JP3759343B2 - Fixing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fixing device used in an image forming apparatus and the like, and more particularly to a supply mechanism for an offset preventing liquid used in the fixing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimile machines are provided with a fixing device for fixing a toner image transferred on a recording sheet by heat fusion.
The fixing device has a structure including a roller-like heating member having a built-in heat source for heating and fusing a toner image, and a pressure member capable of sandwiching and conveying a recording sheet while facing the heating member. .
That is, when both the heating and pressing members are composed of rollers, the heating roller is disposed on the side in contact with the toner located on the recording sheet side, and is opposite to the toner image carrying surface of the recording sheet. On the other hand, a pressure roller is positioned on the rear surface of the so-called recording sheet so that the recording sheet can be nipped and conveyed.
[0003]
On the other hand, there is also a configuration in which the pressure member is a roller, and the heating member is a belt that is wound around a roller that can be moved in contact with the pressure roller and another roller.
[0004]
In the latter configuration, a heat source is built in the roller around which the belt is wound except on the side facing the pressure roller, and the belt is heated by heat generated from the heat source, and the belt contacts the toner image on the recording sheet. It is supposed to let you.
[0005]
In the configuration in which the belt is a heating body, the contact time with the toner image on the recording sheet can be extended by forming a part of the belt as a stretched portion along the circumferential direction of the pressure roller. When fixing a color image on which a toner layer is superimposed, there is an advantage that the heat transfer period to the toner can be lengthened to improve the fixing efficiency.
[0006]
The fixing device is supplied with a release agent for preventing toner transfer, that is, so-called offset, to a member on the recording sheet in contact with the toner image, that is, a heating roller or a belt. As a configuration for this, there is the following.
That is, a felt that has one end in contact with the release agent application target member is used to suck up the felt by surface tension, or the release agent is stored in a roller that contacts the release agent application target member. And the release agent is leached onto the roller surface.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the release agent coating structure has the following problems.
Usually, silicone oil is used as a mold release agent. However, when sucking up the mold release agent by felt, a tank in which one end of the felt is immersed is required. For this reason, during maintenance such as replenishment or replacement of the release agent, it may be necessary to take out the tank or insert a hose into the tank. Depending on the operation, the release agent in the tank may be removed. There is a risk of spilling or leakage of the release agent from the hose to the periphery of the tank, causing the inside of the fixing device to be contaminated. In particular, when considering downsizing of the image forming apparatus including the fixing device, the space for maintenance work in the fixing device must be reduced as a matter of course, which causes the above-described problem. It becomes easy.
Therefore, the maintenance work is not a user but a service person. When requesting maintenance to a service person, a waiting time is required until the image forming apparatus is restarted. That's bad.
In addition, since the arrangement of the heating member and the pressure member that constitute the main part of the fixing device is located in the recording sheet discharge conveyance path, the space for installing the release agent supply mechanism described above is limited. Therefore, there is a possibility that a necessary supply amount cannot be secured. In other words, if a tank or pump having a size suitable for the installation space is installed, there is a possibility that supply of a release agent required for the felt or roller cannot be secured.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide a fixing device having an easy-to-handle configuration that facilitates replacement and maintenance inspection of a release agent supply unit in view of the problems in the conventional fixing device.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The invention described in claim 1 is a fixing device used for fixing a recording medium to which a visible image is transferred from a latent image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus, and includes a heating body having a built-in heat source; A pressurizing body that can contact and interlock with the heating body; andAdditionLiquid that is placed near the heat or pressure body to transfer and apply liquidSupplyAnd the liquidSupplyMeansliquidA flexible bag body having a sealed space in which the body can be accommodated and a liquid having a contact angle (wetting angle) of 90 degrees or less and in contact with the liquid contained in the sealed spaceAnd a liquid discharge portion is provided at a position where the liquid is transferred and applied.A liquid supply unit;Liquid feedback partially separated from the liquid supply part by a partition member provided in contact with the liquid in the sealed space and in contact with the liquid supply part at a position where the partition member does not exist PartA support portion for the liquid supply means is provided in the vicinity of the heating body or the pressure body, and the support portion includes a base portion on which the bag body can be placed and one of the base portions. Projecting upward from the part, and the liquid supply part having a height at which a liquid capillary raising action is obtained based on the contact angle of the liquid,liquidA discharge position defining portion that urges the body discharge portion toward the heating body or the pressure body, and the liquid supply means is detachably provided to the support portion, whereby the support portion together with the liquid discharge portion It is characterized by having a structure that can be detached at the same time.
