JP6608207B2 - Fixing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fixing device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic printer or an electrophotographic copying machine.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a halogen lamp type film heating type fixing device as a fixing device mounted on an electrophotographic printer or copying machine. FIG. 12 shows a fixing device disclosed in Patent Document 1. 12A is a side view when the fixing device B is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction a of the recording material P, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the fixing device B shown in FIG.

  The fixing device B of Patent Document 1 presses a heated metal plate 21 that slides on the inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical metal film 16 against a pressure roller 14 by a metal pressure stay 19, and the metal film 16 and the pressure roller. 14 and a nip portion N having a predetermined width is formed. The pressure roller 14 includes a metal core 14a, an elastic layer 14b provided on the outer peripheral surface of the metal core 14a with a heat-resistant rubber, and a release layer 14c provided on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer 14b. Between the metal pressurizing stay 19 and the heated metal plate 21, a halogen heater 13 and a radiant light reflecting plate 20 for concentrating radiant light emitted from the halogen heater 13 on the nip portion N are arranged.

  The heating metal plate 21 is heated by receiving the radiation light reflected by the radiation light reflecting plate 20 to heat the metal film 16, and the metal film 16 that rotates following the rotation of the pressure roller 14 and slides. And a function of forming the nip portion N while moving. The radiant light reflecting plate 20 is provided so as to be interposed between the metal pressure stay 19 and the halogen heater 13 and between the metal pressure stay 19 and the heating metal plate 21. The heated metal plate 21 is heated by the radiation light emitted from the halogen heater 13, and the heat of the heated metal plate 21 is transmitted to the metal film 16.

  Here, 18 is a film guide for guiding the metal film 16 to the nip portion N. Reference numeral 17 denotes an upper cover stay screwed to the film guide 18. Reference numeral 22 denotes a black paint layer formed on the surface of the heated metal plate 21 on the side of the halogen heater 13 in order to enhance the absorption of radiation light. Reference numeral 23 denotes a thermistor that detects the temperature of the heated metal plate 21 in contact with the seat surface portion 21b provided on the heated metal plate 21, and 25 denotes a pressure spring that pressurizes the thermistor 22 to the seat surface portion 21b.

  The recording material P carrying the unfixed toner image T is heated while being conveyed in the nip portion N, whereby the toner image T is fixed on the recording material P.

  This fixing device B has an advantage that the heating metal plate 21 is concentratedly heated in a non-contact manner by the halogen heater 13 so that the start-up speed can be increased.

JP 2012-212066 A

  However, in the fixing device B of Patent Document 1, as can be seen from FIG. 12B, the heating metal plate 21 has flange portions 20 a provided on the radiant light reflection plate 20 on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction a. Pressurized by a metal pressure stay 19 sandwiched between them. Since the material of the radiant light reflecting plate 20 is made of aluminum having good reflection efficiency, it has good thermal conductivity.

  On the other hand, the metal pressurizing stay 19 uses a thick metal because it requires high rigidity so that a uniform nip width can be formed while withstanding high pressure, and its heat capacity is larger than that of other metal parts. Yes. For this reason, the rate of escape to the metal pressurization stay 19 having a large heat capacity through the radiation reflecting plate 20 having good heat conduction, in which the heat of the heated metal plate 21 heated by the radiation light is adhered at a high pressure, is high. As a result, the heating rate of the heated metal plate 21 was delayed.

  In order to actually confirm this effect, as a single unit evaluation of this fixing method having a performance equivalent to 40 printing speeds per minute (LTR size paper), the fixing temperature is adjusted from room temperature (25 ° C.) to 170 ° C. A verification experiment was conducted until it was reached. As a result of the verification experiment, the rising characteristics are as shown in FIG.

