JPH0588567A - Image fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image fixing device which corrects a deviation in the traveling position of a transferring/fixing film and simultaneously, increase the durability of the transferring/fixing film. CONSTITUTION:This image fixing device is provided with an endless transferring/fixing film 3 on which a visual image is tentatively transferred by a developing means 12, a heating element fixing 4 transferring/fixing the visual image tentatively transferred on the endless transferring/fixing film 3, onto a recording medium 5, a driving roller 6 pressing traveling force to the transferring/fixing film 3, and a tension roller 7 guiding the traveling of the transferring/fixing film 3, and simultaneously, applying prescribed tension thereon. A position sensor 8 monitoring the traveling position of the transferring/fixing film 3 and simultaneously, outputting prescribed positional deviation information, is equipped close to the driving roller 6, and a positional deviation correcting means operated according to information from the position sensor 8 is equipped on the tension roller 7. Therefore, the correction of the deviation of the transferring/fixing film and the elongation of the life can be effectively attained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image fixing device,
In particular, the present invention relates to an image fixing device suitable for a copying machine, a printer, or the like, which fixes and fixes an image on a recording medium by a fixing heating element via an endless heat-resistant transfer film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A transfer film transporting mechanism of a conventional image fixing device is shown in FIGS. In the conventional transporting mechanism shown in FIG. 5, a transfer fixing film 103 having a predetermined width is run by a driving roller 106, and a toner image formed from an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 101 is developed by a developing unit 108. Then, the toner image is developed as a toner image and is temporarily transferred from the photosensitive drum surface 101A onto the endless transfer fixing film 103 by the transfer unit 102. Then, the transfer-fixing film 103 to which the toner image has been tentatively transferred, together with the recording paper 105, the fixing heating element 104 and the pressing roller 100.
Can be sent between Thus, the transfix film 103
Is heated and pressed at the same time as the recording paper 105, and the transferred toner image is fixed and fixed on the recording paper 105.
Further, the transfer-fixing film 103 is constantly pressed outward from the back side of the film by the tension roller 107, so that the transfer-fixing film 103 is not loosened.

On the other hand, when the transfer-fixing film is driven through the roller portion, the tension balance of the transfer-fixing film during running is disturbed due to the displacement of the mounting position of the roller portion and the elongation of the transfer-fixing film, and therefore, There was a phenomenon in which the transfix film was biased to the side where the tension was large. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, elliptical pin holes 111 and 11 formed on both sides of the transfix film 103.
, And the sprocket pins 112, 112 provided on the outer periphery of the driving roller 106 are meshed with each other, thereby preventing the transfer and fixing film 103 from being offset.

[0004]

However, in the image fixing device of the above-mentioned conventional example, the offset of the transfer fixing film is provided on the outer periphery of the driving roller and the pin holes opened on both sides of the transfer fixing film. Since it was prevented by meshing with the sprocket pin, a mechanical load is applied to the transfer film made of a heat-resistant resin member, and the film thickness is increased and a reinforcing material is added to the pin hole. Even in the case, the life of the transfer film is shortened.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image fixing device which improves the disadvantages of the conventional example, and in particular corrects the deviation of the running position of the transfix film and increases the durability of the transfix film. That is the purpose.

[0006]

[MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS] An endless transfer fixing film on which a visible image is temporarily transferred by a developing means,
A fixing heating element that transfers and fixes a visible image that is temporarily transferred to this endless transfer-fixing film onto a recording medium, a drive roller that applies a running force to the transfer-fixing film, and guides the transfer-fixing film running And a tension roller that applies a predetermined tension to the transfix film. Then, a position sensor that monitors the running position of the transfer fixing film and outputs predetermined position deviation information is provided in the vicinity of the drive roller, and a position deviation correcting means that operates according to the information from the position sensor is provided on the tension roller. It is equipped with, etc. This aims to achieve the above-mentioned object.

[0007]

When the transfer position of the transfer and fixing film is moved outside the predetermined range when the transfer and fixing film is running, the running position information is output from the position sensor provided in the vicinity of the transfer and fixing film, and accordingly the roller support is supported. A solenoid provided at one end of the shaft draws and pulls one end of the roller support shaft in a direction perpendicular to the roller axis so that tension is applied to the opposite side of the transfer fixing film moved via a link lever.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view of the transfer fixing film running system in the image fixing device. Reference numeral 3 indicates an endless heat-resistant transfixing film made of a resin member having a predetermined width. The transfer / fixing film 3 is run by a driving roller 6 and runs endlessly on a running part in the device part. Then, the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is developed by the developing means 12 with the developer, and the toner image is transferred from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 onto the transfer fixing film 3 by the transferring means 2. Will be temporarily transferred.

A transfer fixing film 3 on which a toner image is temporarily transferred.
Together with the recording paper 5, the fixing heating element 4 and the pressing roller 11
Can be sent between The transfer / fixing film 3 is heated and pressed at the same time as the recording paper 5 to fix and fix the toner image on the recording paper 5. Further, the transfix film 3 is constantly pressed from the back side of the film by a tension roller 7 having a spring mechanism (not shown) so that the transfix film 3 is not loosened. An optical sensor 8 that detects a traveling position when the transfixing film is traveling and outputs traveling position information is provided between the driving roller 6 and the fixing heating element 4 that is close to the transfixing film 3.

