JPH06507029A - Fusing roller cartridge for fusing equipment and fusing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Fusing equipment and fusing roller cartridge technology for fusing equipment TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a fuser or fuser for toner images.

More particularly, the present invention provides an imaging apparatus that requires periodic replacement of the fusing roller. Regarding.

Background technology A commonly replaced expensive element in typical electrostatographic equipment is the fusing roller. . Snow melting rollers are expensive items that wear out quickly. Fusing rollers are generally The rollers are replaced by a service engineer, who then replaces the rollers with the appropriate drive device. , position the temperature sensor relative to the fuser roller, and connect the fuser oil Place the applicator in a precise position near or in contact with the fuser roller. It is necessary to attach it. At that time or at another time, a heat lamp with a fusing roller is applied. You can also exchange it.

Patent Application No. 107319 (1988) (Special Application No. 107319 dated November 7, 1989) (Kokai Hei 1-277271), most of which can be replaced as a single unit. A fusing device is disclosed. This method creates a more durable pressure roller assembly. This method has the disadvantage that the burr is replaced with a fusing roller. Replace the fusing unit Sometimes it is necessary to provide a drive connection to one or both rollers. Disclosed in this bulletin Most of the fusing oil application structures are permanent and can be replaced with the above units. must be connected to a fusing roller.

U.S. Patent No. 4,429, granted to E. J. Tamary on February 7, 1984. ．． No. 990 is a permanent internal coating in a porous coating core that is replaceable from the container. A wick structure is disclosed in which oil is pumped to a partial supply pipe. at least outside of its core is rotated by rollers supplied with oil. Another example of a rotating core No. 4,908,670; US Pat. No. 5,043,768; See No. 3,964,431.

U.S. Patent No. 4,839,694, granted to Kawashima et al. A supported fuser roller unit is disclosed, wherein the fuser roller unit is serviceable. The serviceman will eventually insert the unit onto the guide rail. Secure the kit to the locking device with screws.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,197 discloses that a color toner image is formed on a receiver sheet. An electrostatographic apparatus is disclosed. The receiving sheet is heated with a fusing roller. and an unheated pressure roller that is pressed against the fusing roller by a spring. A conventional roller fusing device is provided with the following. Place the upper roller above the image forming device. Both rollers are pivoted together with the lower roller in a direction away from the lower roller. Perform maintenance work and clear paper jams by approaching the nip between the be able to.

Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a fusing roller that can be easily replaced in a fusing device. An object of the present invention is to provide a fusing device for an image forming apparatus.

The above and other purposes are to replace the fusing roller to be replaced as a cartridge. This is achieved by an image forming device capable of

According to a preferred embodiment, the user comprises a pressure roller and a rotating pressure roller. 1. The cartridge, which can be accommodated in the user, is provided with means for accessing the access opening. and a fusing roller mounted for rotation within the housing. the fusing roller rubs against the pressure roller through the access opening. It can be driven by engaging with the

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cartridge includes a fusing roller and a Means is also provided for applying fusing oil to the fusing roller. Apply fusing oil The above means to clothe the oiled state and apply less oil or It can be adjusted between a state where no oil is applied at all. The above oil is in between the above states. A mechanism is provided on the cartridge for adjusting the oil dispensing mechanism; It is accessible from the outside of the ridge. Activate the above cartridge mechanism and use the fusing roller. Mechanism for adjusting the oiling (oil application) condition of the car fusing equipment ( Provided in the staking device.

According to another preferred embodiment, the cartridge is connected to the oil application means G. A liquid connector is provided for supplying oil to the oil applying means. this liquid connector is the leading end of the cart when inserting the cartridge into the device. Located at the end. The fluid connector is attached to the oil supply connector [this] on the fuser. The above oil supply connector is positioned to automatically engage while the oil supply connector is connected to the oil supply source. connected to.

