JP3117571B2 - Supporting device for pressure roller in fixing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for supporting a pressure roller in a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A transfer paper carrying an unfixed toner image is passed between a heating roller and a pressure roller pressed against the heating roller.
A so-called roller-type fixing device that fixes a toner image on transfer paper by applying pressure and heat at that time is known. Such an apparatus has advantages such as relatively low heating temperature and easy temperature control, but has problems such as occurrence of paper jams and paper wrinkles. Some of these problems can be solved by adjusting the pressure contact force between the heating roller and the pressure roller. For this reason, the pressure roller is a unit that can be brought into contact with and separated from the heating roller, and the pressure contact force is adjusted. I'm trying to get.

In such a unitized apparatus, the maintenance is performed by pulling the entire unit out of the apparatus and removing desired parts from the unit for maintenance. For example, when performing maintenance or replacement of the pressure roller, it is necessary to pull out the unit from the device, remove the bearing, and remove the pressure roller.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, removal and maintenance of the pressure roller cannot be performed easily. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pressure roller support device with a simple configuration that allows easy removal and maintenance of the pressure roller.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a supporting device according to the present invention includes a pair of supporting plates for supporting both ends of a support shaft of a pressure roller, and each of the supporting plates includes:
Having a support hole suitable for fitting the support shaft, the support hole being cut out in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pressure roller in a range sufficient to pass the support shaft in a direction perpendicular to the axis. An auxiliary plate having a shape complementary to the notch is provided so as to be detachable so as to fill the notch, and by removing the auxiliary plate, the pressure roller can be detached from a direction perpendicular to its axis. I do.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, a support device according to the present invention includes a pair of support plates for supporting both ends of a support shaft of a pressure roller, each of the support plates comprising:
A support hole adapted to fit said support shaft, said support hole being cut out in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pressure roller and over a range sufficient to pass said support shaft in a direction perpendicular to said axis. An auxiliary plate having a shape complementary to the notch is provided so as to be detachable so as to fill the notch, and by removing the auxiliary plate, the pressure roller is moved in a direction perpendicular to its axis and the pressure roller is heated. At the position where it is pressed against the roller
It is characterized in that it can be detached in the tangential direction .

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a roller-type fixing device, and reference numeral 1 denotes a heating roller rotatably supported by an apparatus main body. The heating roller 1 is heated by a built-in heat source such as a halogen lamp, and is controlled to have a predetermined fixing temperature. Reference numeral 2 denotes an applicator for applying the offset preventing liquid to the peripheral surface of the heating roller 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a temperature detector, and reference numeral 4 denotes a peeling claw.

The pressure roller 5 provided in pressure contact with the heating roller 1 has bearings 7 at both ends of a support shaft 6, and the bearing 7 is supported by a support plate 8. Support plate 8
Is pivotally supported at one end by a pivot 9 with respect to the apparatus main body, so that the pressure roller 5 can be adjusted in the direction of coming into contact with and separating from the heating roller 1.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a peeling claw for a pressure roller, and reference numeral 2
Reference numerals 2 and 23 denote discharge rollers for discharging the transfer paper from the fixing device to the outside of the device. The peeling claw 21, the discharge rollers 22, 23, and the heating roller peeling claw 4 are supported on the same side plate as a peeling claw unit, and in the illustrated example, can pivot integrally to the left with the shaft 20 as a pivot point. The heating roller 1 and the pressure roller 5
Open to expose.

Referring again to the pressure roller, each of its support plates 8 has a support hole 10 suitable for fitting the bearing 7 of the pressure roller 5. The support hole 10 is cut out in a range sufficient to allow the bearing 7 of the pressure roller 5 to pass in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pressure roller 5 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pressure roller 5, and has a shape complementary to the notch 11. The auxiliary plate 12 is detachably provided so as to fill the notch 11.

In the illustrated example, the notch 11 has a plurality of bulging circular concave portions 13 on one side, and the circular convex portion 14 of the auxiliary plate 12 having a shape complementary to the concave portion 13 is fitted. 12 can be fitted to the support plate 8 without rattling. As shown in FIG. 3, the auxiliary plate 12 is
Is fitted into the support plate 8 from the axial direction side and removed. At the time of fitting, the arc portion 15 of the auxiliary plate 12 forms a part of the support hole 10 of the support plate 8 and supports the bearing of the pressure roller 5 as shown in FIG.

The circular projection 14 of the auxiliary plate 12 is provided with a screw hole. After the auxiliary plate 12 is fitted to the support plate 8, a screw is inserted into the screw hole from the inner side to the outer side of the auxiliary plate. The auxiliary plate 12 is fixed to the fixing member 1 of the support plate 8 by screwing the
Stopped at 7. Thus, when removing the pressure roller, after opening the separation unit, remove the screw 16, by removing the auxiliary plate 12 from the support plate 8, a its axial direction perpendicular to the pressure roller and the pressure low
The roller can be drawn out tangentially to the position where the roller contacts the heating roller .

[0013]

According to the present invention, the pressure roller can be easily attached / detached by the simple operation of attaching / detaching the auxiliary plate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a fixing device incorporating a support device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a part of the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 heating roller 5 pressure roller 8 support plate 12 auxiliary plate

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-3-101779 (JP, A) JP-A-61-104472 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 13/20 G03G 15/20

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A support plate for supporting both ends of a support shaft of a pressure roller, wherein each of the support plates has a support hole suitable for fitting the support shaft, and the support hole has a pressure hole. An auxiliary plate cut in a sufficient range to allow the support shaft to pass in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the roller in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the roller and attached to and removed from the notch so as to fill the notch. The pressure roller is disposed in a direction perpendicular to its axis by removing the auxiliary plate, and
A pressure roller supporting device in the fixing device, wherein the roller can be detached in a tangential direction with respect to a position where the roller contacts the heating roller .