the relatively flexible heater holder 25 made of resin. In this example, it is a metal mold such as iron or aluminum having a U-shaped cross section.

  The belt 23 is loosely fitted to the assembly of the heater holder 25 holding the heater 24 and the stay 26. The heater holder 25 and the one end side ends 25b and 26a of the stay 26 and the other end side end portions 25b and 26a extend outward from the one end side and the other end side of the belt 23, respectively, and project.

  The heater 24 has a length corresponding to substantially the entire length of the heater holder 25 including the extended ends 25b and 25b on one end side and the other end side. And the electrode part for electric power feeding (not shown) exists in the surface of the heater board | substrate edge part corresponding to the extended end part 25b * 25b of the one end side and the other end side of the heater holder 25, respectively.

  The fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side are detachably fitted to the stay extension end portions 26a and 26a, respectively. In this embodiment, stay extension ends 26a and 26a are fitted into holes (cavities) 27b and 28b formed in the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side, respectively. Accordingly, the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side are fitted to the extension ends 26 a and 26 a on one end side and the other end side of the stay 26, respectively.

  The fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side respectively receive saddle portions (flange portions: belt restricting portions) 27a and 28a that receive and restrict the end portions of the belt 23, and inner peripheries of the end portions of the belt 23. Arc-shaped guide portions 27c and 28c for guiding the surface are provided. Further, pressure receiving portions 27d and 28d are provided on the side opposite to the guide portions 27c and 28c of the saddle portions 27a and 28a. In a state where the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side are fitted to the stay extension ends 26a and 26a, respectively, the guide portions 27c and 28c are the ends on the one end side and the other end side of the belt 23. It is inserted inside the part.

(2) Pressure roller The pressure roller 22 is a heat-resistant elastic roller, such as a metal cored bar 22a and silicone rubber, fluororubber, fluororesin, etc. that are concentrically molded and coated around the cored bar. The heat-resistant elastic material layer 22b is provided with a release layer 22c on the surface layer. For the release layer 22c, for example, a material having good release properties and heat resistance such as fluororesin, silicone resin, fluorosilicone rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber, PFA, PTFE, and FEP can be selected.

  The pressure roller 22 has shaft portions 22d and 22d on one end side and the other end side between heat-resistant resins such as PEEK, PPS, and liquid crystal polymer between the opposing side plates 31 and 32 on one end side and the other end side of the fixing frame 30, respectively. The bearing members 33 and 33 are configured to be rotatably held. A drive gear G is integrally disposed substantially concentrically at the end of the shaft 22d on the other end side. The driving force of the motor M controlled by the control unit (CPU) 50 (FIG. 8) is transmitted to the gear G via a drive transmission mechanism (not shown). As a result, the pressure roller 22 is driven to rotate as a drive rotating body in the clockwise direction indicated by an arrow R22 in FIG. 3 at a predetermined peripheral speed.

  The bases of the pressure receiving portions 27d and 28d of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side are fitted and engaged with the side plates 31 and 32 on the one end side and the other end side of the fixing frame 30, respectively. Slit portions 31a and 32a are formed. The slit portions 31a and 32a are guide portions that hold the pressure receiving portions 27d and 28d of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side so as to be slidable in a direction approaching and separating from the pressure roller 22.

  The belt unit 21 is arranged substantially parallel to the pressure roller 22 with the heater 23 facing the pressure roller 22, and the pressure receiving portions 27 d and 28 d of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side are respectively described above. Are inserted into and engaged with the slit portions 31a and 32a. Then, predetermined pressure is applied to the pressure receiving portions 27d and 28d of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side by the pressurizing mechanisms 34 and 35 on the one end side and the other end side, respectively. .

  Although the specific configuration of the pressurization mechanisms 34 and 35 is omitted in the drawing, for example, a pressurization mechanism having a pressurization spring and a pressurization plate, a pressurization mechanism having a pressurization cam, a pressurization mechanism using an electromagnetic solenoid, etc. The pressurizing mechanism can be used. Moreover, it can also be set as the mechanism which can cancel | release pressurization as needed.

  With the pressure applied by the pressure mechanisms 34 and 35, the fixing flanges 27 and 28 and the internal members 24 to 26 on one end side and the other end side of the belt unit 21 are pressed against the pressure roller 22. As a result, the portion of the holder 25 that holds the heater 24 is pressed against the pressure roller 22 against the elasticity of the elastic material layer 22 b via the belt 23, and between the belt 23 and the pressure roller 22. A nip portion N having a predetermined width is formed in the sheet conveyance direction a.

