KR20080084103A - A image fixing device of image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An image fixing device of image forming apparatus is provided to form plural heat radiating ribs in the outside of a cover of covering a fusing unit which radiates a fusing heat at a high temperature to prevent interference of other parts caused by the fusing heat, thereby preventing transformation by heat, malfunction, or damage of the other parts. An image fixing device of image forming apparatus includes a fusing unit(10), a cover(20), and plural heat radiating ribs(30). The fusing unit fuses an image transferred to printing media. The cover covers the fusing unit. The plural heat radiating ribs are protruded to the outside of the cover. The plural heat radiating ribs have a height and a spaced gap for cutting off a hand of a user from being in contact with the cover directly.

Description

A fixing device of an image forming apparatus

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

4 is an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 2, and

5A and 5B are graphs schematically showing a heat dissipation temperature according to a height of a heat dissipation rib.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: fixing unit 11: first fixing roller

12: 2nd fixing roller 13: fixing frame

20: cover 30: heat dissipation rib

The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus for fixing an image transferred to a printing medium by heating and pressing.

An image forming apparatus such as a general copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction device that implements these functions as a single device has a function of printing an image signal input from the outside onto a print medium.

Such an image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding device for feeding a print medium, a developing device for forming a predetermined image on the loaded print medium, a fixing device for fixing an image formed on the print medium, a discharge unit for discharging the print medium to the outside, and the like. .

Also, the image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine or multifunction device further includes a scanning unit for scanning an image of an original. The scan unit is generally stacked on top of the image forming apparatus in consideration of accessibility of the user.

On the other hand, the fixing device is installed on the upper part of the image forming apparatus, which is generally adjacent to the discharge unit in consideration of the transfer path of the printing medium, to fix the image formed on the printing medium by heating and pressing. At this time, the fixing device generates a fixing heat of approximately 200 ° C.

As a result, the heat of fixing of the fixing apparatus is transferred to the upper cover forming the outer appearance of the image forming apparatus, thereby causing thermal deformation such as fading of the upper cover or deformation of the shape. In addition, the user's accessibility is hindered by the top cover heated to a high temperature.

In addition, when the user enters the image forming apparatus for maintenance and repair, such as removal of the jammed print media inside the image forming apparatus, the fixing apparatus heated to a high temperature and parts adjacent thereto may cause contact with the image. have.

In addition, the fixing heat of the fixing apparatus is transferred to neighboring parts such as a scanning unit stacked on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus, thereby causing problems such as malfunction or inoperability by the heat.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus having an improved structure so as to prevent malfunction or damage of other parts due to the fixing heat and a user's image.

A fixing apparatus of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the fixing unit for fixing the image transferred to the print medium; A cover covering the fixing unit; And a plurality of heat dissipation ribs protruding from the outer surface of the cover, wherein the plurality of heat dissipation ribs have a height and a spaced interval for preventing a user's hand from directly contacting the cover.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the height and spacing interval of the heat dissipation rib is preferably 1.0mm or more and less than 10mm, respectively.

The fixing unit includes a pair of fixing rollers including at least one roller for generating fixing heat; And a fixing frame for supporting the pair of fixing rollers.

The cover may be installed in the fixing frame so as to cover the vicinity of the roller generating the fixing heat of the pair of fixing rollers.

In addition, the space between the fixing frame and the cover is preferably formed to be spaced apart from each other for heat radiation.

Hereinafter, a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3, a fixing apparatus of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing unit 10, a cover 20, and a heat dissipation rib 30.

The fixing unit 10 is installed in the transfer path of the print medium to fix the image transferred to the print medium by heat and pressure. The fixing unit 10 includes a pair of fixing rollers 11 and 12 and a fixing frame 13. Here, the pair of fixing rollers 11 and 12 are designated as first and second fixing rollers 11 and 12 for convenience of description.

The first fixing roller 11 includes a heat source 11a for heating the print medium. The heat source 11a employs any one of heat generating means such as a general halogen lamp. At this time, the heat source (11a) generates a fixing heat of approximately 200 ° C.

The second fixing roller 12 rotates while facing the first fixing roller 11, and presses the print medium transferred between the first fixing roller 11 and the first fixing roller 11. To this end, both ends of the second fixing roller 12 is elastically supported by the pressing spring (12a).