  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the liquid supply unit and the liquid feedback unit are configured so that the liquid supply unit and the liquid feedback unit are configured to supply the liquid from the liquid supply unit when liquid supply from the liquid discharge unit is not performed.Body vomitingA relationship is set such that the amount of liquid reaching the exit portion and the amount of liquid returning to the sealed space by moving the liquid return portion are the same.
[0010]
  Claim3The described inventionThe liquid supply unit and the liquid feedback unit are both made of a fibrous member, and the fibrous member constituting the liquid supply unit has a higher density than the fibrous member constituting the liquid feedback unit. It is said.
  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the base portion and the discharge regulating portion in the support portion are covered with a lid that can be opened and closed.is doing.
[0011]
  Claim5The invention described is the aboveMake sure that the heating element and pressure element are composed of rollers that can face and abut each other.It is a feature.
[0012]
  Claim6The described inventionThe heating body is composed of a roller, and the pressurizing body is composed of an endless belt that can contact and interlock with the heating body, and the endless belt is heated by a roller around which the endless belt is wound or from the outside. ThatIt is a feature.
[0013]
  The invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that it can be taken out and attached to the support part by opening the lid of the support part.
  In the invention according to claim 8, the lid is provided with the liquid.Body vomitingAn elastic body that presses and biases the protruding portion toward the heating body or the pressure body is provided.
[0014]
  Claim9The described inventionThe bag body in the liquid supply means is configured such that the outer peripheral part of the sealed space containing the liquid is a gripping part at the time of taking out and mounting.It is characterized by that.
[0015]
  Claim10The described inventionThe grip is made of felt materialIt is characterized by that.
[0017]
【Example】
The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus in which a fixing device is used in an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 does not discharge paper to the outside of the casing, This is an in-body paper discharge type image forming apparatus that can discharge the paper.
[0018]
The image forming apparatus 1 includes a paper discharge unit 2 at a substantially central portion in the height direction of the housing 1A, a document reading unit 3 at the top with the paper discharge tray 2 as a boundary, and an image to be described later at the bottom. A forming unit 4 is provided.
In this embodiment, the image forming unit 4 includes a photosensitive drum 5 corresponding to a drum-shaped latent image carrier, and the photosensitive drum 5 is rotated in the direction of the arrow by a driving source (not shown).
[0019]
Around the photosensitive drum 5, a charging device 6, a writing device 7, a developing device 8, a transfer device 9 and a cleaning device 10 for performing an electrophotographic copying process along the rotational direction are arranged. Below the photosensitive drum 5 is a paper feeding device 11, and in the paper feeding direction indicated by the one-dot chain line, behind the transfer device 9 and in front of the paper discharge unit 2, a fixing device 12 and a paper discharge device 13. Are arranged respectively.
[0020]
The document reading unit 3 is equipped with a light source 3A for scanning the document placed on the document placement table and an optical path conversion reflecting mirror 3B, and the reflected light from the document is read out via a reading optical system 3C such as a CCD. And is output to the control unit 14 as image information of the original by the optical element 3D.
[0021]
The writing device 7 forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating the photosensitive drum 5 with scanning light from the polygon mirror 7A via a semiconductor laser (not shown) and a reflecting mirror and an imaging lens forming an imaging optical system. It has become. The sheet feeding device 11 includes a sheet feeding tray feeding roller and a registration roller having a well-known structure. In the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, as indicated by a two-dot chain line, one wall portion of the image forming apparatus 1 is provided. There is now another sheet feed tray that can be opened and closed.