  Electrical connectors 36 and 37 are inserted into hole ends 27e and 28e provided in the pressure receiving portions 27d and 28d of the fixing flanges 27 and 28, respectively, on the extended end portions 25b and 25b on one end side and the other end side of the heater holder 25. It is inserted. As a result, the heater 24 and the power supply unit (power supply unit) 51 (FIG. 8) are electrically connected, and the power supply unit 51 can supply power to the heater 24.

  In FIG. 4, C is the width dimension of the belt 23. In this embodiment, the width C of the belt 23 is 336 mm. D is a distance between the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one side and the other side (between the saddle portions 27a and 28a), and is set to a distance substantially corresponding to the width dimension D of the belt 23 (C≈D). Accordingly, the movement of the belt 23 in the width direction is restricted by the flanges 27a and 28a of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one side and the other side. E shows the center position (bisected position) of the distance D. F indicates the width dimension of the pressure roller 22. In this embodiment, the width F of the pressure roller 22 is slightly shorter than the width C of the belt 23.

  W indicates the width of the maximum width size sheet transport path (recording material transport path) usable in the apparatus. In the present embodiment, W is the A4 width paper area width (297 mm). Therefore, in this embodiment, the dimensional relationship is C≈D> F> W.

  H indicates the center in the width direction of the paper transport path. In this embodiment, as described above, the paper P is transported in the apparatus by so-called central reference transport. That is, regardless of the size of the paper that can be used in the apparatus, the paper P is passed with the center in the width direction aligned with the center H in the width direction of the paper transport path (recording material transport path).

  In this embodiment, the apparatus has a configuration in which the center H in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path is shifted from the center position E between the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side to the fixing flange 28 side on the other end side. ing. An apparatus configuration in which the center H in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path is shifted from the center position E between the one end side and the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the other end side to the fixing flange 27 side on the one end side may be employed. This apparatus configuration will be described later.

(3) Fixing Operation The control unit 50 activates the motor M at a predetermined control timing in the image forming sequence control of the image forming apparatus 1 and starts to rotate the pressure roller 22. A rotational force (rotational torque) acts on the belt 23 by a frictional force in the nip portion N between the pressure roller 22 and the outer surface of the belt 23 due to the rotation of the pressure roller 22. As a result, the inner surface of the belt 23 comes into close contact with the outer surface of the heater holder 25 including the heater 24 at the nip portion N and is rubbed with the belt 23 in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the arrow R23 in FIG. Followed by the corresponding peripheral speed.

  Since the inner circumferential surface of the belt 23 rotates while rubbing against the heater 24 and the heater holder 25, it is necessary to reduce the frictional resistance between the heater 24 and the heater holder 25 and the belt 23. For this reason, a small amount of lubricant such as heat-resistant grease is interposed on the surfaces of the heater 24 and the heater holder 25. As a result, the belt 23 can rotate smoothly.

  Further, the control unit 50 starts power supply from the power supply unit 51 to the heater 24. As a result, the temperature of the heater 24 rises sharply, and the temperature detection information of the heater 24 is fed back to the control unit 50 from the thermistor TH disposed at the longitudinal center of the heater 24 on the back surface side of the heater 24. The controller 50 raises the heater 24 to a predetermined fixing temperature based on the temperature information from the thermistor TH, and controls the power supplied from the power source 51 to the heater 24 so that the fixing temperature is maintained. That is, the temperature of the heater 24 is adjusted to a predetermined fixing temperature.

  As a result, the belt 23 rotating while the inner peripheral surface rubs against the heater 24 is heated to a predetermined fixing temperature. In this state, the paper P carrying the unfixed toner image t is introduced from the secondary transfer portion Q2 and is nipped and conveyed by the nip portion N. As a result, the toner image t and the paper P are heated and pressed by the heat of the belt 23 and the nip pressure, whereby the toner image t is fixed to the paper P as a fixed image. The sheet P that is nipped and conveyed by the nip N is separated from the surface of the belt 23 by the curvature on the sheet exit side of the nip N, and is discharged and conveyed from the fixing device 18.

(4) Regeneration of Fixing Device by Reusing Belt Belt surface of belt 23 is scraped due to the effect of friction between paper P and belt 23 according to the number of image formation (durability). In particular, the belt surface of the belt 23 (belt portions corresponding to the paper edge portions on both sides in the width direction of the paper P) is easily scraped off by the paper edge as a paper edge scraping portion. When the amount of shaving is 3 μm or more, image adverse effects such as offset occur.