According to another preferred embodiment, the cartridge comprises: a housing; a fuser roller rotatably supported within the fuser roller, and a fuse. This fuse is a thermally sensitive material that changes irreversibly in response to the fuse reaching a predetermined temperature. It is a sexual type. The electrical connection means in the cartridge connects to the receiving device. The fuse can be connected to the electrical circuit, preferably the logic circuit of the receiving device. connection to a part of the system and control device. 1 when inserting the cartridge into the device. The use is in a first state, and this state is detected by the device. (The device is new) When operated with a cartridge, a heat-sensitive fuse is heated by the fuser roller. and changes irreversibly to its second state. This second state is also detected by the device. be done.

Therefore, the device will tell you whether there is a genuine new fuser roller cartridge or not. be able to.

According to another preferred embodiment, the cartridge has a housing with an access opening. an access opening that allows the fusing roller to engage the pressure roller; .

A skive that aids in separating the receiving sheet from the fuser roller extends through the access opening. Although it is formed separately, it is preferably formed integrally with the housing.

According to another preferred embodiment, the cartridge has an A housing with an access opening. Be prepared. The fusing roller is rotatably mounted within the housing and the fusing roller is rotatably mounted within the housing. Accessible via the mouth. A cup 1- covers the access opening and protects the roller. It is movable between a position for protecting and a position for opening said access opening. Cuckoo - is normally open, but is preferably opened as part of the cartridge insertion action. /).

The force/I- is then applied during the removal process before the operator touches the fuser roller. automatically closes. This allows you to replace the cartridge when the fuser roller is hot. This prevents the operator from burning his or her fingers. cartridge heat shield , which prevents the cartridge from heating up in the same way as the fusing roller.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fusing roller cover having one or more of the above-mentioned features. The aim is to target the cartridge.

Brief description of the drawing Figure 1 is an image showing important stations with the housing and other supporting structures omitted. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a forming device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fused portion of the image forming apparatus.

Figures 3, 4 and 13 show the fuser roller cartridge from the front, back and side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of each.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the fuser roller cartridge shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

6 and 7 show that the pressure roller and its mounting are shown in the fusing roller of the structure shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 4 is an elevational view and a perspective view showing the relationship with the roller cartridge.

8, 9 and 10 show alternative implementations of covers for the cartridges shown in FIGS. 3-5. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an example.

Figures 11 and 12 show the structure of the pressure roller installation with many parts omitted. FIG.

of Referring to FIG. 1, an imaging device, such as a color printer, includes a photoconductive drum. 2 and a transfer drum 10. The transfer drum 10 has an appropriate structure (not shown). The light is rotated by means and frictionally engages the photoconductive drum 2. Drive the conductive drum. This feature of the printer was published on February 11, 1992. and in R. McDougal, U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,939. fully explained. A local portion of the photoconductive drum 2 is placed at a charging station 4, and an exposure station such as a laser 5, and the local area is exposed to a conventional electrostatographic technique. A series of electrostatic images are formed. Each of the series of electrostatic images is stored in the developing device 6. Toner is toned by one of the toner stations. The developing devices 6 are each separate. It has four stations holding different colors of toner. The developing device is indexed in operative relationship with system 2, each image of each series of electrostatic images has a different Apply color toner. The toner image thus formed is placed between the two drums. Under the influence of the applied electric field, the image is transferred in a state aligned with the circumference of the transfer drum 10. , forming a multicolor image on the drum 10. The drum 2 is connected by a cleaning device 12. The drum 10 is cleaned continuously and the drum 10 is periodically cleaned by a cleaning device 130. Cleaned.

The receiving sheet is transferred from the receiving sheet supply source 45 to the transfer roller 21 and the transfer drum. 10 is supplied to the nip formed between the two. between the transfer drum 10 and the roller 21 An electrostatic field applied therebetween transfers the multicolor image to the receiving sheet. Pick up sheet is applied to a fusing device or fuser 23 by, for example, a drum lO and rollers 21. The multicolor image is transported to the fusing device, where it is fused onto a receiving sheet, and then ejected. It is transported to the hopper 44.

For convenience of replacement, the cartridges are easily replaceable by the operator. photoconductive drum 2, charger 4 and cleaning station. 12 may be included. Excluding these elements, the fusing device 23 generally The applicator roller is the essentially "permanent" component that most frequently needs to be replaced.