[0022]
The semiconductor laser is controlled to emit light based on an image signal from the control unit 14, and the control unit 14 not only provides image information from the document reading unit 3, but also print signals for use as a printer. Drive control of the semiconductor laser is performed by an image signal corresponding to a transmission signal when used as a facsimile apparatus. Here, the control unit 14 provides the image forming apparatus 1 as a digital multi-function machine having functions as a printer and a facsimile machine as well as a copying machine.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing device 12 has a heating roller 12A positioned on the side in contact with a toner image carried on a recording sheet such as a sheet fed from the paper feeding device 11, and is opposed to the heating roller 12A. A structure using a pressure roller 12B that can be brought into contact and interlocked, or a structure using a belt 12C that contacts the circumferential surface of the heating roller 12A along the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. Yes.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the fixing device 12 will be described with respect to the latter structure.
The fixing device 12 shown in FIG. 2 includes a pressure roller 12B and a heating belt 12D wound around a driving roller 12C and a heating roller 12A that can be opposed to and interlocked with the pressure roller 12B. The fixing temperature is set by a heat source (not shown) built in the heating roller 12A.
[0024]
The heating belt 12D includes an oil bearing layer made of a heat-resistant resin layer or a rubber layer on the surface layer, and a part of the heating belt 12D is stretched along the peripheral surface of the pressure roller 12B so as to sandwich and convey the recording sheet. Can be set larger.
[0025]
The recording sheet is conveyed toward a contact portion between the heating belt 12D and the pressure roller 12B by a guide portion 12P provided in the casing 12E of the fixing device 12, and the contact between the heating belt 12D and the pressure roller 12B. The toner image carried on the surface is fixed by heating from the heating belt 12D while being nipped and conveyed in the contact portion. Note that, in place of the heating belt 12D, as shown in FIG. 1, the surface layer of the heating roller 12A is the same as that of the heating belt 12D even when the heating roller 12A is in direct contact with the toner image carrying surface of the recording sheet. It is made into the composition.
[0026]
The fixing device 12 is provided with a coating device 20 for applying a release agent for preventing offset to the heating belt 12D located on the side in contact with the toner image.
[0027]
A liquid such as silicone oil (hereinafter referred to as oil) is used as a release agent for preventing offset, and the oil is leached and supplied from a liquid discharge unit provided in a liquid supply means 21 in a coating apparatus 20 described later. It is like that.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the principle configuration of the coating apparatus 20. In FIG. 3, the coating apparatus 20 includes a liquid supply means 21 including a bag body 21A as a main part.
[0028]
In FIG. 3, the liquid supply means 21 includes a bag body 21 </ b> A having a sealed space 21 </ b> A <b> 1 in which liquid, which is oil used as a release agent in this embodiment, is enclosed. As shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the bag body 21 </ b> A is configured as an outer packaging material in which a polyester film such as a PEN film (trade name of Teijin Ltd.) and an aramid felt nonwoven fabric are combined. The bag body 21A can use not only the above-described resin, that is, a resin material having heat resistance, but also a metal, and as a result, use of a liquid application target member to which the liquid supply means 21 is applied. The material can be selected according to the conditions.
[0029]
The sealed space 21A1 in which oil can be stored has a larger volume than other portions of the bag body 21A, and can be filled with oil. A pad-like fiber member 22 using cotton or the like that can be impregnated with a liquid is loaded inside the sealed space 21A1, and the fiber member 22 is impregnated with oil, regardless of the inclination of the sealed space 21A1. The oil can be distributed throughout the entire space. In this embodiment, polyester fiber is used as the fiber member 22.
[0030]
Inside the bag body 21A, the liquid supply section 21A2 and the liquid feedback section 21A3 are provided on the front and back surfaces of the bag body 21A in a state where they are cut off except for a part.
That is, the liquid supply part 21A2 and the liquid feedback part 21A3 are separated by the partition member 23 that is located between the opposing surfaces of these parts and is partially in contact with the oil in the sealed space 21A1. Both parts are in contact with each other at a position where the oil does not come into contact.