  Since the fixing unit itself uses an open-type jig with no shielding, heat dissipation due to convection is large, which is disadvantageous compared to the startup characteristics of the actual machine. The device was a little slow.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a fixing device capable of increasing the temperature rising rate of a heated metal plate and having excellent start-up performance.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A rotatable cylindrical member having flexibility;
A heating element disposed inside the cylindrical member;
A heating metal plate that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member and that receives radiant light emitted from the heating element;
A pressure rotator disposed outside the tubular member and sandwiching the tubular member together with the heated metal plate; and
A metal pressure stay that pressurizes the heated metal plate to form a nip portion between the cylindrical member and the pressure rotating body;
A radiant light reflecting plate provided between the metal pressure stay and the heating element, and between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate;
And a heat-resistant trees Aburaga id for guiding the tubular member to the nip portion,
In a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording material by heating a recording material carrying an unfixed toner image while transporting it at the nip portion,
A heat insulating material is provided at a contact portion between the metal pressure stay and the metal pressure stay of the radiant light reflecting plate provided to be interposed between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate ,
As the heat insulating material, a pressure seat surface in which a part of the heat-resistant resin guide is deformed into a shape capable of being interposed in a contact portion of the radiant light reflecting plate with the metal pressure stay is used .
The present invention also provides a flexible rotatable cylindrical member,
A heating element disposed inside the cylindrical member;
A heating metal plate that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member and that receives radiant light emitted from the heating element;
A pressure rotator disposed outside the tubular member and sandwiching the tubular member together with the heated metal plate; and
A metal pressure stay that pressurizes the heated metal plate to form a nip portion between the cylindrical member and the pressure rotating body;
A radiant light reflector provided to be interposed between the metal pressure stay and the heating element, and between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate;
A heat resistant resin guide for guiding the cylindrical member to the nip portion,
In a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording material by heating the recording material carrying an unfixed toner image while conveying it at the nip portion,
A heat insulating material is provided at a contact portion between the metal pressure stay and the metal pressure stay of the radiant light reflecting plate provided to be interposed between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate,
As the heat insulating material, the entire heat resistant resin guide is used, the metal pressure stay is disposed on the upper surface portion of the heat resistant resin guide, and the upper surface portion is pressurized with the pressure surface of the metal pressure stay,
Another heat insulating material is provided between the upper surface portion of the heat resistant resin guide and the pressure surface of the metal pressure stay.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fixing device that can increase the heating rate of the heated metal plate and has excellent start-up performance.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the fixing device according to the first exemplary embodiment when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the recording material conveyance direction. The perspective view of the member provided inside the metal film of a fixing device Insulating material provided in the fixing device and enlarged view around the insulating material FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a difference in rising characteristics between the fixing device according to the first embodiment and a conventional fixing device. Cross section of image forming apparatus The side view when the film unit of the fixing device according to Embodiment 2 is viewed from the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material, and the perspective view of the film guide and the radiant light reflection plate The pressure seat surface provided as a heat insulating material in the fixing device according to the second embodiment, and an enlarged view around the pressure seat surface FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a film guide of the fixing device according to the third embodiment, and a bottom view of the film guide. 4 is a side view of the film unit of the fixing device according to the fourth embodiment when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the recording material conveyance direction. FIG. FIG. 9 is a side view of the film unit of the fixing device according to the fifth embodiment when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction. FIG. 6 is a side view of the film unit of the fixing device according to the sixth embodiment when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the recording material conveyance direction. A side view of a conventional fixing device when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction, and a sectional view of the conventional fixing device Diagram showing the rise characteristics of a conventional fixing device

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is an example of the best embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited by the following examples, and various other configurations are possible within the scope of the idea of the present invention. It is possible to replace this with a known configuration.

[Example 1]
1. Image Forming Apparatus An image forming apparatus equipped with the fixing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus (a monochrome printer in this embodiment) using an electrophotographic recording technique.

