JPH10302868A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve durability and reliability of an electric connector with an electric contact which makes contact with and is electrically connected to a counterpart electrode surface by preventing heat damage in an electric contact part. SOLUTION: In an electric connector which has a contact 62 which makes contact with and is electrically connected to the surface of counterpart electrodes 13 plural electric contact parts 631 , 632 which come into contact with counterpart electrodes 13 are provided in the contact 62. A difference in contact pressure on the counterpart electrodes is caused among the plural electrodes, and the plural electric contact parts are arranged displacing each other almost in the diagonal direction of the counterpart electrode surface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a contact for making electrical contact with a mating electrode surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For convenience, an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a laser beam printer, a laser beam facsimile and the like will be described by taking as an example a film heating type heating device used as an on-demand type image heating fixing device.

A heating device of a film heating type is disclosed in
JP-A-3-313182, JP-A-1-263679, JP-A-2-1577878, JP-A-4-440
75-44083, JP-A-4-20498-0-2
No. 04984, etc., the material to be heated is brought into close contact with a fixed and supported heating element via a heat-resistant and thin film material, and the film material is slid to the heating element to reduce the heat of the heating element. It is a method and configuration for applying to a material to be heated via a film material, and is used as an apparatus for performing heat fixing processing of an unfixed toner image as a permanently fixed image on a surface of a recording material carrying the image in an image forming apparatus. it can. Also, for example,
It can be widely used as a device for heating a recording material carrying an image to improve the surface properties such as gloss, a device for a temporary deposition process, and a device for heating a sheet-shaped material to be heated.

[0004] Such a film heating type heating apparatus has a low heat capacity as a heating element, such as a rapid heating, for example,
A so-called ceramic heater having an insulating substrate and a heating resistor provided on one surface side of the substrate and having a heating resistor which generates heat by energization as a basic component, and a thin film as a film material can be used for a short time. The temperature of the heating body rises
There is no need to supply power to the heating element during standby, and even if the recording medium as the heating element is immediately passed, the heating element is sufficiently heated to a predetermined temperature until the recording element reaches the fixing portion. It has the advantages of shortening the wait time (quick start: operating on demand), saving power, and reducing the temperature rise inside the machine such as an image forming apparatus. Have and be effective.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a film heating type heating device (image heating and fixing device), and FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a horizontally long planar heating element (hereinafter referred to as a heater), 2 denotes a heat-resistant and heat-insulating heater holder in which the heater 1 is fitted and held in a groove 2a on the lower surface side, and 3 denotes a heater holder. A rigid stay holding the heater holder 2 and 4 are heat resistant.
A thin film material (hereinafter, referred to as a fixing film) 5 is an elastic pressure roller.

The heater 1 and the elastic pressure roller 5 are pressed against each other with a predetermined pressing force against the elasticity of the elastic pressure roller 5 with the fixing film 4 interposed therebetween to form a nip portion having a predetermined width (hereinafter referred to as a nip portion).
N (hereinafter referred to as a fixing nip portion).

A ceramic heater is generally used for the heater 1, and the heater 1 is heated and controlled to a predetermined temperature by controlling the power supply. The structure of the heater 1 will be described later.

The fixing film 4 is a cylindrical or endless belt-shaped or rolled end-shaped web-shaped member, and the inner surface of the film is heated at a fixing nip portion N by a driving means (not shown) or a rotating force of an elastic pressure roller 5. 1 is conveyed and moved in the direction of the arrow while sliding closely on the lower surface of 1. The rigid stay 3 holds the heater holder 2 and also serves as a conveyance guide for the fixing film 4.

In a state where the fixing film 4 is conveyed and moved, and the heater 1 is heated and controlled to a predetermined temperature, a material to be heated is provided between the fixing film 4 and the elastic pressure roller 5 in the fixing nip N. When the recording material P on which the unfixed toner image t is formed and supported is introduced with the image carrying surface side facing the fixing film 4, the recording material P adheres closely to the outer surface of the fixing film 4 at the fixing nip portion N. The fixing nip N is conveyed while being held together with the fixing film 4. In the fixing nip portion N, the recording material P and the toner image t are
Is heated via the fixing film 4 and the toner image t
Is fixed on the surface of the recording material P by heating. The recording material portion that has passed through the fixing nip portion N is conveyed separately from the outer surface of the fixing film 4. “ta” indicates a heat-fixed toner image.