[0031]
The partition member 23 is composed of a plate-like shielding member that can be bent using a material that does not have an affinity for oil, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). As described above, the portion is in contact with the oil in the sealed space 21A1, and is extended to a position where it does not contact the oil in the vicinity of the contact position between the liquid supply portion 21A2 and the liquid feedback portion 21A3. Therefore, the liquid supply unit 21A2 and the liquid feedback unit 21A3 are in contact with each other at a position where the partition member 23 does not exist.
[0032]
The liquid supply unit 21A2 is a bendable member made of a porous or fibrous member, and is configured by a member using a material having a contact angle (wetting angle) with respect to oil corresponding to the liquid of 90 degrees or less, Among them, the liquid supply unit 21A2 is positioned at a height (H) at which a part of the liquid supply unit 21A2 can obtain a capillary raising action based on a contact angle (wetting angle). In the present embodiment, an aramid felt, ceramic paper, or the like is used as the liquid supply unit 21A2 and the liquid feedback unit 21A3, and an aramid felt, an open-cell sponge, or the like is used as the liquid feedback unit 21A3.
[0033]
The liquid feedback part 21A3 is integrated in a state where a part thereof is in contact with the liquid supply part 21A2, and the vicinity of the sealed space 21A1 is provided in a state where it is maintained in a non-contact state with the oil in the sealed space 21A1. That is, the sealed space 21A1 side of the liquid feedback portion 21A3 is omitted so as not to contact the oil in the sealed space 21A1, and this portion is configured as an oil dropping portion.
[0034]
Like the liquid supply unit 21A2, the liquid feedback unit 21A3 is made of a porous or fibrous member made of a material having a contact angle (wetting angle) with oil of 90 degrees or less, and follows the bending deformation of the liquid supply unit 21A2. Then, a bendable member is used, and a part thereof is positioned so as to have a height (H1) at which a capillary raising action based on a contact angle (wetting angle) is obtained, similarly to the liquid supply portion 21A2. The height (H1) in this case is a height based on the position where the liquid supply unit 21A2 contacts each other.
[0035]
At a position where the liquid supply unit 21A2 and the liquid feedback unit 1A3 are in contact with each other, a liquid discharge unit 21A4 is provided on the liquid supply unit 21A2 side.
The liquid discharge unit 21A4 is a member that is partly open of the bag body 21A and requires application of oil, that is, a part that contacts the heating belt 12D shown in FIG. 2, and a part of the liquid supply unit 21A2 It is provided by pasting. In this embodiment, a nonwoven fabric made of an aramid / PET mixture capable of leaching oil is used. Such a non-woven fabric is set in accordance with the characteristics of the member requiring application of oil. For example, when heat resistance is required, the above-described materials are used. . The properties including the heat resistance are similarly set in the liquid supply unit 21A2 and the liquid feedback unit 21A3.
[0036]
The liquid ejecting part 21A4 can ooze the oil by itself and transfer the oil to the heating belt 12D, which is a member to be applied, but a member that can set the oil supply amount to the heating belt 12D is a bag body 21A. It is also possible to attach it in contact with another place. That is, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the amount of oil applied to the surface of the non-woven fabric made of the above-described mixed material, in other words, the oil transfer, It is also possible to attach and integrate a pad-like liquid application member (a member indicated by a symbol P in FIG. 3) in which the volume and density for obtaining the amount are set in advance.
[0037]
In the fixing device 12 shown in FIG. 2, an oil application pad (indicated by the symbol P used in FIG. 3 for convenience) heated as a liquid application member integrated with the liquid ejection part 21A4 is heated at a position in contact with the heating belt 12D. The oil bulges toward the belt 12D side and comes into contact with the heating belt 12D to transfer and apply oil.
[0038]
The following relationship is set between the liquid supply unit 21A2 and the liquid feedback unit 21A3.
That is, when the oil is not supplied to the heating belt 12D in the liquid discharge part 21A4, that is, when the oil leached from the liquid discharge part 1A4 is not consumed, the liquid supply part 21A2 is moved to the liquid discharge part 21A4. The amount of oil that reaches and the amount of oil that is sucked up at the contact portion by the liquid return portion 21A3 that contacts the liquid supply portion 21A2 and reaches the sealed space 21A1 is set to be equal.