  In FIG. 9, T <b> 1 indicates a paper edge scraping portion (paper edge scraping position) generated at the sheet passing area boundary portion on the side of A <b> 4 of the belt 23. The belt 23 has a paper edge scraping portion T1 corresponding to sheets of various sizes, which can be used in the apparatus. For convenience, here, the paper edge scraping portion T1 generated at the A4 side paper passing area boundary portion is represented. .

  The scraping amount of the belt surface in the sheet passing area excluding the sheet passing area boundary is within 1 μm throughout the durability ((c) of FIG. 9). However, the paper edge scraping portion T1 is scraped to 1.5 μm at the end of 75K endurance (cumulative number of sheets of A4 laterally fed paper: 1K = 1000 sheets) and to 2.5 μm at a belt life of 150K. Even when the product reaches the end of its life, the product life is confirmed so as not to cause image problems such as offset due to paper edge scraping.

  However, even if the fixing device 18 whose belt 23 has not reached the end of its life, such as a REM machine, is recovered and the components are to be reused, the fixing device 18 whose number of image formation exceeds 75K has a half life. 75K. For this reason, the belt 23 of such an apparatus has conventionally been discarded without being reused due to the risk of image problems such as offset.

  In this embodiment, such a belt can be reused. For this purpose, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the fixing device 18 has the width direction center H of the sheet conveyance path (recording material conveyance path) in the nip portion N at the fixing flange 27 on one end side and the other end side. The apparatus configuration is shifted from the center position E to 28 to the fixing flange 28 side on the other end side. An apparatus configuration in which the center H in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path is shifted from the center position E between the one end side and the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the other end side to the fixing flange 27 side on the one end side may be employed.

  In the image forming apparatus that transports the paper P in the center reference, the center H in the width direction of the paper transport path corresponds to the image forming center position. Further, since the belt 23 is moved in the width direction by the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side, the central position E between the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side is a belt. 23 corresponds to the center in the width direction.

  In other words, in the width direction of the belt 23, the distance A from the width direction center H of the sheet conveyance path to the seat portion 27a of the fixing flange 27 on one end side, and the width direction center H of the sheet conveyance path to the other end side. The distance between the fixing flange 28 and the seat portion 28a is different from the distance B.

  In this embodiment, the apparatus configuration in which the center H in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path is shifted by 5 mm from the center position E between the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side to the fixing flange 28 side on the other end side ( A> B). An apparatus configuration (A <B) in which the center H in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path is shifted by 5 mm from the center position E between the one end side and the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the other end side to the fixing flange 27 side on the one end side. Also good.

  The sheet passing position in the central reference conveyance of the paper P of various width sizes used in the apparatus can be suppressed to ± 2 mm or less by a regulating plate (not shown) of the paper cassette 14 and the longitudinal position of the belt 23 is one end side. The position is determined by being regulated by the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the other end side. Therefore, the generation area of the paper edge scraping portion T1 of the belt 23 is generated with a width of 2 mm. That is, the generation position of the paper edge scraping portion T1 does not change greatly.

  A paper edge scraping portion T1 shown in FIG. 9 is generated in the belt 23 of the fixing device 18 before being collected from the market, as in the conventional case. As described above, the paper edge scraping portion T1 shown in FIG. 9 shows only what is generated by the lateral feeding of A4 paper for convenience.

  Here, when the fixing device 18 whose number of image formations is 75K and has not reached the end of its life is collected, the belt 23 is conventionally discarded without being reused. However, in this embodiment, the belt 23 is used as a belt unit. 21 is once removed from the internal members 24-26 of 21. Then, before removing the removed belt, one end side and the other end side are reversed and reattached to the internal members 24 to 26 to reassemble the belt unit 21. The belt unit 21 is used to regenerate and use the fixing device.

  Removal and reattachment of the belt 23 can be performed as follows. The belt unit 21 is removed from the housing 30 of the recovered fixing device 18. The fixing flange 27 on one end side or the fixing flange 28 on the other end side of the belt unit 21 is removed. As a result, the belt 23 externally fitted to the internal members 24 to 26 can be removed from the side of the fixing flange from which the belt 23 has been removed. Therefore, the belt 23 is removed from the internal members 24-26 and removed.

  Before removing the removed belt 23, one end side and the other end side are reversed and externally fitted to the internal members 24 to 26 from the removed fixing flange side, and then reattached. Then, the removed fixing flange is reattached to form the belt unit 21. The belt unit 21 is assembled back to the housing 30 to regenerate the fixing device.