The fixing film 4 efficiently transfers the heat of the heater 1 in the fixing nip N to the recording material P as a material to be heated.
, The thickness is considerably reduced to 20 to 70 μm. For example, it has a three-layer structure of a film base layer, a primer layer, and a release layer, and the film base layer side has a heater 1
And the release layer is on the pressure roller 5 side. Film base layer is polyimide / polyamideimide / P with high insulation
It is EEK or the like, and has heat resistance and high elasticity. Also,
The mechanical strength such as the tear strength of the entire fixing film 4 is maintained by the film base layer. Primer layer thickness 2-6μ
It is formed of a thin layer of about m. The release layer is a layer for preventing toner offset with respect to the fixing film 4.
-It is formed by coating a fluororesin such as PTFE and FEP to a thickness of about 10 µm.

In general, a ceramic heater is used for the heater 1. For example, a substrate is provided on the surface side (the surface facing the fixing film 4 and the heater surface side) of a horizontally long ceramic substrate (insulating base material, heater substrate) 11 such as alumina or the like having electrical insulation, good thermal conductivity, and low heat capacity. A heat generating resistor layer 12 made of silver palladium (Ag / Pb) .Ta ₂ N or the like is formed along the length by screen printing or the like. 13 ・ 13
(FIG. 2) is a power supply electrode pattern portion electrically connected to both ends of the current-carrying resistor layer 12, which is formed on the substrate surface side by screen printing or the like using a conductive material such as silver paste. It is.

The side surface of the ceramic substrate 11 on which the current-generating resistor layer is formed is covered with a glass protective layer 14 to prevent the current-generating resistor layer 12 from being worn or damaged by the close contact sliding of the fixing film 4.

The heater 1 is fitted in the groove 2a on the lower surface side of the heater holder 2 by exposing the surface side on which the heating and heating resistor layer 12, the power supply electrode pattern portions 13 and 13 and the glass protective layer 14 are formed to be exposed downward. The heater holder 2 is held by the rigid stay 3, and both ends of the heater holder 2, including both ends of the heater 1 having the power supply electrode patterns 13, are larger than both ends of the rigid stay 3. As shown in FIG. 3, power supply electrical connectors 6.6 are fitted to the outwardly projecting ends of the heater holder 2 from the lateral direction of the heater holder 2 respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the contacts 62 on the power supply connector 6 side are connected to the power supply electrode patterns 13 on both ends of the heater 1 by the fitting of the power supply connector 6 as shown in FIG. At the point of contact and become electrically connected. W is a power supply wire that is crimped to the contact 62 and electrically connected thereto.

The power supply electrode pattern portion 1 of the heater 1
Between the power supply circuit (not shown) and the power supply wire W
W, when power is supplied through the power supply electrical connectors 6, the heating resistor layer 12 generates heat and the entire heater 1 rapidly rises in temperature. The temperature rise of the heater 1 is detected by a temperature detecting element (not shown) provided on the rear side of the heater, and the detected temperature information is fed back to a power supply control unit (temperature control unit) not shown. The power supply controller controls power supply from the power supply circuit to the heating resistor layer 12 such that the heater temperature detected by the temperature detecting element is maintained at a predetermined substantially constant temperature (fixing temperature). That is, the heater 1 is heated and adjusted to a predetermined fixing temperature.

The power supply electrical connector 6 of the present embodiment includes an outer shell 61.
And the contact 62 stored and stored in the outer shell.
Consists of The outer shell 61 is a hollow molded product of a heat-resistant and insulating resin, and has a fitting slit opening for vertically sandwiching the heater holder end including the heater end. FIG. 5A is an external perspective view of the contact 62, and FIG. 5B is a plan view of the same. The contact 62 is a press-punched / bent formed body of a metal plate, and the power supply electrode pattern portion 13 of the heater 1.
It has a contact portion 63 elastically in contact with the surface. Further, the power supply wire W is crimped and electrically connected.

[0018]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional electric connector 6, the number of electric contact portions which contact the surface of the heater-side electrode pattern portion 13 of the contact 62 is one as shown in FIG. Construction). Therefore, all electric power is concentrated on this single contact portion 63 of the contact 62, and the contact portion 63
The amount of heat generated at the single contact portion due to the contact resistance and the electric energy between the power supply electrode pattern portion 13 and the power supply electrode pattern portion 13 was so large that heat loss was sometimes observed at the contact portion.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the durability and reliability of an electrical connector of this type by preventing heat loss at an electrical contact portion.

[0020]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an electrical connector having the following configuration.

(1) In an electric connector having a contact which is in contact with and electrically connected to a counter electrode surface, the contact is provided with a plurality of electric contact portions which are in contact with the counter electrode surface, and the plurality of electric contact portions are provided. An electrical connector characterized in that there is a difference in contact pressure with respect to a mating electrode surface between them.

