JPH11338294A - Supplying method of release agent to fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid shortage of a release agent in the period just after a nonwoven fabric is exchanged till a specific amt. are printed, by including a process to supply a specified amt. of the release agent by a release agent supply means to a nonwoven fabric just after exchanged. SOLUTION: The nonwoven fabric is wound up every printing of a specified amt. while the contact part between the nonwoven fabric and a heating roller 1 is gradually slide by a winding part having a driving power supply during printing. When the fabric is completely wound, it is detected by a nonwoven fabric end sensor, and the nonwoven fabric is exchanged. A process to supply a specified amt. of the release agent to the nonwoven fabric just after the fabric is exchanged is included. Namely an initial controlling routine of the nonwoven fabric is included, and the initial controlling routine is carried out to start printing when printing is first to be started after releasing the detection of the end of the nonwoven fabric. By this method, the release agent is supplied to the nonwoven fabric before printing and after exchanging, a nonwoven fabric without impregnated with the release agent can be used in the assembling process, which means an operator has a little chance to touch the release agent.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for supplying a release agent for a fixing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The prior art will be described with reference to FIG. A fixing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a copier nips and conveys a recording material 3 holding a toner 4 between a heating roller 1 and a pressure roller 2, and heats and presses the toner on the recording material 3. The fixing roller 4 is fixed, but the heating roller 1 and the toner 4 come into contact with each other and are heated and pressurized. Therefore, the release agent 5 is applied to the surface of the heating roller 1 to prevent the toner 4 from adhering to the heating roller 1. Release agent 5 is pumped from tank 6 to pump 7
Is supplied to the release agent discharge section 8 having a large number of holes 11, and the release agent 5 is discharged from the holes 11. The cleaning agent for cleaning the heating roller 1 and the heating roller 1 1 is uniformly applied with the release agent.

Further, since the nonwoven fabric 9 has a function of cleaning the toner 4 on the surface of the heating roller 1, a predetermined amount of the nonwoven fabric 9 is wound up every predetermined printing amount so as not to deteriorate the cleaning performance. A predetermined amount of the release agent 5 is ejected and replenished for each set print amount to impregnate the non-woven fabric 9, and the non-woven fabric 9 is replaced when it has been wound up. The new nonwoven fabric 9 is impregnated with a small amount of release agent as an initial impregnation, and for a while immediately after the replacement of the nonwoven fabric, the release agent 5 is applied to the heating roller 1 by the initially impregnated nonwoven fabric 9 for a certain printing amount. Was applied.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional structure, the nonwoven fabric 9 is insufficiently impregnated with the release agent during the period from immediately after replacement to the time when the nonwoven fabric 9 reaches a predetermined printing amount.
The toner adhesion to the toner (release property) and the cleaning property of the heating roller surface are poor, and a problem of erroneous printing occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, eliminate the shortage of the release agent in the period from immediately after the replacement of the nonwoven fabric to the time when the predetermined print amount is reached, prevent the toner from adhering to the heating roller, and reduce the heating roller. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of supplying a release agent of a fixing device with improved surface cleaning.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a belt-shaped nonwoven fabric, a nonwoven fabric supporting means for guiding the nonwoven fabric so as to be in contact with the surface of a fixing roller, and supporting the nonwoven fabric so as to be rollable. And a release agent supply means for supplying a release agent to the non-woven fabric supporting means, wherein the non-woven fabric is exchangeably provided with respect to the non-woven fabric supporting means. And a step of supplying a predetermined amount of release agent to the nonwoven fabric by the release agent supply means.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the description of the configuration of the fixing device shown in FIG. 1 is as described above, the description is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the non-woven fabric 9 is wound up by a predetermined printing amount while the contact portion between the heating roller 1 and the non-woven fabric 9 is gradually shifted by a winding unit 10 having a driving source during printing. The non-woven fabric 9 is replaced by a non-woven fabric end sensor (not shown) which detects that the winding has been completed. Immediately after the replacement of the nonwoven fabric 9, in the present invention, a step of supplying a fixed amount of the release agent 5 to the nonwoven fabric 9, that is, a nonwoven fabric initial adjustment routine is provided. Perform the routine and start printing.

In consideration of the case where the nonwoven fabric 9 is replaced or detached for some reason before detecting the end of the nonwoven fabric, the initial adjustment routine of the nonwoven fabric is performed by pressing a switch (not shown). Therefore, when the nonwoven fabric replacement operation is performed before the detection of the nonwoven fabric end, that is, before the nonwoven fabric 9 is completely used, the switch is depressed to execute the nonwoven fabric initial adjustment routine. If the work performed before the detection of the end of the nonwoven fabric is not a replacement but a mere attachment / detachment work, it is not always necessary to perform the nonwoven fabric initial adjustment routine.

It is known that non-woven fabrics of this type of fixing device include a non-woven fabric in which a predetermined amount of a release agent is impregnated in advance and a non-woven fabric in which no release agent is impregnated. I have. In the case of a nonwoven fabric in which a predetermined amount of a release agent has been impregnated in advance, the hand and the like are easily stained with the release agent when the nonwoven fabric is loaded into the apparatus main body, and there is a drawback in workability. According to the present invention, since the release agent is supplied to the nonwoven fabric immediately before the start of printing immediately after the replacement, it is possible to handle the nonwoven fabric which is not impregnated with the release agent at the time of loading, thereby reducing the chance of touching the release agent. You can also do it.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the shortage of the release agent in the period from immediately after the replacement of the nonwoven fabric to the time when the predetermined printing amount is reached is eliminated, the toner adhesion to the heating roller is prevented, and the cleaning property of the surface of the heating roller is improved. A method of supplying a release agent for a fixing device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fixing device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a release agent supply method of the present invention.

[Explanation of Symbols] 1 ... heating roller, 2 ... pressure roller, 3 ... recording material, 4 ... toner, 5 ... release agent, 6 ... tank, 7 ... pump, 8 ... release agent discharge section, 9 ... non-woven fabric , 10 ... non-woven fabric winding part, 11
…hole.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Ueno 1060 Takeda, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Pref.Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A strip-shaped non-woven fabric, a non-woven fabric supporting means for guiding the non-woven fabric so as to be in contact with the surface of a fixing roller, and supporting the non-woven fabric so as to be rollable, and a release agent for supplying a release agent to the non-woven fabric A fixing agent supply means, wherein the non-woven fabric is exchangeably provided with respect to the non-woven fabric supporting means. A method for supplying a predetermined amount of release agent by means.