Traditionally, replacements have been performed by trained service personnel, who the location of temperature sensors, wick devices, drives, and heat lamps or other elements. It is necessary to define it carefully. As shown in Figures 2 to 13, this problem can be solved by The fuser roller is provided in a cartridge that can be easily connected to the This is achieved by providing the fuser roller and replacing it with the fusing roller.

Referring to FIG. 2, fuser roller cartridge 50 can be moved longitudinally by an operator. Fusion bonding by moving! ! 23 and becomes part of the fusing device. this The process will be explained in more detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, fuser roller cartridge 50 includes a fuser roller 52 , the fusing roller has an axis of rotation 117 within the cartridge 50 . is supported for rotation about and is fully bearing. The roller 52 bearing block 99 supported by suitable structure at the bottom of the cartridge. rotates relative to the The fusion lamp 94 has a plastic lamp housing. 98 , the lamp housing is supported by the fuser roller 52 . The lamp rotates relative to the lamp 94, which is fixed and relative to the cartridge. and do not rotate relative to each other. Fusing roller 52, lamp 94, housing 98 and shaft The receiving block 99 is easily formed as a unit and can be assembled into a cartridge in one step. It can be incorporated into 50.

Plastic housing 54 generally surrounds the fuser roller except for access opening 56. surround. The housing is comprised of two sections, an upper section 156 and a lower section 158. These two parts are located in the holes shown in their respective corners. are secured together by screws. The access opening 56 is shown in the closed state in FIG. The cover 82 is covered by a cover 82 shown in FIG. Therefore, it can be moved to a position where it is not covered. A heat shield secured to the lower portion 158 A shield 60 surrounds the bottom and sides of the fuser roller 52 and is connected to the heat shield. This reduces the tendency for the plastic housing 50 to become too hot to the touch. or other thermally insulating material. As best shown in Figure 5, The heat shield is separated from the housing 50 by a small thermally insulating space.

Rotatable core 64 is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The core 64 is offset Currently used in the industry to apply an anti-fusing liquid (fusing oil) to the fusing roller 52. similar to the rotatable core used, but completely contained within the cartridge. The difference is that The rotatable core is in frictional contact with the fusing roller 52. By pushing down the core plunger 68, the core can be rotated. It can be articulated about a pivot point 66. Plunger 68 is the core actuation arm 70 and the core actuation arm is connected to the actuator arm bin 72. Therefore, it is connected to a suitable yoke 74 (FIG. 13). As shown in Figures 3 and 4. Similarly, oil is supplied to the wick 64 via a liquid conveying tube 76 . The above liquid transport pipe is , from the axial supply position at one end of the distribution pipe 79 inside the wick 64, the cartridge 5 0 to a cartridge oil connector valve 78 protruding from the opposite side.

Thus, pipe 76 conveys oil from valve 78 to distribution pipe 79. The core 64 is usually It has a porous ceramic core 177 wrapped with a core material 178. one Although it is common to use a wick, more than one wick can be used.

Oil is supplied to the fusing roller 52 by a core operating solenoid 180 ( (shown in FIG. 2). Solenoid 180 is a core plan The jar 68 is pressed to bring the core 64 into rotational engagement with the fusing roller 52 . That is, core 6 4 moves clockwise around the core pivot point 66 toward the first position shown in FIG. do. The solenoid 180 (=J is not activated and the plunger 68 is pressed. When not in use, the core is pushed to a second position away from the rollers 52. Shown in Figure 13 When the right end of the actuator arm 70 (FIG. 3) moves downward as shown in FIG. The left end pivots upward. Bin 72 is connected to the left end of arm 70 and cradle 74 to move the cradle 74 clockwise around the pivot point 66. (Figure 5). A typical wicking algorithm is a fusion robot. In order to prevent excessive oiling (excessive supply of oil) of the oil roller 52, After copying, the solenoid 180 is requested to be deenergized. This algorithm The receiver can be varied according to the type of take sheet as well as the type of image. So Algorithms such as 0 (FIG. 2).

