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US 10,095,164 B2Granted
Fixing device and image forming apparatus comprising the same
AssigneeS-Printing Solution Co., Ltd.
InventorsSun Hyung Lee, Sang Uk Jeon, Hyun Keun Park, Ju Hyeong Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixing device is provided which includes a fixing belt rotatably arranged, a fixing roller disposed to face the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with an outer surface of the fixing belt a guide unit configured to guide rotation of the fixing belt in the fixing belt; and a pair of support units configured to limit movement of the fixing belt in a width direction at both ends of the guide unit. The fixing device may have a structure of guiding rotation of the fixing belt and a structure of limiting movement thereof in width direction, which are separated from each other.
Claims20
A fixing device comprising:
- a fixing belt rotatably arranged in the fixing device;
- a fixing roller disposed to have a surface face an outer surface of the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with the outer surface of the fixing belt;
- a guide unit to guide a rotation of the fixing belt and disposed within the fixing belt;
- a pair of support units to limit a movement of the fixing belt in a width direction and each of the pair of support units located at a respective end of the guide unit;
- and
- a pressing member, having an arch-shaped cross-section, to press the guide unit toward the fixing roller and being longitudinally elongated from a first support unit among the pair of support units to a second support unit among the pair of support units such that the pressing member is supported by the pair of support units,
- wherein
- the first support unit includes a first support body and a first belt support part having a first belt contact surface to support an inner surface of the fixing belt, the first belt support part protruding from the first support body toward the second support unit in the width direction,
- the second support unit includes a second support body and a second belt support part having a second belt contact surface to support the inner surface of the fixing belt, the second belt support part protruding from the second support body toward the first support unit in the width direction, and
- the guide unit is to guide the rotation of the fixing belt independently of the limiting the movement of the fixing belt in the width direction by the pair of support units such that rotation of the fixing belt is not influenced by movement of the pair of support units when one or both of the first and second support units are in an inclined state.
7 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a fixing device to fix a visible image transferred to the image forming apparatus to a printing medium,
- wherein the fixing device comprises:
- a fixing belt rotatably arranged in the fixing device;
- a fixing roller disposed to have a surface face an outer surface of the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with the outer surface of the fixing belt;
- a pair of support units having a belt limiting surface to limit movement of the fixing belt in a width direction and each of the pair of support units arranged at a respective end of the fixing belt;
- a guide unit having a surface in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt to guide rotation of the fixing belt, the guide unit comprising rotation guide parts disposed in the fixing belt at positions of the fixing belt more interior than the pair of support units;
- and
- a pressing member, having an arch-shaped cross-section, to press the guide unit toward the fixing roller and being longitudinally elongated from a first support unit among the pair of support units to a second support unit among the pair of support units such that the pressing member is supported by the pair of support units,
- wherein
- the first support unit includes a first support body and a first belt support part having a first belt contact surface to support the inner surface of the fixing belt, the first belt support part protruding from the first support body toward the second support unit in the width direction,
- the second support unit includes a second support body and a second belt support part having a second belt contact surface to support the inner surface of the fixing belt, the second belt support part protruding from the second support body toward the first support unit in the width direction, and
- the guide unit is to guide the rotation of the fixing belt independently of the limiting the movement of the fixing belt in the width direction by the pair of support units such that rotation of the fixing belt is not influenced by movement of the pair of support units when one or both of the first and second support units are in an inclined state.
9 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a fixing belt to rotate in a first direction and arranged in the image forming apparatus with a second direction as a width direction;
- a fixing roller disposed to have a surface face an outer surface of the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with the outer surface of the fixing belt;
- a guide unit comprising a rotation guide part having a surface in contact with an inner surface of the fixing belt to guide rotation of the fixing belt in the first direction and arranged in the fixing belt;
- a pair of support units having a belt limiting surface to limit a movement of the fixing belt in the second direction and spaced apart from both ends of the fixing belt;
- and
- a pressing member, having an arch-shaped cross-section, to press the guide unit toward the fixing roller and being longitudinally elongated from a first support unit among the pair of support units to a second support unit among the pair of support units such that the pressing member is supported by the pair of support units,
- wherein
- the first support unit includes a first support body and a first belt support part having a first belt contact surface to support the inner surface of the fixing belt, the first belt support part protruding from the first support body toward the second support unit in the width direction,
- the second support unit includes a second support body and a second belt support part having a second belt contact surface to support the inner surface of the fixing belt, the second belt support part protruding from the second support body toward the first support unit in the width direction, and
- the guide unit is to guide the rotation of the fixing belt independently of the limiting the movement of the fixing belt in the width direction by the pair of support units such that rotation of the fixing belt is not influenced by movement of the pair of support units when one or both of the first and second support units are in an inclined state.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.