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the first fixing roller 11 is a heating roller in which the heat source 11a is built, and the second fixing roller 12 is illustrated as being a pressing roller supported by the pressing spring 12a. This is not a limitation.

That is, the first and second fixing rollers (11, 12) are both a heat source (11a) built-in or supported by a pressure spring (12a), various modifications such as having all the functions of heating or pressing Yes it is possible.

The fixing frame 13 rotatably supports the first and second fixing rollers 11 and 12. The fixing frame 13 is preferably formed of a material having low thermal conductivity.

The cover 20 covers the fixing unit 10. At this time, the cover 20 is installed to cover the first fixing roller 11 for generating the fixing heat. That is, the cover 20 blocks the fixing heat generated from the first fixing roller 11 from the outside, thereby primarily radiating heat. To this end, between the fixing frame 13 and the cover 20, spaces (S) spaced apart from each other for primary heat dissipation of the fixing heat of the first fixing roller 11 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the heat dissipation ribs 30 are provided on the outer surface of the cover 20 with a predetermined height H and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval G. Here, the height (H) and the spacing (G) of the heat dissipation rib 30 is a height (H) and the gap (G) to block the user's hand directly in contact with the cover.

As the height H of the heat dissipation rib 30 is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the higher the heat dissipation efficiency is improved. Specifically, when the heat dissipation rib 30 is installed than when the heat dissipation rib 30 is not installed, the temperature is lower. In addition, as the height H of the heat dissipation rib 30 is higher, heat dissipation efficiency is improved.

On the other hand, it is preferable that the temperature difference between the cover 20 and the heat dissipation rib 30 is about 10 ° C or more. To this end, the heat dissipation rib 30 has a height (H) of about 1.0mm or more, referring to the graph of Figures 5a and 5b. At this time, the height (H) of the heat dissipation ribs 30 should be within a range that does not interfere with nearby components.

In addition, the spacing G of the heat dissipation ribs 30 is within about 10 mm in consideration of the average minimum width of the user's finger.

An operation relationship of the fixing apparatus of the image forming apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

2 to 4, the first fixing roller 11 is heated by the heat source 11a therein, and the second fixing roller 12 is supported at both ends by the pressing spring 12a. It is pressed toward the 1st fixing roller 11 side. The print medium is transferred between the first and second fixing rollers 11 and 12 to fix an image.

At this time, the heat of the first fixing roller 11 is first heat dissipated through the space S between the fixing frame 13 and the cover 20, and then the second heat dissipation by the plurality of heat dissipation ribs 30. do. As a result, a temperature difference of about 10 ° C or more occurs between the surface temperature of the cover 20 and the heat dissipation rib 30.

Here, even when the user enters into the image forming apparatus for maintenance and repair such as removal of the jammed print media, the gap G of the heat dissipation ribs 30 is smaller than that of the user's finger. Direct contact with the surface of 20) is blocked.

According to the present invention as described above, by forming a plurality of heat dissipation ribs on the outer surface of the cover to cover the fixing unit for dissipating high temperature fixing heat, interference of other parts due to the fixing heat is prevented. This improves existing problems such as thermal deformation, malfunction or damage of other parts.

In addition, the plurality of heat dissipation ribs are installed on the cover at a height and a spaced interval to prevent direct contact of the user to prevent a user's burn, thereby improving accessibility and reliability of the user.

While the invention has been shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiments for illustrating the principles of the invention, the invention is not limited to the construction and operation as shown and described. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, all such suitable changes and modifications and equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

A fixing unit for fixing the transferred image onto a print medium; A cover covering the fixing unit; And And a plurality of heat dissipation ribs protruding from the outer surface of the cover. The plurality of heat dissipation ribs of the fixing apparatus of the image forming apparatus, characterized in that the user's hand has a height and spaced intervals to block the direct contact with the cover. The method of claim 1, The height of the heat dissipation rib and the spacing interval of the fixing device of the image forming apparatus, characterized in that less than 1.0mm and less than 10mm, respectively. According to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing unit, A pair of fixing rollers including at least one roller for generating fixing heat; And And a fixing frame for supporting the pair of fixing rollers. The method of claim 3, wherein And the cover is installed in the fixing frame to cover the vicinity of the roller which generates the fixing heat among the pair of fixing rollers. The method of claim 4, wherein A fixing apparatus of the image forming apparatus, wherein spaces spaced apart from each other for heat dissipation are formed between the fixing frame and the cover.

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