If a large force is applied between the core and the fusing roller, the oiling (oil supply amount) will decrease. It is known that there will be many. Therefore, in alternative constructions, more oil is required. Move the wick between a position where it is supplied and a position where less oil is supplied.

The core 64 as well as the yoke 74 and actuator all housed within the cartridge. using an articulating mount including an actuator arm bin 72 and an actuator arm 70. If the fuser roller oiling mechanism There is no need for the operator to make a separate connection or match. As detailed later, The connection of valve 78 to solenoid 180 and the alignment of plunger 68 are This is done automatically by fully inserting the ridge.

attached to or preferably integral with the top of the housing 54 (see FIG. 5). ) is the paper skive 80, and the paper skive has a receiving sheet. Upon exiting the nip between the fuser roller and the pressure roller, the pick-up sheet catches the fuser roller. The receiver prevents the sheet from re-adhering to the roller, and the receiver further guides the pick-up sheet along its path. The position and shape are such that the Logic and control unit 140 includes laser 5 and controls the sheet transport portion of the printer 1, and the receiver takes the first approximately 6.35 minutes of the sheet. Avoid printing on mm (1/4 inch). Therefore, this front part is It has no tendency to stick to the fuser roller and is engaged at points on the skive. skive 80 is preferably molded into the housing 54, eliminating the need for separate assembly. stomach. The skive includes one or more tiles located slightly away from the fuser roller 52. It has a par-shaped edge. The tapered edge forms part of the access opening 56.

The skiving surface can be straight, as shown in Figure 5, or fused. Depending on how the paper bends as it exits the nip, it can be bent in either direction (see Figure 3). (as shown) can be done. Thus, the upper portion 156 of the housing 54 It is an integrally molded unit that forms both the eve and the access aperture.

As shown in FIG. being pushed into a state. Cover 82 is provided when the fusing roller is outside the imaging device. First, the fusing roller 52 is protected from handling damage. The above cover is Also prevents the operator from touching the hot fusing roller when removing the cartridge. do. The cover 82 is inserted into the arcuate groove 194 of the end piece 199 of the cartridge. Move with.

FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the cover 82. As shown in FIG. According to FIG. 5, the cover 82 is , by placing the operator's thumb on the protrusion or finger grip 192. , can be moved to the open position against the pressing force of the No. 1 screw 84, and in the open position In this case, the flexible latch member 195 of the cover 82 is integral with the housing 54. latch 196 (latch 196 is also integral with top 156 of housing 54). ). The cartridge is in a stopped state with the cover open At times, it is inserted, used, and removed. After removal, the operator must You can overcome Chi 196 and close the cover.

8 and 9 show second and third embodiments of the cover 82. According to figure 8 For example, the cover 82 has a cam surface 18 formed as a vertical surface on the left side of the elongated rib 86. 8, and the elongated rib is inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of the fusing roller 52. ing. Rib 86 can be molded with cover 82. With respect to axis 117 When inserting the cartridge by moving it in parallel (in the direction of arrow A in Figure 8) , the cam surface 188 is located on the right side of the receiving structure projection 87 (also shown in FIG. 6). get on. The protrusion 87 presses the cover 82 in the direction of arrow B and contacts against the No. 1 screw 84. The near opening 56 is opened.

As shown in the embodiment of Figure 9, the cover also has a The latch surface 189 of the rib 89 rests on the protrusion 87 and the cover is opened. Hold it latched in position. In either embodiment of FIG. 8 or FIG. 9, The cover is closed by a bolt 84 when the cartridge is removed. Also In any of the above embodiments, the protrusion 87 partially protrudes deeply into the device and When the cartridge is fully inserted, each cam surface 188 or 18 of cover 82 It is necessary to maintain contact with 9.

In either case of Figure 5 or Figure 9, the cartridge is completely removed. Now, the cover won't close. In Figure 8, the cartridge has been removed. And the cover is closed. In any of the above three embodiments, especially FIGS. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. There is a possibility of touching an exposed or partially covered fusing roller. cartridge If the fuser roller is removed immediately after use, the fuser roller will become extremely dangerous if touched by the operator. It's hot.