  FIG. 1A shows the recovered fixing device 18 that has not reached the end of its life, in which the belt 23 of the belt unit 21 is exchanged by inverting one end side and the other end side as described above. T1 is a paper edge scraping portion generated in the belt 23 before replacement. By reversing and replacing the belt 23, the center position E between the width direction center H of the sheet conveyance path and the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on one end side and the other end side is shifted by 5 mm. The paper edge scraping occurrence position in the belt 23 is shifted by 5 mm.

  Therefore, in the regenerated fixing device, a paper edge scraping portion is generated at a position T2 different from the paper edge scraping portion T1 with respect to the belt 23.

  In the fixing device 18 in which the belt 23 is reversed and replaced as described above, the edge cut portion T1 of the belt 23 enters the image area. However, since the surface scraping amount of the edge cut portion T1 of the belt 23 with the number of image formations of 75K is about 2 μm, image defects such as offset do not occur, and the surface of the belt 23 is hardly scraped through durability in the paper passing area (see FIG. 9 (c)).

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 10, in the belt 23 reversed and replaced, the paper edge scraping amount of the edge scraping portion T1 generated before the replacement does not proceed, but the paper is newly added to the position T2. An edge cutting part is made. Since the newly-made paper edge scraping portion T2 starts from a place where the paper edge of the belt 23 is not scraped, the life of the belt 23 collected from the market can be extended accordingly.

  As described above, when the belt 23 is used up to 75K in the market, the paper edge scraping portion T1 of the belt 23 is cut down to 2 μm. However, when the belt 23 is used by reversing one end side and the other end side, a paper edge scraping portion is generated at a position T2 different from the paper edge scraping portion T1. The position T2 is not cut by 1 μm. Then, since the paper edge scraping portion T2 is newly generated there, an abnormal image such as an offset due to the paper edge scraping does not occur, and the lifetime can be extended to 150K or more.

  The configuration of the above-described fixing device (image heating device) 18 in this embodiment is summarized as follows. This is a fixing device that heats the paper P carrying the image t while being nipped and conveyed at the nip portion N, and is a device 18 that introduces the paper P into the nip portion N by central reference conveyance.

  A rotatable endless belt 23 is provided. The inner members 24 to 26 are disposed inside the belt 23. A pressure roller 22 serving as a rotating body that forms a nip portion N with the belt 23 by contacting the inner member with the belt 23 interposed therebetween is provided. At least one of the internal members is detachably disposed with respect to one end side and the other end side, and a fixing flange 27 as a belt restricting member on one end side and the other end side that restricts movement of the belt 23 in the width direction. , 28.

  Then, the center in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path (recording material conveyance path) in the nip portion N is from the center position between the fixing flange 27 on the one end side and the belt restriction member (28) on the other end side to the belt restriction member on the one end side. It is shifted to the fixing flange 27 side on the (27) side or the other end side.

  Further, the reproduction method of the fixing device 18 in the present embodiment is summarized as follows. There is a step of removing at least one of the fixing flanges 27 and 28 on the one end side and the other end side from the internal members 24 to 26. A step of removing the belt 23 from the internal members 24-26. Before removing the removed belt 23, it includes a step of inverting the one end side and the other end side and attaching it to the internal members 24 to 26. And attaching the removed fixing flange to the internal members 24-26.

  Here, before removing the removed belt 23, the belt 23 used in the step of attaching the inner member 24 to 26 by reversing one end side and the other end side may be a belt removed from another fixing device. . The fixing flange used in the process of attaching the removed fixing flange to the internal members 24 to 26 may be a fixing flange removed from another fixing device.

Example 2
Since the configurations of the image forming apparatus and the fixing device in the present embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted, and the characteristic configuration in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 11 simply shows the control unit 50 of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment. The user can execute printing by operating the operation unit 53, and the control unit 50 operates each recording unit 54 of the image forming apparatus in response to a signal from the CPU. The memory 55 records the usage status such as the number of image formations and whether the belt 23 in the fixing device 18 is reused as needed.

  The operation of reusing the fixing device 18 collected from the market will be described in detail according to the flowchart of FIG.

  As Step 1, first, the number of image formation counts in the memory 55 and the reuse history information are read into the fixing device 18 collected from the market.

  In Step 2, the number of image formations (sheet passing history) of the fixing device 18 is confirmed, and it is confirmed whether or not the number is 150K sheets or less. The fixing device 18 of 150K sheets or more is not reused because there is a risk of image defects such as offset due to paper edge scraping on the belt 23.