This is because if the heating belt 12D is not in operation and no oil is consumed, if the oil that has moved through the liquid supply unit 21A2 continues to transfer to the heating belt 12D, the oil carried on the heating belt 12D is excessive. This is to prevent the occurrence of problems such as fouling on the heating belt 12D or the image surface of the recording sheet in contact with the surface of the heating belt 12D. For this reason, the density of the fibrous member which comprises liquid supply part 21A2 and liquid feedback part 21A3 is varied.
[0039]
In the present embodiment, the liquid head 21A2 contacts the liquid head 21A2 with respect to the height of the head when sucked up from the sealed space 21A1 by the liquid supply 21A2, so-called the height indicated by the symbol H. In consideration of the difference in the height of the water head when sucked up, that is, the height indicated by the symbol H1, the density that can prevent excessive oil from leaching from the liquid discharge portion 21A4 is set in the liquid feedback portion 21A3. When the density is increased, the oil sucking speed is reduced, but the total amount of oil contained therein is increased, so that excessive leaching in the liquid discharge portion 21A4 is avoided. In addition, as a parameter which adjusts the moving amount | distance of oil, not only the density mentioned above but volume can also be used and these can also be used. As a result, when there is no oil consumption, in other words, when the heating belt 12D is not in operation, as shown by the one-dot chain line arrow in FIG. The oil that has reached 21A4 is sucked up by the liquid feedback portion 21A3 and circulates again toward the sealed space 21A1.
[0040]
The outer surface of the sealed space 21A1 in the bag body 21A, in other words, the portion corresponding to other than the liquid discharge portion 21A4 constitutes a gripping portion 21B of the bag body 21A as shown in FIG. That is, since the liquid ejection part 21A4 is a part that allows oil to be leached, it is not preferable that the hand shakes in that part because damage may occur. However, since the outer surface of the sealed space 21A1 does not have such a restriction, it can be used as a grip portion 21B of the bag body 21A, and the grip portion 21B can be gripped and carried. When the gripping part 21B is gripped, it is not a case where oil is transferred and applied from the liquid discharge part 21A4. Therefore, when the oil suction amount in the liquid supply part 21A2 is not saturated, it is pushed into the liquid supply part 21A2 and manually sucked up Since oil can be sucked and returned to the sealed space 21A1 by the liquid feedback part 21A3 that is in contact with the liquid discharge part 21A4, it does not drop from the liquid discharge part 21A4. In addition, in FIG. 4, the code | symbol 21C has shown the junction part of 21 A of bag bodies.
[0041]
On the other hand, the fixing device 12 is provided with a support portion 24 for the liquid supply means 21 in the vicinity of the heating roller 12A shown in FIG. 1 or the heating belt 12D shown in FIG.
In the present embodiment, the structure of the support 24 for the liquid supply means 21 is provided with a structure for obtaining a capillary raising action in the liquid supply part 21A2 included in the liquid supply means 21.
That is, the support 24 of the liquid supply means 21 in the fixing device 12 has a base portion 24A for placing the surface on which the sealed space 21A1 of the bag body 21A is located, and a part of the base portion 24A is located upward. And the liquid ejecting part 21A4 is brought into contact with the surface of the heating belt 12D. The suction regulating part 24B is set to a height (H) at which the projecting height exerts the capillary raising action of the liquid supply part 21A2. A support portion 24 including a discharge position defining portion 24C is provided.
[0042]
In the configuration of the fixing device 12 shown in FIG. 3, the support portion 24 is disposed above the extended position of the heating belt 12D. For this reason, the support portion 24 includes a bracket 24D and a discharge portion side bracket 24E that are fixed to the casing 12E of the fixing device 12 above the position where the heating belt 12D is extended, and these brackets are provided on the casing 12E side. It is installed in the fixing device 12 by being fixed by fastening or the like.