The above problem is overcome by the preferred form of cover and receiving mechanism shown in FIG. be done. According to FIG. 10, the cover 82 has front and rear projections extending upwardly. 287.288 respectively. The receiving device includes a rib 2 that extends downward. It has 97.298. Said protrusion is laterally displaced and therefore the cartridge Upon insertion of the wedge, protrusion 287 moves to the right of rib 298. Shown in Figure 10 Similarly, the protrusion 288 can also protrude to the left side of the cover 82.

By moving in direction A, the cartridge is inserted into the receiving device of the user 23. When inserted, protrusion 287 moves to the right of rib 298. The protrusion 287 is the rib 2 97 and at the same time, the cover will not open until the protrusion 288 engages the rib 298. stomach. The cooperation of both engagements causes the aperture 56 to open as shown by line 300 in FIG. During or after the cover 82 is moved under the outer surface defining the receiving opening. open. Accordingly, the outer surface 300 defining the receiving opening has an open access opening. This prevents accidental contact with the fusing roller when the fuser is in use. In an alternative example, The ribs are aligned laterally and vertically, rather than laterally displaced. It can be displaced at That is, the protrusion 287 and the rib 297 are Rather than being laterally displaced as shown, each of projections 288 and ribs 298 It can be placed below the , and a lateral displacement can also be applied to it.

A single protrusion and rib are provided in the center of the device to improve the timing of opening the cover. The same effect can be obtained by Care must be taken to avoid roads. However, two or more sets of protrusions and ribs By using the lever, the opening force is distributed over the entire cover and the cover is prevented from getting caught locally. Prevent inconsistencies due to scratches.

The cup 1 can also be opened after insertion by a suitable motorized or manual mechanism. be able to. For example, a pressure roller (described later) is a gear that engages the cover. can be driven to open the cover, or the pressure roller can drive the fuser roller to open the cover. actuate a mechanism to open the cover by moving it into engagement with the controller. You can do it like this.

Cartridge 50 also includes the necessary electrical connections associated with fuser roller 52. It also has elements. High temperature sensor 90 indicates that the temperature of the fusing roller is at a critical high temperature. interrupts the electrical signal in response to detecting the cut off. A thermistor temperature sensor 92 is connected to the edge of the outer surface of the fusing roller 52. Detects the continuous temperature. The above sensor operates according to the temperature control algorithm. control the energy supplied to the fusion lamp 94 provided along the axis of the roller 52. used to. Temperature sensor and heat lamp as well as oil application mechanism is contained within the cartridge and therefore requires the operator or service person to When installing the fusing roller, fit the fusing roller to the above temperature sensor and heating lamp. There's no need to do it. The position of the thermistor temperature sensor 92 with respect to the fusing roller is Critical to user operation. During the fuser roller replacement process, Not requiring positioning of the mister temperature sensor makes it easier for operators to replace the sensor. It is essential.

FIG. 5 also shows a heat sensitive fuse located between fuser roller 52 and heat shield 60. 205 is also shown. This heat sensitive fuse is used to detect high temperatures. of the type currently used in the industry. The temperature of the heat sensitive fuse If a certain value is exceeded, a thermally sensitive fuse will irreversibly blow, causing damage to the circuit in which the fuse resides. block all. Fuse 205 has heat from the mounting roller that lowers the temperature of the fuse. higher than the highest ambient temperature, storage temperature and transport temperature, but higher than the fuse operating temperature. It is also positioned and designed so that it will fly when raised to a low level.

Therefore, the above fuse is the first fuse of the fuser after inserting a new cartridge. Fly while driving.

When inserting the cartridge into the printer 1, the fuse into the current carrying circuit to the logic and control device 140 through a connector 98 . connected to. The logic and control unit 140 is a complete circuit shown schematically in FIG. Senses the circuit and resets the device for a new fuser roller cartridge.