  In Step 3, it is first determined from the reuse history information whether there is a history of reuse (history of being a reproduction fixing device) in the past. In this embodiment, one fixing device 18 can be reused only once, but can be reused again.

  In Step 4, when there is a history of reuse of the belt 23, it is determined whether the paper passing history before reuse is less than 50K. With respect to the belt 23 of less than 50K, since there is little risk of image defects such as offset due to paper edge scraping, the work of replacing the belt 23 described in the first embodiment by inverting one end side and the other end side is performed. Can be reused again. The belt 23 having a sheet passing history of 50K or more cannot be reused again because there is a risk of image defects such as offset due to paper edge scraping.

  In Step 5, if there is no reuse history, it is confirmed whether the number of image formations is 30K or more. Since the belt 23 of less than 30K is less likely to cause image defects such as offset due to paper edge scraping, the belt 23 is not replaced.

  In Step 6, the belt 23 described in the first embodiment is exchanged by inverting one end side and the other end side with respect to the belt 23 in which the number of times of image formation is 30K sheets or more and less than 150K sheets.

  As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the side door 2 </ b> A of the image forming apparatus 1 is opened to open the inside of the apparatus main body 2, and the fixing device 18 is taken out from the apparatus main body 2. Only the belt unit 21 is removed from the casing 30 of the fixing device 18 (FIG. 14A). The fixing flange 27 on one end side of the belt unit 21 or the fixing flange 28 on the other end side is removed. As a result, the belt 23 externally fitted to the internal members 24 to 26 can be removed from the side of the fixing flange from which the belt 23 has been removed. In FIG. 14B, the fixing flange 27 on one end side is removed.

  Therefore, the belt 23 is removed from the internal members 24 to 26 and removed ((c) in FIG. 14). Before removing the removed belt 23, one end side and the other end side are reversed and attached to the internal members 24 to 26 ((a) of FIG. 15).

  As shown in FIG. 16, the belt 23 removed from the belt unit 21 has a mark or a mark 23a for identifying one end side and the other end side of the belt 23 on one end side of the belt inner surface. . The marks and marks 23a shown in FIG. 15 are examples. One end side and the other end of the belt 23 can be identified by marks, marks, shapes, etc. that can distinguish one end side and the other end side of the belt 23, such as changing the color of the inner surface of the belt, marking the lot number of the belt 23, changing the shape of the belt 23 Manage the side flipping work. The mark or mark of the belt 23 may be held on the surface of the belt 23.

  The removed fixing flange 27 is attached to the internal members 24 to 26 ((b) of FIG. 15). The belt unit 21 is assembled back into the housing 30 to reproduce the fixing device 18 ((c) in FIG. 15). The regenerated fixing device 18 is assembled to the apparatus main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 as shown in FIG.

  When the reversal / replacement operation for the one end side and the other end side of the belt 23 is completed, “reuse product” is written in the memory 55 as Step 7 (FIG. 12).

  In this embodiment, in consideration of the durability of the belt 23, the number of reuses is limited to once. Depending on the configuration of the image forming apparatus, the number of reusable times may be two or more.

  As described above, an abnormal image such as an offset due to paper edge scraping can be obtained by reversing and replacing one end side and the other end side of the belt 23 according to the number of image formations of the fixing device 18 collected from the market. The lifetime can be extended to 150K or more without occurrence.

  The memory 55 for storing the usage history of the fixing device 18 may be provided on the apparatus main body 2 side of the image forming apparatus 1 or may be provided on the fixing device 18 side.

Example 3
In the present embodiment, in the work of replacing the belt 23 of the fixing device 18 in the first and second embodiments by reversing one end side and the other end side, heat resistant grease or the like attached to the inner surface side of the belt 23 is further used. A step of treating the lubricant.

  The lubricant adhering to the inner surface side of the belt 23 to be reused by reversing the one end side and the other end side remains in the market recovery state, the belt inner surface is damaged by the influence of the adhered lubricant, Abnormal images such as streaks and fixing defects may occur.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, in the operation of replacing the belt 23 of the fixing device 18 by reversing one end side and the other end side, a step of wiping off the lubricant on the inner surface of the belt removed in the step of removing the belt, It has a re-application process of a lubricant. The operation process for applying the lubricant is performed in the same process as that for manufacturing a new fixing device.

  By performing the above operations, it is possible to suppress abnormal images such as vertical stripes and fixing defects due to the influence of the adhered lubricant.