(2) The electrical connector according to (1), wherein the plurality of electrical contact portions of the contacts are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in a substantially diagonal direction of the mating electrode surface.

(3) A sheet heater having a substrate, a heating resistor provided on the substrate, and an electrode pattern for supplying power to the heating resistor is electrically connected to the surface of the electrode pattern. In a power supply electrical connector having a contact to be connected, the contact is provided with a plurality of electrical contact portions in contact with the electrode pattern surface, and a difference in contact pressure on the electrode pattern surface between the plurality of electrical contact portions is provided. An electrical connector characterized by being attached.

(4) The electrical connector according to (3), wherein the plurality of electrical contact portions of the contacts are arranged so as to be displaced from each other substantially in a diagonal direction of the electrode pattern surface.

(5) The electrical connector according to (3) or (4), wherein the planar heater is a heating element in an image heating and fixing device.

<Operation> a) By providing a plurality of contact portions that come into contact with the counter electrode surface of the electrical connector contact (multiple contact structure), the total electric power is shared by each contact, and a single contact structure contact By comparison, the amount of power per contact (single contact) can be reduced. That is, as the amount of power per single contact decreases, the amount of heat generated per single contact decreases, and the temperature rise of the electrical contact portion becomes smaller than that of the contact having the single contact structure.

Therefore, in the case of a contact having a plurality of contact structures, heat loss of the electrical contact portion can be prevented, and the life thereof is longer than the life of the electrical contact portion of the contact having the single contact structure.
The durability and reliability of the electrical connector are improved.

B) Further, in a situation in which, for some reason or reason, relative slight sliding occurs between the mating electrode surface and the contact portion of the contact on the electric connector side which comes into contact therewith, the fine sliding causes the electrical contact to occur. Abrasion occurs at the target contact point. In order to prevent the electrical contact portion of the contact from being worn due to the fine sliding, the contact pressure of one of the electrical multiple contacts of the contact with the counter electrode surface is reduced. The other contact portion increases the contact pressure with the counter electrode surface to ensure conduction with the counter electrode surface.
As described above, in the structure of the electrical multiple contact portions of the contact, the contact pressure of one contact portion with respect to the counter electrode surface is reduced, and the contact pressure of one contact portion is increased, that is, between the multiple electrical contact portions of the contact. By making a difference in the contact pressure with respect to the counter electrode surface in the case where relative fine sliding occurs between the counter electrode surface and the contact portion of the contact on the electrical connector side that comes into contact with the counter electrode surface,
The contact reliability is improved.

C) Further, by arranging the plurality of electrical contact portions of the contact so as to be displaced from each other substantially in the diagonal direction of the counter electrode surface, the plurality of contact portions can be located away from each other. Even if one contact part becomes non-conductive and the electrode material of that part or the electrode material of the contact burns out, the other one contact part of the plural contact parts keeps the distance between the plural contacts, The continuity is maintained without being affected.

[0030]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<Embodiment 1> (FIG. 6) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of contacts 62 of a power supply electrical connector 6 for a planar heater (ceramic heater) 1 of the above-described film heating type image heating / fixing apparatus are provided. It has a contact structure. FIG. 6A is an external perspective view of the contact 62, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the same.

That is, in this example, the contact 62
It was provided with a heater-side electrode pattern portions first and second of the two in contact with the 13 side electrical contact portions 63 ₁ and 63 _2. The first electrical contact portion 63 ₁ thickens the beam to increase the contact pressure against the heater-side electrode pattern portion 13, and the second electrical contact portion 63 ₂ narrows the beam to increase the contact pressure on the heater-side electrode pattern portion 13. It is lower than the first electrical contact portion 63 ₁ contact pressure against.

[0032] By thus the structure of the contact 62 with multiple contacts 63 _1, 63 _2, it reduces the power per single contact as compared to the contact (FIG. 5) of the single contact structure. That is, since the power per single contact is reduced, the amount of heat generated per single contact is reduced, and the temperature rise of the electrical contact portion is reduced as compared with a contact having a single contact structure. Therefore, the life of the electrical contact portion of the contact having the multiple contact structure is longer than the lifetime of the electrical contact portion of the contact having the single contact structure, and the reliability is improved.