For example, logic and control unit 1140 may reset electronic counter 206 to zero. set. Counter 206 indicates the number of images or images received since the cartridge was inserted. The number of scrap sheets or both can be counted. One or both of the above An operator can approach a display 208 that displays . Dis Play 208 determines whether or not the life of the fusing roller is normal in response to one of the values in item 1. It is also possible to send a signal to the operator that life is over. For example, operation In response to diagnostic human input that the image quality is poor, the The controller 140 provides information that the fuser roller life is at risk. this The information may be used alone or as part of a list of possibilities together with other possible causes. It can be displayed as Appropriate programming within the technology of the industry This allows the use of user cartridges as well as the use of other elements of the printer 1. Depending on your needs, you can give a list of possibilities as well as an array of them.

If you remove the cartridge, insert a new cartridge to reset the counter. 206 is reset. If you reinsert the old cartridge, the counter Do not reset. The reason is that the logic and control unit 140 This is because it will be detected if 05 is flying (or not detected if it is not flying). be. Therefore, cartridge removal for any repair other than replacement However, the counter will not be reset. When the fuse 205 reaches a predetermined temperature, an appropriate thermal sensation that irreversibly changes the electrical circuit from the first state to the second state in response to It can be a responsive device.

2 and 4, the cartridge oil connector valve 78 and electrical Both connectors 98 are located at the end of the cartridge that is the leading end for insertion. Ru. be inserted securely by the operator with the aid of a suitable guide bin 99; Both valve 78 and electrical connector 98 are removed by a receiving device as part of the insertion process. join to complementary connections. That is, the electrical receiving connector 152 is A bin 99 as well as an electrical cartridge connector 98 are received together. The receiver is mounted A liquid connection means, such as a check valve 154, fits into the cartridge valve 78 and Due to the mating, the check valve 154 is opened, and the reservoir 1 is opened by the pump 142, for example. 44 is pumped, allowing the oil to flow from the appropriate source or supply. To tolerate. Both the reservoir and the pump are conventional, and the receiver is located inside the take-up device. are doing. The receiving connector 152 and the check valve 154 are located at the pointed portion of the bottle 99. In addition, due to the tapered mouth of the valve 78, it moves (floats) a certain distance during the insertion process. separately to allow for some tolerance in the vertical and horizontal directions. Preferably, it is attached.

5 and 6 show the cartridge when housed in the user 23 or a part thereof. 50 positions are shown. Cartridge 50 (also shown in Figure 2) has electrical connections. into the slot or opening 51 until the connector and oil connector are mated. be done. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 10, the cover 82 is It opens like this.

The slot 51 is located in the lower frame 100 of the printer 1. electricity The cartridge 50 with the physical and oil connections stopped, and the receiving means 10 2 (Fig. 5). The receiving means 102 has a horizontal guide surface 108. and a vertical guide surface 107, on which the cartridge is placed. Get on it during its insertion and finally sit on top of it. 4 on the bottom of the cartridge Four seating pads 103 at the corners are supported by surfaces 108. Sitting above The pad is attached to the fuser roller 52 as well as the connector 98, valve 78 and plunger 68. are formed within sufficiently tight tolerances to make the height accurate. similar patch A card (not shown) can be provided on the side ff1ll of the cartridge, and The cartridge is guided by surface 107 and includes fuser rollers and connectors 98, as well as and ensure the lateral position of valve 78 and plunger 68.

Press the cartridge to the left using the plate spring 109, thereby releasing the cartridge. Vertical! ! ! ], 1.1 and the surface 107 can be maintained in contact. death However, the receiving means 102 and/or opening 51 may be e.g. In the case of a 25° inclination, the spring can be omitted. Using this array In this case, the weight J presses the pad 103 against the surface 108; , the spring 109 holds the side wall 111 pressed against the surface 107. does not require.

The amount of tilt required depends on the weight of the cartridge and the pad 103 and surface 108. Depends on the friction coefficient.