Example 4
The fixing device 18 may be configured to introduce a sheet (recording material) into the nip portion N by one-side reference conveyance. The one-side reference conveyance is a sheet passing form in which sheets of various width sizes usable in the apparatus are introduced into the nip portion N with one side in the width direction of the sheet aligned with one side in the width direction of the sheet conveyance path (recording material conveyance path).

  The fixing device 18 of this embodiment also performs the work of reversing and replacing the belt 23 at one end side and the other end side in the same manner as the fixing device of the central reference conveyance mode of Embodiment 1-3, so that Embodiment 1-3 is performed. The same effect can be obtained.

<< Other Embodiments >>
(1) The heating of the belt 23 is not limited to the heating configuration by the ceramic heater 24 of the embodiment. The heater 24 may be a metal member that is electromagnetically heated by an induction coil. It is also possible to employ a heating configuration in which a metal layer is provided on the belt 23 and the belt itself is electromagnetically heated by an induction coil. It is also possible to employ a heating configuration in which an energized heat generating layer that generates heat when energized is disposed on the belt 23 to generate heat. A heating configuration in which the belt 23 is internally heated or externally heated using a halogen heater may be employed.

  (2) It is also possible to adopt an apparatus configuration in which the belt 23 is suspended and stretched between a plurality of members.

  (3) The image heating device according to the present invention is not limited to use as the fixing device 18 of the embodiment. It can also be effectively used as a glossiness increasing device (image modifying device) that increases the glossiness of an image by heating the image fixed on the recording material.

  (4) The image forming apparatus is not limited to the electrophotographic system of the embodiment. An apparatus such as an electrostatic recording system or a magnetic recording system may be used. A monochromatic image forming apparatus may be used. The apparatus is not limited to the transfer method, and may be a device that forms a toner image directly on a sheet.

  18..Image heating device (fixing device), 23..Belt, 24-26..Internal member, 22..Rotating body, N..Nip part, P..Recording material, t..Image, 27.28 .. Belt regulating members on one end side and other end side, H. Center in width direction of recording material conveyance path, E. Center position between belt regulating member on one end side and belt regulating member on other end side

Claims (6)

An image heating apparatus that heats a recording material carrying an image while being nipped and conveyed at a nip portion, wherein the recording material is introduced into the nip portion by central reference conveyance, and a rotatable endless belt; An inner member disposed on the inner side of the belt, a rotating body that is in contact with the inner member across the belt to form the belt and the nip, and one end side and the other end side of the inner member At least one of which is detachably disposed, and includes a belt regulating member on one end side and the other end side regulating movement of the belt in the width direction, and the width direction of the recording material conveyance path in the nip portion An image in which the center is shifted from the center position between the belt regulating member on the one end side and the belt regulating member on the other end side to the belt regulating member side on the one end side or the belt regulating member side on the other end side. Heating device A raw way,
Removing at least one of the one end side and the other end side belt regulating member from the internal member;
Removing the belt from the internal member;
Before removing the removed belt, the process of reversing one end side and the other end side to attach to the internal member,
Attaching the removed belt regulating member to the internal member;
A method for regenerating an image heating apparatus, comprising:   The method for regenerating an image heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a step of wiping off the lubricant on the inner surface of the belt removed in the step of removing the belt, and a step of reapplying the lubricant.   The reproduction of the image heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a memory that stores a use history of the apparatus, wherein execution of the reproduction of the apparatus is determined according to the use history stored in the memory. Method. An image heating apparatus that heats a recording material carrying an image while being nipped and conveyed at a nip portion, wherein the recording material is introduced into the nip portion by one-side reference conveyance, and a rotatable endless belt; An inner member disposed on the inner side of the belt, a rotating body that is in contact with the inner member across the belt to form the belt and the nip, and one end side and the other end side of the inner member And at least one of them is detachably disposed, and is a reproduction method of an image heating device comprising a belt regulating member on one end side and the other end side for regulating movement of the belt in the width direction,
Removing at least one of the one end side and the other end side belt regulating member from the internal member;
Removing the belt from the internal member;
Before removing the removed belt, the process of reversing one end side and the other end side to attach to the internal member,
Attaching the removed belt regulating member to the internal member;
A method for regenerating an image heating apparatus, comprising:   5. The method for regenerating an image heating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a step of wiping off the lubricant on the inner surface of the belt removed in the step of removing the belt and a step of reapplying the lubricant.   6. The reproduction of the image heating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a memory for storing a device usage history, wherein execution of the device is determined according to the usage history stored in the memory. Method.