Further, when the temperature of the sheet heater 1 is controlled, the sheet substrate 11 extends, so that the electrode pattern 13
The part moves relative to the electrical contact on the contact 62 side. After the temperature control of the sheet heater 1 is completed, the sheet substrate 11 shrinks, so that the electrode pattern portion 13 of the sheet heater 1 moves with respect to the electrical contact on the contact 62 side. That is, fine sliding occurs between the electrode pattern portion 13 of the planar heater 1 and the electrical contact portion on the contact 62 side that is in contact with the electrode pattern portion 13. In order to prevent abrasion of the electrical contact portion of the contact due to the fine sliding, in this example, the electrical multiple contact portion 63 of the contact 62 is formed.
₁ · 63 ₂ of one of the contact portion 63 ₂ a (second contact portion) lowering the thinned contact pressure of the beam. Conversely, when the planar heater 1 is fixed to the heater holder 2, the electrode pattern 13 of the planar heater 1 does not move when the temperature of the planar heater 1 is adjusted, so that the electrode pattern 13 of the planar heater 1 is Fine sliding does not occur between the electrical contacts. Therefore, by increasing the electrical plurality contacts 63 ₁ of the other one, 63 _second contact portions 63 ₁ a (first contact portion) thicker the beam contact pressure of the contact 62, the electrical contact portion of the contact And the electrical conduction between the electrode pattern portion of the planar heater and the surface heater. Therefore, the electrode pattern portion 13 of the planar heater 1
Multiple electrical contact portions 63 _1.
In 63 ₂ structure, lowering the one contact 63 _{and second} contact pressure, by raising the one contact 63 ₁ of the contact pressure,
The reliability of the contact is improved whether the electrode pattern portion 13 of the sheet heater 1 moves when the temperature of the sheet heater 1 is adjusted or whether it does not move.

<Embodiment 2> (FIG. 7) In this embodiment, a plurality of electrical contact portions of a contact are arranged so as to be displaced from each other substantially in a diagonal direction of a counter electrode surface. FIG. 7A is an external perspective view of the contact 62, and FIG. 7B is a plan view of the same.

A plurality of electrical contact portions 63 of the contact 62
₁ - 63 _2, by arranging let me positional deviation from each other substantially in the end side of the diagonal directions and the electrode surface 13 of the counterpart electrode surface 13, is positioned away from one another between a plurality contact portions 63 _1, 63 ₂ Even if one contact portion 63 ₁ becomes non-conductive and the electrode material of that portion or the electrode material of the contact burns out, the other one contact portion 63 ₂ of the multiple contact portion becomes a multiple contact portion. Since the distance between them is increased, conduction is maintained without being affected.

<Others> 1) The number of contact portions of the contact 62 is not limited to two in the embodiment, but may be three or more.

2) The form and structure of the electrical connector 6 and the contact 62, the mounting method, etc.
Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the mounting method.

3) The electrical connector of the present invention is not limited to the electrical connector for supplying power to the heating element 1 of the film heating system or the image heating and fixing device of the embodiment, but is widely used as an electrical connector in other electrical devices. The effect is obtained.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an electric connector having a contact which is in contact with and electrically connected to a mating electrode surface, heat loss of an electric contact portion is prevented and durability and reliability are improved. Can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main part of a film heating type heating device (image heating fixing device).

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway surface model diagram of a heating element (ceramic heater) omitted in the middle.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of both outwardly projecting ends of a heater holder and a power supply electrical connector fitted to the both ends.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a power supply electrical connector fitted to an outwardly projecting portion of a heater holder.

5A is a perspective view showing the appearance of a contact, and FIG. 5B is a plan view thereof.

6A is an external perspective view of a contact according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the contact.

FIG. 7A is an external perspective view of a contact according to a second embodiment, and FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heating body (ceramic heater) 2 Heater holder 3 Rigid stay 4 Heat resistant film (fixing film) 5 Pressure roller 6 Electric connector 11 Heater substrate 12 Heating resistor layer 13 Electrode pattern part 14 Protective glass layer 61 Outer shell part of electric connector 62 contact 63 ・ 63 ₁・ 63 ₂ electric contact part W power supply wire

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electrical connector having a contact for contacting and electrically connecting to a mating electrode surface, wherein the contact is provided with a plurality of electrical contact portions contacting the mating electrode surface, and between the plurality of electrical contact portions. In the electrical connector, the contact pressure with respect to the mating electrode surface is made different. 2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical contact portions of the contacts are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in a substantially diagonal direction of the mating electrode surface. 3. A substrate, a heating resistor provided on the substrate, and a surface heater having an electrode pattern for supplying power to the heating resistor, in contact with and electrically connected to the surface of the electrode pattern. In a power supply electrical connector having a contact, a contact is provided with a plurality of electrical contact portions that are in contact with the electrode pattern surface, and a contact pressure on the electrode pattern surface is differentiated between the plurality of electrical contact portions. An electrical connector, characterized in that: 4. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of electrical contact portions of the contacts are arranged so as to be displaced from each other substantially in a diagonal direction of the electrode pattern surface. 5. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the planar heater is a heating element in an image heating and fixing device.