A pressure roller 110 is carried on the upper frame or structure 101 (FIG. 6). There is. The upper structure 101 is fixed to the lower frame 100 and has a pivot point 104. counterclockwise movement around the periphery to move the upper structure 101 between the closed and open positions (as shown in FIG. 6). It can be oscillated between. In the closed position, a pair of bins 10 in the upper structure 6 fits into the slot 108 in the lower structure (FIG. 6 shows one bottle and one slot). (Only the first part is shown). This position is an overridable detent (not shown). to ensure that it is maintained during user operation. The pressure roller 110 is The fuser roller 52 is carried by the structure and enters into cooperative relationship with the fusing roller 52 when the upper structure is closed. Move like this.

According to FIGS. 6 and 7, the pressure roller 110 is connected by a spring arm 120. It is supported by a pair of support arms 112 and 114. pressure roller 110 is driven by a stepper motor 116 through a set of gears 118 during fusing. It can be rotated. A motor 116 is fixed to the upper part. This is also the upper part A pair of springs 122, 124 fixed to the minute 101 are connected to the spring arm 120. and arms 112 , 114 at pivot points 12 fixed with respect to upper part 101 . Press counterclockwise around 6.

When springs 122, 124 are pressed, they move through their respective operating ranges. Rotate arms 112, 114 with sufficient force. This force is applied to the upper part 10 1 in its lowered operating position, the pressure roller 110 and fuser roller 52 Apply the desired pressure in between. In operation, fuser roller 52 is connected to the fuser roller. Rotation occurs due to frictional engagement with pressure roller 110. Therefore, the stepper mode The fuser roller 116 drives both the fuser roller and the pressure roller. This effective structure is Eliminates the need to separately connect cartridge 50 to drive fusing roller 52 vinegar. The above structure makes assembly of the cartridge easier and the fuser roller lamp and bearing formed as a single unit fixed within the cartridge. , making it possible not to require a drive connection in the cartridge.

Rollers to prevent heatset during standby or rest It is desirable to separate the rollers or reduce the force pressing these rollers. . This raises the axis of rotation of pressure roller 110 with respect to arms 112,114. This is done by letting Referring to FIG. 11, the pressure roller 110 12.114 and rotatable by an axis 232. The shaft 232 is It is eccentrically fixed to two cylindrical eccentric bodies 132 located at both ends of the roller 110. (In an alternative embodiment, a single longitudinally extending eccentric of roller 110 is used). ). The cylindrical outer surface of the eccentric body 132 is the inner surface for the bearing 235. forms the bearing support surface of the bearing, and above the bearing, when the fuser is operating, the rotor The roller 110 rotates about a basic axis 239. Therefore, the eccentric body 132 This is a bearing support for 35.

In FIG. 11, shaft 232 is connected to roller 110 pushing shaft 239 into an upward position. Roller 110 is shown in its lower position with respect to FIG. smell this position In this case, the pin 175 limits the movement of the springs 122, 124 so that the springs are in a predetermined position. the pressure roller 110 is slightly separated from the fuser roller 52. It prevents you from doing so. In operation, the motor 130 is driven by a conventional toothed motor (not shown). The convoy causes the shaft 232 to rotate about a second axis of rotation centered on the shaft 232. and rotate the eccentric body 132 to the position shown in FIG. In this position, the rotation Axis 239 is rotated by rotation of arm 1 by 180'' of eccentric body 132 and shaft 232. It will decrease relative to 12.114. Pressure roller 110 is attached to arm 112 . 114 in the negative direction, compressing springs 122 and 124. At the same time, a force is applied to create the desired pressure between the rollers.

The above structure provides constant pressure even if the position of the fusing roller 52 is somewhat inaccurate. Ras. The shaft 232 and eccentric 132 are reliable and compact mechanisms; This mechanism is commonly used to remove fuser rollers that wear out and require replacement. Does not include the required cam. The problem of friction caused by normal cams is caused by the motor 13 The fact that the eccentric body 132 rides on the bearing 235 during installation and removal by Excluded by fruit.