  In the image forming apparatus, the image forming unit A that forms an unfixed toner image on the recording material P includes a photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier, a charging member 2, a laser scanner 3, and a developing device 4. Have. The image forming unit A further includes a cleaner 5 for cleaning the photosensitive drum 1 and a transfer member 6. Since the above-described operation of the image forming unit A is well known, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The recording material P stored in the cassette 7 of the image forming apparatus is fed out one by one by the rotation of the roller 8. The recording material P is conveyed to a transfer nip formed by the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer member 6 by the rotation of the roller 9. The recording material P onto which the toner image has been transferred at the transfer nip portion is sent to a fixing portion (hereinafter referred to as a fixing device) B1. The unfixed toner image formed on the recording material P is heated and fixed on the recording material by the fixing device B1. The recording material P exiting the fixing device B1 is discharged to a tray (not shown).

2. Fixing device B1
The fixing device B1 of this embodiment is a halogen lamp type film heating type device shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view of the fixing device B1 of this embodiment as viewed from a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction a of the recording material P.

  In the fixing device B <b> 1 shown in this embodiment, a heat insulating material 26 is provided at a contact portion between the metal pressure stay 19 and the metal pressure stay 19 of the radiant light reflection plate 20 provided so as to be interposed between the metal pressure stay 19 and the heating metal plate 21. There is a feature in the point. The configuration other than the heat insulating material 26 is the same as that of the fixing device B shown in FIG. Therefore, the same members and parts as those of the fixing device B shown in FIG.

  The fixing device B1 of this embodiment includes a film unit 10 and a pressure roller 14 (pressure rotator). The film unit 10 includes a flexible rotatable cylindrical metal film (cylindrical member) 16, and a halogen heater (heating element) 13 disposed inside the metal film (hereinafter referred to as film) 16. Have. Furthermore, it has the heating metal plate 21 which is arrange | positioned so that sliding with the internal peripheral surface of the film 16 and receives the radiant light emitted from the halogen heater (henceforth a heater) 13 is carried out. The pressure roller 14 is disposed outside the film 16 and sandwiches the film 16 together with the heating metal plate 21.

Furthermore, the film unit 10 pressurizes the heated metal plate 21 through a heat insulating material 26 and a radiant light reflecting plate 20 described later, and forms a nip portion N having a predetermined width between the film 16 and the pressure roller 14. A pressure stay 19 is provided. Further, a radiation reflecting plate 20 provided so as to be interposed between the metal pressurizing stay 19 and the heater 13 and between the metal pressurizing stay 19 and the heating metal plate 21, and for guiding the film 16 to the nip portion N. having a heat-resistant resin of the film guide (heat trees Aburaga id) 18. Furthermore, it has an upper cover stay 17 for suppressing contact with the inner surface of the film 16 such as the wiring of the metal pressure stay 19 and the heater 13.

  As a structural feature of the fixing device B1 shown in the present embodiment, the film 16 is protruded to the downstream side in the conveyance direction a of the recording material P significantly from the width of the nip portion N. As a result, the area where the film 16 is conveyed is longer on the upstream side and downstream side of the nip portion N in the conveyance direction a than the conventional heat roller type or film heating type fixing device. A relatively large film is required.

  The structural factors of the fixing device B1 having such characteristics will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. First, the heated metal plate 21 has a seat surface portion 21b that extends in a direction parallel to the transport direction a through a one-stage bent portion 21a on the downstream side of the nip portion N in the transport direction a, and the seat surface portion 21b. A thermistor 23 is provided on the top. That is, the thermistor 23 is configured to be in pressure contact with the seat surface portion 21 b by the pressure spring 25 and the upper cover stay 17 screwed to the film guide 18.