[0043]
In the discharge position defining part 24C, the liquid discharge part 21A4 is located below the sealed space 21A1 in the bag body 21A because the support part 24 is disposed above the extended position of the heating belt 12D. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid discharge part 21A4 is directed downward from the position of the height (H) at which the capillary raising action of the liquid supply part 21A2 is obtained. For this reason, the discharge position defining portion 24C has the surface of the heating belt 12D so as to optimize the contact relationship between the liquid discharging portion 21A4 and the heating belt 12D in the liquid supply portion 21A2 bent downward in the suction defining portion 24B. The position can be adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the direction. In other words, the discharge unit side bracket 24E is integrated with the liquid discharge unit 21A4 on one surface, but can be moved by loosening the fastening with respect to the other surface, that is, the fixed position on the casing 12E. Yes. Accordingly, the discharge position defining portion 24C is a portion that urges the liquid discharge portion 21A4 toward the heating roller 12A or the heating belt 12D.
[0044]
As shown in FIG. 2, a lid member 22 that can partially open the casing 12 </ b> E is provided above the support portion 24 in the casing 12 </ b> E. The lid member 22 can be placed above the support portion 24 in the casing 12E by an attachment mechanism (not shown). When the fixing by the attachment mechanism is released, the lid member 22 is divided from the casing 12E so that the upper portion of the support portion 24 can be opened. ing. Therefore, when the lid member 22 is opened, the support part 24 or the liquid supply means 21 mounted on the support part 24 is exposed.
[0045]
In addition to the components described above, the fixing device 12 includes a cleaning roller that contacts the surface of the heating belt 12D and scrapes off excess oil as indicated by reference numeral 12F in FIG. 2, as indicated by reference numerals 12G and 12H. Temperature detecting means such as a thermistor for detecting the surface temperature of the heating belt 12D and the pressure roller 12B is provided.
[0046]
The temperature detection means 12G and 12H can detect the surface temperature of the heating belt 12D and the pressure roller 12B and output a signal to the control unit 14 (see FIG. 1). And error detection can be performed.
[0047]
In FIG. 2, the pressure roller 12B and the driving roller 12C that is in contact with the pressure roller 12B are supported by independent rotary shaft support means members 25 and 26, respectively. Are biased in a direction approaching each other by an elastic body 27 such as a spring that is hooked on a part of the spring. Accordingly, the heating belt 12D wound around the drive roller 12C is urged toward the pressure roller 12B, so that the nip width with the pressure roller 12B can be maintained. .
[0048]
Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, when the new liquid supply means 21 is mounted in the fixing device 12, the gripping portion 21 </ b> B is held and the bag body 21 </ b> A is attached to the support portion 24 in the fixing device 12. Install.
In this case, since the liquid supply means 21 is provided with the liquid discharge portion 21A4 capable of leaching oil in the bag body 21A having the sealed space 21A1 in which oil is stored, installation of a tank or the like is required. The oil can be supplied only by mounting the liquid supply means 21 without any problem. As shown in FIG. 4, the liquid supply means 21 only needs to be installed with respect to the support portion 24 while holding the grip portion 21B, and can be operated by the user. That is, when the liquid supply means 21 is mounted on the support portion 24, the lid member 22 provided in a part of the casing 12E is opened and sealed from the opening portion to the base portion 24A of the support portion 24. The surface of the bag body 21A where the space 21A1 is located is placed.
[0049]
When a part of the bag body 21A is placed on the base part 24A, the position between the sealed space 21A1 and the liquid discharge part 21A4 in the bag body 21A rides on the suction regulating part 24B, so that a part of the liquid supply part 21A2 is Positioning can be automatically performed at a height at which the capillary raising action can be obtained, and the height can be easily set even if it is not a service person who recognizes the device structure. Moreover, the liquid supply means 21 mounted on the picture that matches the base portion 24 of the support portion 24 is the liquid discharge portion 21A4 or the liquid provided in contact with the liquid discharge portion 21A4 by adjusting the position of the discharge position defining portion 24C of the support portion 24. Since the pad coating pad P can be set in an appropriate contact state with the heating belt 12D, the oil sucked up in the liquid supply portion 21A2 can be appropriately transferred or circulated according to the operating state of the heating belt 12D. The oil is not excessively carried on the heating belt 12.