Insertion of the cartridge (as described above) occurs when the upper part 101 is open, i.e. Then, the upper portion pivots to move the bottle 106 away from the slot 108 and into the raised position. It takes place at a certain time. This position also allows for the elimination of jamming in the user shall be. When upper portion 101 is lowered until bin 106 engages slot 108 , the pressure roller 110 and the fusing roller 52 are in an operational position. Gear train 118 includes elements that allow relative movement of the pressure roller with respect to the motor 116.

Having described the invention in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, the foregoing and appended claims Various modifications and changes may be made within the principles and scope of the present invention as described in the scope of It is understood that this is possible.

Warmth Special Table 16-507029 (7) FIG. 10 FIG. FIG, /2 International search report. rT/I+,. 1/l’In&. ,

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. a pressure roller (110) and a fusing roller (52) for receiving the toner image; In a fusing device for fixing onto a sheet, the fusing roller is connected to a cartridge ( 50), the cartridge is housed in a housing having an access opening (56). (54), the fusing roller is connected to the pressure roller through the access opening. (110) A fusion device characterized in that it is capable of engaging with (110). 2. The fusing device of claim 1, wherein the fusing roller (52) (54) and said pressure roller (110) and said pressure roller (110). characterized in that it is driven by frictional engagement through the access aperture (56). fusion device. 3. The fusing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of one edge of the access opening further comprising a skive (80) positioned to partially define the Characteristic fusion device. 4. The fusing device of claim 1, wherein the cartridge (50) is arranged such that the access opening (56) and allow access to the fusing roller without covering the access opening. A fusion device characterized by comprising a cover (82) movable between a position where the . 5. 5. The fusing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cartridge is received in the fusing apparatus. further comprising receiving means, the means responsive to such movement of the receiving means; and a means (87, 297, 298) for opening the cover. fusion device. 6. 6. The fusing device of claim 5, wherein the cartridge (50 ) moves outward of the receiving means, the cover (83) is closed. A fusing device characterized in that it comprises means (84) for fixing. 7. 7. The fusing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the receiving means includes a Insertion and removal movements parallel to the axis of rotation into and out of the receiving means and means for guiding the cartridge during the opening of the cover. Means (297, 298) are arranged so that said cover is removed during a first part of said removal movement. allow the operator to close the fuser roller during removal. A fusion device characterized by reducing the possibility of touching. 8. 5. The fusing device of claim 4, wherein the cartridge (50) is arranged so that the cover ( 82) in its open position. A fusion device comprising: 9. The fusing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge further comprises a fuse (205). The fuse comprises: The fuse changes from the first state to the second state in response to reaching a predetermined temperature. means for irreversibly changing the electrical circuit to Heat the roller (52) to a temperature sufficiently higher than the predetermined temperature, thereby means for changing the electrical circuit from its first state to its second state; cartridge connection means (498) for connecting said fuse into an electrical circuit; and The fusing device further includes receiving the cartridge (50) therein. and connecting the fusing device (250) to a circuit including logic and control means (140). and thereby, in response to detecting said first or second condition, a new condition is detected. Equipped with means to identify the cartridge or used cartridge. A fusion device characterized by the ability to 10. 2. The fusing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is fused to the fusing roller. an application means for applying a fusing oil, the means being connectable to a source of fusing oil; and the fusing device further includes a source of fusing oil and a source for placing the cartridge in place. and means for accommodating the fusing roller in the pressure roller through the access opening. and the supply source is connected to the application means. Features a fusion device. 11. 11. The fusing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the application means applies a first amount of anti-transfer liquid. a first state of applying the body and a smaller amount of anti-transfer liquid to the cartridge; a second state in which anti-transfer liquid is applied or no anti-transfer liquid is applied to said cartridge; the cartridge is adjustable between a first state and a first state; actuatable means for adjusting between the first condition and the second condition; The stage is movable outwardly of the cartridge, and the fuser is further configured to means for activating the possible means within the received cartridge; and said fusing rod. the cartridge in a position where the pressure roller engages the pressure roller through the access opening; and means for receiving a A fusion device characterized in that it is installed at a location. 12. A fusing roller cart used in the fusing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11. ridge.