  In the fixing device B1 shown in the present embodiment, the method of detecting the surface temperature of the fixing roller in the conventional heat roller type fixing device in contact or non-contact cannot be used due to insufficient rigidity of the film 16 or instability of the position. Further, because of radiant heating, the thermistor cannot be brought into contact with the upper surface of the heater as in a film heating type fixing device using a ceramic heater.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment is configured to detect a temperature closer to the temperature of the nip portion N, and the heat conductivity of the heated metal plate 21 on the downstream side of the nip portion N in the conveyance direction a of the heated metal plate 21. The temperature detected part by the thermistor 23 is provided. In order to secure the space of the temperature-detected portion, it is necessary to extend a part of the heated metal plate 21 on the downstream side of the nip portion N in this way.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view for easily explaining the shape and arrangement of each member provided inside the film 16. (A) shows the upper cover stay 17. (B) shows the film guide 18. (C) shows the metal pressure stay 19. (D) shows the heat insulating material 26. (E) shows the radiant light reflecting plate 20. (F) shows a halogen heater (hereinafter referred to as a heater) 13.

  (G) shows two thermistors 23 arranged at the center and end of the heated metal plate 21 and a thermo switch 24 arranged between the two thermistors 23 in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction a of the recording material P. Show. (H) is a heated metal plate having a shape in which three sensor contact surface portions 21b are extended to the downstream side of the nip portion N in the transport direction a in order to secure a contact location between the thermistor 23 and the thermo switch 24. 21 is shown. Here, the thermistor 23 and the thermo switch 24 are brought into contact with the seat surface portion 21b through three sensor holding holes 18a (see FIG. 12B) provided in the film guide 18.

3. Heat Fixing Processing Operation In FIG. 1, the pressure roller 14 rotates in the direction of the arrow by driving a motor (not shown). The film 16 follows the rotation of the pressure roller 14 and rotates in the direction of the arrow. The heated metal plate 21 is heated by the radiation light emitted from the heater 13, and the heat of the heated metal plate 21 is transmitted to the film 16. The heater 13 is temperature-controlled by a temperature control unit (not shown) so that the temperature detected by the thermistor 23 maintains a predetermined fixing temperature control temperature (target temperature). The recording material P carrying the unfixed toner image T is heated while being conveyed in the nip portion N, whereby the toner image T is fixed on the recording material P.

4). Description of Heat Insulating Material 26 FIG. 3 shows a heat insulating material 26 provided at the contact portion of the radiant light reflecting plate 20 with the metal pressure stay 19 and an enlarged view around the heat insulating material 26. The heat insulating material 26 separates the interface between the upstream and downstream pressure surfaces 19a in the conveying direction a of the metal pressure stay 19 and the upstream and downstream flange portions 20a in the conveying direction a of the radiation reflector 20. It is provided to do. Each heat insulating material 26 is uniformly extended along the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction a of the metal pressurization stay 19 and the radiation light reflecting plate 20 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2D).

  As a structure of the heat insulating material 26, a sheet of Synsalate (registered trademark), which is known as a material having high heat insulating properties, is used with a thickness of about 2 mm when not compressed. More specifically, while being covered with a polyimide tape (not shown) having a thickness of about 0.1 mm, the tape is attached and fixed to the side of the pressing portion of the metal pressing stay 19 at the end of the tape. That is, the heat insulating material 26 is a composite member having a two-layer structure in which the surface of a sheet material made of cinsalate is covered with polyimide tape. Here, the synthate is a nonwoven fabric in which polypropylene microfibers having a thermal conductivity λ = 0.0358 W / mk and a fiber diameter of about 2 μm and a polyester short fiber having a fiber diameter of about 25 μm, which are produced by a melt plane method, are integrated.

  For the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment and the conventional fixing device B, as a verification experiment for evaluating a single device having a performance equivalent to 40 printing speeds per minute (LTR size paper), the temperature is set from room temperature (25 ° C.) to 170 ° C. A verification experiment was conducted until the fixing temperature was reached. FIG. 4 is a graph showing a result of verifying a difference in start-up characteristics between the unit of the fixing device B1 according to the present embodiment (the pressure stay bottom heat insulating configuration) and the unit of the conventional fixing device B (conventional configuration). .