[0050]
When removing the liquid supply means 21 from the support portion 24, the lid member 22 is opened to expose the liquid supply means 21, and the oil container is simply taken out of the bag body 21A by the procedure opposite to the mounting procedure described above. A certain sealed space 21A1 and the liquid discharge part 21A4 which is an application part can be taken out in a lump, and oil is not spilled at the time of taking out.
[0051]
According to the present embodiment, when the liquid supply means 21 is mounted and taken out, it is only necessary to operate by grasping the bag body 21A, and the oil itself is enclosed in the bag body 21A. There is no. As a result, the user can easily load and remove the liquid supply means 21.
[0052]
In the above embodiment, the support unit 24 is provided on the fixing device 12 side, and the structure of the fixing device 12 is used to urge the liquid ejection unit 21A against the heating belt 12D that is the application target member. The present invention is not limited to this configuration.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the support portion. Unlike the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the coating apparatus (shown by reference numeral 20 ′) shown in FIG. The liquid supply portion 21A4 in FIG. 2 is not a liquid application pad (a member indicated by a symbol P in FIG. 2), but performs oil transfer application on the application roller 28 that contacts the heating belt 12D. The application roller 28 in this case can be rotated in conjunction with the movement of the heating belt 12D.
For this reason, the support portion (indicated by reference numeral 29 for the sake of convenience) is provided with a support unit 29A formed of a housing having an opening that exposes the application roller 28 as a main portion. The upper surface is a lid member 29B that can be opened and closed.
The lid member 29B is provided with an elastic body 30 such as a leaf spring that presses and urges the liquid discharge portion 21A4 against the application roller 28.
[0053]
In the liquid supply means 21 mounted in the support unit 29A, the height of a part of the bag body 21A is set by the suction regulating part 29A1 provided on the bottom plate of the support unit 29A, and the liquid supply part 21A2 (see FIG. 3). ), And the liquid discharge portion 21A4 (see FIG. 3) is directed from the position of this height toward the position of the elastic body 27. The elastic body 30 not only presses and urges the liquid discharge portion 21A4 as described above, but also serves as a discharge position defining portion that defines the position of the liquid discharge portion 21A4 with respect to the application roller 28 by closing the lid member 29B. It also has the function of.
[0054]
In the above configuration, the liquid supply means 21 can be mounted and taken out by exposing the bag body 21A by opening and closing the lid member 29B in the same manner as in the fixing device 12 shown in FIG.
[0055]
When the lid member 29B is closed when the upper surface of the support unit 29A is open, the liquid discharge portion 21A4 is defined by the elastic body 30 to be in contact with the application roller 28, and the elastic force from the liquid discharge portion 21A4. Allows for oil leaching.
[0056]
In the above configuration, the oil is transferred and applied to the heating belt 12D via the application roller 30 provided in the support unit 29A. However, the individual application rollers 28 are omitted and the liquid ejection unit 21A4 is omitted. It is also possible to bring the oil application pad shown in FIG. 2 (the member indicated by the symbol P in FIG. 2) into contact with the oil application pad P to the heating belt 12D.
[0057]
In the above embodiment, the operation of the liquid supply means 21 has been described for the heating belt 12D. However, as shown in FIG. 1, the combination of the heating roller 12A and the pressure roller 12B is the target for contacting the toner image. Of course, it is possible to supply the oil so that the liquid discharger 21A4 in the liquid supply means 21 faces the heating roller 12A.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
  Claims 1 to10According to the described invention, the liquid supply means as the liquid application means provided for the heating body and the pressurization body constituted by the roller and the belt can take out and attach the bag body to the support portion. Since it is configured, liquid spillage does not occur at the time of taking out and mounting, and it can be operated simply by grasping the bag. As a result, there is no fouling on the periphery of the fixing device during maintenance of the fixing device, and the handling of the liquid supply means is simplified. Therefore, the user is not a service person during maintenance, particularly when replacing the liquid supply means. Can also be operated. As a result, it is possible to reduce the standby time until the image forming apparatus including the fixing device is restarted and improve the operation efficiency of the image forming apparatus. In addition, in the inventions according to claims 2 and 3, since the amount of the liquid that moves between the liquid supply unit and the liquid feedback unit in the mounted liquid supply means is the same, the liquid is not applied. It is possible to avoid an excessive application state in the above, and to avoid inadvertent consumption of the liquid due to excessive application.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration of an image forming apparatus in which a fixing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of the fixing device shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a main configuration of a liquid supply unit used in the fixing device shown in FIG.