On the other hand, the shaft end portion 7A of the tension roller 7
In addition, a link lever 10 is provided, one end of which is formed in a substantially Y shape, and whose Y-shaped tip end portion is axially supported so as to be sandwiched by the shaft end portion 7A of the tension roller 7. A solenoid shaft 9A is connected to the other end of the link lever 10, and the link lever 10 is operated by the operation of the solenoid 9 via the fulcrum portion 10A, and the other shaft end of the tension roller 7 is used as the fulcrum. It adjusts the inclination of the axis.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
When the transfer-fixing film 3 runs endlessly, the toner image is temporarily transferred from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 onto the transfer-fixing film 3, and the series of operations for transferring and fixing the toner image on the recording paper 5 are repeated. Due to the difference in the local elongation of the fixing film 3 and the difference in the arrangement position accuracy of each roller portion, the tension of the transfer fixing film 3 on the roller portion is out of balance, and thus the transfer is performed on the side of the roller portion where the tension is large. The fixing film 3 gradually starts moving. When the transfer / fixing film 3 exceeds a predetermined range, the optical sensor 8 detects it and outputs the traveling position information.

Next, the solenoid 9 mounted on one end 7A of the tension roller support shaft 7 is provided with a solenoid shaft 9A so that tension is applied to the opposite side of the transfer fixing film 3 on the basis of the traveling position information of the optical sensor 8. In and out.
Therefore, the tension roller 7 uses the other end as a fulcrum,
The link lever 10 draws and pulls in a direction perpendicular to the axis. By repeating this series of operations,
The axis inclination of the support shaft 7 is adjusted. Therefore, the movement of the transfix film 3 is sequentially adjusted, and the traveling position of the transfix film is always kept within a predetermined range.

Now, the side surface of the transfer fixing film running system of the image fixing device in another embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 2, this embodiment is characterized in that the support shaft end portion 6A of the drive roller 6 is equipped with a link lever 10 as a tilt adjusting means and a solenoid 9. Therefore, in order to apply a uniform tension across the width of the transfer and fixing film, a tension roller having a movable mechanism that operates in accordance with the roller position to match the tension of the transfer and fixing film is provided with a tilt adjusting means. If the drive-side roller that does not move from the installation position is equipped with the tilt adjusting means, the structure of the movable portion of the tilt adjusting means becomes simpler. Further, since the solenoid 9 and the link lever 10 as the tilt adjusting means are arranged outside the transfer fixing film, there is an effect that the adjustment work can be facilitated when adjusting the tilt adjusting means. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.

In FIG. 3, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is characterized in that the surface of the tension roller 7 equipped with the inclination adjusting means is made of an elastic member having a high friction coefficient. Therefore, the contact resistance between the transfer fixing film and the tension roller 7 is increased, and the tilting operation of the tension roller 7 is more reliably transmitted to the transfer fixing film 3. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.

In FIG. 4, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, inclination adjusting means is provided at the support shaft end 7A of the tension roller 7 and the support shaft end 6A of the drive roller 6. For this reason, since the roller inclination can be adjusted by the two roller portions, highly accurate and more stable position control of the transfix film 3 can be performed. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment described above.

[0016]

Since the present invention is constructed and functions as described above, according to the present invention, a position sensor for monitoring the running position of the transfix film and outputting predetermined positional deviation information is brought close to the driving roller. Since the tension roller is equipped with a position deviation correcting means that operates according to the information from the position sensor, the running position of the transfix film is outside the predetermined range when the transfix film is running. When moved to, the tension applied in the width direction of the transfix film is always adjusted according to the displacement of the transfix film, and the running position of the transfix film is always corrected within a predetermined range. .. Therefore, unlike the conventional example, there is no need for means for preventing the misalignment between the pin holes formed on both sides of the transfix film and the sprocket pins provided on the outer periphery of the drive roller, and the mechanical load on the transfix film is reduced. As a result, it is possible to provide an excellent image fixing device which is not possible in the prior art, in which the transfer fixing film is prevented from being displaced and the life of the transfer fixing film can be increased at the same time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 to 4 are explanatory views showing another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a partial view showing a drive roller unit in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Transfer Fixing Film 4 Heating Element for Fixing 5 Recording Paper as a Recording Medium 6 Driving Roller 7 Tension Roller 8 Photo Sensor as a Position Sensor 9 Solenoid as a Main Part of Position Deviation Correcting Means 10 Link lever 12 Developing means

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G03G 15/24 6830-2H

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An endless transfer-fixing film to which a visible image is temporarily transferred by a developing means, and a fixing for transferring and fixing a visible image temporarily transferred to this endless transfer-fixing film onto a recording medium. The transfer fixing film includes a heating element, a drive roller for applying a running force to the transfer fixing film, and a tension roller for guiding the running of the transfer fixing film and applying a predetermined tension to the transfer fixing film. Is equipped with a position sensor that monitors the traveling position of the device and outputs predetermined position deviation information in the vicinity of the drive roller, and the tension roller is equipped with position deviation correction means that operates according to the information from the position sensor. An image fixing device characterized by the above. 2. An endless transfer-fixing film to which a visible image is temporarily transferred by a developing means, and a fixing for transferring and fixing the visible image temporarily transferred to this endless transfer-fixing film onto a recording medium. The transfer fixing film includes a heating element, a drive roller for applying a running force to the transfer fixing film, and a tension roller for guiding the running of the transfer fixing film and applying a predetermined tension to the transfer fixing film. Is equipped with a position sensor that monitors the traveling position of the device and outputs predetermined position deviation information in the vicinity of the drive roller, and the drive roller is equipped with position deviation correction means that operates according to the information from the position sensor. The image fixing device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The position deviation correcting means is provided with a rotation axis inclination adjusting function for appropriately adjusting the inclination of the rotation axis of the roller equipped with the position deviation correcting means. 2. The image fixing device described in 2. 4. The image fixing device according to claim 1, wherein a member having a high friction coefficient is mounted on an outer peripheral portion of the roller equipped with the positional deviation correcting means.