  The fixing device B1 according to the present exemplary embodiment has the same condition as that of the conventional fixing device B, but the fixing temperature is 170 ° C. as can be seen from the graph shown in FIG. It can be seen that the rise time has a large difference of about 6.4 seconds. This is because the heat insulating material 26 provided at the contact portion of the radiant light reflecting plate 20 with the metal pressurizing stay 19 heats the metal pressurizing stay 19 from the heated metal plate 21 heated and heated by the radiant light of the heater 13. By suppressing the movement of.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment has an effect that the heating rate of the heated metal plate 21 can be increased and the start-up performance is excellent.

[Example 2]
6A is a side view of the film unit 10 of the fixing device B1 according to the second embodiment as viewed from a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material P. FIG. 6B is a side view of the film guide 18 and the metal pressure stay 20. It is a perspective view which shows the state before mounting | wearing.

  In the fixing device B1 of this embodiment, as a heat insulating material, a part of the heat-resistant resin film guide 18 is deformed into a shape that can be interposed in a contact portion with the metal pressure stay 19 of the radiant light reflection plate 20 to form a pressure seat. The point used as the surface 18b is characterized. In FIG. 7, the pressurization seat surface 18b provided in the contact part with the metal pressurization stay 19 of the radiation light reflecting plate 20 and the enlarged view around the pressurization seat surface 18b are shown.

  The pressure seat surface 18b is provided at the interface between the upstream and downstream pressure surfaces 19a in the transport direction a of the metal pressurizing stay 19, and the upstream and downstream flange portions 20a in the transport direction a of the radiant light reflection plate 20. It is molded into a protruding shape with a thickness of about 2 mm. The pressure seat surface 18b is provided along a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the transport direction a of the film guide 18 so as to separate the interface.

  The material of the film guide 18 is commonly used polyimide or liquid crystal polymer. Although the thermal conductivity of polyimide or liquid crystal polymer is about one digit higher than that of the uncompressed cinsalate, the thermal conductivity of aluminum used in the radiant light reflection plate 20 is lower by three digits or more. In addition, polyimide or liquid crystal polymer can sufficiently function as a heat insulating material because it can maintain a greater thickness than a cinsalate compressed in a pressurized state.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment does not need to add a separate heat insulating material, and can obtain the same effect as the first embodiment with an inexpensive configuration.

[Example 3]
8A is a perspective view of the film guide 18 provided in the fixing device B1 of Example 3, and FIG. 8B is a bottom view when the film guide 18 is viewed from the pressure roller 14 side.

  The fixing device B1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that, as a heat insulating material, a notched portion 18b1 having a skew tooth shape capable of halving the contact area is further provided on the pressure bearing surface 18b of the film guide 18 described in the second embodiment. There is. The pressure seat surface 18b is provided at the interface between the upstream and downstream pressure surfaces 19a in the transport direction a of the metal pressure stay 20 and the upstream and downstream flange portions 20a in the transport direction a of the radiant light reflection plate 20. It is molded into a protruding shape with a thickness of about 1 mm.

  Further, the pressure seat surface 18b is provided with notches 18b1 in a skewer shape at intervals of about 4 mm along the longitudinal direction of the film guide 18, and the pressure surface 19a of the metal pressure stay 19 and the flange of the radiant light reflecting plate 20 are provided. The contact area with the portion 20a is made half that of the pressure bearing surface of the second embodiment. The heat insulating performance of the pressure seating surface 18b is improved as compared with the second embodiment by providing the notch portion 18b1 in a skewer shape.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment has further improved heat insulation properties as compared with the second embodiment. Therefore, the stand-up performance is further improved, and the same effects as the first embodiment can be obtained with less material and less expensive configuration. Get it.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), the notched portions 18a1 of the pressure seat surface 18b provided to improve the heat insulation performance are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction a. The notch positions are shifted alternately and asymmetrically arranged with respect to the center 18o between the pressure bearing surfaces 18b. As a result, it is possible to ensure the heat capacity and heat transfer distribution uniformity of the pressure seating surfaces 18b on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction a, thereby preventing the final image fixing unevenness.

