JP2589386B2 - Heat roller fuser - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Table of Contents] Overview Industrial application field Conventional technology (Fig. 3) Problems to be solved by the invention Means for solving the problem (Fig. 1) Action Embodiment (a) One Description of Embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2) (b) Description of Other Embodiments [Overview] A heat roller fixing device having a heat roller and a pressure roller, which requires less time and effort. A heat roller whose both ends are supported by bearings, and a pressure roller which is provided by pressing the heat roller, with the object of reducing the coefficient of friction between the heat roller and the bearing without using expensive bearings And a fluororesin layer provided on at least the fixing region and the bearing region on the surface of the heat roller.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a heat roller fixing device having a heat roller and a pressure roller.

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic apparatus or an electrostatic recording apparatus, a heat roller fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet is used.

In this heat roller fixing device, since the heat roller is supported by bearings at both ends, it is desired to reduce wear on the bearings.

[Conventional technology]

 FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the heat roller fixing device includes a heat roller 1 and a pressure roller 2, and heat roller 1 rotates paper P having toner image T on heat roller 1 side.
The paper P is pressed against the heat roller 1 by the pressure roller 2, and the toner T of the paper P is melted and fixed by the heating force of the heat roller 1.

Since such a heat roller 1 comes into contact with and melts the toner T of the paper P, the molten toner also adheres to the heat roller 1.

For this reason, the heat roller 1 is cleaned by a felt cleaner (not shown), but this cleaning may not remove the adhered toner, that is, may cause so-called burn-in.

In order to prevent the image sticking of the toner, conventionally, FIG.
As described above, the fixing area of the heat pipe (roller) 1 is coated with a fluororesin (for example, trade name “Teflon”).

Both ends of the heat pipe 1 are supported by bearings 3a and 3b for rotation of the heat pipe 1, and a gear 4 provided at an end of the heat pipe 1 is driven by a power source to rotate. .

Since the heat pipe 1 is made of aluminum and is used at a high temperature, it is extremely easily worn.

Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the coefficient of friction between the bearings 3a and 3b and the heat pipe 1. Conventionally, a method of coating the contact surface of the heat pipe 1 inside the bearings 3a and 3b with a fluororesin,
A method of using a mixture of a main material (PPS resin) and a fluororesin for 3a and 3b itself has been used.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the method of coating the inside of the bearings 3a and 3b with fluorine has a problem in that the coating is performed on a narrow inner side, which is troublesome and requires a large number of steps.

Also, the method using a mixture of the fluororesin for the bearings 3a and 3b has a problem that the material itself is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat roller fixing device that can reduce the friction coefficient between the heat roller and the bearing without requiring much effort and using an expensive bearing. .

[Means for solving the problem]

 FIG. 1 is a principle view of the present invention and a front view of one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to a heat roller fixing device having a heat roller 1 having both ends supported by bearings 3a and 3b, and a pressure roller 2 provided to press the heat roller 1. The heat roller 1 is provided with a fluororesin layer 10 in at least a fixing area and a bearing area on the surface thereof.

[Action]

In the present invention, a fluororesin layer is provided not only in the fixing region of the heat roller 1 but also in the bearing region, and is used as a lubricant for the left and right bearings.

Since the coating of the fluorine resin on the bearing area of the heat roller 1 can be performed simultaneously with the coating on the fixing area, the bearings 3a, 3
Compared to the method of coating the inside of b with a fluorine resin, the labor is much less.

Also, since the bearings 3a and 3b do not need to be made of a material containing a fluororesin, the bearings themselves can be inexpensive.

〔Example〕

 (A) Description of one embodiment FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 will be described as a front view of one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat roller 1 has a bearing 3a
The fluororesin 10 is uniformly coated as indicated by the dotted line up to 3b.

In other words, the range is expanded on both sides from the
The fluororesin 10 is extended and coated up to 3a and 3b.

On the other hand, the bearings 3a and 3b are made of mold resin,
As shown in the figure, the heat pipe 1 has a U-shape, and the heat pipe 1 is accommodated in the inside thereof.

A connection wire 5 is provided around the bearings 3a and 3b, and is connected to a coil spring 6 around the pressure roller 2 provided on the heat pipe 1 to connect the pressure roller 2 to the heat pipe 1.
The pressure is applied in the direction.

Accordingly, the heat pipe 1 is accommodated in the U-shaped bearings 3a and 3b, the pressure roller 2 is provided, the coil spring 6 is provided around the heat pipe 1, and both ends of the coil spring 6 are connected to the connection wires 5 provided around the bearings 3a and 3b. By connecting, the heat roller fixing device is completed.

The U-shaped bearings 3a and 3b and the coil spring 6 make assembly extremely simple.

In the heat roller fixing device configured as described above, since the fluororesin is coated from the left bearing portion to the right bearing portion of the heat pipe 1 to form the fluororesin layer 10, the original fixing region in the central portion is not fixed. It plays the role of preventing toner seizure and the role of lubricant at the bearings at both ends.

When the fluorine resin layer 10 coats the fixing region of the heat pipe 1 with the fluorine resin, the coating range may be extended to the bearing portion.

For this reason, it is possible to save the complicated work of separately coating the inner surfaces of the narrow bearings 3a and 3b with a fluororesin as in the conventional case,
In addition, it is not necessary to use an expensive resin material containing a fluorine resin for the bearings 3a and 3b, and the bearings 3a and 3b can be configured at low cost.

(B) Description of another embodiment In the above embodiment, the bearings 3a to 3b of the heat pipe 1
Although the fluororesin is coated over the entire surface of 3b, it is also possible to coat only the fixing region and the bearing region and not to coat between the fixing region and the bearing region.

Further, the bearing portion is not limited to the U-shaped one, but may be another one.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention can be variously modified in accordance with the gist of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

Since the assembly is performed using the U-shaped bearing, the spring member, and the connection member, the assembly of the heat roller fixing device and the incorporation into the apparatus are facilitated.

Since the fluorine resin layer is provided also in the bearing region of the heat roller, an expensive bearing is not required.

Since the bearing has a U-shape, it receives half the circumference of the heat roller. Therefore, the bearing is less susceptible to load fluctuation due to thermal expansion of the heat roller, and the friction coefficient can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 FIG. 1 is a principle view of the present invention and a front view of one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. In the figure, 1 ... heat roller (pipe), 2 ... pressure roller, 3a, 3b ... bearing, 10 ... fluororesin layer.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A heat roller (1) having both ends supported by bearings (3a, 3b); and a pressure roller (2) provided by pressing the heat roller (1). In a heat roller fixing device provided with a fluororesin layer (10) at least in a fixing region and a bearing region on the surface of (1), U-shaped bearings (3a, 3b) supporting both ends of the heat roller (1) A spring member (6) provided around a pressure roller (2) provided opposite to the heat roller (1) housed in the U-shaped bearings (3a, 3b); A heat roller fixing device comprising: a connection member (5) for connecting both ends of the spring member (6) through the periphery of the bearing (3a, 3b).