4 is a diagram for explaining a handling state of the liquid supply unit shown in FIG. 3; FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modification of a partial configuration of the fixing device shown in FIG. 2;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Image forming device
12 Fixing device
12A Heating roller as one of heating members
12B Pressure roller as one of the pressure members
Heating belt that is one of many 12D heating members
20 Liquid applicator
21 Liquid supply means
21A bag
21A1 sealed space
21A2 Liquid supply unit
21A3 Liquid return part
21A4 Liquid discharge part
23 Partition member
24, 29 Support part
24A Base for placing bag
24B, 29B Suction regulation part
24C Discharge part position defining part
26 Application roller
27 Elastic body
29A support unit
P Oil application pad that is a liquid application member

Claims (10)

A fixing device used for fixing a recording medium onto which a visible image is transferred from a latent image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus,
Comprising a heating body with a built-in heat source, and a pressure member capable interlocked in contact with the heating body, and a liquid supply means is disposed in the vicinity of the pressurized hot body or the pressure body transfers applying a liquid,
The liquid supply means includes
A bag of flexible with can accommodate enclosed space of the liquid body therein,
A liquid that is formed of a material having a contact angle (wetting angle) of 90 degrees or less with the liquid, is in contact with the liquid contained in the sealed space, and is provided with a liquid discharge portion at a position where the liquid is transferred and applied. A supply section;
Liquid feedback partially separated from the liquid supply part by a partition member provided in contact with the liquid in the sealed space and in contact with the liquid supply part at a position where the partition member does not exist With
A supporting portion for the liquid supply means is provided in the vicinity of the heating body or the pressure body,
The support part is a base part on which the bag body can be placed;
A squeezing regulation part projecting upward from a part of the base part and having a height at which the liquid supply part can obtain a capillary action of liquid based on the contact angle of the liquid;
The liquid-dispensing unit includes a discharge position defining portion for urging toward the heating member or pressure member,
The liquid supply means includes
A fixing device having a configuration in which it can be attached to and detached from the support unit together with the liquid discharge unit by being detachably attached to the support unit. The above-mentioned liquid supply and the liquid feedback section, the amount and the liquid feedback section of the liquid leading to the liquid body ejection exit portion from the liquid supply section when the supply by the application of liquid from said liquid discharge portion is not performed 2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a relationship is set so that the amount of liquid that moves and returns to the sealed space is the same.   The liquid supply unit and the liquid feedback unit are both made of a fibrous member, and the fibrous member constituting the liquid supply unit has a higher density than the fibrous member constituting the liquid feedback unit. The fixing device according to claim 1 or 2.   4. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the base portion and the discharge regulating portion of the support portion are covered with a lid that can be opened and closed.   The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the heating body and the pressure body are configured to be rollers that can face each other and interlock with each other.   The heating body is composed of a roller, and the pressure body is composed of an endless belt that can contact and interlock with the heating body, and the endless belt is heated by a roller around which the endless belt is wound or from the outside. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device is a fixing device.   The fixing device according to claim 4, wherein the liquid supply unit can be taken out and attached to the support portion by opening a lid of the support portion. In the lid, it said liquid body ejection detecting portion fixing device according to claim 4 or 7, wherein the elastic body for urging the pressing toward the heating member or pressure member are provided.   The bag body in the liquid supply means is configured such that an outer peripheral portion of a sealed space containing the liquid is configured as a grip portion at the time of taking out and mounting. The fixing device according to 1.   The fixing device according to claim 9, wherein the grip portion is made of a felt material.

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