  Further, as a method for reducing the contact area of the pressure seating surface 18b as described above, a method of performing grooves or dimple processing on the surface of the pressure seating surface 18b may be used in addition to the method of providing the notch portion 18b1 as described above. Needless to say.

[Example 4]
FIG. 9 is a side view of the film unit 10 of the fixing device B1 according to the fourth embodiment as viewed from the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material P.

Fixing apparatus B1 of the embodiment, as thermal insulation, the entire film guide 18 (heat trees Aburaga overall id) using a film guide by placing the metal pressing stay 19 on the upper surface 18c of the film guide 18 It is characterized in that 18 is pressurized. The film guide 18 is formed into a thick member by moving the metal pressure stay 19 from the inside to the outside of the film guide 18.

  The upstream and downstream bottom surface portions 18d of the film guide 18 in the transport direction a are placed on the upstream and downstream flange portions 20a of the radiation reflecting plate 20 in the transport direction a. In the film guide 18 having a thickness of 6 mm or more, the upper surface portion 18 c of the film guide 18 is pressed by the pressing surface 19 a of the metal pressing stay 19.

  Therefore, since the fixing device B1 of the present embodiment can form a thicker heat insulating layer by using the entire thick film guide 18 as a heat insulating material, a configuration with a higher heat insulating effect can be realized. Thereby, the heating rate of the heated metal plate 21 can be increased and the rise performance is excellent.

[Example 5]
FIG. 10 is a side view of the film unit 10 of the fixing device B1 according to the fifth embodiment when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material P.

  The fixing device B1 of this embodiment is characterized in that an air blocking portion 18e is provided inside the film guide 18 described in the fourth embodiment. A plurality of through holes are provided in the inner region between the upper surface portion 18c and the bottom surface portion 18d of the film guide 18 along the longitudinal direction as an air heat insulating portion 18e within a range that does not impair the required strength of the film guide 18. . With these air heat insulation portions 18e, the film guide 18 can obtain a higher heat insulation effect.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of this embodiment has an effect that the heating rate of the heated metal plate 21 can be increased more than that of the fourth embodiment, and the rise performance is excellent.

  In the present embodiment, a through hole is used as the air heat insulating portion 18e, but it goes without saying that the air heat insulating portion may be formed by other foam formation or the like.

[Example 6]
FIG. 11 is a side view of the film unit 10 of the fixing device B1 according to the sixth embodiment when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material P.

  The fixing device B1 of this embodiment is characterized in that a heat insulating material 27 is further added between the upper surface portion 18c of the film guide 18 described in the fourth embodiment and the pressure surface 19a of the metal pressure stay 19. . Here, as the heat insulating material 27, a single sheet material made of the thin salt used in the first embodiment is used, and the upstream and downstream pressing surfaces 19a in the transport direction a of the metal pressure stay 19 and the transport direction of the film guide 18 are used. a is provided so as to separate the interface between the upstream side 18a and the upper surface part 18c on the downstream side. Each heat insulating material 27 is extended uniformly along the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction a of the metal pressure stay 19 and the film guide 18.

  Therefore, the fixing device B1 of this embodiment has a higher heat insulating effect by interposing a member capable of obtaining a heat insulating effect between the upper surface portion 18c of the film guide 18 and the pressure surface 19a of the metal pressure stay 19. Can be obtained. Thereby, the heating rate of the heated metal plate 21 can be increased more than in the fourth embodiment, and the rise performance is excellent.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiment, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

(Modification 1)
In the embodiment described above, the pressure roller 14 is used as the pressure rotator, but the metal film 16 as a cylindrical member may be used instead of the pressure roller 14.

(Modification 2)
In embodiment mentioned above, the case where the pressurization roller 14 was pressurized as a pressurization rotary body through the metal film 16 as a cylindrical member with the heating metal plate 21 was shown. The present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a rotating body as a counter body, not a pressure rotating body, pressurizes the heated metal plate 21 via a metal film 16 as a cylindrical member. Here, the opposing body is a member that faces the cylindrical member, presses the cylindrical member to form a nip portion, and holds the moving recording material at the nip portion.

(Modification 3)
In the embodiment described above, the pressure roller rotating with the metal film 16 as the cylindrical member is shown as the pressure rotator, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is a flat plate that is fixed in place of the pressure roller. A pressure pad can also be applied.

(Modification 4)
In the embodiment described above, the recording paper has been described as the recording material. However, the recording material in the present invention is not limited to paper. Generally, a recording material is a sheet-like member on which a toner image is formed by an image forming apparatus. For example, regular or irregular plain paper, cardboard, thin paper, envelope, postcard, seal, resin sheet, OHP sheet, Includes glossy paper.

(Modification 5)
In the above-described embodiment, the fixing device that fixes an unfixed toner image on the recording material has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the toner that is assumed on the recording material in order to improve the gloss of the image. The present invention can be similarly applied to a device for heating and pressing an image (also called a fixing device in this case).

13 Halogen heater, 14 Pressure roller, 16 Metal film,
18 heat tree Aburaga id, 18b pressurized圧座surface, 18b1 notch, 18c upper surface portion, 18e insulating air section, 19 a metal pressure stay, 19a pressing surface, 20 radiation light reflector, 21 heat the metal plates, 26 and 27 Heat insulating material, N nip, P recording material, T Unfixed toner image

Claims (4)

A rotatable cylindrical member having flexibility;
A heating element disposed inside the cylindrical member;
A heating metal plate that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member and that receives radiant light emitted from the heating element;
A pressure rotator disposed outside the tubular member and sandwiching the tubular member together with the heated metal plate; and
A metal pressure stay that pressurizes the heated metal plate to form a nip portion between the cylindrical member and the pressure rotating body;
A radiant light reflecting plate provided between the metal pressure stay and the heating element, and between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate;
And a heat-resistant trees Aburaga id for guiding the tubular member to the nip portion,
In a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording material by heating a recording material carrying an unfixed toner image while transporting it at the nip portion,
A heat insulating material is provided at a contact portion between the metal pressure stay and the metal pressure stay of the radiant light reflector provided to be interposed between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate ,
A fixing device in which a pressure seat surface in which a part of the heat-resistant resin guide is deformed into a shape that can be interposed in a contact portion of the radiation light reflecting plate with the metal pressure stay is used as the heat insulating material. . The fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said pressure圧座surface obtained by deforming a portion of the heat-resistant trees Aburaga id, further the contact area to form a comb tooth-shaped notches possible half. A rotatable cylindrical member having flexibility;
A heating element disposed inside the cylindrical member;
A heating metal plate that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member and that receives radiant light emitted from the heating element;
A pressure rotator disposed outside the tubular member and sandwiching the tubular member together with the heated metal plate; and
A metal pressure stay that pressurizes the heated metal plate to form a nip portion between the cylindrical member and the pressure rotating body;
A radiant light reflecting plate provided between the metal pressure stay and the heating element, and between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate;
A heat resistant resin guide for guiding the cylindrical member to the nip portion,
In a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording material by heating a recording material carrying an unfixed toner image while transporting it at the nip portion,
A heat insulating material is provided at a contact portion between the metal pressure stay and the metal pressure stay of the radiant light reflector provided to be interposed between the metal pressure stay and the heating metal plate,
As the heat insulating material, the use of a whole heat tree Aburaga Id, wherein by disposing the metal pressure stay on the upper surface of the heat-tree Aburaga Ido, pressurizing the upper surface portion in pressing surface of the metal pressing stay and pressure,
Wherein the upper surface portion of the heat-resistant resin guide, the constant Chakusochi characterized by providing other heat insulating material between the pressing surface of the metal pressing stay. The fixing device according to claim 3 , wherein a sheet material made of cinsalate (registered trademark) is used as the heat insulating material .